Mikkipedia

Mikki Williden
  • 5.0 (19)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Semiweekly

Mikkipedia is an exploration in all things health, well being, fitness, food and nutrition. I sit down with scientists, doctors, professors, practitioners and people who have a wealth of experience and have a conversation that takes a deep dive into their area of expertise. I love translating science into a language that people understand, so while some of the conversations will be pretty in-depth, you will come away with some practical tips that can be instigated into your everyday life. I hope you enjoy the show!

  1. 22h ago

    Mini Mikkipedia - Is Tracking Your Food Really Obsessive?

    Food tracking, weighing portions and stepping on the scales are increasingly framed as obsessive behaviours—but are the tools themselves really the problem? In this Mini Mikkipedia episode, Mikki explores what the research actually says about self-monitoring for weight loss and maintenance. She looks at evidence showing that regular weighing and food tracking can improve awareness, support behaviour change and help people catch weight regain early, while also acknowledging that tracking can become problematic for some people. The crucial distinction appears to be how and why the tool is being used. Mikki discusses autonomous versus guilt-driven motivation, the importance of self-talk, and when numbers can shift from useful information to a measure of self-worth. The takeaway: tracking can be incredibly useful—but it should serve you, not control you.  In this episode:  Why self-monitoring is consistently associated with successful weight management  What research says about daily weighing, food logging and disordered eating  When tracking shifts from useful feedback to unhealthy fixation  Why motivation and self-talk can completely change the tracking experience  How to use tracking temporarily, strategically and without needing to log forever Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenNZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nzSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

  2. 5d ago

    Rapid Fat Loss: When Faster Can Be Smarter - with Brandon DaCruz

    Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.com This week on Mikkipedia Mikki is joined by Brandon DaCruz, host of the Chasing Clarity podcast, for the first episode in a new collaborative series bringing together their perspectives on nutrition, fat loss and body composition. They kick things off with a deep dive into rapid fat loss and protein-sparing modified fasting, starting with what a PSMF actually is and how each of them defines rapid fat loss in practice. Mikki and Brandon explore the potential benefits of taking a more aggressive approach to fat loss, alongside the physiological, psychological and behavioural drawbacks that need to be considered. They also get into how these strategies look with real clients. Brandon shares how he uses rapid fat-loss days, deficit deloads and high-carbohydrate refeeds, while Mikki explains how PSMF days and structured diet breaks are incorporated into Mondays Matter. Finally, they discuss who rapid fat-loss strategies are not appropriate for, including circumstances where hormonal health, energy availability, training demands or physique goals mean a more conservative approach is warranted. It’s a practical and nuanced discussion about when rapid fat loss can be a useful tool, when it can become counterproductive, and why context matters far more than simply labelling an approach as good or bad. Brandon DaCruz at his website https://www.brandondacruzfit.com/, and on Instagram @brandondacruz_ Chasing Clarity https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-clarity-health-fitness-podcast/id1619611966  Brandon DaCruz is an online nutrition and physique coach, accredited nutritionist, functional nutrition and metabolism specialist, and health and fitness educator with over 16 years of coaching experience. Throughout his career, Brandon has helped more than 1,200 clients ranging from Olympia-level physique competitors and competitive athletes to business owners, executives, and lifestyle clients improve their body composition, optimize performance, and enhance their overall health. His coaching philosophy is rooted in an evidence-informed approach that combines the best available research with real-world coaching experience gained from working directly with clients in the trenches for over a decade and a half. Brandon has been featured in leading industry publications including Men’s Fitness Magazine, Muscular Development, Bodybuilding.com, and the Alan Aragon Research Review, where he served as a contributing author. Known for his ability to translate complex scientific concepts into practical, actionable strategies, Brandon specializes in helping clients lose body fat, build muscle, improve metabolic health, and create sustainable long-term results without relying on extremes or quick fixes. Brandon is also the host of the Chasing Clarity Health & Fitness Podcast, a show ranked in the top 5% of all podcasts on Spotify. Through both solo episodes and conversations with many of the industry’s leading researchers, and educators, the podcast aims to bridge the gap between complexity and clarity in health, fitness, nutrition, and physique development. Each episode is designed to empower listeners through education and provide the tools needed to make informed decisions about their health and physique goals. https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/270 https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/226  https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/300  https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/368  https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/416  https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/422  https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/458  Curranz Supplement: Use code MIKKIPEDIA to get 20% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz  or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours NZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nz Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden

  3. Aug 9

    Mini Mikkipedia - Why Men and Women Store Fat Differently

    wo people can have the same body weight and BMI yet face very different metabolic risks. In this episode, Mikki explores the biological reasons men and women store fat differently and why location matters more than the number on the scale. She explains how oestrogen directs fat towards the hips and thighs before menopause, why declining oestrogen can shift fat towards the abdomen, and how immune signalling, liver function and cholesterol patterns differ between the sexes. Mikki also examines women’s surprising advantage in insulin sensitivity, the role of skeletal muscle in glucose control, and why waist circumference may predict cardiovascular risk better than BMI. This episode offers a nuanced look at fat distribution, menopause and metabolic health, while reinforcing the powerful role of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. Topics covered: Why equal body weight does not mean equal metabolic riskHow oestrogen influences fat storage and fat releaseWhy visceral fat often increases through menopauseSex differences in inflammation, liver health and cholesterolThe roles of muscle mass and insulin sensitivity Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenNZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nzSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

  4. Aug 4

    Medical Astrology: An Ancestral Lens on Health with Kira Sutherland

    Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz Supplement: Use code MIKKIPEDIA to get 20% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz  or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours NZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nz In this episode, Kira joins Mikki to explore medical astrology through the broader lens of ancestral medicine. They discuss how astrology once sat alongside herbal medicine, food, seasonal living and close observation of the natural world as part of a practitioner’s medical map. This is not a conversation about newspaper horoscopes or using a birth chart to diagnose disease. Instead, Kira explains how medical astrology may be used as a constitutional and reflective framework for considering temperament, health patterns, resilience, vulnerability and timing. They explore the roles of the four elements, the relationship between planetary cycles and the body, and whether astrology can sometimes provide language for experiences that are not easily captured by standard testing. Drawing on Kira’s background in naturopathy and nutrition, they also examine how ancestral knowledge might complement modern healthcare without romanticising the past or abandoning scientific scrutiny. Ultimately, the conversation asks whether health is only about identifying what is wrong with the body, or whether it can also involve understanding the patterns the body may be expressing. Kira is an Australian Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist and Medical Astrologer. Known for her vibrant, straight-forward teaching style, Kira has lectured in Medical Astrology within Australia, North America and Europe. In private practice for over 25 years, Kira combines her knowledge in Natural Medicine with her passion for Medical Astrology into a wonderful mix of mind/body medicine.  Kira's Medical Astrology training and mentoring programs attract hundreds of students every year from around the world, with rave reviews about her teaching style and breadth of knowledge and application. In her free time, she competes in endurance sport and skis with her family as much as possible. Follow Kira online: https://www.kirasutherland.com.au  https://www.astrologyofhealth.com/about https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/154 Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden

  5. Aug 2

    Mini Mikkipedia - Food Noise, Hunger and Cravings: Know the Difference

    Food noise, hunger and cravings are often treated as interchangeable, but they arise from different biological and psychological systems. In this episode, Mikki explains how physiological hunger develops gradually in response to the body’s energy needs, while cravings are shorter, cue-driven urges for specific foods. Food noise is different again: a persistent background hum of food-related thoughts linked to reward circuitry, rumination and heightened responsiveness to food cues. Mikki explores why GLP-1 medications can dramatically quiet food noise, how stress, poor sleep and highly palatable foods can amplify it, and why intuitive eating may improve calmness around food without necessarily producing fat loss. She also outlines practical strategies, including improving protein and fibre intake, reducing easy access to trigger foods, addressing stress and sleep, and recognising when medical support may be appropriate. Topics covered The biological differences between hunger, cravings and food noiseWhy food noise feels intrusive and repetitiveHow GLP-1 medications affect food reward pathwaysThe role of stress, sleep and ultra-processed foodsPractical strategies for reducing appetite-related noise Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenNZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nzSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

