Why Ultra-Processed Foods Can Sabotage Your Weight Loss | Dr. Jim Loomis

Are ultra-processed foods the hidden reason weight loss feels impossible?

In this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, host Chuck Carroll is joined by Dr. Jim Loomis, medical director at Barnard Medical Center, to break down the science behind ultra-processed foods and their powerful impact on weight gain, metabolism, hunger, and fat storage.

From packaged snacks and fast food to so-called “healthy” convenience items, ultra-processed foods now make up a majority of the modern diet. Dr. Loomis explains how these foods affect appetite hormones, blood sugar, calorie intake, and the body’s ability to lose weight — and why simply “eating less” often doesn’t work when ultra-processed foods dominate the plate.

You’ll learn:

What qualifies as an ultra-processed food

How ultra-processed foods interfere with fat loss

What to eat instead to support sustainable weight loss

The foods that drive overeating and cravings

The role of fiber, nutrients, and food quality in weight control

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve metabolic health, or understand why progress has stalled, this episode delivers practical, evidence-based answers.

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