We all have them… those little food habits that creep into our week and quietly derail our goals. Maybe it’s finishing the kids’ lunchbox leftovers, grabbing a sausage sizzle at Bunnings, or rewarding yourself with late-night snacks after dinner.

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack the most common bad food habits holding women back — and how to break them without guilt or restriction.

Here’s what we cover:
The everyday food habits that add hundreds of extra calories without you realising
Why “just in case” snacks, grazing all weekend, and skipping meals can backfire
New research on ultra-processed foods showing they reduce weight loss and increase cravings
Our supermarket product review: a better-for-you dip and cracker snack pack
Listener question: Are two-minute noodles and other noodles really that bad?

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve your gut health, or just feel more in control of your eating, this episode is packed with practical strategies and fresh insights you can use straight away.

We all have them&hellip; those little food habits that creep into our week and quietly derail our goals. Maybe it&rsquo;s finishing the kids&rsquo; lunchbox leftovers, grabbing a sausage sizzle at Bunnings, or rewarding yourself with late-night snacks after dinner.
In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack the most common bad food habits holding women back &mdash; and how to break them without guilt or restriction.
Here&rsquo;s what we cover:
<ul>
<li>The everyday food habits that add hundreds of extra calories without you realising</li>
<li>Why &ldquo;just in case&rdquo; snacks, grazing all weekend, and skipping meals can backfire</li>
<li>New research on&nbsp;ultra-processed foods showing they reduce weight loss and increase cravings</li>
<li>Our supermarket product review: a better-for-you dip and cracker snack pack</li>
<li>Listener question: Are&nbsp;two-minute noodles and other noodles really that bad?</li>
</ul>
Whether you&rsquo;re trying to lose weight, improve your gut health, or just feel more in control of your eating, this episode is packed with practical strategies and fresh insights you can use straight away.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.

Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.
Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

The Nutrition Couch

Welcome to The Nutrition Couch, a weekly podcast from two of Australia’s leading dietitians & nutritionists, Susie Burrell & Leanne Ward. This is the first nutrition podcast that looks at weekly food & health trends. Every Sunday at 7am AEST, we will be uploading an episode that covers nutrition news, trending food products, case studies and we will also be answering our listener questions. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and follow us on social media @the_nutrition_couch_podcast to ask us questions & see our food product reviews.

Are bad food habits secretly sabotaging your health? Leanne and Susie reveal the everyday eating patterns that derail weight loss, unpack new research on ultra-processed foods, review a supermarket snack, and answer your noodle questions.

Bad Food Habits That Sabotage Your Health (and How to Break Them)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/05651d8f-14b1-4661-9648-b33e00aa4852/transcript

Everyone is asking AI about their diet. Recipes, meal plans, protein targets, what to eat for weight loss. And some of what it spits out is genuinely useful. Some of it is wrong. And some of it, as one American celebrity found out the hard way after buying a fake celebrity-endorsed Jell-O diet, can actually make you unwell.

This week Leanne and Susie give their honest take on exactly what AI can and cannot do when it comes to nutrition, where it is actually worth using, and the specific reasons why it will never replace the kind of personalised advice that accounts for who you actually are.

Then they go deep on one of the most-requested topics the show has ever had: a comprehensive guide to the best gluten-free products in Australian supermarkets right now.

In this episode:

The Jell-O diet scandal that kicked off this conversation, why fake celebrity diet endorsements generated by AI are now a genuine public health concern, and how to spot them

Where AI genuinely helps with nutrition, including getting recipe ideas from pantry leftovers, converting a meal plan into a shopping list, and even making your food photography look better

The critical limitations of AI diet advice: why it defaults to population averages, cannot account for your individual nutrient needs, does not know the Australian supermarket, and will simply agree with whatever you tell it rather than pushing back when you are wrong

Why accountability is the single biggest thing AI cannot replicate, and why that matters more than most people realise when it comes to actually getting results

The gluten-free product guide for Australian supermarkets in 2025: Leanne and Susie's current recommendations across bread, crackers, cereals, frozen meals, sauces, snacks, and more, including the specific brands and products they actually recommend to their celiac and gluten-intolerant clients

Why newly diagnosed celiac clients make one consistent mistake with gluten-free eating, and the simple shift that saves money and dramatically improves nutrition at the same time

The Health Lab Pistachio and Rose Protein Super Treat reviewed: beautiful packaging, white chocolate as the first ingredient, and 12% saturated fat. Is it a protein bar or a chocolate bar with good PR?

