Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss

Bariatric surgery is the most effective tool for permanent weight loss, yet fewer than 1% of eligible people ever choose it. Host Jenn Trepeck of Salad With a Side of Fries sits down with bariatric surgeon Dr. Betsy Dovec to unpack gastric bypass results, weight regain, GLP-1 medications, and the aftercare habits that separate lasting success from a rebound. Learn how to compare bariatric surgery vs. GLP-1 medications for your own goals. If you have tried every diet and still feel stuck, this conversation could change how you see your options. Press play for the honest, judgment-free facts behind the stigma. What You Will Learn in This Episode: ✅ How gastric bypass works, from the thumb-sized pouch to the Y-shaped reconnection, and why nutrient absorption stays normal. ✅ Why the lap band and sleeve gastrectomy fell short, and when revisional surgery can restore comfortable eating. ✅ How BMI misses visceral fat and why body shape matters when choosing between surgery and medication. ✅ What pre-op preparation looks like, including eating three meals a day, building a meal plan, and starting a protein-forward routine. ✅ Dr. Dovec’s Four Ms that make the difference between results that last and gaining the weight back (regardless of your approach to losing the weight). The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast, hosted by Jenn Trepeck, explores real-life wellness and weight-loss topics, debunking myths, misinformation, and flawed science surrounding nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into real-life wellness and weight loss, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Dr. Betsy Dovec opens with why bariatric surgery is the most effective tool for weight loss and a safer outpatient option 05:23 How Dr. Dovec went from studying pediatrics in West Virginia to becoming a bariatric surgeon 08:49 What to know about bariatric surgery today and comparing weight loss surgery options 13:11 Gastric bypass results and how gastric bypass works: the thumb-sized stomach pouch, the Y-shaped reconnection, and four small incisions 15:15 Nutrient absorption after gastric bypass and weight regain explained: why 85 percent of patients keep weight off and how GLP-1s help after bariatric surgery 19:03 Signs bariatric surgery may be a fit and discussion of the pre-surgery education and aftercare pillars for success 27:55 Preparing for surgery: simple habits to start now, and why obesity care needs a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach and real partnership KEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Bariatric surgery works best as one piece of a multidisciplinary approach that pairs surgery or medication with nutrition, movement, mindset, and community. 💎 Lifelong follow-up is what separates the 85% who keep the weight off from the 15% who regain, and GLP-1 medications can help break plateaus after surgery. 💎 Stigma and misinformation, not lack of need, keep fewer than 1% of eligible patients from considering surgery, even though modern outpatient care is safer than most assume. 💎 Access is shifting as surgery centers and direct-to-employer bundled programs push for cost containment, which could make obesity care more affordable. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Dovec is the world's top female bariatric weight loss surgeon. She is a trailblazing surgeon and the founder and CEO of BodyByBariatrics and The Surgical Institute of Central Florida in Orlando. Over the past 12+ years, she has performed more than 6,500 bariatric surgeries and has completed more bariatric procedures than any other female bariatric surgeon in U.S. history. Dr. Dovec leads a first-of-its-kind, 15,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery and wellness center that combines bariatric surgery, medical weight loss (including GLP-1 medications), GI care, and aesthetics under one roof. After leaving a secure 7-figure hospital job, Dr. Dovec took out a 12-million-dollar loan to build her own center and make weight loss and obesity care accessible and sustainable for people who feel like they’ve tried everything. Dr. Dovec has become a powerful voice for modern, patient-first, value-based obesity care. