Ever been told your blood tests are “normal”, but you’re still exhausted, flat, foggy, struggling with weight changes, or just not feeling like yourself?

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack the difference between normal and optimal blood test results, and why women need to look beyond a quick “everything’s fine” from the doctor.

They break down the key markers worth tracking over time, including glucose, HbA1c, ferritin, vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid, and estrogen, especially for women in their 30s, 40s and beyond.

They also dive into a new warning linked with GLP-1 medications, including how appetite suppression can reduce diet quality and increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies if you are not actively protecting your intake.

Plus, they review a high-protein granola topper and answer a listener question on the healthiest takeaway options.

In this episode, we cover:
Why normal blood tests are not always optimal
The blood markers women should track over time
Low ferritin, fatigue, brain fog and poor exercise tolerance
Glucose, HbA1c and the early signs of insulin resistance
Vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid and estrogen changes to watch
Why women in perimenopause and menopause need to pay closer attention
The new GLP-1 nutrient deficiency concern
Why eating less can still mean poor nutrition
Product review: Coastal Crunch Protein Crunch
Listener question: the healthiest takeaway choices

If you’ve ever felt dismissed by “normal” results, this episode will help you ask better questions and understand what to look at more closely.

Ever been told your blood tests are &ldquo;normal&rdquo;, but you&rsquo;re still exhausted, flat, foggy, struggling with weight changes, or just not feeling like yourself?
In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie unpack the difference between normal and optimal blood test results, and why women need to look beyond a quick &ldquo;everything&rsquo;s fine&rdquo; from the doctor.
They break down the key markers worth tracking over time, including glucose, HbA1c, ferritin, vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid, and estrogen, especially for women in their 30s, 40s and beyond.
They also dive into a new warning linked with GLP-1 medications, including how appetite suppression can reduce diet quality and increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies if you are not actively protecting your intake.
Plus, they review a high-protein granola topper and answer a listener question on the healthiest takeaway options.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li>Why normal blood tests are not always optimal</li>
<li>The blood markers women should track over time</li>
<li>Low ferritin, fatigue, brain fog and poor exercise tolerance</li>
<li>Glucose, HbA1c and the early signs of insulin resistance</li>
<li>Vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid and estrogen changes to watch</li>
<li>Why women in perimenopause and menopause need to pay closer attention</li>
<li>The new GLP-1 nutrient deficiency concern</li>
<li>Why eating less can still mean poor nutrition</li>
<li>Product review: Coastal Crunch Protein Crunch</li>
<li>Listener question: the healthiest takeaway choices</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt dismissed by &ldquo;normal&rdquo; results, this episode will help you ask better questions and understand what to look at more closely.

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.

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell unpack why “normal” blood test results may still miss issues affecting women’s energy, metabolism, hormones and healthy ageing, including ferritin, glucose, vitamin D, cholesterol, thyroid and estrogen. Plus, a new GLP-1 warning around nutrient deficiencies, a granola review, and the healthiest takeaway options.

Your Blood Tests Are “Normal”… So Why Do You Feel So Bad? Plus a New GLP-1 Warning

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/25949a7b-5ee2-449d-8f8b-b40900b96b85/transcript

If you have already done the hard work, lost a decent amount of weight, and are now staring at the same two or three kilos that simply will not budge, this episode is going to make a lot of sense of what is happening and exactly what to do about it.

Leanne and Susie break down the real physiology behind why losing the last few kilos is significantly harder than losing the first ten, why the strategies that got you here are not the ones that will get you there, and the specific changes that actually move the needle when you are already doing most things right.

Then they do the research nobody wants to do themselves: wading through the menus at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Perto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and more to find the lowest calorie, highest protein options you can actually order without sacrificing the whole meal.