How to eat well after leaving home on a tight budget: the smartest protein sources for young people who have zero cooking experience, very little money, and a toaster

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If your diet needs a boost of protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen, explore the evidence-based range formulated by two Australian dietitians at designedbydietitians.com

Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the people in your life who need it. Over 5.5 million downloads and counting.

Everyone is asking AI about their diet. Recipes, meal plans, protein targets, what to eat for weight loss. And some of what it spits out is genuinely useful. Some of it is wrong. And some of it, as one American celebrity found out the hard way after buying a fake celebrity-endorsed Jell-O diet, can actually make you unwell.
This week Leanne and Susie give their honest take on exactly what AI can and cannot do when it comes to nutrition, where it is actually worth using, and the specific reasons why it will never replace the kind of personalised advice that accounts for who you actually are.
Then they go deep on one of the most-requested topics the show has ever had: a comprehensive guide to the best gluten-free products in Australian supermarkets right now.
In this episode:
The Jell-O diet scandal that kicked off this conversation, why fake celebrity diet endorsements generated by AI are now a genuine public health concern, and how to spot them
Where AI genuinely helps with nutrition, including getting recipe ideas from pantry leftovers, converting a meal plan into a shopping list, and even making your food photography look better
The critical limitations of AI diet advice: why it defaults to population averages, cannot account for your individual nutrient needs, does not know the Australian supermarket, and will simply agree with whatever you tell it rather than pushing back when you are wrong
Why accountability is the single biggest thing AI cannot replicate, and why that matters more than most people realise when it comes to actually getting results
The gluten-free product guide for Australian supermarkets in 2025: Leanne and Susie's current recommendations across bread, crackers, cereals, frozen meals, sauces, snacks, and more, including the specific brands and products they actually recommend to their celiac and gluten-intolerant clients
Why newly diagnosed celiac clients make one consistent mistake with gluten-free eating, and the simple shift that saves money and dramatically improves nutrition at the same time
The Health Lab Pistachio and Rose Protein Super Treat reviewed: beautiful packaging, white chocolate as the first ingredient, and 12% saturated fat. Is it a protein bar or a chocolate bar with good PR?
How to eat well after leaving home on a tight budget: the smartest protein sources for young people who have zero cooking experience, very little money, and a toaster
Shop Designed by Dietitians:
If your diet needs a boost of protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen, explore the evidence-based range formulated by two Australian dietitians at designedbydietitians.com
Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the people in your life who need it. Over 5.5 million downloads and counting.

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell give their honest dietitian verdict on using AI for diet advice, including what it genuinely helps with, where it gets things dangerously wrong, and why it will never replace personalised nutrition support. Plus: a comprehensive guide to the best gluten-free products in Australian supermarkets right now, a Health Lab protein bar with white chocolate as the first ingredient put under the microscope, and practical budget eating advice for anyone who has just left home.

Should You Trust AI for Diet Advice? What Dietitians Actually Think, Plus the Best Gluten-Free Products in Australian Supermarkets Right Now

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/7fb680ea-4d4d-40cb-b510-b46b00ae1a51/transcript

If you are thinking about having a baby in the next year or two, or you have been trying for a while and wondering if your nutrition could be doing more, this episode is a genuinely useful place to start.

And if you are in your 20s or 30s and have not had a blood test recently because you feel fine and assume everything is probably okay, Leanne and Susie have something to say about that too.

This week on The Nutrition Couch, they dig into the nutrition and lifestyle strategies that actually move the needle on fertility outcomes, what the research says about diet patterns, key nutrients, and male fertility, and the common mistakes that quietly work against conception that most women have never been told about.