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Passionate about ending obesity stigma, she advocates treating obesity as a chronic medical disease, not a personal failure, and provides unprecedented lifelong post-surgery support through programs, community retreats, and her podcast, The Weight Loss Collab. RESOURCES: Sponsored by Dash Dog Food - text DASH to 833-801-0500 to get 60% off your first box! Become a Happy Healthy Hub Member Jenn’s Free Menu Plan A Salad With a Side of Fries A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram About Uncomplicating Wellness Text ‘Book’ to 833-801-0500 GUEST RESOURCES: BodyByBariatrics - Website Surgical Weight Loss | Bariatric Surgery -Instagram Body By Bariatrics - Facebook The Weight Loss Collab - YouTube BodyByBariatrics - TikTok Elizabeth A. Dovec - Instragram Dr. Elizabeth A. Dovec - Facebook Dr. Elizabeth A. Dovec - LinkedIn QUOTES: 08:01 “The average person that comes to see a bariatric practice has tried an average of 22 legitimate diet and exercise plans before they come to us.” Dr. Betsy Dovec 08:49 "Bariatric surgery, first and foremost, is the most effective tool that exists to lose weight and keep it off." – Dr. Betsy Dovec 16:30 "So about 15% of bariatric patients will gain some weight back, but 85% don't." – Dr. Betsy Dovec 24:30 "I come to everything from the biopsychosocial approach, which is this idea that everything is biological, psychological, and sociological." – Jenn Trepeck 29:34 "The piece that's sticking with me is that there are multiple pieces of this puzzle that we're fitting together for each individual, whether it's surgical or pharmaceutical, it's not necessarily a magical be-all end-all without the other pieces in place." – Jenn Trepeck 29:50 "It's comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and you've got to come at it from every angle. There is no silver bullet that's just gonna take care of it." – Dr. Betsy Dovec 30:18 "That's my pet peeve with GLPs is that we now have this hyper-focus on one part of this versus all of the hormones involved." – Jenn Trepeck Jenn Trepeck, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Nutrition Nugget, Health Coach, Weight Loss For Real Life, Bariatric Surgery, Gastric Bypass, Weight Loss, GLP-1 Medications, Weight Regain, Lap Band, Sleeve Gastrectomy, Revisional Surgery, Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity Stigma, Body Mass Index, Visceral Fat, Nutrient Absorption, Outpatient Procedure, Surgery Center, Medical Weight Loss, Obesity Medicine, Metabolic Health, High Protein Diet, Emotional Eating, Group Therapy, Weight Loss Therapy, Pre-Op Education, Aftercare, Meal Plan, Mindset, Community Support, Virtual Consultation, Body By Bariatrics, Stomach Pouch, Small Intestine, Malabsorption, Vitamin Deficiencies, Chronic Disease, Multidisciplinary Approach, Health Coach, Employer Healthcare, Insurance Coverage, Lifelong Follow-Up, Gold Standard, Bariatric Surgery Vs GLP-1 Medications, How To Prevent Weight Regain After Gastric Bypass

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide), the anti-aging supplement everyone from celebrities to your own family members seems to be asking about. Why did it explode in popularity when its cousin NAD+ was the star just a couple of years ago? Is it truly a breakthrough for aging at the cellular level, or is it just the latest shiny wellness trend? Jenn breaks down what NMN is, why it was off limits in supplements for so long, and what to look for if you are curious. She also shares what she's noticed after months of experimenting, and why some of her clients and colleagues report a very different experience. So, is NMN worth adding to your routine, or is the hype bigger than the results? Press play to find out where Jenn lands. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday. Have an idea for a nutrition nugget? Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/ RESOURCES: Become a Happy Healthy Hub Member Jenn’s Free Menu Plan A Salad With a Side of Fries A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram NAD Plus - Website Global NAD Plus - Website Prime NMN - Website Global Prime NMN - Website Nutrition Nugget: NAD Jenn Trepeck, Nutrition Nugget, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Health Tips, Wellness Tips, NMN Supplement, NMN, NAD+, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, NAD+ Precursor, Anti-Aging Supplement, Healthy Aging, Longevity, Cellular Energy, Mitochondrial Function, Nicotinamide Riboside, NR Vs NMN, Spermidine, Fisetin, NMN Dosage, NAD+ Levels, Cellular Health, DNA Repair, Metabolic Health, Perimenopause, Kim Kardashian, FDA, Dietary Supplements, Antioxidants, Gut Health, Cognitive Function, Insulin Sensitivity, ATP Production, Mental Clarity, Energy Support, Weight Loss, Wellness, Supplement Quality, Aging Well, Brain Health, Inflammation, Physical Performance, Women Over 40, Youth Molecule, Best NMN Supplement Dosage For Anti-Aging, NMN Vs NAD+ Supplement Which Is Better

