The Truth About Nutrition Podcast

Paul Harry Frost

Tired of the endless diet cycle?  Confused by the latest health fads and conflicting nutrition advice? Welcome to The Truth About Nutrition Podcast – the podcast that cuts through the noise and delivers the real, evidence-based truth about sustainable fat loss, nutrition, and building a healthier relationship with food. Join Paul Frost, founder of The PHF Nutrition Consultancy, as he tackles the biggest myths and misinformation in the health and fitness world head-on. Each week, Paul brings his signature blend of empathy, straight-talking advice, evidence-based education, and a little bit of banter to help you: • Understand what truly drives sustainable fat loss – without deprivation, extreme dieting, or quick-fix solutions. • Learn how nutrition impacts your energy, sleep, body composition, and long-term health, especially during life's biggest hormonal transitions. • Break free from guilt, food rules, and the all-or-nothing mindset that keeps so many people stuck in the diet cycle. • Cut through the misinformation and gain the confidence to make informed decisions based on science, not social media hype. No pseudoscience, no quackery, and no fads. Just practical, evidence-based nutrition advice that helps you lose fat, improve your health, and build results that actually last. It's time to stop guessing, stop starting over every Monday, and start taking control of your nutrition for good.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    You've Lost Weight Before... So Why Are You Having To Start Again?

    8-week transformations, 12-week challenges, another diet, maybe we even throw current medications into the mix... But what happens when it all finishes? In this episode, I'm tackling one of my biggest frustrations with the fat-loss industry. We're absolutely obsessed with helping people lose weight, but nowhere near enough attention is given to teaching them how to manage it afterwards. And that's a big problem. As a practising nutritionist, I see the consequences of this approach far too often. People who have successfully lost weight, sometimes several times, but have never really developed the knowledge, behaviours or confidence to manage their nutrition when life gets complicated. Now, this isn't a sales pitch for my consultancy. But I do want to take you behind the scenes at PHF Nutrition Consultancy and explain how we approach things differently, why we place so much emphasis on individualised nutrition and education, and why the work doesn't suddenly stop when somebody reaches their target weight. We'll also talk about the problem with generic meal plans, short-term challenges and nutrition advice being treated as an afterthought rather than a specialist area of coaching. Because ultimately, what's the point in helping somebody lose a load of weight if they finish working with you and have absolutely no idea how to manage things afterwards? Fat loss is one thing. Learning how to manage it for years to come is another. If you've ever lost weight only to find yourself starting all over again, I think you'll get a lot from this episode. Want to understand what's keeping you stuck in the dieting cycle? Take my FREE Diet Cycle Breaker Scorecard and get a clearer picture of the habits and challenges that might be holding you back. Take my free Diet Cycle Breaker below 👇🏻 https://dietcycle.scoreapp.com

  2. Sep 7

    Your Smartwatch Is Ruining Your Fat Loss

    How accurate is your smartwatch when it tells you how many calories you’ve burned? Probably not as accurate as you think. This is something I see regularly when people first come into the PHF Nutrition Consultancy. They’ve got their calorie target for fat loss, they go to the gym, and their Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit or other wearable tells them they’ve burned 400 calories... So they eat those 400 calories back. And this is where things can start going wrong. Research looking at consumer wearables has shown that while they can be useful tools for monitoring things like heart rate and activity trends, their estimates of energy expenditure - the calories you’ve burned - can be considerably less reliable. And that matters when fat loss is the goal. If your watch overestimates what you’ve burned and you continually add those calories back into your diet, you could unknowingly reduce your calorie deficit, wipe it out completely or potentially move yourself into an energy surplus. Then comes the frustrating part... “I’m tracking my calories. I’m training. Why am I not losing weight?” In this episode, I break down what the research actually tells us about smartwatch calorie estimates, why these numbers can be misleading, and how I approach exercise calories with my own fat-loss clients. Smartwatches can be brilliant tools. Just don’t mistake an estimate for a precise measurement. RESEARCH MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28538708/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30194221/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32897239/ Struggling with your own fat loss? Take my free Diet Cycle Breaker Quiz for some instant help 👇🏻 https://dietcycle.scoreapp.com

