Introduction

Ready to break free from the scale and finally create lasting change?

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Orlena shares a powerful story about her 90-year-old neighbor that completely changed how she thinks about weight loss—and why you should stop focusing on the number on the scale if you want real, sustainable results.

You'll discover the three core insights that will revolutionize your approach to health:

Why your scale obsession is sabotaging your success: Learn how weight-focused thinking creates a destructive success-failure loop in your brain that keeps you stuck in cycles of guilt, shame, and yo-yo dieting. Dr. Orlena reveals why this mindset is your biggest obstacle to lasting change.

The dangerous lies your scale tells you: Discover why that daily weigh-in is leading you to make harmful decisions (like skipping dinner and drinking wine because it shows a temporary loss). You'll understand the many factors that affect weight beyond fat loss and why the ...

Are you eating "healthy" but still struggling with weight gain during menopause? You're not alone.

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Orlena reveals the hidden science behind why menopause makes weight management so challenging - and it all comes down to your gut microbiome.

Discover why declining estrogen doesn't just affect hot flashes, but fundamentally rewires your digestive system, tipping the balance toward inflammation and weight gain. Learn about the crucial F/B ratio (the good vs. bad bacteria battle happening in your gut right now) and why most women unknowingly sabotage their efforts by expecting quick fixes.

Three game-changing insights you'll learn:

• How menopause disrupts the estrogen-gut connection, making your body a fat-storage machine
• Why you might not be eating as "healthily" as you think (and the specific nutrients that can turn things around)
• The truth about timing: why gut healing takes months, not weeks - and why that's actually good news

Whether you...

Introduction

Are you doing "all the right things" but still not seeing the results you want?

This episode is for you if you've watched the healthy eating videos, you're exercising regularly, you're getting decent sleep, but the scale isn't budging and you're feeling frustrated and stuck.

Dr. Orlena delivers some necessary hard love by revealing there are only two possible reasons you're not getting results - and neither one is what you think. She exposes the hidden hormonal saboteurs like cortisol and insulin that can keep you trapped in a vicious cycle, even when you're doing everything "right."

But here's the game-changer: what if weight loss isn't actually your real goal? Dr. Orlena shares the powerful mindset shift that transforms frustration into freedom, helping you break free from the succeed-fail cycle that's keeping you stuck.

You'll discover why your brain might be misdiagnosing your emotions, how unrealistic expectations are sabotaging your progress, and why focusi...

Introduction

Feeling stuck at the bottom of your health mountain?

If you're recovering from surgery, dealing with chronic pain, or facing significant weight loss goals that feel impossible, this episode is for you. Dr. Orlena tackles a heartfelt question from listener Beth about starting a health journey when you're facing real obstacles - not just inconveniences.

In this episode, you'll discover why your previous attempts may have failed and how to create a sustainable path forward. Dr. Orlena shares her revolutionary approach that ditches calorie counting and restriction in favor of a personalized system built on four essential pillars.

**You'll learn:**
- How to create a science-based health system that actually fits your life and limitations
- Why focusing on nourishment instead of restriction is the key to long-term success
- The power of 3-month goal chunks to make your health journey feel achievable rather than overwhelming

Whether you're dealing with physical limitations, emotio...

What if you could literally reverse your age and live to 114 years old?

Join Dr. Orlena as she sits down with Dr. Alka Patel, a former "drug-pushing" GP turned longevity expert who discovered the secret to aging backwards after a life-threatening burnout led her to a 106-year-old sage in India.

In this eye-opening conversation, you'll discover:

🔬 Why your biological age can actually go backwards - Dr. Patel reveals how 80% of aging is controlled by your lifestyle choices, and shares the simple blood test that measures your true biological age (hers is 30 years younger than her chronological age!)

⏰ Game-changing "time-based biohacks" that take just seconds but add years to your life - from the powerful 1-10 morning ritual to the 6-60 breathing technique that instantly shifts your nervous system from stress to peace

🎯 The surprising longevity secret that adds 7 years to your life - it's not what you eat or how much you exercise, but something most doctors never ask about (and ...

Introduction

Are you your own worst enemy when it comes to reaching your health goals?

