Project Weight Loss

Hosted by Fina Perez

Education Health Fitness

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Episodes

223

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Your best life is just one project away. The Project Weight Loss Podcast is where you will learn the tools and skills to change what is weighing you down, lose weight and above all, improve your quality of life. This reinvention of your life could have a tremendous ripple effect in all you do and everyone you touch. To learn more and work with us visit https://projectweightloss.org.

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August 13, 2026Episode 22325 min

Temperance: Homer Figured Out Self-Control 3,000 Years Before We Did

Send us Fan Mail The One Virtue That Makes All the Others Work Did you catch The Odyssey in theaters? I went with my daughter and my honey a couple weeks ago, and Christopher Nolan's version got me thinking about one scene in particular — Odysseus, tied to the mast of his own ship, choosing to hear the Sirens' song without letting it destroy him. That single choice is one of the oldest stories we have about self-control, and it's where I want to take you this week: temperance. Not the Prohibition-era, no-fun version — the real one, one of the four cardinal virtues, sitting right alongside courage, justice, and wisdom. This episode is the Siren Song of Your Cravings (And How to Outsmart It) In this episode I speak to where temperance actually comes from (hint: it's Latin for "the right amount, not too much, not too little"), why discretion and discipline live inside it, and how building my own "mast" — the pantry I don't stock, the friend I text before the hard moment, the lunch I pack before I even leave the house — beats white-knuckle willpower every time. I bring the Maesters, in Homer, the Stoics, Ryan Holiday, and Jud Brewer to make my case. In this episode of Sirens, Cravings, and the Art of Saying No Quote of the Week "Temperance puts wood on the fire, meal in the barrel, flour in the tub, money in the purse, credit in the country, contentment in the house, clothes on the back, and vigor in the body." — Benjamin Franklin Citations · Homer, The Odyssey (epic poem, source for the Sirens/mast story I talk about) · The Odyssey (2026 film), directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Tom Holland · Cicero, on translating the Greek sōphrosynē into Latin temperantia · C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Ch. 2, "The Cardinal Virtues") · Marcus Aurelius, Meditations · Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control · Dr. Judson Brewer, research on craving loops (trigger–behavior–reward) · Dwight D. Eisenhower, on freedom and self-discipline · Benjamin Franklin, writings on the 13 virtues Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

August 6, 2026Episode 22214 min

The #1 Predictor of Whether Your Relationship Survives

Send us Fan Mail There's one small habit — noticed decades ago by researchers watching married couples through a one-way mirror — that predicts, with startling accuracy, whether a relationship lasts or falls apart. It's not about how often you fight. It's not about compatibility. It's about a handful of tiny, easy-to-miss moments every single day — and whether you show up for them. This week, we're breaking down the research behind it, what it looks like in real life, and one simple habit you can start today. Quote of the week: "Good relationships keep us happier, healthier, and help us live longer." — Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development Citations: · Gottman, J. (research from The Love Lab, University of Washington); Gottman, J. & DeClaire, J., The Relationship Cure ; Gottman, J., The Love Prescription · Waldinger, R., The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness ; Harvard Study of Adult Development (adultdevelopmentstudy.org) Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

July 30, 2026Episode 22124 min

Strength Maester: Cheryl Strayed

Send us Fan Mail She hiked over a thousand miles alone with a backpack too heavy for her body, no real experience, and a grief she didn't know what else to do with — and somehow, that walk became one of the most honest books ever written about coming back to yourself. This week I'm talking about Maester Cheryl Strayed: author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things, the voice behind the anonymous "Dear Sugar" column, and one of the people who taught me that healing isn't about waiting until you feel ready. I'm digging into her story, the lessons that have stuck with me the longest, and why her particular brand of honesty — no self-pity, no fake positivity — is exactly the medicine so many of us need right now. Grab your headphones, hit play, and let's go. Quote of the Week "I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me." — Cheryl Strayed , Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012) Citations Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012) Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar (Vintage Books, 2012) cherylstrayed.com — official author website Literary Arts — official author biography Wikipedia, "Cheryl Strayed" (cross-referenced with The New York Times, NPR, Forbes, Vanity Fair, Deadline, and Publishers Weekly) Wikipedia, "Brian Lindstrom" The Hollywood Reporter, "Brian Lindstrom Dead: Doc Filmmaker and Cheryl Strayed Husband" (May 2026) Parade, "Cheryl Strayed Shares Her Husband, Brian Lindstrom, Has Died" (May 2026) The Wrap, "'Wild' Author Cheryl Strayed Mourns Death of Husband Brian Lindstrom: 'We're Utterly Bereft'" (May 2026) — source of Strayed's own tribute language quoted in this episode Featured books: Torch (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006) Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012) Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar (Vintage Books, 2012) Brave Enough (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015) Who this episode is for: anyone into memoir and personal growth podcasts, hikers and outdoor adventurers looking for their next trail read, fans of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things , and listeners working through grief, big life transitions, or the fear of starting something hard. Loved this episode? Share it with a friend who needs a little courage this week, and subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