In this episode:
Why losing 30 kilos is genuinely easier than losing three, the physiology of why the human body resists leanness, and why everything that worked before will eventually stop working
Why going to bed slightly hungry is actually a useful signal when you are trying to lose the last few kilos, and why the fear of hunger is one of the main things holding people back
Why eating earlier rather than eating less can be one of the most powerful and sustainable strategies for shifting stubborn body fat, and how to apply it practically around a busy family schedule
Why some people need to do less exercise, not more, to finally see the scale move, and how to tell which camp you are in
The role of the weekend in undoing five days of good eating, why most people are maintaining rather than losing without realising it, and the one change that breaks the cycle
The lowest calorie, highest protein options at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Porto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and KFC. Specific menu items named, calorie counts given, and honest advice on what is actually worth ordering versus what just looks healthy
Why Guzman y Gomez burritos and bowls are significantly higher in calories than most people assume, and the menu hack that most people would never consider
Why a well-chosen burger from Grilled or Nando's is often a better nutritional choice than sushi, and what to ask for to drop the calorie count further without sacrificing the meal
The Arnott's Quattro Caramel and Peanut Bar reviewed: 140 calories, five grams of protein, 33 ingredients, and the honest debate between Leanne and Susie about whether it is genuinely healthier than a chocolate bar or simply better marketing

The vitamin C question answered with the actual evidence: does it prevent colds, does it shorten them, and is there anything better to take in winter if that is your goal

If you have already done the hard work, lost a decent amount of weight, and are now staring at the same two or three kilos that simply will not budge, this episode is going to make a lot of sense of what is happening and exactly what to do about it.
Leanne and Susie break down the real physiology behind why losing the last few kilos is significantly harder than losing the first ten, why the strategies that got you here are not the ones that will get you there, and the specific changes that actually move the needle when you are already doing most things right.
Then they do the research nobody wants to do themselves: wading through the menus at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Perto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and more to find the lowest calorie, highest protein options you can actually order without sacrificing the whole meal.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Why losing 30 kilos is genuinely easier than losing three, the physiology of why the human body resists leanness, and why everything that worked before will eventually stop working</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why going to bed slightly hungry is actually a useful signal when you are trying to lose the last few kilos, and why the fear of hunger is one of the main things holding people back</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why eating earlier rather than eating less can be one of the most powerful and sustainable strategies for shifting stubborn body fat, and how to apply it practically around a busy family schedule</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why some people need to do less exercise, not more, to finally see the scale move, and how to tell which camp you are in</li>
<li dir="ltr">The role of the weekend in undoing five days of good eating, why most people are maintaining rather than losing without realising it, and the one change that breaks the cycle</li>
<li dir="ltr">The lowest calorie, highest protein options at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, A Porto, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, Betty's Burgers, Fishbowl, and KFC. Specific menu items named, calorie counts given, and honest advice on what is actually worth ordering versus what just looks healthy</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why Guzman y Gomez burritos and bowls are significantly higher in calories than most people assume, and the menu hack that most people would never consider</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why a well-chosen burger from Grilled or Nando's is often a better nutritional choice than sushi, and what to ask for to drop the calorie count further without sacrificing the meal</li>
<li dir="ltr">The Arnott's Quattro Caramel and Peanut Bar reviewed: 140 calories, five grams of protein, 33 ingredients, and the honest debate between Leanne and Susie about whether it is genuinely healthier than a chocolate bar or simply better marketing</li>
</ul>
The vitamin C question answered with the actual evidence: does it prevent colds, does it shorten them, and is there anything better to take in winter if that is your goal

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell explain exactly why the last two to three kilos are so much harder to lose than the first ten, the counterintuitive strategies that actually work including why eating earlier and sometimes doing less exercise makes more difference than trying harder, plus the lowest calorie options at Eljana, Grilled, Nando's, Guzman y Gomez, Subway, and more named and ranked. Also: the Arnott's Quattro Bar honestly reviewed and the real evidence on vitamin C in winter.

Why the Last Few Kilos Are the Hardest to Lose and the Tricks That Actually Work, Plus the Lowest Calorie Options at Your Favourite Fast Food Chains

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/fc06febe-85d9-4a2d-b56f-b49c00a6960f/transcript

If you or someone you know is on a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro and the results have plateaued, or the weight is starting to creep back, this episode has the explanation you have been looking for and it is probably not what your doctor told you.

This week Susie breaks down exactly why these medications stop working for so many people, what is actually going wrong metabolically, and what to do about it instead of just increasing the dose. Then Leanne takes over for a genuinely useful segment on the Coles and Woolworths home brand products both dietitians buy every single week, which ones are just as good as the branded version, and which ones they would never swap out.

