More Than a Number | Sustainable Weight Loss, Healthy Eating for Weight Loss, Mindful Eating for Weight Loss, Weight Loss for Women Over 40, How to Stop Overeating

Welcome back, friends!
I once decided I was going to get back in shape, pulled out my trusty Billy Blanks Tae Bo VHS tape, and got ready to pick up right where I'd left off.
There was just one little problem. I hadn't exercised in years, and my body was about 150 pounds heavier than it had been the last time Sir Billy and I worked out together.
Let's just say things didn't go according to plan. I didn't even make it through the warm-up. Actually, I didn't even make it to the warm-up. 😂
In this episode of More Than a Number, I'm sharing that very unfortunate (and now pretty funny) story and talking about one of the biggest mistakes we make when trying to get active again: starting where we used to be instead of where we actually are.
We're talking about why movement doesn't have to mean intense workouts, expensive gym memberships, or trying to burn as many calories as possible. I'll break down the physical activity recommendations, why strength training matters, and how those little "move snacks" throughout your day can add up.
We'll also talk about finding movement you actually enjoy, choosing activities that fit your time and energy, and learning to adjust your routine when life gets bananas instead of abandoning it altogether.
Because you don't have to wait until you can do the whole thing to do something.
Whether you're starting from zero, getting back into movement after a long break, or struggling to stay consistent, this episode will help you figure out your next realistic step.
And if you'd like some help identifying where to start, check out The ANCHOR Method Toolkit, my self-guided resource with assessments, evidence-based education, and practical tools to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life.
Explore the Toolkit: https://toolkit.theanchorednutrition.com
Visit Anchored Nutrition: https://www.theanchorednutrition.com
Remember, we don't start over. We just come back to our anchors.
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When did weight loss get so dang complicated?
Track your calories. Don’t track your calories. Eat more protein. Get more fiber. Cut the carbs. Try fasting. Walk more. Lift weights. Sleep eight hours. Manage your stress. Take this supplement. Try that strategy.
There is SO much information out there — and plenty of it is good information. But when you’re trying to do all of it at once, it can start to feel like you need a degree in weight loss just to figure out what to eat for lunch.
In this episode of More Than a Number, I’m talking about why sustainable weight loss doesn’t need to be so complicated.
And I want to be really clear: simple does not mean easy.
I’ve maintained a weight loss of more than 200 pounds for almost two decades. I’m also a registered dietitian who specializes in weight management. I would never tell you that changing your habits, improving your health, losing weight, or maintaining that loss is always easy.
But I do believe we can make it simpler.
We’re talking about how all the conflicting advice and endless “shoulds” can actually make it harder to move forward, why you don’t need to optimize every area of your health at the same time, and how to start identifying what deserves your attention right now.
And I’m also introducing something I’ve been working on for a long time: The ANCHOR Method Toolkit, my new self-guided roadmap for simplifying sustainable weight loss and cutting through all that noise.
You don’t need another perfect plan.
You need a way to know what matters now, where to focus, and what to do next.
Get your ANCHOR Method Toolkit: toolkit.theanchorednutrition.com
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Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
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Welcome back!
Have you ever decided you were starting a diet on Monday, only to spend Sunday night eating everything you were convinced you wouldn’t be “allowed” to have anymore?
There’s actually a name for that: the Last Supper effect. And it’s a perfect example of what can happen when our approach to weight loss becomes overly restrictive.
In this episode, I’m talking about the cycle of restriction, overeating, guilt, and starting over—and why the answer isn’t always creating even stricter rules.
Because yes, weight loss requires a calorie deficit. Portions matter. Your overall eating pattern matters. Nutrition matters. But enjoyment matters, too.
We’ll talk about why making a food completely off-limits can sometimes make it feel even more powerful, how significantly undereating during the day can leave you ravenous and feeling out of control at night, and why it’s important to look at the whole pattern instead of blaming everything on willpower.
I’m also introducing something I call inclusion with intention: instead of automatically asking, “How do I stop eating this?” we start asking, “How could this fit?”
That might mean learning how pizza, pasta, chocolate, bread, ice cream—or whatever food you genuinely love—can exist within an eating pattern that still supports your goals.
Because food gets to be nourishment and joy. Fuel and comfort. Health, culture, tradition, celebration, memories, and love.
Sustainable weight loss isn’t about finding the strictest diet you can temporarily tolerate. It’s about creating an eating pattern you can actually live with for the rest of your life.
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
 
 
 
 