What happens when gut health, menopause, peptides, nutrition, and food policy all start converging? After seven years of conversations about the future of wellness, the trends are pointing toward a bigger shift: new tools may change how we approach healthspan, and yet the fundamentals still matter. Host Jenn Trepeck closes out The Next Frontier Files, the seven-episode miniseries retrospective from Salad With a Side of Fries as she reflects on year seven. She shares her own take on the next frontier in wellness, and explains how peptides and food policy fit into the future of healthspan. It is a big-picture reminder that the basics still matter most, no matter which new trend arrives next. What You Will Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why convergence is the defining theme of year seven, with gut health, menopause, and peptides appearing together like never before. ✅ How the GLP-1 boom is pushing fiber and micronutrients into the spotlight, and why muscle wasting is a risk of eating too little. ✅ Which foundations, from nutrition and sleep to community, protect your healthspan when new biohacking tools arrive. ✅ How a proposed reckoning with the food supply and processed foods could make quality nutrition more affordable. The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast, hosted by Jenn Trepeck, explores real-life wellness and weight-loss topics, debunking myths, misinformation, and flawed science surrounding nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into real-life wellness and weight loss, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to the year seven finale and a look at how wellness trends all converge at once 04:15 Philip Pape begins year seven recap with precision medicine, genetics, and artificial intelligence joining forces 07:19 Abby Sharp warns against the pathologizing of hunger and our bond with food 11:51 Jared St. Clair discusses why gut health and microbiota transplant may explain more than digestion, including mental health 13:06 Dr. Stan Pierce shares his perspective on Neuralink, brain-computer interfaces, and new funding for brain research that could change healthcare 16:06 Hormones, menopause, thyroid, and peptides as five voices reach beyond their own topics 19:14 Sarah Wragge predicts Fiber and micronutrients will take center stage as GLP-1 users risk bone density and muscle loss 20:14 Dr. Diane Mueller discusses why aging gets blamed too often, and how community, connection, and cortisol shape healthspan 24:38 Dr. Eric Osansky discusses the relationship between cortisol and stress management 26:01 Molly McNamee says let’s get back to basics: why foundations of health never go out of style as new trends keep cycling 26:38 Jenn pulls together all the predictions as well as her own thoughts for the next frontier in wellness KEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Viral trends often arrive before the research does 💎 Build your bio stack first, because hydration, movement, stress care, purpose, and mindset make every biohacking tool work better. 💎 A lot of what gets blamed on aging deserves a closer look, and blood markers can help you catch preventable disease early. 💎 Real change in healthcare starts when you reclaim autonomy over your health, one informed choice at a time. RESOURCES: Become a Happy Healthy Hub Member Jenn’s Free Menu Plan A Salad With a Side of Fries A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram About Uncomplicating Wellness Text ‘Book’ to 833-801-0500 The Next Frontier Files: The Frontier We Didn't Choose - Vol 1 The Next Frontier Files: Precision and Permission - Vol 2 The Next Frontier Files: Precision and Permission - Vol 3 The Next Frontier Files: Ask the Robot vs. the Tried & True - Vol 4 The Next Frontier Files: The Body Knew First (vol.5) The Next Frontier Files: More Puzzle Pieces, Real and Claimed (vol.6) The Alcohol-Cancer Connection The Truth About Alcohol America's Fiber Problem The Health Tool No One's Talking About The Diseases You Don't Have to Get and the Blood Markers that Prove It How to Know You're Healthy and Not Just Not Sick The Longevity Equation Nutrition Nugget: Laughter Nutrition Nugget: Hugs Blue Zones: A Blueprint for Physical and Mental Health Nutrition Nugget: Holding Hands QUOTES: 02:16 "Everything we've tracked throughout the last six episodes of this miniseries and six years of content shows up in year seven. Everything all at once in the same episodes, sometimes even in the same sentences. This is convergence." – Jenn Trepeck 05:37 “I really think it is understanding our genetics and epigenetics and nutrigenomics, which is the interplay between genetics, nutrition, and lifestyle, and how our nutrition and our lifestyle can turn up and turn down the volume on our genes.” – Jenn Trepeck 29:37 "I hope that this will reinforce the continued commitment to the foundations of healthspan so that we can make the most of those benefits, because we add the biohack to our biostack." – Jenn Trepeck 31:14 "When we increase the cost of the more processed foods, subsidize the farming and the cost of quality nutrition, we will see over time that