In this episode:
Why GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy stop working: the two metabolic patterns Susie sees most commonly in her clients, and why increasing the dose is often exactly the wrong response
Why dramatically reducing calorie intake without addressing muscle mass and exercise will always lead to a plateau, and the counterintuitive reason why eating a little more and reducing the dose can actually restart results
Why muscular, active women are particularly vulnerable to GLP-1 plateaus, and how being in carbohydrate no man's land sabotages fat burning even when the medication is working properly
Why these medications should never be given without dietitian support, and what to actually focus on if you want to come off them eventually without regaining the weight
The Coles and Woolworths home brand products Leanne and Susie buy every single week without hesitation: rolled oats, canned legumes, passata, frozen vegetables, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken breast bites, marinated chicken, and more. Specific product names, aisle locations, and honest reasons why
Why the Coles Kitchen frozen grilled vegetables and the Woolworths chicken breast bites are non-negotiables in both shopping trolleys, and the specific products in the Coles Perform and Coles Kitchen ranges that keep making it back onto the list
The Aldi Gourmet Protein Bar reviewed: 10 grams of protein, 37% nuts and seeds, less than a dollar per bar, and a price-per-protein calculation that puts most supermarket bars to shame. What the ingredient list actually contains and who this bar is genuinely suited to
Continuous glucose monitors: who actually needs one, why Leanne and Susie have both turned down paid partnerships with CGM companies, and the specific situations where they might genuinely be useful versus where they are more likely to create unnecessary food fear

If you or someone you know is on a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro and the results have plateaued, or the weight is starting to creep back, this episode has the explanation you have been looking for and it is probably not what your doctor told you.
This week Susie breaks down exactly why these medications stop working for so many people, what is actually going wrong metabolically, and what to do about it instead of just increasing the dose. Then Leanne takes over for a genuinely useful segment on the Coles and Woolworths home brand products both dietitians buy every single week, which ones are just as good as the branded version, and which ones they would never swap out.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Why GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy stop working: the two metabolic patterns Susie sees most commonly in her clients, and why increasing the dose is often exactly the wrong response</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why dramatically reducing calorie intake without addressing muscle mass and exercise will always lead to a plateau, and the counterintuitive reason why eating a little more and reducing the dose can actually restart results</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why muscular, active women are particularly vulnerable to GLP-1 plateaus, and how being in carbohydrate no man's land sabotages fat burning even when the medication is working properly</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why these medications should never be given without dietitian support, and what to actually focus on if you want to come off them eventually without regaining the weight</li>
<li dir="ltr">The Coles and Woolworths home brand products Leanne and Susie buy every single week without hesitation: rolled oats, canned legumes, passata, frozen vegetables, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken breast bites, marinated chicken, and more. Specific product names, aisle locations, and honest reasons why</li>
<li dir="ltr">Why the Coles Kitchen frozen grilled vegetables and the Woolworths chicken breast bites are non-negotiables in both shopping trolleys, and the specific products in the Coles Perform and Coles Kitchen ranges that keep making it back onto the list</li>
<li dir="ltr">The Aldi Gourmet Protein Bar reviewed: 10 grams of protein, 37% nuts and seeds, less than a dollar per bar, and a price-per-protein calculation that puts most supermarket bars to shame. What the ingredient list actually contains and who this bar is genuinely suited to</li>
<li dir="ltr">Continuous glucose monitors: who actually needs one, why Leanne and Susie have both turned down paid partnerships with CGM companies, and the specific situations where they might genuinely be useful versus where they are more likely to create unnecessary food fear</li>
</ul>

Susie and Leanne  explain exactly why GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro and Ozempic stop working, why increasing the dose is often the wrong move, and what to do instead to restart results and protect muscle mass long term. Plus: the specific Coles and Woolworths home brand products both dietitians buy every single week, an Aldi protein bar that delivers 10 grams of protein for under a dollar, and the honest truth about continuous glucose monitors and who actually needs one.

Why GLP-1 Medications Like Mounjaro Stop Working, and the Coles and Woolworths Products Two Dietitians Buy Every Week

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/ffdb6072-a25e-401d-91b6-b49500b47fa1/transcript

Most people have no idea what actually happens to body fat when they lose it. They assume it is sweated out, burned off somehow, or just disappears. The real answer is both surprising and genuinely fascinating, and it changes how you think about fat loss entirely.