In this episode:

The Australian longitudinal study of over 5,000 women linking anti-inflammatory dietary patterns to better fertility outcomes, and what that actually looks like on a plate day to day

The key nutrients that appear time and time again in fertility research: omega-3s, vitamin D, vitamin E, and natural folate, why food sources beat supplements in almost every case, and the one supplement Susie did take during pregnancy

The MTHFR gene mutation: what it is, how common it is, why women with this mutation should not be taking synthetic folate in standard prenatal supplements, and how to find out if you have it

Why male fertility contributes to 40 to 50% of fertility challenges and is chronically overlooked, and what partners should actually be doing differently

The under-eating and overtraining pattern that silently disrupts ovulation and hormonal health even in women who appear to be doing everything right

The truth about caffeine and fertility: the research does not say what most people assume, and Susie explains exactly how much is genuinely safe if you are trying to conceive

The blood tests Leanne recommends for every woman in her 20s and 30s, including the ones most GPs do not automatically order, and the vague symptoms that are easy to dismiss but might actually signal something easily fixed

Why low ferritin is one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated issues in young Australian women, and Susie's case study of a client whose iron had been dangerously low for two decades without anyone properly addressing it

The Harvest Pantry Protein Smoothie reviewed: clean ingredients, impressive packaging, and a protein claim on the front of the pack that requires an asterisk the size of a footnote to actually be true

The nine-month-old baby and solids question: how much milk is too much, why iron should be the focus of every meal at this age, and the feeding order that makes a bigger difference than most parents realise

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

Looking to support your protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen intake with evidence-based supplements made in Australia? Visit designedbydietitians.com

Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the women in your life. This is exactly the kind of episode worth passing on.

If you are thinking about having a baby in the next year or two, or you have been trying for a while and wondering if your nutrition could be doing more, this episode is a genuinely useful place to start.
And if you are in your 20s or 30s and have not had a blood test recently because you feel fine and assume everything is probably okay, Leanne and Susie have something to say about that too.
This week on The Nutrition Couch, they dig into the nutrition and lifestyle strategies that actually move the needle on fertility outcomes, what the research says about diet patterns, key nutrients, and male fertility, and the common mistakes that quietly work against conception that most women have never been told about.
In this episode:
The Australian longitudinal study of over 5,000 women linking anti-inflammatory dietary patterns to better fertility outcomes, and what that actually looks like on a plate day to day
The key nutrients that appear time and time again in fertility research: omega-3s, vitamin D, vitamin E, and natural folate, why food sources beat supplements in almost every case, and the one supplement Susie did take during pregnancy
The MTHFR gene mutation: what it is, how common it is, why women with this mutation should not be taking synthetic folate in standard prenatal supplements, and how to find out if you have it
Why male fertility contributes to 40 to 50% of fertility challenges and is chronically overlooked, and what partners should actually be doing differently
The under-eating and overtraining pattern that silently disrupts ovulation and hormonal health even in women who appear to be doing everything right
The truth about caffeine and fertility: the research does not say what most people assume, and Susie explains exactly how much is genuinely safe if you are trying to conceive
The blood tests Leanne recommends for every woman in her 20s and 30s, including the ones most GPs do not automatically order, and the vague symptoms that are easy to dismiss but might actually signal something easily fixed
Why low ferritin is one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated issues in young Australian women, and Susie's case study of a client whose iron had been dangerously low for two decades without anyone properly addressing it
The Harvest Pantry Protein Smoothie reviewed: clean ingredients, impressive packaging, and a protein claim on the front of the pack that requires an asterisk the size of a footnote to actually be true
The nine-month-old baby and solids question: how much milk is too much, why iron should be the focus of every meal at this age, and the feeding order that makes a bigger difference than most parents realise
Shop Designed by Dietitians:
Looking to support your protein, creatine, magnesium, or collagen intake with evidence-based supplements made in Australia? Visit designedbydietitians.com
Keep sharing The Nutrition Couch with the women in your life. This is exactly the kind of episode worth passing on.

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell break down the nutrition and lifestyle strategies with the strongest evidence for optimising fertility, including the anti-inflammatory dietary pattern linked to better outcomes in over 5,000 Australian women, the key nutrients that support egg and sperm quality, the MTHFR mutation most women have never heard of, and why under-eating quietly disrupts ovulation even in seemingly healthy women. Plus: the blood tests every woman in her 20s and 30s should actually be getting, a protein smoothie product review, and how much milk a nine-month-old really needs.

What to Eat to Optimise Fertility, and the Blood Tests Every Woman in Her 20s and 30s Should Actually Be Getting

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/ccf49ad1-5237-42d4-8d2e-b46400b08d98/transcript

Most Australians eat chicken schnitzel regularly. Most are unknowingly buying one where barely a third of the product is actually chicken.

