Ozempic is being hailed as “the end of the Obesity Epidemic.” This week, Mike and Aubrey dig through the sensational claims. But will they make it past the caveats?Links: How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide Ozempic and Wegovy maker courts prominent Black leaders to get Medicare&apos;s favor <a href='https

How a plant-based pejorative went from an alt-right burn to a core concern of mainstream Republicans.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Joe Explains the Term &quot;Soy Boy&quot; to Donnell RawlingsAlex Jones Gay Bomb RantSoyboys and S

Join us for a 75 minute answer to a 5 word question: Is there mercury in vaccines? Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Paul Offit’s “Autism&apos;s False Prophets”Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”<a href='https://books.go

A political candidate has some questions and we have some extremely obvious answers.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Eric Garcia’s “We’re Not Broken”Mike and Sarah’s episode on autism and the anti-vaxx movement<a href='https://books.goog

Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ever. We&apos;re as surprised as you are.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Pilates and the “powerhouse&quot;Sick Architecture - Ibiayi Briggs

How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains. Links!THIS IS DISTURBINGgoodbye for now… How Dallas-area influencer Brittany Dawn found herself at the mercy of social media&apos;s double-edged swordConversations with the Inspiring Brittany DawnInfluencer Asks Customers to Sign NDA Before RefundBrittany Dawn&apos;s ar

We&apos;re taking a much-needed break this week so to tide you over here is one of our bonus episodes! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show

The closing argument of our two-part Oprahsode starts in a Texas courtroom, wanders through some British slaughterhouses and ends with an emu.  Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!&quot;How the Cows Turned Mad&quot; by Maxime Schwartz“Deadly Feast

On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey did a show about mad cow disease. Six weeks later, a couple of Texas cattlemen had a cow (sorry). Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Original LawsuitAppeal<a href='https://www.britannica.com/story/a-brief-history-of-

This week we&apos;re digging into the weird  history of an omnipresent fitness goal. Episode comes free with a happy meal.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!10,000 Steps: A Brief HistoryDo We Really Need to Take 10,000 Steps a Day for Our Health?<a href='https://www.ft

This week we&apos;re tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, it&apos;s as addictive as cocaine and it raises blood sugar in universal, predictably spiky ways.  Thanks to David Johnston for helping us with sources for this week’s episode!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!<a href='https://bookshop.org/p/books/fat-talk-parenting-in-the-age-of-diet-culture-virginia-sole-smith/18525159?ean=

A viral documentary says a &quot;whole foods plant-based diet&quot; will prevent heart disease and cure cancer. But once we look into the MEAT of the matter will we find factual CREAM of the crop or will we  cry FOWL? (we&apos;re so sorry)Thanks to Katherine Flegal for helping Mike with this episode!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!Health effects associated wit

Aubrey tells Mike about the diet that took over New York City (and its bathrooms).Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s bookListen to Mike&apos;s other podcastLinks!F-Factor drama timelineWhat Is the F-Factor Diet, and Is it Safe?<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/tanya-zuckerbrot-sets-

Last month the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new set of guidelines for &quot;childhood obesity.&quot; We have some comments. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s new bookListen to Mike&apos;s new podcastLinks!The 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines <a href='https://publications.aap.org/pediat

History should make you feel weird and so, apparently, should diet books. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s new bookListen to Mike&apos;s new podcastLinks!Elizabeth Takes Off<a href='https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/elizabeth-the-life-of-elizabeth-taylor_alexander--walker/591218/?resultid=8f6f3201-

This week, we&apos;re talking about Aubrey&apos;s new book, &quot;&apos;You Just Need To Lose Weight&apos; and 19 Other Myths About Fat People.&quot; And we&apos;re yelling about Piers Morgan as a little treat.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s new bookListen to Mike&apos;s new podcastPreorder Aubrey&apos;s book at your favorite bookstore or here:<a href='https://bookshop.org/p/books/you-just-need-to-lose-weight-and-19-other-myths-about-fat-people-aubrey-gordon/18405

Charging disabled people more for health care is illegal. But what about ... charging non-disabled people less?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s new bookListen to Mike&apos;s new podcastLinks! A Review of the U.S. Workplace Wellness Market&quot;Wellness&quot; Based Healthcare is a Scam<li