quality, more nutritious foods become more economical." – Jenn Trepeck 31:50 "It is still my frontier in wellness to change the state of healthcare by empowering individuals to reclaim autonomy over their health and their lives." – Jenn Trepeck Jenn Trepeck, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Nutrition Nugget, Health Coach, Weight Loss For Real Life, Wellness Trends, Weight Loss, Gut Health, Peptides, Hormones, Menopause, GLP-1, Convergence, Precision Medicine, Genetics, Nutrigenomics, Artificial Intelligence, Healthspan, Community, Connection, Fiber, Micronutrients, Cortisol, Thyroid, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Regenerative Medicine, Longevity, Foundations Of Health, Back To Basics, Food Supply, Processed Foods, Food Additives, Nutrition, Hydration, Sleep, Stress Management, Mindset, Biohacking, Accessible Wellness, Neuralink, Alcohol And Cancer, Microbiota Transplant, NMN, Anti-Aging, Social Media Trends, Preventable Disease, Next Frontier In Wellness Predictions, Healthspan Foundations For Biohacking

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Olive Garden. Yes, the chain restaurant with the famous unlimited breadsticks. Can a sit-down Italian favorite really fit into a healthy lifestyle? Jenn dug into the nutrition facts, and what she found surprised even her, especially when it comes to one number that shows up in nearly every dish. Olive Garden has also launched a new Lighter Portions menu aimed at people taking GLP-1 medications, so Jenn did some detective work to see what is behind it. Is it a true game changer or something else entirely? She also shares which soups, salads, and entrees might deserve a spot at your table, and which classic dishes could be a bigger challenge than you would guess. Is Olive Garden ever a smart choice, or should it stay off your list? Listen in to hear Jenn's final verdict. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday. Have an idea for a nutrition nugget? Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/ RESOURCES: Become a Happy Healthy Hub Member Jenn’s Free Menu Plan A Salad With a Side of Fries A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram Olive Garden Lighter Portions Menu Jenn Trepeck, Nutrition Nugget, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Health Tips, Wellness Tips, Olive Garden Nutrition, Olive Garden Menu, Olive Garden Healthy Options, Wellness And Weight Loss, Healthy Eating At Restaurants, Eating Out Healthy, Sit Down Restaurant, Chain Restaurant, GLP-1 Menu, GLP-1 Medication, Weight Loss Drugs, Lighter Portions, Portion Sizes, Sodium Content, High Sodium Foods, Low Sodium Choices, Soup Salad And Breadsticks, Unlimited Breadsticks, Minestrone Soup, Pasta E Fagioli, Herb Grilled Salmon, Grilled Chicken Margherita, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Parm, Gluten Sensitive Menu, Nutrition Facts, Macronutrients, Carbohydrates, Protein, Fiber, Saturated Fat, Calorie Density, Healthy Restaurant Choices, Dining Out Tips, Weight Loss Tips, Fast Food Alternatives, Restaurant Nutrition, Mindful Eating, Healthiest Things To Order At Olive Garden, Olive Garden Lighter Portions Menu Nutrition Facts

Six years of experts. One question asked every single time, and a pile of predictions that either aged beautifully or fell apart on contact with reality. Some of the boldest claims came wrapped in credentials, while some of the quietest answers turned out to be the ones worth keeping. Year six was when the wellness conversation got loud enough that discernment became the real skill. On this episode of The Next Frontier Files, Jenn Trepeck plays back year six of the next frontier in wellness answers and hands-down verdicts. Fat cells that remember your old weight. Menopause research that still has not arrived. Peptide therapy sitting next to skin tanning in the same sentence. Artificial intelligence in medicine, and the guest who predicted the backlash a year before it happened. Plus a hydrogen claim about living into the thousands that deserves the raised eyebrow it gets. What You Will Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why fat cell memory rewrites the RNA of your cells and makes weight maintenance harder after rapid loss, especially after GLP-1 drugs ✅ How genetics and the microbiome shift with your environment, which is why one-size-fits-all advice keeps failing ✅ What methylation risk scores and biological age testing could unlock as they move toward FDA approval ✅ The difference between a wearable data point and the time, care, and listening that actually changes outcomes The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast, hosted by Jenn Trepeck, explores real-life wellness and weight-loss topics, debunking myths, misinformation, and flawed science surrounding