This week Leanne and Susie open with the science behind what actually happens to fat cells when you lose weight, why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, and what that means for keeping weight off long term. Then they get into the practical stuff: their best tricks for avoiding that slow winter weight creep that catches so many people out between June and August.

In this episode:
The surprising science of fat loss: where body fat actually goes when you lose it, why the answer involves your lungs and not your sweat glands, and what happens to fat cells after you lose weight that makes maintaining that loss genuinely harder than most people realise
Why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, what that means for long-term weight management, and why working with a dietitian to maintain weight loss is often more important than working with one to lose it
The winter weight gain conversation: why it happens, why exercise drops off before food quality does, and the three practical strategies Leanne and Susie use with clients every winter to come out the other side feeling good in their clothes
Why a hot lunch makes more difference to afternoon cravings than most people expect, the slow cooker approach to packing in protein and vegetables without giving up comfort food, and the specific swaps that lighten up winter favourites without removing the enjoyment
The new Moccona Protein Latte Coffee from Woolworths: 10 grams of protein, $10 for eight serves, bovine collagen as the first ingredient. What Leanne and Susie actually think, who it is and is not for, and the important protein quality point about collagen that most people buying this have not considered

Why making your coffee on dairy or soy milk at home gives you a comparable amount of protein with significantly less processing, and why the caffeine content of this product is lower than most people would expect

The oxalate question answered plainly: do oxalates in spinach and leafy greens actually block iron absorption, should you be avoiding them with iron-rich meals, and the only situation where oxalates genuinely warrant attention in your diet

Most people have no idea what actually happens to body fat when they lose it. They assume it is sweated out, burned off somehow, or just disappears. The real answer is both surprising and genuinely fascinating, and it changes how you think about fat loss entirely.
This week Leanne and Susie open with the science behind what actually happens to fat cells when you lose weight, why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, and what that means for keeping weight off long term. Then they get into the practical stuff: their best tricks for avoiding that slow winter weight creep that catches so many people out between June and August.
In this episode:
<ul>
<li dir="auto">The surprising science of fat loss: where body fat actually goes when you lose it, why the answer involves your lungs and not your sweat glands, and what happens to fat cells after you lose weight that makes maintaining that loss genuinely harder than most people realise</li>
<li dir="auto">Why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, what that means for long-term weight management, and why working with a dietitian to maintain weight loss is often more important than working with one to lose it</li>
<li dir="auto">The winter weight gain conversation: why it happens, why exercise drops off before food quality does, and the three practical strategies Leanne and Susie use with clients every winter to come out the other side feeling good in their clothes</li>
<li dir="auto">Why a hot lunch makes more difference to afternoon cravings than most people expect, the slow cooker approach to packing in protein and vegetables without giving up comfort food, and the specific swaps that lighten up winter favourites without removing the enjoyment</li>
<li dir="auto">The new Moccona Protein Latte Coffee from Woolworths: 10 grams of protein, $10 for eight serves, bovine collagen as the first ingredient. What Leanne and Susie actually think, who it is and is not for, and the important protein quality point about collagen that most people buying this have not considered</li>
</ul>
Why making your coffee on dairy or soy milk at home gives you a comparable amount of protein with significantly less processing, and why the caffeine content of this product is lower than most people would expect
The oxalate question answered plainly: do oxalates in spinach and leafy greens actually block iron absorption, should you be avoiding them with iron-rich meals, and the only situation where oxalates genuinely warrant attention in your diet

Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell reveal the surprising science of what actually happens to body fat when you lose it, why fat cells shrink rather than disappear, and why that makes keeping weight off harder than most people think. Plus: their best practical tricks for avoiding winter weight gain, the new Moccona Protein Latte Coffee reviewed including an important collagen protein quality caveat, and the honest answer on whether oxalates in leafy greens actually affect iron absorption.

Where Does Body Fat Actually Go When You Lose It? Plus the Best Dietitian Tricks to Avoid Winter Weight Gain

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/5db081a8-b97b-475e-b4b1-b48e009d706b/transcript

Your Blood Tests Are “Normal”… So Why Do You Feel So Bad? Plus a New GLP-1 Warning

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