The food pyramid is back—and according to the headlines, it’s been flipped upside down. But has it really?

In this episode of Unconditional, host Norbie Schickel breaks down the newly released U.S. dietary guidelines and the updated food pyramid, separating media hype from what the recommendations actually say. From claims about beef tallow and full-fat dairy to suggestions that Americans should eat dramatically more meat and protein, Norbie walks through the numbers, the context, and the overlooked details that matter most.

Drawing from personal experience, nutritional research, and a critical review of the original 1992 food pyramid, this episode explores how decades of dietary advice helped usher in ultra-processed foods, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic illness. Norbie compares the old and new pyramids side by side, examining servings of grains, protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and—most importantly—healthy fats.

What’s the real shift behind the new food pyramid?
Why healthy fats—not protein—may be the biggest change.
What the guidelines still fail to address about ultra-processed foods, seed oils, pesticides, and food quality.
How countries like Japan and traditional cultures maintain metabolic health without macro obsession.
Why “real food” matters more than carb vs. fat debates.

This episode goes beyond sound bites to ask the bigger questions: Is this truly a move toward whole foods, or just a visual rebrand? And what would a more honest, useful food framework look like for families, schools, and everyday Americans?

If you’re interested in nutrition, health policy, real food, metabolic health, or questioning conventional dietary wisdom, this conversation will challenge how you think about what’s on your plate.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation about food, fitness, and taking ownership of your health.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The New Food Pyramid 2026 - A Deep Dive

02:59 Why The New Food Pyramid 2026 Matters

07:04 Critique of the Original Food Pyramid

07:36 Introduction to the Food Pyramid Changes

08:29 Does The New Food Pyramid Live Up To the Hype?

12:15 Old Vs New. What's Changed In The New Food Pyramid?

13:26 The New Food Pyramid Is Upside Down

19:46 Comparing Old and New Food Pyramids

22:19 Grains, Fruits, and Vegetables in the New Guidelines

25:11 Dairy and Protein Recommendations

25:36 What Everyone Is Missing About The New Food Pyramid

29:21 Shocking. The New Food Pyramid And Seed Oils

32:10 The Most Shocking Miss Of The New Food Pyramid

34:32 It's Not About Macros, It's About Ultra-Processed Foods

36:46 What About Japan? The Food Spinning Top

39:52 What Would Have Been Better?

42:15 The New Food Pyramid: A Step Forward?

42:41 Conclusion: Taking Aim At The Real Enemy of Ultra-Processed Foods

AI OVERVIEW

In this conversation, Norbie Schickel discusses the new food pyramid and its implications for nutrition and health. He explores the changes from the original food pyramid, emphasizing the importance of real foods and the dangers of ultra-processed foods. Schickel critiques the new guidelines for not adequately addressing food quality and proposes alternative frameworks for understanding nutrition.

#realfood #nutrition #healthpodcast #fitnesspodcast

Should I quit drinking when I don’t have a problem?

In this episode of Unconditional Norbie Schickel shares his honest experience of quitting alcohol after more than 20 years of low-to-moderate drinking, and what changed over two years without it. This is not a conversation about addiction, shame, or moral judgment. It’s about effectiveness, clarity, and intentional living in a culture where alcohol is deeply woven into social life.

If you’re considering Dry January, curious about sobriety, or questioning whether alcohol is subtly holding you back — mentally, emotionally, or physically — this episode offers nuance, personal insight, and a practical framework for change. Norbie explores why he chose to quit without being an alcoholic, the science-based ideas that challenged his assumptions, how alcohol impacts stress tolerance and habit formation, and what he gained — and lost — by removing it.

No preaching. No purity tests. Just an honest audit of alcohol, culture, and personal growth.

SHOW NOTES

Are low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption safe?

Should I quit drinking even if I don’t have a problem?

Dr. Andrew Huberman’s podcast shifted Norbie’s perspective

Alcohol’s impact on chronic stress, anxiety, and confidence

Why alcohol can make new habit formation harder

The “strategic replacement” method for breaking habits

Social life, relationships, and identity without alcohol

Health changes after quitting (sleep, recovery, hormones)

Two-year results: upsides, downsides, and trade-offs

Will Norbie ever drink again?