In the 1990s, the Food Pyramid was one of the most recognizable symbols in nutrition education. But where did it come from? Why was it created by the agriculture department? And why did it tell us to eat a whole loaf of bread every day?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&apos;s new bookListen to Mike&apos;s new podcastLinks!Anna-Britt Agnsäter<a href='https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rounding-out-t

Mike and Aubrey introduce Mike&apos;s new show, If Books Could Kill! Find it on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google and wherever else you get your podcasts. Also, don&apos;t forget to pre-order Aubrey&apos;s new book! Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more</li

“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Check out Mike&apos;s other podcast, If Books Could KillPre-order Aubrey&apos;s book!Links!Marion Nestle&apos;s &quot;Safe Food&quot;The vomiting, diarrhea, and gallbladder surgeries were bad enough. Daily Harvest’s alleged food poisoning victims say the startup’s response made things worse</li

Pennsylvania listeners check your registration here!Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and promises of Dr. Oz&apos;s Senate campaign in Pennsylvania. Plus! A re-run of our complete Dr. Oz episode from last year. Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks:Transcript of the infamous Congressional hearingThe Making of Dr. Oz<a href='https://www.newyorker.com/n

Health claims about apple cider vinegar are everywhere. But are they true? This week, we hop into the wayback machine for the story of America&apos;s first health influencer. (That&apos;s not true, but neither is anything else in this episode.) Thanks to David Johnston for providing sources for this week’s episode!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks:A Longstanding Legacy of Promoting Healthy LivingAbout Paul (Internet Archive) <a href='https://vegnews.

How an early-&apos;90s newsmagazine show convinced a generation of Americans to start drinking red wine. For the antioxidants! Special thanks to Susanne Stolpe and Alexander H. Sandtorv for helping us fact-check this episode! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Diet and alcohol in heart disease risk: the French ParadoxAbsorption of three wine-related polyphenols in three different matrices by healthy subjects<a href='https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs

Do we even need to write a description? It&apos;s the Goopisode! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 MillionHow Gwyneth Paltrow took Goop from a homebrewed newsletter to a controversial $250 million wellness powerhouseGwyneth Paltrow Feels Good — and So Can You<a href='https://www.ibtimes.com/

This week&apos;s episode is running late so here&apos;s something to tide you over! Last year, we did an episode on Gwyneth-adjacent influencer Amanda Chantal Bacon and her wellness company, Moon Juice. This year we decided to TASTE THE DUST. This episode was originally for our Patreon supporters. Click here if you&apos;d like to sign up!   Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!<a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/main

In 1982 a murder captured America&apos;s imagination. Forty years later, two podcasts joined forces to talk about it. Hear more from Sarah at You&apos;re Wrong About and You Are Good!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Diana Trilling’s “Mrs. Harris”Shana Alexander’s “Very Much a Lady”<a href='https://books.google.de/books/about

A dieting book or a how-to guide for an eating disorder? Pourquoi pas les deux ?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!The By The Book episode The NYT interview with Mireille GuilianoGabrielle Deydier: what it’s like to be fat in France<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/21/opinion/inhaling-their-food.html?searchResu

&quot;Celebrity chef Pete Evans has activated his last almond with the Seven Network.&quot;Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Pete Evans on COVID-19 restrictions Pete Evans on who gets COVID Introducing the BioCharger Coronavirus treatment spruiked by chef Pete Evans criticised by health associations, to be investigated by TGA - ABC News <a href='https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/pete-eva

How a beloved TV chef became one of Australia&apos;s most polarizing public figures. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Going Paleo: What Prehistoric Man Actually AteThe Paleo Way (video clip) Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndromePaleo diet still lacks evidenceAtherosclerosis across 4000 years of human

In 1998, a researcher rolled out an innovative approach to education. And in 2015, Methodology Twitter had a big fight about it. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!The original 2004 paperThe 2015 re-analysisThe 2015 meta-analysis<a href='https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/7CA864E87B159245C1

This year, the UK implemented a law requiring chain restaurants to list calorie counts on their menus. Where did these policies come from? What impact do they have? And why is a Julia Roberts quote from 1990 the best way to describe them?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Calorie Labelling Regulations - GOV.UKCalorie labelling: implementation guidance - GOV.UK<a href='https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-04-09/do-menu-calorie-counts-wo

