Maintenance Phase

Maintenance Phase

By Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

Debunking the junk science behind health fads, wellness scams and nonsensical nutrition advice.

Episodes

Richard Simmons

Part 1: The Early YearsBefore building his fitness empire, America’s most bedazzled fitness guru was a guy named Milton from New Orleans. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonWatch Aubrey’s documentary in AU & NZ, or watch it at home anywhere else!Buy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Still Hungry...After All These Years by Richard Simmons "Hair-Do" Anatomy Asylum CommercialRichard Simmons: New Orleans&aposs hometown heroA Speedy History of America’s Addiction to Amphetamine Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
25/10/241h 1m

The Myers-Briggs Personality Test

How a mother, a daughter and a crackpot Swiss psychologist gave us the world&aposs most popular Buzzfeed quiz.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreWatch Aubrey&aposs documentaryBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!The Personality Brokers by Merve EmreMyers Briggs Type PreferencesWhat Personality Tests Really DeliverThe $2 Billion Question of Who You Are at Work Cautionary Comments Regarding the MBTIThe Barnum Effect in Personality AssessmentThe Mysterious Popularity Of The Meaningless Myers-BriggsWhy the Myers-Briggs personality test is totally meaningless Can you truly know yourself in a quiz?What You Don&apost Know about This Personality Test Can Hurt YouMBTI, If You Want Me Back, You Need to Change TooPersonality Tests Aren&apost All the Same The Utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
12/09/2455m 19s

BONUS: Breaking Down The Latest Anti-Trans Victory Lap

We went a little easy on the Cass Report in our last main feed episode, so we&aposre back to [Mortal Kombat voice] FINISH HIM!!!This was supposed to be a Patreon bonus episode but we&aposd rather you support the lovely trans people who helped us with the research and fact-checking of this episode! Julia Serano: https://www.patreon.com/juliaseranoParker Molloy: https://www.readtpa.com/Katelyn Burns: https://www.patreon.com/katelynburnsEvan Urquhart: https://www.assignedmedia.org/supportErin Reed: https://www.erininthemorning.com/Or organizations that work with trans youth in the UK: Gendered Intelligence: https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/Mermaids: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/Stonewall: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
01/07/241h 3m

"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 2: Panic! At The Endocrinologist.

Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart, Parker Molloy and Katelyn Burns for fact-checking!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreWatch Aubrey&aposs documentaryBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria"The "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria" Controversy at AACAP&aposs Annual MeetingMethodological Critique Of The Cass ReviewMethodological Critique of Littman (2018) Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoriaA critical commentary on ‘rapid-onset gender dysphoria’.Foundations Of The Contemporary Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience NetworkRapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1,655 Possible CasesOpinion: England&aposs Anti-Trans Cass Review Is Politics Disguised As ScienceTavistock v BellActually Nothing: The Non-Starter Non-Story of the WPATH FilesAs anti-trans legislation proliferates in 2024, community fears erasure from public viewStates Passed a Record Number of Transgender Laws. Here’s What They Say.Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
18/06/241h 31m

"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 1: The Cooties Theory of Transgender Identity

Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart and Parker Molloy for fact-checking!Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreWatch Aubrey&aposs documentaryBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria"What does the scholarly research say about the effect of gender transition on transgender well-being?Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming CareFresh trans myths of 2017: “rapid onset gender dysphoria”Rapid Onset of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Young Adults: a Descriptive StudyThe Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren&apostHow the idea of a “transgender contagion” went viral—and caused untold harmMental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care&aposRapid Onset Gender Dysphoria&apos Is Biased Junk ScienceA careful step into a field of landminesDetransition, Desistance, and Disinformation: A Guide for Understanding Transgender Children Debates Recognizing and responding to misleading trans health researchThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
09/05/241h 27m

Jamie Oliver

In the 2000s, Jamie Oliver made a big splash with his work reforming kids’ meals in the UK and US. Was his work wicked slammin’, or just proper rustic?Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!BBC Profile - Jamie OliverJamie Oliver Puts America&aposs Diet on a DietAll The Times Jamie Oliver Made Everyone AngryUnpacking School Lunch: Understanding the Hidden Politics of School FoodA brief history of school meals in the UKTurkey Twizzlers: A Complete HistoryMarcus Rashford Is Fighting the Government on Free School Meals. He’s Also Fighting Jamie Oliver’s LegacyHas Jamie Bitten off More Than He Can Chew?Jamie Oliver, you haven’t tasted real povertyJamie Oliver’s campaign against childhood obesity has classist undertonesJamie’s jerk rice is a recipe for disasterThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
04/04/241h 2m

