50: What's Enough? Part II: Obsessions Artwork

The Nutrition Grouch

The weight loss industry is, has been, and always will be a dumpster fire. People like to say health & wellness (of which weight loss is a part of) is “broken” or full of “misinformation” but that is being too generous because it implies that some of it is good or that it is actually fixable. It is damaged beyond repair. If it were possible, I would burn it to the ground and start over.

While it is impractical to try to summarize what’s wrong with the industry in one podcast description, my premise is this: there is a truly astronomical amount of information that neither our media nor our professionals are able to communicate to you in a meaningful way without losing all context, applicability to real life, and/or the ability to see how all of the pieces fit together.

The media should just stop covering health & wellness because their soundbites explain nothing and are little more than headlines and talking points. They may raise awareness but not understanding, leading to the illusion of explanatory depth. Academics actually know what they are talking about and could help educate us but are too busy with their work and only some are engaged with the public. Most academics look down on and laugh at the quacks and zealots in the field but it’s the quacks and zealots that have the real power.

Businesses do not have the right people in place (PhDs or medical professionals) to drive product and service development (that’s left to the MBAs). After the brand is established, the number one rule is that you must protect and promote the brand no matter how myopic, self-serving, or unimportant that brand is. Healthcare is for the (already) sick and public health is so surface level.

When it comes to their health, the public is lazy. They want the most entertaining, convenient, and positive information available, even if it is at the expense of achieving their goals. Hard work, I think not. Let me take the path of least resistance and “do it on the side”. There’s no reason for real change.

Instead of being stuck in pedaling the news of the day, disconnected factoids and tidbits, overly reductionist, cliché, idealistic, magic cures, easy fixes, secrets, tips, tricks, hacks, fads, gimmicks, cherry-picked, binary, good/bad, flashy, insanely optimistic, exaggerated, fantasy land, sunshine and rainbows, theoretical, testimonial based weight loss information -- let’s come up with a more comprehensive, systematic, sustainable, realistic, semi-automated, results-oriented, pragmatic approach to weight loss with a slice of common sense.

I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time (years and decades) thinking about the thousands of nuances of weight loss (just Google Energy Balance Nutrition Consulting, The Paper Database, or The Science of Dieting). I’ve also spent thousands of hours trying to understand why the health & wellness field isn’t actually science based despite the information being readily available.

I am so fed up and exhausted by it all. It is so broken that on many days I want to say forget it. I’m done with this. It can’t be fixed. I’m a smart motivated guy that can take my talents elsewhere (LeBron). But something keeps drawing me back. It’s like a sickness or a bad relationship. I just can’t get out of it. At my core, it’s who I am. In this podcast I want to offer you truly science-based weight loss advice, critiques of the weight loss industry/diet culture, and thoughts on my experiences and failings in the profession. And with that, I bring you The Nutrition Grouch.

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The Nutrition Grouch

50: What's Enough? Part II: Obsessions

January 14, 2026 • Todd Weber, PhD

0:00 | 55:56

Half of the things that we think we “have to do” are not essential. “I have to watch that football game”. “I have to get my daughter’s teacher a Christmas present”. “I have to get new clothes for work”. “I have to get to the gym today”.

And many of the things that we “obsess about” and the goals that we pursue in the long term, really aren’t all that important in the grand scheme of things. And yet we keep ourselves so busy pursuing things that are not essential to our health and happiness.

In today’s episode the Nutrition Grouch suggests that you take the time to figure out what your “core essentials” are to your health and happiness on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. Figure out what you actually “really” need to take care of to further your health and happiness and what things can you forget about or let slide.

I’m not saying that we forgo our duties and responsibilities, aim for mediocrity, be lazy or take the easy path, rather there are things in this life that matter and things that do not. Put your time and energy into the things that matter and minimize the rest.

Some of the topics in today’s episode include:

Not everyone needs the drive of Tom Brady to be successful (1:57)
Sometimes the right conditions are more important than talent for success (3:50)
Aaron Rodgers won a Super Bowl and said, “now what?” (8:50)
Singular obsessions and mastering your craft (10:08)
Everyone’s got trauma: my PhD and career are mine (11:44)
My obsession with nutrition education hasn’t led to success (13:08)
I’m just not willing to “play the game” (14:04)
Changing the culture of health & wellness and your relationship with it (15:29)
The dark side of obsessions: unintended consequences (19:21)
Finding like-minded, science-based wellness people is nearly impossible (23:20)
Team up together or get squashed (26:12)
Do what you are designed to do (29:06)
A Buffalo Bills Super Bowl will never be enough (32:28)
I HATE Christmas (37:15)
My problem with “Forced Holidays” (37:57)
Giving and receiving gifts is not my cup of tea (40:24)
The time I found out why saying “Good Morning” is SO IMPORTANT (41:39)
I have a two activities per weekend limit (43:21)
If you seek tranquility, do less (44:43)
Our pace of life, diet, and lifestyle are NOT normal, but it doesn’t have to be this way (46:09)
What’s enough?: daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals (51:41)
Unrestrained moderation (53:58)