July 23, 2026Episode 22033 min

Maester Athletes — What Messi, Mbappé, and Yamal Can Teach Us

Send us Fan Mail This week I'm breaking format for a special Maester Athletes episode, built around this year's World Cup 2026 of soccer. I tell the story behind the photo that went viral right before the match — Lionel Messi bathing a baby at a charity event almost two decades ago, a baby who grew up to be Lamine Yamal, the very player who faced him on the pitch. I dig into why I never doubted that photo was real (it's all about who you trust as a news source), why the hug between Messi and Yamal after the final is the most Project Weight Loss moment of the entire tournament, and what Kylian Mbappé's Golden Boot run — plus his answer about "collective spirit" in his Wall Street Journal interview — can teach us about discipline, joy, and showing up for our own goals without blame or shame. I also walk through the real research behind why some people stick to their goals and others don't: Gollwitzer and Sheeran's 94-study meta-analysis on implementation intentions, a British Journal of Health Psychology study on exercise follow-through, and why motivation and information alone are never enough without a plan and regular self-monitoring. If you're working your own Project Weight Loss — on your body, your relationships, or your work in the world — this episode gives you the if-then framework to get back up fast when you slip, the way these athletes do. Share it with someone who needs to hear it this week, and don't forget to write down your own if-then plan. Quote of the Week: "To never stop dreaming, it's something free. Of course you have to work. Of course you have to do, like you said, sacrifice. But the most important thing is you have to dream. You can be young, you can be old, you can be whatever you want, but everybody can dream. And that's something free, and that's something that gives you the power and the patience to do the things after." — Kylian Mbappé Citations & Links: · Kylian Mbappé, "Kylian Mbappé Knows He's Too Competitive," The Wall Street Journal / WSJ. Magazine, Sept. 6, 2022 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHKnvLgG7HA · Kylian Mbappé's 2018 World Cup bonus donation to Premiers de Cordée, Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylian_Mbapp%C3%A9 · Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. · The exercise study citation: Milne, Orbell & Sheeran (2002), British Journal of Health Psychology 7(2), 163–184 (the 91% follow-through study). · A source for the $1.1B offer: Forbes, July 2023, reporting Mbappé turned down a Saudi club (Al Hilal) offer, per L'Équipe — matches what you described as "widely reported." Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

July 16, 2026Episode 21926 min

Updated: The World Cup, and a Thousand and One Places to See

Send us Fan Mail This week, with the World Cup finals in full swing and my last team, France, still standing, I'm taking my podcast audience on a trip through 101 "so to speak" places I've loved and a few I'm still chasing — from watching monarch butterflies blanket the forests of Michoacán by the millions, to the light-and-shadow "descending serpent" that slides down the Kukulkan Pyramid at Chichén Itzá every equinox, to leaving a piece of my late sister's memory at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, to a total stranger's kindness outside the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam; I open up about the sister who raised me and first showed me the world, walking the Camino de Santiago, and why I believe you don't need a passport to practice the same curiosity, humility, and connection travel gives you — you can find it in your own neighbor, your own hometown, even a stadium watch party. Quote of the Week: It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. -Maya Angelou Episode 69: 3 Simple Strategies to Lose Weight or Stay Your Course While Traveling Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

July 9, 2026Episode 21820 min

The 24-Hour Body Clock That Controls Your Weight, Sleep & Energy

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I am offering something that has genuinely changed the way I think about my body — the circadian rhythm. I share what this 24-hour internal clock actually is, why researchers say it runs everything from your metabolism and hormones to your sleep and immunity, and how understanding it gave me a whole new perspective on the ongoing conversation around meal timing and breakfast. I walk through a few practical strategies rooted in circadian science that you can simply be aware of and explore in your own life. And yes — I am raising my hand on the late-night phone habit, because that quote of the week? It hit home for me too. Come learn something new about the incredible, intelligent design of your own body. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Studies have shown that every hour you’re still on your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or watching TV at night, melatonin is suppressed by 30 minutes.” — Dr. Satchin Panda, The Circadian Code CITATIONS · Panda, S. (2019). The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight. Rodale Books. · Circadian rhythm science and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN): National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Circadian Rhythms. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx · Insulin sensitivity and meal timing: Saad, A., et al. (2012). Diurnal pattern to insulin secretion and insulin action in healthy individuals. Diabetes, 61(11), 2691–2700. · Circadian disruption and metabolic health: Scheer, F. A. J. L., Hilton, M. F., Mantzoros, C. S., & Shea, S. A. (2009). Adverse metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of circadian misalignment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(11), 4453–4458. · Shift work and health outcomes: Wang, X. S., Armstrong, M. E. G., Cairns, B. J., Key, T. J., & Travis, R. C. (2011). Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence. Occupational Medicine, 61(2), 78–89. · Social jet lag: Wittmann, M., Dinich, J., Merrow, M., & Roenneberg, T. (2006). Social jetlag: misalignment of biological and social time. Chronobiology International, 23(1-2), 497–509. · Melatonin suppression and blue light/screens: Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side · https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/59135872-the-circadian-code-lose-weight-supercharge-your-energy-and-transform Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