This week Leanne and Susie went through every pre-crumbed and frozen chicken schnitzel option across Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi, checked the labels, compared the protein and chicken percentages, and came back with a definitive ranking of which ones are genuinely worth buying and which ones are quietly ripping you off.

Spoiler: the best option in the whole supermarket is not what most people expect.

In this episode:

A full ranking of supermarket chicken schnitzels by chicken percentage and protein content, including the specific products from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Lilydale, Steggles, and Cleavers Organic that Leanne and Susie actually recommend

Why some schnitzels are as low as 28% chicken, what is filling the rest of the product, and the one word to look for on the label that almost always signals a better option

Why a chicken schnitzel from the supermarket has roughly half the protein and double the calories of a plain chicken breast, and how to build it into a meal without undoing your nutrition goals

How to make a significantly better version at home in under 10 minutes using ingredients you probably already have, including an air fryer method Susie swears by

New research from a 25-year longitudinal study at the University of Manchester on breakfast timing, cognitive ageing, and why the timing of your meals in older age is a more important health marker than most people realise

Why your parents eating dinner at 5pm might actually be a sign they are ageing well, and the subtle shift in meal habits that can signal early cognitive decline worth paying attention to

Flavoured Medjool dates: the True Dates range reviewed, why dates have a significant health halo that the numbers do not fully support, and when Leanne actually recommends them to clients

The high-protein yogurt question answered: is it actually worth paying more for Chobani, YoPro, or Coles Perform over standard Greek yogurt, and when does the extra protein genuinely matter

Shop Designed by Dietitians:

If your protein, creatine, magnesium, or hydration needs a bit of a boost, explore the full evidence-based range at designedbydietitians.com

Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch so this show can keep reaching the people who need it.

Most Australians eat chicken schnitzel regularly. Most are unknowingly buying one where barely a third of the product is actually chicken.
This week Leanne and Susie went through every pre-crumbed and frozen chicken schnitzel option across Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi, checked the labels, compared the protein and chicken percentages, and came back with a definitive ranking of which ones are genuinely worth buying and which ones are quietly ripping you off.
Spoiler: the best option in the whole supermarket is not what most people expect.
In this episode:
A full ranking of supermarket chicken schnitzels by chicken percentage and protein content, including the specific products from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Lilydale, Steggles, and Cleavers Organic that Leanne and Susie actually recommend
Why some schnitzels are as low as 28% chicken, what is filling the rest of the product, and the one word to look for on the label that almost always signals a better option
Why a chicken schnitzel from the supermarket has roughly half the protein and double the calories of a plain chicken breast, and how to build it into a meal without undoing your nutrition goals
How to make a significantly better version at home in under 10 minutes using ingredients you probably already have, including an air fryer method Susie swears by
New research from a 25-year longitudinal study at the University of Manchester on breakfast timing, cognitive ageing, and why the timing of your meals in older age is a more important health marker than most people realise
Why your parents eating dinner at 5pm might actually be a sign they are ageing well, and the subtle shift in meal habits that can signal early cognitive decline worth paying attention to
Flavoured Medjool dates: the True Dates range reviewed, why dates have a significant health halo that the numbers do not fully support, and when Leanne actually recommends them to clients
The high-protein yogurt question answered: is it actually worth paying more for Chobani, YoPro, or Coles Perform over standard Greek yogurt, and when does the extra protein genuinely matter
Shop Designed by Dietitians:
If your protein, creatine, magnesium, or hydration needs a bit of a boost, explore the full evidence-based range at designedbydietitians.com
Keep telling your friends about The Nutrition Couch so this show can keep reaching the people who need it.

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell rank every supermarket chicken schnitzel from Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi by chicken percentage and protein content, revealing which ones are worth buying and which contain as little as 28% chicken. Plus: a 25-year study on breakfast timing and cognitive ageing, a closer look at the flavoured Medjool date trend and whether the health halo holds up, and a straight answer on whether high-protein yogurts are actually worth the extra cost.

Every Supermarket Chicken Schnitzel Ranked: The Winners, the Duds, and What the Label Is Not Telling You

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/c150a47b-68dc-4cef-8866-b45d00bcafb2/transcript

Bad Food Habits That Sabotage Your Health (and How to Break Them)

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