🎥 In this episode, Dr. Brian Mowll welcomes Holly Bertone, a former FBI counterintelligence analyst turned holistic health coach, to talk about breaking free from emotional eating and food cravings.

Holly shares her 40-year struggle with emotional eating, her rock-bottom moment, and how she transformed her FBI training into a practical three-step system to help women quiet food noise and build a healthier relationship with food.

From FBI to Food Freedom

Holly opens up about her journey—from high-achieving professional to cancer survivor, to health coach—while secretly battling shame, cravings, and late-night ice cream binges. Drawing on her background in pattern analysis, she explains how she discovered the “hidden codes” behind emotional eating and how reframing those patterns helped her and her clients regain control.

Why Willpower Doesn’t Work

Diets and “everything in moderation” often fail because cravings begin in the brain—before food even touches your lips. Holly breaks down the science of dopamine, the half-second decision window, and why emotional eating isn’t about discipline. Instead, it’s about seeing your triggers, stopping them in real time, and shifting your brain’s pathways.

The 3-Step FBI Method

Holly shares her signature framework—See It, Stop It, Shift It—to uncover triggers, interrupt cravings, and rewire your brain. Through this process, food stops being a source of comfort and simply becomes food. She explains how clients are able to “put the fork down” within 10 days, and why retraining the brain is more effective than chasing the latest diet.

The Bottom Line

Food cravings, stress eating, and guilt don’t have to control your life. By applying neuroscience and pattern recognition, Holly shows that emotional eating isn’t about willpower—it’s about building new, healthier pathways. With the right tools, food can finally take its place as nourishment, not a coping mechanism.

Key Takeaways

3:15 – Holly’s story: from FBI agent to health coach

6:40 – The cycle of cravings, shame, and food noise

10:25 – Why “moderation” and willpower don’t solve emotional eating

14:50 – Belly hunger vs. brain hunger explained

18:40 – How food soothes emotions like stress, boredom, and loneliness

25:10 – The limitations of intuitive eating when cravings run the show

31:00 – The 3-step process: See It, Stop It, Shift It

37:20 – Potty training your brain: retraining automatic responses

43:10 – Early wins: clients putting the fork down in 10 days

45:55 – Holly’s free gift: The Emotional Eating Tactical Blueprint

Resources

🎁 Get Holly’s free Emotional Eating Tactical Blueprint: DM “blueprint” to @holly.berton on Instagram

Follow Holly on Instagram: @holly.berton

Learn more about Dr. Brian Mowll: https://drmowll.com

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🎥 In this episode, Dr. Brian Mowll welcomes Dr. Kaity Castillo, a nurse practitioner and metabolic health coach, to discuss how she helps people reverse type 2 diabetes and regain control of their blood sugar through personalized nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Kaity shares how she went from conventional diabetes management to building a whole-food, patient-first approach—and how CGMs, strength training, and strategy make all the difference.

From Nurse Practitioner to Blood Sugar Coach

Kaity shares her journey through nursing school, becoming a family nurse practitioner, and ultimately earning her doctorate with a focus on improving blood glucose control. Realizing the limitations of traditional care, she began applying low-carb and whole-food approaches to help her patients reduce insulin resistance and medications—successfully.

What Actually Works for Blood Sugar Control

Dr. Kaity discusses why one-size-fits-all advice fails, and how she tailors programs using real-time CGM data, protein-first strategies, and simple behavior shifts. Whether it’s moving from oatmeal to eggs, or walking after meals, she outlines how small adjustments lead to big change.

Why Mindset Matters More Than Motivation

The clients who succeed the most aren’t perfect—they’re consistent. Kaity explains how preparation, expectations, and mindset shape long-term success. It’s not about staying on keto forever—it’s about learning which foods work for your body, then building a sustainable lifestyle around that.

The Bottom Line

Reversing insulin resistance doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible. From patients in private practice to clients around the country, Dr. Kaity shares the strategies that work—and why the future of diabetes care lies in education, personalization, and empowering people to take control of their own health.

Key Takeaways

3:45 – What nurses are (and aren’t) taught about diabetes

6:12 – How Kaity builds custom plans for clients using CGMs

8:24 – Keto vs. clean keto vs. real food—what really matters

10:11 – Kaity’s personal story: helping her dad reverse prediabetes

12:50 – Why mindset and exit strategies are key to success

15:34 – Exercise, strength training, and walking after meals

18:30 – The prep problem: why people don’t follow through

21:30 – Lessons from Kaity's doctoral research

24:15 – Patient vs. coaching motivations: what drives success

26:40 – Medications: useful tool or long-term crutch?

29:55 – CGM insights: spikes, slopes, and blood sugar variability

34:50 – The truth about reversing diabetes: slow is fast

Resources

Website: www.nutritionmadesimpl.com

Dr. Kaity on Instagram: www.instagram.com/drkaitycastillo

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCosmc75v-B2Dk7GWyEyFFMw

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🎥 In this episode, Dr. Brian Mowll is joined by Craig Emmerich to unpack the real roots of insulin resistance, why simply eating low carb isn’t enough, and what most people get wrong about fat loss. Craig explains the “personal fat threshold” and how the size—and not just the number—of your fat cells may determine your metabolic health. They also dive into protein prioritization, satiety, and how simple shifts can dramatically improve insulin sensitivity.

Why You’re Storing Fat (Even on Keto)

Craig breaks down why excess fat storage is less about carbs and more about overwhelmed fat cells. It’s possible to become insulin resistant—even without eating sugar—if your fat cells are full and can’t accept more. This flips the script on the traditional carb-insulin model and explains why even lean people can develop type 2 diabetes.

How to Shrink Fat Cells and Build Metabolic Flexibility

Fat cells need to be “small and happy,” not stuffed. The key to reversing insulin resistance is improving your body’s storage capacity for energy—through fat loss and muscle gain. Craig shares how cutting dairy and nuts, using protein-sparing modified fasts, and strength training all help restore insulin sensitivity and balance hunger hormones like leptin.

Why Whole Foods and Protein Still Win

Despite debates in the low-carb space, Craig emphasizes that success comes from prioritizing protein, eating real food, and avoiding fat-carb combos—especially ultra-processed ones. He also discusses how creatine can improve not just muscle mass, but also sleep, mental health, and energy levels.

The Bottom Line

Fat loss and metabolic health aren’t just about carbs or calories—they’re about how your body processes energy. If your fat cells are full and your muscle mass is low, no diet will fix that. This episode gives you a science-based, practical roadmap to restore insulin sensitivity and reclaim your health.

Key Takeaways

5:24 – Why overfilled fat cells trigger insulin resistance

11:48 – Personal fat threshold: why even lean people get type 2 diabetes

17:32 – What the carb-insulin model gets wrong

22:55 – The dangers of ultra-processed fat-carb combos

30:44 – Why protein drives satiety and fat loss

35:20 – How overeating fat can backfire on low-carb diets

42:01 – The impact of cutting dairy and nuts

46:00 – The surprising mental health benefits of creatine

Resources:

📘 Website: www.ketomaria.com

📗 Craig & Maria’s books & coaching: www.keto-adapted.com

📕 Craig’s resource hub: www.ketomaria.com

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