nutrition and the food industry. Let’s dive into real-life wellness and weight loss, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Jenn shares why seven years of wellness trends became a seven-part miniseries built from one rapid-fire question 04:45 The year six theme arrives, exploring fat cell memory and being on the same team as your own body 05:19 Professor Ferdinand von Meyenn on prevention, health span, and incentivizing care before disease 07:38 Dr. Kathy Campbell on genetics and the microbiome as two universes of variables and complexity 08:57 Hannah Went discusses the methylation risk scores and FDA approval 09:33 Vince Sant on peptide therapy for joint health, muscle recovery, and where the claim drifts 10:41 Zora Benhamou and Monica Packer discuss menopause research gap and gender neutral studies 11:56 Ashley Fillmore feels like the future is bright, but hopes it will be more affordable for the average consumer 13:01 Jenn Malecha shares a new frontier of functional medicine for pets 16:23 Dr. Dana Stern on artificial intelligence and predictive health 18:25 Dr. Andrea Nakayama feels the frontier is going to be wearables, but has thoughts about where she wishes it was going 19:39 Greg the Hydrogen Man claims reversed aging and a device that does not exist yet 21:58 Martin Pytela hopes that the HHS will find that drugs should be regulated separately from food 23:44 Getting back to basics with real food, daily movement, consistency, and self-kindness KEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Not every piece handed to you belongs in your picture. A real piece of the wellness puzzle comes with research, nuance, and honesty about what is still unknown. A claimed piece arrives with an NDA and a promise of living for a thousand years. 💎 The most useful predictions were the least dramatic ones. Prevention over treatment. Healthspan over lifespan. Eating real food and moving daily. The unsexy answers keep outperforming the exciting ones. 💎 Data is the easy part. Wearables, functional testing, and metabolic rate measurement are all real and improving. Yet, affordability and access still lag, and none of it replaces a clinician who listens to the whole story. 💎 Guests are not just predicting the field; they are building it. One guest referencing another guest's book years later shows a genuinely interconnected wellness ecosystem, not a series of isolated forecasts. RESOURCES: Become a Happy Healthy Hub Member Jenn’s Free Menu Plan A Salad With a Side of Fries A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram About Uncomplicating Wellness Text ‘Book’ to 833-801-0500 The Next Frontier Files: The Frontier We Didn't Choose - Vol 1 The Next Frontier Files: Precision and Permission - Vol 2 The Next Frontier Files: Precision and Permission - Vol 3 The Next Frontier Files: Ask the Robot vs. the Tried & True - Vol 4 The Next Frontier Files: The Body Knew First (vol.5) Nutrition Nugget: Chick-fil-A Nutrition Nugget: Panera QUOTES: 04:45 "I think understanding the science and biology of it all also helps us understand what's happening in the body, and then we can be on the same team as our bodies rather than feeling like it's doing this thing that we don't understand." – Jenn Trepeck 06:34 "Fat cells remember. They hold onto the memory of a previous weight, and an obesogenic environment overwrites the RNA of the fat cell." – Jenn Trepeck 17:15 “I think we're making a big shift kind of towards the AI era in wellness, although here's my thought on that: I think we're gonna find we need to stop, pivot, and revert to some of the basics.” – Jenn Trepeck 19:11 "The data is the easy piece. The hard piece, the one that people keep leaving out of the picture, is time, care, and active listening." – Jenn Trepeck 28:50 "Not every piece someone hands you belongs in your picture. Real ones are worth adding, claimed ones are worth a second look." – Jenn Trepeck Jenn Trepeck, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Nutrition Nugget, Health Coach, Weight Loss For Real Life, Wellness Trends, Next Frontier In Wellness, Health Span, Longevity, Aging, Prevention, Fat Cell Memory, Metabolic Disease, Bariatric Research, Weight Maintenance, GLP-1 Drugs, Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Genetics, Microbiome, Epigenetics, Methylation Risk Scores, Biological Age, Peptide Therapy, Joint Health, Muscle Recovery, Menopause, Perimenopause, Women's Health Research, Hormones, Functional Medicine, Functional Testing, Metabolic Rate, Personalized Health, Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Health, Wearables, Health Data, Red Light Therapy, Methylene Blue, Food Safety, Measles Outbreak, Real Food, Consistency, How To Tell Real Wellness Advice From Hype, Why Menopause Research Is Still Missing From Women's Health