Welcome back!
Have you ever started a new habit, made it a week or two, and wondered why it still felt so hard? Maybe you assumed you lacked discipline—or that if the habit hadn’t become automatic by now, you were doing something wrong.
Here’s the problem: that whole “it takes 21 days to build a habit” thing? It’s not actually supported by the research.
In this episode of More Than a Number, I’m breaking down where the 21-day myth came from, what the research actually tells us about how long habits take to become automatic, and why your timeline may look completely different depending on the habit you’re trying to build.
More importantly, we’re talking about why this matters for sustainable weight loss. Losing weight isn’t just about following a plan long enough to see the scale move. Lasting change comes from building everyday habits that eventually become part of how you live.
I’m also sharing one of my favorite tools for building habits: a simple monthly habit tracker. We’ll talk about choosing habits that are specific and realistic, why tracking gives us a more accurate picture than our memory does, how habit stacking can make new behaviors easier to remember, and why a blank box is information—not failure.
Because missing one day doesn’t mean you need to start over. And your habit doesn’t need to be automatic by day 21.
It needs enough time and repetition to actually become part of your life.
🎁 FREE MONTHLY HABIT TRACKER
Ready to put this into practice? Grab my free Monthly Habit Tracker and use it to notice your patterns, build consistency, and focus on progress—not perfection.
Download the Free Monthly Habit Tracker
The habit you’re building today isn’t just about today. It’s a vote for the life you’re building five years from now. ⚓️
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
 
 
 

Welcome back!
Have you ever told yourself you were “resting”…while feeling guilty the entire time because you knew there was something else you wanted or needed to do?
Yeah. Me too.
After noticing myself slipping back into an old pattern with TV, I decided to take a TV fast for the entire month of August. What I expected was to get some time back. What I didn't expect was how much it would teach me about distraction, procrastination, real rest—and the subtle ways all of it can affect sustainable weight loss.
In this episode, we're talking about the difference between actually restoring yourself and simply keeping your brain occupied enough that you don't have to deal with whatever you're avoiding.
Because distraction doesn't always look like a problem. Sometimes it's scrolling for “a few minutes” before meal prepping. One more episode when you planned to go to bed. Picking up your phone before a workout…and suddenly 45 minutes are gone.
And that's where Awareness, the first step of the ANCHOR Method, comes in.
No judgment. Just notice.
We'll talk about the distraction → relief → guilt → more distraction loop, why procrastination isn't a character flaw, and how these patterns can quietly ripple into our sleep, movement, healthy eating and ultimately our weight loss goals.
I'm not telling you to cancel Netflix. 😂 I'm asking you to start noticing the difference between something that genuinely restores you and something you're using to avoid discomfort.
Because sustainable weight loss—especially weight loss for women over 40—isn't just about knowing what to eat.
Sometimes we don't need another plan. We need enough awareness to see what's keeping us from doing the things we already know support us.
Curious about the six books I read/listened to during my TV fast? I highly recommend every one of them—10/10:📚 Stop Letting Everything Affect You — Daniel Chidiac📚 The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.📚 Secure Love — Julie Menanno📚 Secure — Amir Levine, M.D.📚 Attached — Amir Levine, M.D. & Rachel S. F. Heller, M.A.📚 The Mingling of Souls — Matt Chandler with Jared C. Wilson
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💜 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
 
 

Welcome back!
There's one word we throw around constantly in sustainable weight loss, and I don't think most of us actually know what we mean by it. Consistency. We say it, our doctors say it, every article on the internet says it — "just be consistent" — but what does that actually mean?
Here's what I've noticed after years of doing this work: we tend to land in one of two camps. Either we're doing all the right things five or six days a week and then beating ourselves up over Saturday dinner, or we're calling something "consistent" that's really only happened a handful of times. It cracks me up every time — we're using the same word for two completely different things.
In this episode we're digging into what consistency actually means, using the ANCHOR Method. Fair warning: we say the word so many times you might never want to hear it again. But by the end, we'll actually know what we mean by it.
Spoiler — it's not perfection, and it's not doing something once in a while and calling it a habit either. It's somewhere in between, and that space looks different depending on what we're talking about. We talk about why our eating habits need a different frequency than something like strength training, why one off night doesn't undo an otherwise supportive pattern, and why we're getting rid of the phrase "starting over" for good. We don't start over — we just come back to our anchors.
We also cover the flip side: what to do when we feel consistent but aren't seeing results, and how getting curious instead of assuming our bodies are broken gives us something to actually work with.
By the end, we'll have a simple, no-judgment way to check where we actually stand with any habit we're working on right now. Let's dig in.
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
 

