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What if everything you thought you knew about breaking a bad habit was wrong? In this episode of Project Weight Loss, we sit down — well, metaphorically — with one of the most brilliant scientific minds in the field of habit change and mindfulness: Dr. Judson Brewer, affectionately known as Dr. Jud. With over 20 years of NIH-funded research, a TED Talk viewed millions of times, and three powerhouse books, Dr. Jud has cracked the code on why we do the things we do — even when we desperately don't want to. And it has nothing to do with willpower. Nothing. At. All.

This episode is personal, it is science-backed, and it is packed with tools you can start using today. We explore the brain science behind every habit loop you have ever been stuck in, why shame is the last thing that will ever set you free, and what curiosity has to do with changing your brain from the inside out. We also get into Dr. Jud's thoughtful and honest take on GLP-1 medications — and why the inner work still matters, whether you are on them or not. Plus, I share something close to her heart that ties it all together beautifully. You are not going to want to miss this one. Come on in.

Quote of the Week:

"Meditation is not about emptying our minds or stopping our thoughts, which is impossible. It's about changing our relationship to our thoughts." — Dr. Judson Brewer

Links:

Dr. Judson Brewer's TED Talk — "A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit"

Dr. Judson Brewer's Calm Masterclass — "Breaking Bad Habits"

Dr. Jud's Website: https://drjud.com

Citations:

• Brewer, J. (2017). The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love — Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits. Yale University Press.
• Brewer, J. (2021). Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind. Avery/Penguin Random House. (New York Times & Wall Street Journal Bestseller)
• Brewer, J. (2024). The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop. Avery/Penguin Random House.
• Brewer, J. (2016). "A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit." TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brewer_a_simple_way_to_break_a_bad_habit
• Brown University Mindfulness Center — Director of Research and Innovation: https://www.brown.edu/academics/contemplative-studies/mindfulness-center
• Calm Masterclass: Breaking Bad Habits with Dr. Judson Brewer: https://www.calm.com/app/program/QLAvzOn

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

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Curiosity, Habit Loops & the Hidden Treasure of Your Local Library

What if the reason you can't stop eating had nothing to do with willpower — and everything to do with your brain running on autopilot?

This week I'm exploring just that – the autopilot trap.

We are exploring behavior change research AND in the fabric of our communities: curiosity.

If you work in wellness, coaching, project management, or leadership, this one's worth a listen.

Quote of the week:

“Curiosity: the shape of curiosity is a curving question mark with a hooked tail stamped on the wall of a library, a metaphor inviting gall to enter to discover a rich world of books” By Quincy Troupe

CITATIONS

1. Brewer, J. A., Mallik, S., Babuscio, T. A., Nich, C., Johnson, H. E., Deleone, C. M., Bowen, S., Marlatt, G. A., Rounsaville, B. J., Carroll, K. M., & Kiluk, B. D. (2011). Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 119(1–2), 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.05.044

2. Swan, G. E., & Carmelli, D. (1996). Curiosity and mortality in aging adults: A 5-year follow-up of the Western Collaborative Group Study. Psychology and Aging, 11(3), 449–453. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.11.3.449

Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House.

Smith, B. (1943). A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Harper & Brothers.

Brewer, J. A. (2015). A simple way to break a bad habit. TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brewer_a_simple_way_to_break_a_bad_habit

Troupe, Q. Quote on curiosity and libraries.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org

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Life has a way of getting lifely — and this episode was born right in the middle of mine. In Episode 208, I get personal about a season that brought me to stillness, to my car, to my breath — and ultimately, to a word that changed everything for me this year. If you have ever found yourself waiting for the perfect moment to start again, or wondering if the hard thing you are going through has any light in it at all, this episode is for you. Come as you are. Start where you are. That is always enough.

From a beloved novel to a spontaneous act of love from my son, from peer-reviewed science to a 14th century poet — I weave together the stories, the research, and the reminders that the light within you has never gone out. It may be quiet. It may be flickering. But it is there, and it has been there your whole life. I hope this episode helps you see it.

Quote of the week: "I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being." — Hafiz of Shiraz

Fina's 2025 Reading List

• The 48 Laws of Power — Robert Greene
• The Prince — Niccolò Machiavelli
• The Art of War — Sun Tzu
• Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-Tung — Mao Zedong
• Right Thing Right Now — Ryan Holiday
• Awaken the Giant Within — Tony Robbins
• The Big Leap — Gay Hendricks
• Emotional Intelligence — Bradberry & Greaves
• A Return to Love — Marianne Williamson
• No Mud No Lotus — Thich Nhat Hanh
• Tao Te Ching — Translated by Stephen Mitchell
• Mindful Investor — Maria Gonzalez
• Educated — Tara Westover
• Slaughterhouse-Five — Kurt Vonnegut
• 1929 — Andrew Ross Sorkin

Books Referenced

• Doerr, Anthony. All the Light We Cannot See. Scribner, 2014.
• Frankl, Viktor E. Man's Search for Meaning. Beacon Press, 1959.
• Greene, Robert. The 48 Laws of Power. Viking Press, 1998.
• Holiday, Ryan. The Obstacle Is the Way. Portfolio/Penguin, 2014.
• Hanh, Thich Nhat. Mud and Lotus. Parallax Press.
• Westover, Tara. Educated. Random House, 2018.

Peer-Reviewed Research

• Cunha, L.F., et al. "Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial." Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 10, March 2019. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584
• Martínez-Martí, M.L., et al. "The Effects of Gratitude Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10393216/
• Lundman, B., et al. "Inner Strength — A Systematic Review of Qualitative Empirical Studies." PubMed Central,1990–2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12375945/
• Holmedal Byrne & Gustafsson. "Resilience Theory: Core Concepts and Research Insights." Cited in Positive Psychology, 2024. https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-theory/

Poetry

• Hafiz of Shiraz. "I Wish I Could Show You." 14th century. English translation widely attributed to Daniel Ladinsky, The Gift, Penguin Compass, 1999.

Media

• All the Light We Cannot See. Netflix series, 2023. Directed

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org