I listened to an awesome podcast this week on the Zoe app featuring Dr Andrew Jenkinson, which mirrored many thoughts and ideas of my own.
Modern science is overturning the long-held belief that weight loss simply requires eating less and moving more. In his recent appearance on the ZOE podcast, bariatric surgeon Dr. Andrew Jenkinson argues that this traditional view overlooks the powerful biological systems that control body weight — and, in many cases, cause diets to backfire.
According to Dr. Jenkinson, each person has a weight “set point” — a level the brain works to maintain through adjustments in hunger, metabolism, and energy use. When we restrict calories through dieting, the body interprets this as starvation. Metabolism slows down, hunger increases, and the body fights to return to its original weight. This explains why so many dieters regain the weight they lose, often with added pounds.
A key player in this process is the hormone leptin, which signals fullness to the brain. Highly processed, sugary foods and chronic inflammation can cause leptin resistance, meaning the brain no longer registers that the body has enough energy. The result: persistent hunger and cravings — not a lack of willpower, but a hormonal imbalance.
Dr. Jenkinson also discusses new weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, which work by suppressing appetite. While effective in the short term, he cautions that most people regain up to two-thirds of the lost weight once the drugs are stopped, unless deeper metabolic issues are addressed.
Instead of restrictive dieting, Jenkinson recommends resetting the body’s natural balance:
- Cut out added sugars and ultra-processed foods
- Avoid constant snacking; eat regular meals
- Embrace moderate carbohydrate intake
- Use time-restricted eating (6–8 hour windows)
- Prioritise good sleep, stress control, and enjoyable activity
His central message is clear: lasting weight loss isn’t about eating less — it’s about helping the body work as it was designed to.
Interestingly, Dr Jenkins advises in order to lose weight…the first step is to eliminate sugar for a period of around 30 days!
Very interesting to us at M.A.S.K. as our 21-day cleanse does just that! This is something that we have advocated for many years.
Stay awesome and have a great weekend!
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