Weight loss is as simple as “calories in, calories out,” right? Or — gasp — could the reply guys be wrong!? This week, we dig in on the surprisingly complex science behind a seemingly simple calculation.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!History of the Calorie in NutritionCaloric Equivalents of Gained or Lost WeightThe Foreign Policy of the Calorie<a href='https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/07/28/why-the-mos

This week, Mike and Aubrey take on a manual for creep behavior masquerading as a diet book. Along the way, we cover shopping guides, journalism salaries and the proper preparation of Cornish game hens. We love our curvy husbands.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!How to Take 20 Pounds Off Your Man by Kalter, Suzy: (1984) | The Book Store Suzy Kalter Gershman Obituary<a href='https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/sites/cosmo/sites/default/files/gallery/images/1476264505-147613

Debunking some of the most widely repeated myths about fat and health. Here&apos;s Mike&apos;s new video! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show

How a liberal journalist entrenched a libertarian fantasy. Thanks to Sarah Taber for helping us with the research for this episode!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Julie Guthman&apos;s &quot;Weighing In&quot; Rachel Laudan&apos;s &quot;Cooking and Empire&quot;Heidi Zimmerman&apos;s &quot;Caring for the Middle Class Soul&quot;<a href='https://www.motherjones.com/food/2020/11/joel-sal

This week&apos;s show is still in the oven so we&apos;re releasing one of our first Patreon bonus episodes. We asked our listeners for the wildest and wackiest fad diets they&apos;ve ever tried and ended up doing mini-deep dives into The Rotation Diet, The Shangri-La Diet, The Special K Diet, Bethenny Frankel&apos;s &quot;Naturally Thin&quot; plan and the Blood Type Diet. Enjoy, and see you next week!  Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show

In 2019, Jordan Peterson disappeared from public life. One year later, he re-emerged with a diagnosis, a story and no self-reflection whatsoever.Thanks to Katelyn Burns and Talia Lavin for help fact-checking this episode and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Joe Rogan Experience #1070 - Jordan Peterson<a href='https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/08/why-the-left

Oops all meat: How a &apos;50s bodybuilder, a Grateful Dead roadie and an unreadable professor accidentally launched one of America&apos;s wildest fad diets. Here&apos;s Mike&apos;s &quot;Cancel Culture&quot; video! Note: In our discussion of Jordan Peterson’s political correctness lecture, I made a sarcastic comment about looking “slim in this dress.” After the episode came out, we started hearing from listeners that my comment reminded them of fatphobic jokes they’d heard in the past and didn’t feel consistent with the message of the show. They were right! It was a bad joke and we&apos;ve removed it from the episode. We&apos;ll be discussing this and our approach to handling feedback and editing past episodes in more detail soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to let us know! — MikeSupport us:Hear bonus episodes on Patreon

Aubrey thought she could swear less in this week’s episode. She was wrong. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Super Size Me Trailer&quot;Super Size Me&quot; - CBS NewsWhere&apos;s the Beef? The Challenges of Obesity SuitsMorgan Spurlock on Sexual Misconduct Confession, &apos;Super Size

In 2015, Belle Gibson was an Australian &quot;eco-preneur&quot; with a vegetarian cookbook, a blockbuster wellness app and a terminal cancer diagnosis. Today, she&apos;s one of the most hated figures in the country.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!The Woman Who Fooled The WorldWhat we know about Belle GibsonThe mystery of Belle Gibson, who claimed she cured cancer with clean living<a href='https://www.smh.c

Who’s that Bond villain stroking a cat and yelling at beloved public figures? It’s Karl Lagerfeld! This week, Mike and Aubrey go in on fashion’s favorite turbo troll and his fancy, joyless diet. This episode serves four.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!:The Karl Lagerfeld DietKaiser Karl: The Life of Karl LagerfeldKarl Lagerfeld: My childhood was very simple<a href='https://www.huffpost.c

How America&apos;s oldest fat camp — and the inspiration for Disney’s &quot;Heavyweights&quot; — became the symbol of a health intervention that enjoys worldwide popularity despite no evidence that it improves anyone&apos;s health. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-Loss Camp for KidsTwo teenagers placed in foster care after weight loss plan fails<a href

