I lost weight in a healthy way when I stopped doing this one thing

My mind was absolutely blown when I realized this was a problem.

Hello friends!

To be completely honest, setting today’s podcast episode live—and publishing this Substack post—is nerve-wracking. While weight loss was basically the entire focus of the health conversation a few decades ago, in today’s wellness world, the topic is taboo.

In general, I love that. We’ve come so far! But I also think it’s important that we don’t completely discount the topic of weight and fat composition, because it’s a crucial piece of our health: A meta-analysis of 239 prospective studies across four continents (encompassing over 10 million participants!) found that having a BMI between 22.5 and 24.9 is associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality.

Does this mean BMI is all that matters? Of course not, and as you’ll learn in the episode, body composition matters more than weight. But I also want to be honest and tell you that I’ve been on my own weight-related journey over the past few months, after a DEXA scan showed I was putting extra pressure on my heart to simply pump the blood to fill my body.

Luckily, today’s podcast guest, Nicki Parlitsis, CPT, RD, LDN, has been there to help me every step of the way—and I’m so excited to have her on to share all the facts and myths about losing weight in a healthy way.

Nicki is a powerhouse integrative dietitian, certified personal trainer, and the lead dietitian at Michelle Shapiro Nutrition. She blends science-backed strategies with deep empathy, helping clients break free from binge eating, soothe gut issues, and achieve sustainable weight goals without sacrificing joy. Having navigated her own battle with disordered eating, Nicki brings a rare, lived-in understanding to her practice.

Nicki was quick to bust one long-held myth for me, and finding out about this honestly completely blew my mind:

Eating real, healthy food isn’t all there is to it

I’m someone who proudly grazes on healthy food and eats countless farmer’s market cookies because I know they have the best ingredients. But if you’re trying to lose fat, or even maintain your weight, you have to pay more attention. Here’s how Nicki broke it down for me:

🥑 Eating clean doesn’t guarantee weight loss or maintenance

You can be doing all the “right” things—opting for sourdough over white bread, almond butter over Nutella, and eating cookies made with coconut sugar—and still not see the results you want. Whole, nutrient-dense foods support your health in a ton of ways, but they still contain calories, and if you’re consistently eating more energy than your body is using, your weight will go up. This doesn’t mean you need to restrict—it just means you need to pay attention.

🧭 In our modern world, intuition isn’t always enough

I love the idea of intuitive eating. But between sleep deprivation, emotional stress, and the accessibility of ultra-processed foods, most of us are living in what Nicki calls “spotty service.” Our hunger and fullness cues get scrambled, and without a bit of structure or intentionality, it’s really easy to get lost. Intuition works best when your body feels safe, nourished, and grounded in routine.

🥜 Some of the most nutritious foods are sneaky calorie bombs

Avocados, nuts, and almond butter are loaded with benefits, but they’re also super energy-dense. If weight loss is your goal, it’s worth being mindful about portions, even with the “good stuff.” That doesn’t mean cutting them out, it just means being honest about how much your body actually needs, and how often.

From the episode:

“We do have to understand that food has calories, and some foods have more of them. We don't need to hyper-fixate, but we do need to be educated on the fact that calories exist. So, for example, like an avocado. Your standard avocado has about 250 calories. That could be a full snack, but I have a lot of clients who come in and they're putting a whole avocado on two pieces of toast as part of their breakfast.

So if we want to lose weight, then we do have to look at—Hey, alright, it's not the food. There's not one food that's ‘bad,’ but how much of it are we having?”

The takeaway:

If you want to lose weight in a healthy way, you have to burn more total calories than you take in. Are you someone who eats a lot of healthy foods with great ingredients, but can also easily eat five slices of sourdough bread (me)? Roughly calculate how many calories are in the healthy foods you’re eating, and know that most people underestimate how many calories they’re taking in and overestimate how many calories they’re burning. If counting calories is triggering for you, it can be helpful to work with a registered dietitian.

For more incredible weight and fat loss facts and tips, including whether getting 250 calories from Cheetos is the same as getting 250 calories from an avocado (the answer is fascinating), how protein factors into fat loss and more, listen to today’s podcast episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

And let me know in the comments—are you on a weight loss journey? Do you find talking about it uncomfortable?

Xo,

Liz

P.S. Paid subscribers always get access to key takeaways from each episode and full episode transcripts. We also have incredible wellness trend deep dives that go live every Friday—this week’s is about whether you can use AI for weight loss. 😳

Key takeaways