Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Invisible Influence: What’s Really Driving Your Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors? | E481

Oct 30, 2025

Dr. Tatyana El-Kour, a registered dietitian and psychologist, explores the unseen forces shaping our choices. She reveals how algorithms subtly guide our eating habits and emotional states by analyzing our online behavior. Tatyana also discusses the powerful connection between our gut microbiome and emotions, emphasizing its role in resilience and focus. The conversation encourages listeners to recognize these influences and reclaim their decision-making power, paving the way for more intentional choices in life.

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INSIGHT

Algorithms As Invisible Nutritionists

Algorithms act like invisible nutritionists by combining time of day, GPS, past orders, and emotional cues to predict cravings.
They nudge choices across apps (food delivery, streaming) to steer behavior without conscious awareness.

ANECDOTE

Cruise Ads After A Casual Conversation

Lisa Marie shares getting cruise ads after chatting about cruises at home with a friend, showing cross-device targeting feels personal.
Dr. Tatyana attributes this to behavioral tracking, emotional targeting, and predictive analytics across devices.

INSIGHT

Autopilot Nudges Shape Identity

Autopilot tech nudges (autoplay, recommended meals) reinforce habits and create perceived choices that are actually steered.
Media exposure also creates health halos and body-ideal effects that change eating and identity across cultures.

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How much of what you do every day is really your choice? The food you crave, the shows you watch, the moods you slip into - so much of it is quietly being shaped by invisible influences you probably never notice.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Tatyana El-Kour, a psychologist and registered dietitian who studies how media and technology shape our behavior. She shares how algorithms learn our emotional rhythms - what time of day we’re vulnerable, what kind of content keeps us scrolling - and use that data to steer our choices.

We also explore something just as powerful: the invisible influence inside us. Your gut microbiome doesn’t just affect digestion. It can shape your emotions, focus, and even your resilience.

This conversation left me thinking deeply about how easily we’re guided by forces we can’t see and how much freedom comes from noticing them. Once you recognize what’s pulling the strings, you can start reclaiming your power, one intentional choice at a time.

As you listen, ask yourself: When do I feel most on autopilot? What’s really driving my decisions in those moments? And what would it look like to start choosing differently?

Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The Hidden Power of Invisible Influence
02:00 How Algorithms Shape Your Choices and Emotions
09:30 Emotional Tracking and Predictive Technology
13:30 When Digital Nudges Impact Health and Body Image
18:00 The Psychology Behind Algorithmic Addiction
29:00 Echo Chambers, Polarization, and Cognitive Rigidity
38:00 How to Recognize and Resist Invisible Influence
43:15 The Gut-Brain Connection and Emotional Resilience
55:00 Reclaiming Awareness and Agency

If you’re curious about the invisible forces shaping your path, I made something to help you look beneath the surface. My What’s Holding You Back? Quiz is a short, thoughtful tool to help you see what might be standing between you and your next breakthrough. Think of it as a little mirror for your inner world - gentle, honest, and surprisingly clarifying.

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. I share new insights (and sometimes a few behind-the-scenes thoughts) every week. And I’d really love to know what this episode stirred up for you. I always love hearing your takeaways so let’s talk!

xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self