Matthew Walker&apos;s &quot;Why We Sleep&quot; was one of the most popular and acclaimed wellness books of 2017. There&apos;s just one problem: Much of it isn&apos;t true. Thanks to University of Ottawa Postdoctoral Fellow Dylan Smith for helping us with the research!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Walker&apos;s TED TalkAlexey&apos;s blog post: Matthew Walker&apos;s &quot;Why We Sleep&quot; Is Riddled with Scientific and Factual ErrorsWalker’s Response<a href='https://markusloecher.github.io/Tro

It&apos;s a sexual health episode! This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the hotly debated medical history of vibrators and ask: who fact-checks the fact-checkers? Note: A previous version of this episode included language that referred to “the female downstairs,” implying both that gender is linked to genitals (it isn’t) and that vibrators were used primarily by cis women (they weren’t). We love our trans listeners and we don’t want to do anything that makes them feel excluded, so we’ve removed the sections where that language appeared. We&apos;ll be discussing this and our approach to handling feedback in more detail soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to let us know! — MikeSupport us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more

For nearly four decades, Americans have heard a simple story about health, longevity and obesity. This week, we learn it&apos;s a little more complicated. Thanks to Katherine Flegal, Paul Campos, Jeff Hunger and Jason Salemi for helping us research and fact-check this episode! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Katherine Flegal’s “The obesity wars and the education of a researcher”Walter Willett&apos;s &quot; Evidence does not support benefit of being overweight on mortality&quot;<a href='Excess%2520Deaths%2520Associated%252

At the height of her &quot;Murder She Wrote&quot; fame, Angela Lansbury released a home workout video full of synth music, peach jumpsuits and ~sensuality~. This week, we’re exploring the anti-Goop-ness of Angela’s fitness book and video, &quot;Positive Moves.&quot;!  It gets a little heavy toward the end, but we promise: No one was canceled in the making of this episode. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Positive Moves video on YouTube (cued up to “moving freely”)<a href='https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31009609213&amp;searchurl=kn=angela+lansbury+positive+moves&amp;sortby=17&amp;cm_s

In the sequel (sorry) to our first installment, we take a deep dive into Rachel&apos;s wildly problematic books and deeply weird downfall. Along the way we discuss allyship etiquette, MLMs and Ronald Reagan. We remain convinced that getting matching tattoos was the right decision for us.  Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!The infamous Tik TokSavy Writes Books&apos; video essaysThe Rise &amp; Fall of Rachel Hollis<a href='https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/dec

Girl, stop reinforcing the status quo.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreVideos!The infamous Tik TokMomfession: I get up at 5 amThe &quot;bikini mom&quot; talkHow To Start A PodcastSupport the show

Last year, spiritual leader Marianne Williamson made headlines when she ran for president.  But 10 years earlier, she wrote a bestselling book that promised to teach readers how to “surrender&quot; their weight forever. This week, Mike and Aubrey take a deep dive into Williamson’s life story and her 2010 book, “A Course in Weight Loss.&quot;  Along the way we talk nonprofit drama, Eleanor Roosevelt and gays for Marianne. Plus, Mike’s got a message for the twinks.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreVideos!Marianne Williamson on ForgivenessA Course in W

How Nestlé executives, global health institutions and a very racist white lady seeded a series of nutritional misconceptions we&apos;re still living with today. Special thanks to John Nott for helping us out with this episode! Here&apos;s his papers on the history of protein and the British Empire.“No one may starve in the British Empire”: Kwashiorkor, Protein and the Politics of Nutrition Between Britain and Africa“How Little Progress”? A Political Economy of Postcolonial NutritionSupport us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPal<a href='http://tee.pub/

Over the last 30 years, fatness has been defined as a risk factor for disease, then a disease in itself, then a global epidemic. What caused this rapid shift? Who’s gonna join our group of B-roll vigilantes? And did we just hear Morgan Freeman?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBooks!Fat Politics Killer Fat The End of the Obesity Epidemic <a href='https://www.routledge.com/Folk-Devils-an