If you're the type of person who achieves your target but still feels disappointed, who focuses on the handful of mulberries left unpicked rather than the hour you spent harvesting, or who secretly sets impossible standards then beats yourself up for "only" meeting your original goal - this episode is for you.

Dr. Orlena dives deep into the hidden psychology of hyperachieving and reveals how this seemingly positive trait might actually be sabotaging your weight loss and wellness journey. You'll discover why your brain's secret goals are setting you up for failure, learn to recognize the achievement blindness that keeps you feeling inadequate despite real progress, and understand why mastering fewer changes completely trumps attempting everything at once.

Whether you're frustrated by "slow" progress, constantly moving your own goalposts, or find yourself giving up just when you should be cele...

BONE HEALTH REVOLUTION: THE 3-MINUTE SOLUTION FOR LIFELONG STRENGTH

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Orlena speaks with bone health expert Dr. Tracey Clissold about the "silent epidemic" affecting millions of women and the surprisingly simple solution that takes just minutes a day.

Did you know we only have until age 30 to build the skeleton that must last us a lifetime? After that, we begin losing bone density—with losses accelerating dramatically during menopause when women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in just a few years. This hidden decline puts two-thirds of women at risk for life-altering fractures as they age.

The good news? Dr. Clissold reveals her groundbreaking research showing how specific "bone-jarring" movements performed for just 2-3 minutes daily can increase bone density by 3-5%—effectively reversing years of natural bone loss. And contrary to popular belief, walking and most other exercises don't create enough force to stimulate this bone growth.

You'...

Introduction

THE SLEEP SOLUTION YOU HAVEN'T TRIED: BEYOND THE BASICS WITH DR. NISHI BHOPAL

Is sleep your Achilles' heel despite doing "all the right things"? In this eye-opening episode of Fit and Fabulous, Dr. Orlena welcomes sleep medicine expert Dr. Nishi Bhopal to explore the emotional and cognitive dimensions of sleep that most experts never discuss.

Discover why sleep quality matters more than hours logged, with fascinating insights into how sleep continuity affects your entire day—even when your tracker says you got "enough" sleep. Dr. Bhopal shares powerful, practical techniques like scheduled worry time and mindful reframing that tackle the racing thoughts keeping you awake at 3 AM.

Women listeners will especially benefit from Dr. Bhopal's expertise on how sleep issues manifest uniquely in women's bodies. Learn why perimenopausal and menopausal sleep problems are often misdiagnosed, how subtle symptoms of sleep disorders differ between genders, and the specific nut...

Mentioned in the Podcast

Sign up for the Stop Dieting Start Thriving video: https://www.drorlena.com/stop-dieting 

Transcription of Podcast

hello. Welcome to Fit and Fabulous with me, Dr. Orlena I'm super, super excited to chat to you today. I hope you had a fabulous Easter and that, oh my goodness. Summer is just around the corner. We have a really short term here in Spain, so we have the kids go back to school today. There are four days this week.

Next week we have three days, and then there's about three weeks. Another bank holiday, and then mid-June the kids break up. Oh my goodness. It feels like we are hurtling towards summer, which I'm excited about, but also a little bit like, oh my goodness, time is going so quickly. Today I want to talk to you about if you are feeling frustrated about weight loss or health, why this might be a really good thing.

So what am I talking about? It might be that you are feeling really frustrated because you want to lose weight and you fee...

Introduction

Are you tired of approaching your health journey from a place of frustration, blame, and self-criticism? In this eye-opening episode of Fit and Fabulous, Dr. Orlena reveals why your relationship with your body might be the hidden obstacle to achieving lasting health results.

Discover the powerful difference between "negative brain" and "positive brain" approaches to health, and why appreciation rather than criticism creates sustainable motivation. Learn why focusing on your body's incredible capabilities—instead of just its appearance—can revolutionize your wellness journey. Most importantly, understand how to take responsibility for your health without carrying the unnecessary weight of self-blame for past choices.

Whether you're over 40 and navigating hormonal changes or simply seeking a more joyful approach to health, this episode offers a refreshing perspective that could transform not just how you see your body, but how you care for it. Listen now and take ...