  3. Aug 24

    The Supplement Industry Won’t Like This…

    The supplement industry is very good at convincing you that you're missing something. Fat burners, detox powders, hormone-balancing supplements, metabolism boosters.  And normally, somewhere underneath the post, a handy little discount code to buy them. But what does the evidence actually say? In this episode, I cut through the supplement-industry noise and look at some of the boring supplements that can actually be useful. We talk about:  Whey protein and why it's simply a convenient way to increase high-quality protein intake.  Creatine monohydrate, its benefits for strength and lean mass, and the emerging research around cognition.  Vitamin D, why it's particularly relevant here in the UK. Fish oils, EPA and DHA, and whether you actually need them if you're already eating enough oily fish. I also explain why supplements need to be viewed for exactly what they are: Supplements. They don't replace good nutrition. They don't magically create fat loss. And you probably don't need half the brightly coloured tubs being pushed at you on social media. This isn't an anti-supplement episode. It's an anti-pscuedoscience supplement episode. Some supplements absolutely have their place when they're used for the right person, for the right reason, and supported by good evidence. Unfortunately, that's nowhere near as exciting as promising to "detox your hormones" with a £39.99 tub of powder. Boring and evidence-based wins every time.

  4. Jul 20

    Why Most Nutrition Coaching Doesn't Work

    Meal plans. Macro splits. Generic calorie targets. Weekly group check-ins. For years, this has been sold as "nutrition coaching." But does it actually work in the real world? In this episode, I share my perspective after more than 25 years of coaching people through fat loss and behaviour change.  We explore why so many traditional coaching programmes fall apart, not because people lack motivation or discipline, but because the coaching itself often isn't designed around real life. We discuss why rigid meal plans rarely survive busy jobs, family life and everyday stress, why asking people to perfectly hit calories and three separate macro targets can create unnecessary mental overload, and why long-term progress comes from understanding the person behind the plan, not simply handing them one. I also explain why many clients inside PHF have meal plans and recipe resources available to them... yet very few follow them consistently.  Not because they're failing, but because that's simply not how sustainable nutrition works. If you've ever been told to "just stick to the plan" and wondered why it felt impossible, this episode is for you. This isn't about criticising coaches. It's about challenging a coaching model that often places the blame on the client, when perhaps it's the system that needs to change. If you're looking for a more realistic, evidence-based approach to nutrition that fits around real life rather than fighting against it, I think you'll enjoy this conversation.

  5. Jul 14

    Does Your Metabolism Slow Down With Age? The Truth About Fat Loss After 40

    Has your metabolism really slowed down? Is it the reason that you're now finding fat loss harder? It's one of the most widely held beliefs in nutrition. But what does the science actually say? In this episode of The Truth About Nutrition Podcast, Paul dives into one of the most common myths surrounding fat loss and ageing. Breaking down the latest evidence on metabolism and explaining why, for most people, it isn't the reason they're struggling to lose weight. Instead, Paul explores the real factors that change as we move through life... Our daily activity, sleep, stress, habits, alcohol intake, work, family commitments and the countless small lifestyle shifts that quietly influence our ability to create and sustain fat loss. The episode also tackles one of the most frequently asked questions in coaching: What about metabolism during perimenopause and menopause?  You'll hear what the current evidence tells us, why metabolism is often blamed when it shouldn't be, and where your focus is far better placed if your goal is to improve your health and lose body fat. If you're tired of social media "metabolism hacks", hormone myths and quick-fix promises, this episode offers something different. Clear, practical, evidence-based guidance that helps you understand why fat loss can feel more difficult as you get older. Because lasting results don't come from fixing a broken metabolism. They come from understanding the variables you can control. We hope you enjoy the episode!

  6. Jul 6

    Should Personal Trainers Be Giving Nutrition Advice?