The BMI is EVERYWHERE. But is it scientific or scientif-ish? While many Americans think of the body mass index as an objective measure of health, its history reveals a more complicated story. This week, Mike and Aubrey tackle the first in a two-part series about the BMI and the “Obesity Epidemic.” Along the way they visit 18th century Belgium, learn a gross new acronym and dissect Dracula&apos;s facial features. LINKS!:The Bizarre and Racist History of the BMI (Elemental) Adolphe Quetelet, Social Physics, and the Average Men of Science, 1796-1874 (University of Pittsburgh Press)Mindful of eugenics’ dark history, researchers a

This week we&apos;re diving into one of the biggest-ever scandals in nutrition research. For nearly two decades, Brian Wansink&apos;s Food and Brand Lab told Americans that lower weights, healthier workplaces and better school lunches were just a few small tweaks away. Then, in 2015, he wrote a blog post and it all came crashing down. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers, face masks and moreLinks!A Credibility Crisis in Food ScienceStatistical heartburn: An attempt to digest four pizza publications from the Cornell Foo

So long, root vegetables! This week, we dive into the strange and surprising history of the 100-year-old ketogenic diet. Along the way, we encounter a Victorian bodybuilder, an infamous podcast bro and the possibility of a bad Meryl Streep performance (!). Get in, loser, we&apos;re counting macros!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!What Is the Keto Diet and Does It Work? (NYT)The Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss (Today’s Dietitian)Meet the W

Special guest Kimberly Springer joins us to talk about an infamous, dangerous faith healer and his two — two! — appearances on Oprah&apos;s talk show. This episode contains, we&apos;re sorry to say, detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Buy Kimberly&apos;s books:Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American CultureLiving for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!<a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-two-john-god-oprahs-favorit

Do you have weird feelings about Oprah? So do we, and so does our guest! Kimberly Springer, co-editor of &quot;Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture,&quot; joins us to talk about the rise of Oprah Winfrey and her infamous &quot;wagon of fat&quot; weight loss episode.Buy Kimberly&apos;s books:Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American CultureLiving for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreClips!<a href='https://www.buzzfeed.com/whi

Do you have viruses? Cysts? Cancer? Are you tired sometimes? According to Instagram, the  problem might be a lack of liquefied vegetables! This week, Mike and Aubrey take on a troubling taste test, meet a ghost with bad intentions and encounter the longest list of problematic celebrities we&apos;ve ever seen.Plus, we start the show with an announcement: We&apos;re doing Patreon-only bonus episodes! Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephaseSupport us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Anthony William on Extra<a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va_F7ka8pIo&am

Special guest Mike Rothschild tells us how the road to wellness can be an on-ramp to a conspiracy theory. Along the way we debunk oil pulling, explore Instagram aesthetics and bemoan anti-vaxx argumentation tactics . Mike gets the date of the January 6th insurrection wrong and he is sorry. Mike Rothschild is on Twitter and you can pre-order his book here!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doc

This week is our first  Diet Book Deep Dive, where we dig into some of the worst and wildest weight loss advice we can find.  First up: Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon&apos;s pun, alcohol and misogyny-fueled diet plan from the 1970s. Hope you like broiled steak and Sanka!Clips!Ed McMahon &amp; Britney Spears on Star SearchEd McMahon for American Family SweepstakesSupport us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Lynn Barbera for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our

 In 1996, Proctor &amp; Gamble launched an artificial fat substitute that promised all of the taste but none of the calories. There was just one problem. Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Marion Nestle’s The Selling of OlestraJeffrey Steingarten&apos;s The Man Who Ate EverythingThe 1996 Federal Register<a href='h

Fat people have them too! This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America&apos;s most under-diagnosed and misunderstood problems. Along the way we talk about elbow bumps, Twitter etiquette and &apos;90s sweatpants. Our content warnings are becoming increasingly threatening.Here&apos;s Erin&apos;s faculty page and a bunch of her research!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreThanks to Mitra Kaboli for production support and <a href='https://freesound.or

Get your flex point calculators and food scales! This week, Mike and Aubrey are talking about one of America&apos;s most iconic diet programs: Weight Watchers. Along the way, we encounter The Rock, the mating habits of straight people and a new James Bond villain. Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Jean Nidetch, a Founder of Weight Watchers, Dies at 91 Mass Firing on Zoom Is Latest Sign of Weight Watchers Unrest <a href='https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/pare