Chapter:

00:00 Introduction: Quitting Alcohol & Dry January

05:45 Stakes & Context: Why The Subject of Alcohol is Difficult

07:52 Challenge #1 - Alcohol Serves An Important Social Function

08:48 Challenge #2 Alcohol Feels Good & Has Many Benefits

09:49 There Is A Sea Change On The Topic Of Alcohol

10:31 Why I Quit Drinking When I Didn't Have A Problem

12:42 The Catalyst for Change: Dr. Andrew Huberman's Influence

18:20 Why Huberman's Alcohol Podcast Was So Effective

25:21 The Truth About Alcohol - Explained Clearly

31:45 The Two Reasons I Personally Quit Drinking

38:44 How I Stopped Drinking - Ending A 20 Year Habit Cold

44:26 Get The People Close Onboard (If Possible)

47:42 The Most Powerful Way To Quit Alcohol - Strategic Substitution

56:54 Treat Sobriety As An Experiment, Not A Religion

59:05 Going Sober - My Results At 2 Years

59:35 The Downside of Cutting Alcohol

01:00:53 The Mixed Blessing Of Going Sober

01:03:36 The Significant Benefits of Sober Life

01:03:43 Life Without Alcohol Became Way More Interesting

01:04:34 Quitting Alcohol Improved My Sleep

01:05:17 Here's What Quitting Alcohol Did for My Testosterone

01:07:39 Raising Your Testosterone Naturally Is Incredibly Beneficial

01:09:19 Sobriety Reduced Anxiety & Chronic Stress

01:12:21 Final Words & Conclusion - Will I Ever Drink Again?

Resources Mentioned:

Huberman Lab Podcast On Alcohol Function Health

Anthem Athletics

Keywords

Dry January, sobriety curiosity, quitting alcohol, mindful drinking, alcohol and anxiety, habit change, mindset, personal growth, men’s health, intentional living, fatherhood, entrepreneurship

Hastags

#DryJanuary #SobrietyCurious #QuitDrinking #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #IntentionalLiving #Men’sHealth #HabitChange #UnconditionalPodcast

In this episode of Unconditional, host Norbie Schickel breaks down the simplest, most sustainable path to getting lean, strong, and radically healthy—without crash diets, endless cardio, or injectable weight-loss drugs.

After exploring the shocking history of polio and the rise of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic in recent episodes, today we shift fully into fitness, metabolism, and the truth about what actually works for long-term fat loss.

Norbie shares the real first step to transforming your body (hint: it’s not calorie counting, macros, or spending hours in the gym). You’ll learn why countries like Japan have avoided the obesity crisis, how whole-foods and walking outperform extreme diets, and why consistency—not willpower—is the true “magic pill.”

Then, Norbie reveals the two brutally effective workouts that shaped his own physique—workouts that build muscle, shred fat, and skyrocket conditioning with no gym, no equipment, and almost no time required. You’ll learn:

🔥 What You’ll Learn

• Why “eat less, move more” has failed—and what actuallydrives sustainable weight loss

• How whole foods and daily walking mimic the benefits of GLP-1s without side effects

• Why obesity is not a moral issue and how shame destroys long-term progress

• The surprising reason the Japanese maintain the world’s best metabolic health

• How to build a lean, aesthetic, athletic physique without PEDs, bodybuilding splits, or long workouts

• The Burpee Ladder Workout—theultimate anywhere-anytime fat-loss tool

• A wrist-friendly burpee variation used byfighters and grapplers

• The science behind Tabata intervals and how to use them to build muscle, endurance, and conditioning in just 4 minutes

• The principle of progressiveoverload without weights

• How wrestlers, gymnasts, and ancientwarriors built their physiques without modern equipment

Whether you’re just beginning your health journey, returning to fitness, or already lean and looking to take things to the next level, this episode offers a simple, proven framework for building a body you’re proud of—naturally.

If you’ve wondered whether it’s possible to get lean, muscular, or even ripped without a gym membership or extreme dieting, the answer is a resounding yes. This episode shows you how.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:54 The Question I Get Asked The Most Is About Getting In Shape

04:05 Alternative to GLP-1s, Japan, Whole Foods & Walking

09:18 Japan: The Only Country To Get Wealthy Without Getting Fat

10:59 Quick Recap For Natural, Permanent Weight Loss

12:43 The Importance of Whole Foods and Walking

14:07 Beyond Whole Foods & Walking - Starting Body Recomposition

15:04 Building Your Dream Physique Is Possible

17:16 The Fitness World Is More Than Bodybuilding

23:41 Two Effective Workouts for Body Recomposition

26:30 Caveat On Performance Enhancing Drugs

29:55 Finally, The Two Workouts Revealed

30:09 Workout #1 - Modified Burpee Ladder

33:55 Consistency Is Your Superpower

37:53 Building In Progressive Overload

39:52 A Better Burpee? Here's My Favorite Variation

48:07 Workout #2 - 4 Minute Tabata Workout