In this eye-opening episode of What’s My Body Telling Me?, Dr Anthea Todd sits down with Dr Gina Cleo, habit researcher, behavioural scientist, and one of Australia’s leading experts in sustainable behaviour change. Together, they unpack why habits, not willpower, are the missing link in long-term weight and health outcomes.

Dr Gina explains how habits are formed in the brain, why motivation fades, and how repeated daily behaviours quietly shape metabolism, hormones, and nervous system regulation over time. Rather than focusing on perfection or discipline, this conversation explores how to design habits that work with your biology and your real life.

From emotional eating and stress patterns to sleep, movement, and mealtime routines, Dr Gina reveals why most people aren’t failing at change, they are simply using the wrong strategy. The focus is on practical, science-backed ways to create habits that actually stick.

You’ll learn:

• Why willpower is not a reliable strategy for change
• How habits are formed and stored in the brain
• Why motivation fades but habits remain
• The link between stress, the nervous system, and behaviour
• How environment shapes habits more than intention
• Why all-or-nothing thinking blocks progress
• How small habits compound into powerful biological signals
• The difference between outcome goals and identity-based habits
• Why consistency beats intensity every time
• Practical steps to build habits that feel supportive, not restrictive

This episode is for anyone who feels stuck repeating the same patterns despite wanting change. Dr Gina and Dr Todd reveal the truth: your body responds to what you do repeatedly, not what you promise yourself. When habits change, everything else follows.

To learn more about what your body is telling you, visit: https://www.femalefundamentals.com.au

To connect with Dr Anthea or Dr Gina Cleo, you can find their social links here: https://www.instagram.com/dr.antheatodd/ and https://www.instagram.com/drginacleo/

Explore the work of Dr Gina Cleo.: https://www.drginacleo.com/