Welcome back!
What if the way we eat, the way we feel, and the way we think about our bodies aren't separate issues at all?
In this episode, I'm joined by my friend and fellow registered dietitian Jaclyn Klauder, a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with expertise in behavioral health nutrition. And this conversation gets into so many of the things I believe we've gotten wrong about health and weight loss.
Jaclyn and I talk about what it actually means to be healthy beyond a number on the scale, and why our physical, mental and emotional health are far more interconnected than we sometimes realize.
We dive into the difference between disordered eating and a diagnosable eating disorder—and why you absolutely cannot determine someone's relationship with food simply by looking at their body. We also explore the fascinating gut-brain connection, what restrictive eating can do to our gut health, and how food can support both our physical and mental well-being.
We also talk about hunger and fullness cues, emotional eating, body neutrality, mindful eating, and Jaclyn's “tool belt” approach to coping. One of my favorite reminders from our conversation? You can always go back to the food. Sometimes simply knowing we're allowed to have something takes away some of its power.
And yes, we tackle some of the nutrition nonsense circulating on social media, too. Because apparently even bananas and berries have become controversial. 😂
This is such a rich conversation about learning to work with our bodies rather than constantly fighting against them—and I can't wait for you to hear it.
Jaclyn Klauder, RDN, LD, CEDSwww.berrywellnutrition.comInstagram: @berrywellnutritionEmail: jaclyn@berrywellnutrition.com
Hunger & Fullness Resources
Jaclyn and I talked about using hunger and fullness scales as a tool to help you become more aware of your body's cues. I've included two different versions so you can see which one resonates with you.
Download the Hunger & Fullness Scales here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14yGU9u_iIvWj7LTw1Bx8e2p5Nyn3dbyF?usp=sharing
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
 
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 

Hey Friends - welcome back!
When we're trying to lose weight or improve our health, we spend a LOT of time thinking about what we eat. Are we getting enough protein and fiber? Are our portions right? Are we eating the “right” foods?
But how we eat matters too.
In this episode of More Than a Number, we're digging into the science of mindful eating, eating speed, digestion and sustainable weight loss—and why slowing down may affect much more than you realize.
We'll break down what happens in your body before food even reaches your stomach, including the cephalic phase of digestion, why chewing thoroughly and eating slowly matter, and how rushed or distracted eating can affect your ability to notice hunger and fullness cues.
We're also talking about aerophagia—or swallowing air—and how eating and drinking behaviors can contribute to gas, belching, bloating and abdominal discomfort. And if you've had bariatric surgery, I especially want you to hear why bite size, chewing, pacing and drinking behaviors continue to matter long after surgery.
Plus, we’ll talk about eating speed and fullness cues, why you shouldn’t automatically blame a food every time your stomach feels uncomfortable, and what mindful eating looks like for normal people who do NOT have seven minutes to contemplate a raisin. 😂
And no—eating slowly doesn’t magically “boost your metabolism.”
This week, I’m giving you one simple experiment to become more aware of how you fuel your body—without another diet, food rule or overhaul.
Because sometimes it’s not just what you eat.
It’s HOW you eat.
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
Research & References
Eating rate, intake & attention
Robinson E, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of eating rate on energy intake and hunger. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;100(1):123–151. Slower eating was associated with lower energy intake compared with faster eating in the included experimental studies. PubMed: Eating rate, energy intake and hunger
Ohkuma T, et al. Association between eating rate and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity. 2015. This is the observational evidence we used when discussing the association between faster eating and higher body weight.PubMed: Eating rate and obesity
Robinson E, et al. Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013;97(4):728–742. PubMed: Eating attentively
Eating while distracted: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of distraction on concurrent and later energy intake in adults. 2026. This newer review is the basis for our nuanced discussion that distraction doesn't necessarily increase intake at the current meal in every circumstance, but can influence later intake.PubMed: Eating while distracted
Cephalic-phase responses
Wiedemann SJ, et al. Evidence for cephalic phase insulin release in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite. 2020;155:104792. This meta-analysis found evidence supporting cephalic-phase insulin secretion in humans. PubMed: Cephalic-phase insulin release meta-analysis
Pullicin AJ, et al. Cephalic phase insulin release: A review of its mechanistic basis and variability in humans. Physiology & Behavior. 2021;239:113514. Importantly, this review also describes the considerable variability and remaining uncertainty around the response—which is why we don't turn it into a “metabolism hack” in the episode. PubMed: Cephalic-phase response review
Aerophagia, belching & bloating
Liu K, et al. Diagnostic and Management Review of Gastric and Supragastric Belching, Aerophagia, and Rumination Syndrome. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2026;24(2):285–295. PubMed: Aerophagia and belching review
Moshiree B, et al. AGA Clinical Practice Update on Evaluation and Management of Belching, Abdominal Bloating, and Distention: Expert Review. Gastroenterology. 2023;165(3):791–800.e3. PubMed: AGA review of belching, bloating and distention
Hemmink GJM, et al. Excessive belching and aerophagia: two different disorders. This paper is also useful for an important distinction: true aerophagia involves excessive swallowing of air that enters the GI tract and can contribute to abdominal bloating/distention; excessive supragastric belching is a different phenomenon. PubMed: Aerophagia and excessive belching
Bariatric surgery nutrition & eating behaviors
Mechanick JI, et al. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative Nutrition, Metabolic, and Nonsurgical Support of Patients Undergoing Bariatric Procedures — 2019 Update. Guidelines cosponsored by AACE/ACE, TOS, ASMBS, OMA and ASA. PubMed: Bariatric clinical practice guidelines
Sherf Dagan S, et al. Nutritional Recommendations for Adult Bariatric Surgery Patients: Clinical Practice. Advances in Nutrition. This review specifically includes eating slowly, chewing well, small bites, stopping at comfortable fullness, separating liquids from solids and avoiding carbonated beverages among postoperative recommendations. It also discusses rapid eating and insufficient chewing in relation to postoperative dysphagia. Full-text bariatric nutrition recommendations
Obesity Medicine Association. Bariatric nutrition and evaluation of the metabolic surgical patient: Update to the 2022 OMA Clinical Practice Statement. This newer guidance reinforces slow eating, thorough chewing, avoiding carbonation and behavior modification for common postoperative GI symptoms. OMA bariatric nutrition update
 