  6. Jul 28

    Mobility, Strength and Staying Capable as You Age with Darren Ellis

    Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.com This week on the podcast Mikki chats to Darren Ellis about movement, mobility and function as we age. As always, a grounding conversation that speaks to Darren’s passion in the fitness world and helping us live our best most awesome lives. Darren Ellis, MSc, has an aim to share what he’s learned with as many people as possible, teaching them that there are no shortcuts with exercise, but that it can be achievable, and even fun, with good coaching and a supportive peer group.  He is a regular contributor to a variety of popular print and web based health and fitness magazines, public speaker, and consultant to sporting organisations, businesses, universities and television. Specialties: Strength training and nutrition for fitness, sport, weight loss, muscle gain, longevity. Darren can be found at: https://www.darrenellis.coach/  Curranz Supplement: Use code MIKKIPEDIA to get 20% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz  or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours NZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nz Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden

  7. Jul 26

    Mini Mikkipedia - Why Perfectionism Sabotages Your Fat Loss Progress

    Perfectionism can look like discipline, but when it comes to fat loss, it often creates the exact opposite result. In this episode, Mikki explores why capable, high-achieving people can be disciplined in every area of life yet struggle to stay consistent with food and exercise. She explains the difference between rigid and flexible dietary restraint, why one unplanned meal can trigger an all-or-nothing spiral, and how self-criticism makes it harder to recover from normal setbacks. Drawing on research into self-efficacy, dichotomous thinking and self-compassion, Mikki shares practical ways to build systems that reduce reliance on willpower. The goal is not to follow a plan perfectly. It is to interpret setbacks more constructively, make the next useful decision and keep showing up often enough for consistency to become routine. Topics covered Why discipline is context-specific rather than a fixed personality traitHow rigid restraint can increase food preoccupation and loss-of-control eatingWhy the story you tell yourself after a lapse matters more than the lapseHow self-compassion supports control, confidence and continued effortPractical systems for replacing willpower with structure Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenNZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nzSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

  8. Jul 21

    HRT, Tirzepatide and Weight Loss After Menopause with Professor Daniela Hurtado and Dr Regina Castaneda

    Save 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz Supplement: Use code MIKKIPEDIA to get 20% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz  or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours NZ listeners - save 10% off Calocurb by using the code Mikkipedia10 at www.calocurb.co.nz This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to two researchers, Professor Daniela Hurtado and Dr Regina Castaneda about the interaction between HRT and tirzepatide use. In a conversation led by Regina, they talk about differences that occur as women head through menopause, the role of HRT at mitigating some of these changes and the findings from their paper looking at how hormone therapy might enhance the therapeutic effects of tirzepatide in a postmenopausal population - discussing sex related differences. Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, M.D., Ph.D., is from Ecuador where she completed her medical degree at the Pontifical Catholic University. Her curiosity about the causes of obesity led her to pursue doctorate-level training in Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Florida. Her research focused on the brain's regulation of food intake. After her doctoral training, she completed Internal Medicine training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, and Endocrinology Fellowship specialty training at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She joined Mayo Clinic Staff in 2019. Dr. Hurtado Andrade is interested in understanding obesity's pathophysiology to develop more effective therapeutic interventions. She is part of the Mayo Clinic Precision Medicine for Obesity program. This program aims at developing an individualized approach to the management of obesity and its complications with the goal of improving outcomes. To facilitate the generation of this new knowledge, she has focused her clinical and research efforts on specific populations: perimenopausal women and breast cancer survivors. Dr. Hurtado's contributions and expertise to the field of obesity have been recognized nationally and internationally. Regina Castaneda, MD, serves as a postdoctoral research fellow at Mayo Clinic in Florida. She is also an MSc candidate at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Her work centres on women's health topics including obesity, diabetes, and menopause-related metabolic changes. Dr Castaneda has contributed to research examining the effects of tirzepatide on weight loss in postmenopausal women and the potential influence of hormone therapy. She is affiliated with the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/biographies/hurtado-andrade-maria-daniela-m-d-ph-d/bio-20539671 https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-castaneda-md-8b2371358/  Paper: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00145-1/abstract Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwilliden

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Trailer

5
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About

Mikkipedia is an exploration in all things health, well being, fitness, food and nutrition. I sit down with scientists, doctors, professors, practitioners and people who have a wealth of experience and have a conversation that takes a deep dive into their area of expertise. I love translating science into a language that people understand, so while some of the conversations will be pretty in-depth, you will come away with some practical tips that can be instigated into your everyday life. I hope you enjoy the show!

Information

  • Creator
    Mikki Williden
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    494
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mikki Williden
  • Show Website
    Mikkipedia

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