Are your moods too stable? Is your face free of cold sores? Get your lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper ready, because this week we&apos;re talking about celebrity favorite THE MASTER CLEANSE!Along the way we roast New Atheism, praise Gwyneth Paltrow (!) and endorse garbanzo bean salads. Mike wishes to clarify that he adores Kate Bush and quips with the utmost affection.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!:The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs<a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/fashion/10cleanse.html

This week we&apos;re dissecting &quot;America&apos;s Doctor.&quot; How did a smart, hardworking surgeon become one of TV&apos;s leading purveyors of junk science?  Along the way we debunk green coffee bean extract, raspberry ketones, conversion therapy (!) and a salad dressing skincare regimen.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks:Transcript of the infamous Congressional hearingThe Making of Dr. Oz<a href='https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/columbia-and-

The world of dieting and wellness is full of so-called snake oil salesmen—but what IS snake oil? This week, we take a wild ride through the history of health scams and discover a startling twist about an everyday idiom. Along the way, Aubrey delivers fun facts about sanitation from memory and Mike roasts the state where most of his family lives. Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks:Snake Oil, Hustlers &amp; Hambones by Mary AndersonA History Of &apos;Snake Oil Sa

This week we dissect the content and impact of one of America&apos;s most harmful TV experiments.   Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks! Aubrey’s article on The Biggest Loser That&apos;s not reality for me&apos;: Australian audiences respond to the Biggest Loser &quot;Cheapeni

WE’RE BACK! A new diet ice cream is taking your grocery store by storm. But what even is it? This week, Mike and Aubrey talk biohacking, dieting for straight dudes and the extremely ill-advised &quot;Halo Top diet.&quot;Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!What is biohacking? The new “science” of optimizing your brain and body. (Vox) Halo Top Is Now the Most Popular Pint of Ice Cream in America (Food and Wine) <a href='https://www.gq.com/story/halo-top-ice-crea

To celebrate the release of her new book, Aubrey takes Mike on a tour through the statistics and debates surrounding weight bias. Anyone interested in body positivity, airline seats, &apos;skinny shaming&apos; or the sugar content of melons is legally obligated to join us.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreGet Aubrey&apos;s book in the U.S.:Powell&apos;s BooksBookshop.orgBeacon Press<a hre

The Twinkie Defense has become a shorthand for disingenuous legal defense strategies. But was it disingenuous? (Yes, but not in the way you think!)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Mike&apos;s &quot;Victim&apos;s Rights&quot; episode on his other show!The Trial of Dan White: The Diminished Capacity (&quot;Twinkie&quot;) Def

What&apos;s that Gwyneth Paltrow&apos;s drinking? It&apos;s MOON JUICE! This week, we&apos;re talking adaptogens, brain dust, hot sex milk and the wellness company that&apos;s taken L.A. by storm. Be sure to take your quinton shots before you listen to this one.Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks!:How Hollywood&apos;s Favorite Juice Bar Owner Eats Every Day (Elle)<a href='https://www.nytim

They hit the market in 1992. Three years later, they were the best-selling cookie in America. This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the low-fat craze of the 1990s and sample the snack that became the symbol of its rise and fall.  Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks! How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America “Eat More, They’re Healthy”Anthology of “Cookie Man” ads“What if It’s All

Fen-Phen &amp; Redux were &quot;the next miracle drugs&quot; in the &apos;90s, claiming to help people lose dramatic amounts of weight in just three months.  But within a few short years, they&apos;d been pulled from the market.  They were just too effective! (Just kidding, they killed some people.)Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks! Dispensing with the Truth by Alicia MundyThe New Miracle Drug (Time Magazine)<a href='https://www.dartmouth.edu/~chance/course/Syllabi/97Dartmout

The shuttle run! The flexed arm hang! The v-sit reach! These terms are seared into the memories of an entire generation of American schoolchildren. But did the President&apos;s Physical Fitness Test actually make us fitter?  (Spoiler: lol no)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks! The Report That Shocked The President<a href='http://www.recreatingwithkids.com/news/read-it-here-kennedys-the-soft-american/

Welcome to Maintenance Phase! In our first episode, we tell our origin stories and talk about some of the basic ideas behind the show. Here&apos;s where to find us:Aubrey: https://www.yourfatfriend.com/Mike: https://rottenindenmark.org/Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreSupport the show