Welcome back!
What if the first step to lasting weight loss has nothing to do with protein, meal prep, or exercise?
In this episode, we're talking about something that often gets overlooked—but it's the foundation of every lasting change we make: awareness.
For so many of us, tracking feels intimidating. It can bring up feelings of guilt, shame, or the fear of being judged. But what if we looked at it differently? What if tracking wasn't about punishment or perfection, but simply about collecting information?
I'll share what more than a decade of working in weight management has taught me, why research shows we often underestimate how much we're eating, and how one simple conversation with a patient perfectly illustrated the power of paying attention. We'll also talk about why awareness extends far beyond calories and how tracking things like protein, water, sleep, stress, movement, and even your mood can help you better understand your body.
This week's challenge isn't to overhaul your life or chase perfection. It's simply to notice. Because awareness comes before change, and lasting change begins when we're honest about where we are—not where we wish we were.
Remember...honesty isn't failure. It's the starting line.
If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to share it with someone who needs to hear it.
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition
 
 

Welcome back!
Can 30 days really change your life?
A month ago, I challenged myself to post on social media every day for 30 days. I thought it was simply an accountability challenge to help me show up more consistently. What I didn't know was that life was about to throw me one of the hardest personal seasons I've ever experienced.
In this episode, I share how those 30 days became so much more than a social media challenge. They became a reminder that we don't need perfect circumstances to move forward—we just need to keep coming back to our anchors.
We'll talk about why awareness is the first step toward lasting change, how accountability helped me keep showing up when I wanted to quit, and why nourishing your body, protecting your sleep, moving your body, managing stress, and leaning into your faith matter even more when life gets hard.
I also share how this experience became the foundation for my new coaching program, 30 Days to Thrive, and why I believe 30 days isn't about transforming your entire life—it's about planting the seeds that eventually do.
If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you've drifted away from the habits that help you feel your best, I hope this episode reminds you of one simple truth:
We don't have to start over. We just have to come back to our anchors.
If you're ready to stop chasing weight loss and start building a healthier life that supports it, I'd love to walk alongside you.
Learn more about 30 Days to Thrive at thrive.theanchorednutrition.com.
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Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If you're ready to stop starting over and build a healthier life that supports lasting weight loss, 30 Days to Thrive was created for you! 
Learn more and enroll here:
⚓ thrive.theanchorednutrition.com
Stay Connected:
📩 Join More Than a Number Weekly
Get practical weight loss tips, podcast recaps, free resources, and be the first to hear about new coaching opportunities.
newsletter.theanchorednutrition.com
📧 sam@theanchorednutrition.com
📸 Instagram: @sambaronenutrition
💙 Facebook: Sam Barone Nutrition