Why Dieting Makes You Tired (and Often Backfires) with Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson

Most people think weight loss is simple: eat less, move more, push through the fatigue. But what if that approach is exactly why so many diets fail? Today, I'm joined by Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson, a PhD in brain and cognitive sciences who studies the neuroscience of eating behavior and long-term weight loss. According to Dr. Susan, fatigue during dieting is a short-term feeling that should ease over time…with the right approach. When you cut calories, your body doesn't just burn fat and carry on. It responds. Metabolism slows, energy drops, and hormones shift in ways that are normal but may make you feel tired. However, Dr. Susan's work challenges the idea that dieting has to mean constant hunger and fatigue. According to her data, hunger actually drops to very low levels when the right strategy is in place. Her approach is different. She believes sustainable results don't come from pushing harder. They come from working with your biology in ways that reduce fatigue, stabilize appetite, and support long-term adherence. In this episode, Dr. Susan and I break down why dieting so often leads to rebound weight gain and what to do instead. (This episode was initially released in May 2017)

You can listen to Why Dieting Makes You Tired (and Often Backfires) with Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Dieting Makes You Tired (and Often Backfires) with Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson is an episode from The Energy Blueprint Podcast by Ari Whitten.

This episode is 52:06 long.

This episode was published on May 8, 2026.

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