    This week's episode tackles a topic that's long overdue for discussion. Before we start, this isn't an attack on personal trainers or coaches. There are some fantastic professionals in our industry who genuinely care about helping people. But there is a serious conversation that needs to be had about the level of nutrition advice being given by people whose qualifications simply don't prepare them to work at the depth many of them are operating at. Nutrition isn't just calories and meal plans. It's understanding: • Disordered eating and eating disorders • Diet history and years of failed dieting • Relationships with food and food guilt • Individual psychology and behaviour change • The fact that no two clients are ever the same The problem is that many clients naturally assume that because somebody is a coach or a PT, they must be qualified to help them with nutrition. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. In this episode, I share my thoughts on: Why nutrition is such a specialised area The dangers of oversimplified advice and generic meal plans How poor nutrition coaching can push people towards restriction and disordered eating Why coaches need to better understand the limits of their qualifications How we can raise standards and better protect the people we work with This isn't about calling people out. It's about raising standards, encouraging debate, and ultimately protecting the clients who place their trust in us. If you've ever wondered where the line is between general nutrition advice and nutrition coaching, this episode is for you.

  7. Jun 23

    From My Own Diet Battle: Why I'm Here to Help You End Yours

    Welcome to the very first episode of The Truth About Nutrition. Before we dive into the practical, no-nonsense strategies for fat loss, health, and body composition, I wanted to hit pause and give you the full story.  This isn't just an introduction; it's the unfiltered truth about who I am, where I've come from, and exactly why I do what I do today. My journey started in the boxing ring, lacing up the gloves at 11 years old before eventually turning professional.  Along the way, I became a personal trainer and later qualified in Advanced Nutrition Science.  But trust me, my path into nutrition coaching was anything but straightforward. For years, I found myself locked in a battle with food, dieting, and the scales.  The pressure of making weight for boxing pushed me into extreme habits: restriction, bingeing, constant weight fluctuations, and that exhausting cycle of being either "on track" or completely off it.  I developed a genuinely unhealthy relationship with food, fuelled by bad advice, misinformation, and a desperate need to perform. That personal battle isn't just part of my story; it's the foundation of how I work today.  It's why I understand the struggles so many people face, and why I'm so passionate about cutting through the noise and helping people find a better way. In this episode, I share how boxing shaped my relationship with food, the moment I realised something had to change, and how that turning point eventually led me away from personal training and into building The PHF Nutrition Consultancy. If you've ever wondered why I care so much about nutrition, evidence-based practice, and helping people break free from the diet cycle, this episode will give you the answer. My mission now is simple: to help people lose body fat, improve their health, understand nutrition, and build a positive, sustainable relationship with food... Without falling back into the cycle of restriction and starting over every Monday. So, if you're tired of confusion, fed up with misinformation, and ready for a calmer, more evidence-based approach to nutrition, you're in the right place. Let's get started.

About

Tired of the endless diet cycle?  Confused by the latest health fads and conflicting nutrition advice? Welcome to The Truth About Nutrition Podcast – the podcast that cuts through the noise and delivers the real, evidence-based truth about sustainable fat loss, nutrition, and building a healthier relationship with food. Join Paul Frost, founder of The PHF Nutrition Consultancy, as he tackles the biggest myths and misinformation in the health and fitness world head-on. Each week, Paul brings his signature blend of empathy, straight-talking advice, evidence-based education, and a little bit of banter to help you: • Understand what truly drives sustainable fat loss – without deprivation, extreme dieting, or quick-fix solutions. • Learn how nutrition impacts your energy, sleep, body composition, and long-term health, especially during life's biggest hormonal transitions. • Break free from guilt, food rules, and the all-or-nothing mindset that keeps so many people stuck in the diet cycle. • Cut through the misinformation and gain the confidence to make informed decisions based on science, not social media hype. No pseudoscience, no quackery, and no fads. Just practical, evidence-based nutrition advice that helps you lose fat, improve your health, and build results that actually last. It's time to stop guessing, stop starting over every Monday, and start taking control of your nutrition for good.