Doctor Drop It with Dr Barbara Hessel
If you've been dieting for years, losing weight and gaining it all back, feeling frustrated that nothing sticks, and wondering if your body is just broken, I want you to know: it's not you.
Your hunger hormones have been reprogrammed by years of restrictive dieting, and until you address what's actually driving your hunger, the cycle won't stop. I'm here to help you break it for good.
Every week, I share science-backed, no-nonsense guidance on sustainable weight loss for women, especially if you're in your 40s, 50s, or 60s.
No fads, no gimmicks, no shame. Just real medical expertise and strategies that work with your body instead of against it.
In this podcast, you'll learn:
👉 Why diets reprogram your hunger hormones to cause weight regain.
👉 The four hunger types (your Hunger Code) and why knowing yours is the key to lasting weight loss.
👉 The truth about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro, including side effects no one warns you about.
👉 How to lose fat without losing muscle, energy, or your sanity.
👉 Why you're always hungry on a diet and how to fix it naturally.
👉 How to stop yo-yo dieting once and for all with the Metabolic Momentum Method.
👉 The best way to lose weight during perimenopause and menopause.
👉 Why "eat less, exercise more" is terrible advice for most women.
I've helped thousands of women in my New York practice and online programs lose weight sustainably using the Metabolic Momentum Method, a doctor-designed, three-step framework (Master Macros, Happy Appetite, Metabolic Switch) that helps women lose up to 20 pounds in 12 weeks without starvation, excessive cardio, or muscle loss.
I also struggled with my own weight for decades before I cracked the code. I know what it's like to try everything and feel like nothing works.
That personal experience, combined with 25 years of medical practice, is why I approach weight loss differently than anyone else in this space.
If you're a smart, driven woman who's ready to stop starting over and finally get results that last, subscribe and turn on notifications. New episodes every week.
🔥 Book a free Hunger Code Assessment: https://doctordropit.com/register
🌐 Website: https://drhesselmd.com
Doctor Drop It with Dr Barbara Hessel
Intermittent Fasting Mistakes That Sabotage Weight Loss
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📌 Book your free Hunger Code Assessment: https://doctordropit.com/register
Your friend tried intermittent fasting and lost 20 pounds. You tried the exact same protocol: 16:8, black coffee in the morning, eating window noon to 8 PM. And you ended up exhausted, irritable, and the scale would not move.
This is not a willpower problem. Intermittent fasting works brilliantly for some women and backfires spectacularly for others.
The difference is not discipline. It is whether fasting matches your hunger pattern and your metabolic state.
Here are the five specific mistakes that explain why fasting is not working for you, and how to know if it is even right for your biology.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Why IF works for some women and backfires for others
1:17 Mistake 1: Fasting with the wrong hunger type
2:47 Which hunger patterns should avoid IF completely
3:13 Mistake 2: Not eating enough protein in your eating window
4:02 How low protein during IF causes muscle loss, not fat loss
5:18 Mistake 3: Overeating in your window without realizing it
6:59 Mistake 4: Fasting too long for your metabolic state
8:12 Red flags that signal your fast is too long
9:15 How to build a strategic fasting protocol that works
10:00 The 14-day framework to test IF without metabolic damage
❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Q: Why is intermittent fasting not working even when I stick to it?
A: IF only works for specific hunger types. If you have a hungry brain or hungry gut pattern, fasting amplifies hunger hormones and creates a binge-restrict cycle. The issue is not your discipline. It is a mismatch between the tool and your biology.
Q: How much protein do I need during intermittent fasting?
A: Target roughly one gram per pound of bodyweight divided across your eating window. If you are eating two meals, that means at least 40 to 60 grams per meal minimum. Fasting without adequate protein causes muscle wasting, not fat loss.
Q: Can intermittent fasting slow your metabolism?
A: Yes, for the wrong metabolic state. Fasting too long when you have thyroid issues, chronic stress, or a history of restrictive dieting elevates cortisol, suppresses thyroid function, and causes your body to conserve energy and hold fat. Longer fasting is not always better.
📱 RESOURCES
Hunger Code Assessment: https://doctordropit.com/register
https://www.instagram.com/drbarbarahesselmd
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ABOUT BARBARA HESSEL:
Dr. Barbara Hessel is an M.D. with over 25 years of medical experience. She specializes in sustainable weight loss without muscle loss, exhaustion, or shame using her proprietary Hunger Code Method.
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