July 2, 2026Episode 21716 min

Finding Fun - A Life Well Lived

Send us Fan Mail What if the fun you're chasing is actually working against you? This week I'm digging into why some fun fades the second it's over, while other fun sticks with you for years — and it comes down to a couple of things researchers can actually explain. I'm also giving you my go-to system, VERITAS, for building fun into your life on purpose — even when things are hard, even when you're short on time. If you've ever felt like you "used to" have more fun, this episode is for you. In This Episode ● Why fun is more than just pleasure — the real ingredients behind it (joy, engagement, and meaning) ● The research on intrinsic motivation (Self-Determination Theory) and why fun you choose beats fun you're told to have ● What the Stoics actually believed about pleasure, and why it still applies today ● My VERITAS system for building real, intentional fun into your life — step by step Quote of the Week "Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking and in your way of living." — Marcus Aurelius Citations & Sources ● Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. — Self-Determination Theory, on intrinsic motivation and autonomy ● Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin. ● Csikszentmihalyi, M. — Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, on flow states and optimal challenge ● Boothby, E. J., Clark, M. S., & Bargh, J. A. (2014). Shared experiences are amplified. Psychological Science. Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

June 25, 2026Episode 21625 min

Real People: Why "Ordinary" vs. "Powerful" Is a Lie

Send us Fan Mail We've all used the phrase "real people" — meaning the regular folks, the everyday ones, as opposed to the famous, the wealthy, the powerful. But what if that whole distinction is a lie? This week, I'm pulling apart the binary between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" — sharing a story from my own childhood, a lesson from my years writing public policy, and some genuinely surprising research on what actually makes us alike. Spoiler: the line between you and a billionaire is a lot thinner than either of you think. Grab your coffee — this one's personal. Quote of the Week “If it’s not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary” Citations · Witherspoon, D.J., Wooding, S., Rogers, A.R., et al. (2007). Genetic similarities within and between human populations. Genetics , 176(1), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.106.067355 · Ekman, P., Friesen, W.V., O'Sullivan, M., et al. (1987). Universals and cultural differences in the judgments of facial expressions of emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 53(4), 712–717. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3681648/ · Systematic review (2025) of 21 peer-reviewed studies (1972–2024) on cultural differences in the production of emotional facial expressions. PMC . https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12907163/ · Killingsworth, M.A. (2024). Money and Happiness: Extended Evidence Against Satiation. Happiness Science . https://happiness-science.org/money-happiness-satiation/ · Killingsworth, M.A., Kahneman, D., Mellers, B. (2023). Income and emotional well-being: A conflict resolved. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 120. (referenced in CBC coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/money-can-buy-happiness-1.7107592 ) · "If it's not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary" — widely circulated activist quote since at least 2016; original source unattributed. Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

June 18, 2026Episode 21518 min

This Unsexy Food Might Be the Secret to a Longer Life

Send us Fan Mail The Quiet Power of Legumes. What if the secret to a longer, healthier life isn’t trendy, expensive, or Instagram-worthy — it’s sitting in a can in your pantry right now? Today, I break down why legumes show up again and again in the diets of the world’s longest-living people, and how to add them to your plate without overhauling your life. Calls to Action • Rate and subscribe to Project Weight Loss • Share this episode with someone who needs a gentle nudge toward sustainable habits • Try one of the three legume swaps this week and tag the show Citations & Sources Darmadi-Blackberry, I., Wahlqvist, M. L., Kouris-Blazos, A., Steen, B., Lukito, W., Horie, Y., & Horie, K. (2004). Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 13(2), 217–220. Buettner, D., & Skemp, S. (2016). Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 10(5), 318–321. Stanley, E. (Lord Derby). "Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness." (Widely attributed quote, often cited in health and wellness literature.) Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Listeners with specific health conditions or dietary needs should consult their healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

June 11, 2026Episode 21420 min

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction — Or Can I?

Send us Fan Mail The Capacity to Have and Live “Whole” - Contentment What if the word you’ve been underestimating your whole life is the very key to what you’ve been reaching for? In this episode, we explore contentment — not as a lesser version of happiness, but as the deep, stabilizing foundation from which real growth, goals, and real quality of life are built. We’ll walk through the “Goal Sandwich framework” for grounding your desires in what you already have. We’ll unpack the concept of capacity — your internal readiness to hold good things when they arrive. And we’ll close with three reflection questions designed to take you from the surface all the way to your soul. This one is foundational. This one is for you. Quote of the Week: “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”— Socrates I want to leave you with three questions to carry into your week. To sit with. Let them breathe. 1. What am I happy with right now? (The surface check-in. Start here. It’s a valid place to begin.) 2. What brings me genuine satisfaction? (Go deeper. What actually feels like enough? What do you already have that you truly wanted?) 3. Do I have the capacity to hold this satisfaction? (The transformational question. Am I willing to let this be real? Am I home to receive what I’ve already been given?) That third question — that is where the work lives. That is where wellness deepens from concept into lived experience. This is where our maintenance of the good things we build remains. Let’s go, let’s get it done. Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

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