In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Ashley Lucas, a former professional ballerina turned PhD nutritionist and founder of PhD Weight Loss. Dr. Lucas shares her remarkable journey from struggling with under-eating and injury in the ballet world to helping over 11,000 people lose nearly 500,000 pounds by addressing the real root of weight issues: metabolic health.
Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Ashley expose the myths of “eat less, move more,” unpack the dangers of visceral fat, and explain why true, lasting weight loss is more about hormones and mindset than willpower. They also dive into hot topics like GLP-1 weight loss drugs, protein and macro balance, over-exercise, sleep, and the misunderstood role of fat in our diets.
Whether you’ve battled weight loss plateaus, wondered why BMI is misleading, or want to protect your long-term metabolic health, this conversation offers a science-backed roadmap for sustainable change.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- How Dr. Ashley’s ballet career and health collapse led her to study metabolism
- Why “eat less, move more” fails most people
- The unique dangers of visceral (belly) fat and how it drives disease
- Why GLP-1 drugs may create more problems than they solve
- How protein, fat, and carb balance impacts weight loss and metabolic health
- Why BMI is outdated—and better tools for measuring health
- The role of sleep, stress, and mindset in weight management
- Why over-exercising can sabotage fat loss
- Practical steps to reset metabolism and protect muscle mass
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
01:20 Introducing Dr. Ashley Lucas—ballerina to nutritionist
06:04 Struggles with weight, metabolism, and thyroid crash
12:23 Returning to school—PhD, dietetics & flipping the script
17:26 GLP-1 drugs—myths, misuse & muscle loss
21:07 Body composition vs. BMI—why scale weight lies
24:53 Why visceral fat is like “a tumor” and how to collapse it
28:28 Why “I don’t eat much but can’t lose weight” is real
33:18 Preserving muscle mass during fat loss
35:18 Exercise: why brisk walking and lifting heavy beat chronic cardio
40:50 Sleep, stress, and hormones as weight loss saboteurs
45:42 The ADA, carb tolerance, and why diabetics need better advice
48:29 Building a metabolic-supportive plate—protein, fat & carbs
53:23 Supplements that matter: magnesium, vitamin D, creatine, cod liver oil
56:41 Hidden power of organ meats & ancestral nutrition
63:11 Closing reflections & where to find Dr. Ashley
To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with RHMD, visit:
https://jennsimmons.simplero.com/page/377266?kuid=327aca17-5135-44cf-9210-c0b77a56e26d&kref=vOKy0sAiorrK
To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide
To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.
Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.realhealthmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
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