COVID Conspiracies

What was missing from America&aposs pandemic response? According to the internet, a sunshine vitamin, a malaria treatment and a whole lot of horse paste.Thanks to Health Nerd (Substack) for helping us fact-check this episode! And thanks to Abby Mahler (Twitter,  Tiktok) for help with the research on hydroxychloroquine! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks:How Musk Sold MAGA on HCQ Prominent Anti-Vaxxer’s Snake Oil Store Has a Propaganda OutletNine COVID-19 Myths That Just Won’t Go Away Disinformation and coronavirus     COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Discussion on Twitter   Pain in the Nation Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? Conspiracy theories as barriers to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Vaccines vs. vitamins: COVID misinformation roils the worlds of wellness and nutrition  A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation  Why were Twitter Users Obsessed with Vitamin D during the first year of the pandemic?  Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It The Truth about Vitamin D and COVID-19 The Strange and Twisted Tale of Hydroxychloroquine Is Ivermectin for Covid-19 Based on Fraudulent Research?   Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
07/03/241h 27m

Ozempic

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&aposs favor Insurers clamping down on doctors who prescribe Ozempic for weight lossOzempic prescriptions can be easy to get online. Its popularity for weight loss is hurting those who need it most    Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes: real-world evidence from a Mediterranean areaSemaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and ObesityReal-world weight change, adherence, and discontinuation among patients with type 2 diabetes initiating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the UKSafety of SemaglutideSemaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity: A reviewOnce-Weekly Semaglutide in Adolescents with ObesitySemaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary DiseasesReal-World Adherence and Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in the United StatesMedications and conditions associated with weight loss in patients prescribed semaglutide based on real-world dataThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
10/10/2358m 21s

"Soy Boys"

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Joe Explains the Term "Soy Boy" to Donnell RawlingsAlex Jones Gay Bomb RantSoyboys and Sensitivity: Mocking Meat Avoidance from Punch to TwitterHow the alt-right uses milk to promote white supremacyMen&aposs Health 2009 pieceNeither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormonesA Brief History of Conservatives Using Tofu-Eating as an InsultThe Soy Conspiracy Alex Jones’ Protegé, Paul Joseph Watson, Is About to Steal His Crackpot CrownWhy Men Think Plant-Based Meat Will Turn Them Into WomenStangle: Impossible burgers are made of what?Plant-based meat and the knock-down, drag-out fight for the American dietWhy Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About MasculinityReal American men and the liberal war on meat“The Great Replacement:” An ExplainerThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
12/09/2344m 6s

RFK Jr. and The Mainstreaming Of The Anti-Vaxx Movement

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Paul Offit’s “Autism&aposs False Prophets”Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”Seth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus”Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes”Transcript of the Simpsonwood meetingA Kennedy’s Crusade Against Covid Vaccines Anguishes Family and FriendsImmunizations and Autism: A Review of the LiteratureCDC Studies on Thimerosal in VaccinesRFK Jr’s 2005 article on mercury and vaccinesRFK Jr.’s Inside JobVast Majority of Americans Say Benefits of Childhood Vaccines Outweigh RisksCorrecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.When Vaccine Injury Claims Go to CourtVaccine Compensation Hearing DecisionThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
01/08/231h 13m

RFK Jr. and The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Eric Garcia’s “We’re Not Broken”Mike and Sarah’s episode on autism and the anti-vaxx movementSeth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus”Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Brian Deer’s “The Doctor Who Fooled the World”Paul Offit’s “Autism&aposs False Prophets”Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes”Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”Behind The Bastards episode on smallpox anti-vaxxers RFK Jr.’s Inside JobThe Conspiracy CandidateDavid Pitts&aposs "Jack and Lem”RFK Jr.’s autobiographyImmunizations and Autism: A Review of the LiteratureWakefield’s article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulentCorrecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine ‘facts’Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
18/07/231h 14m

Pilates

Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ever. We&aposre as surprised as you are.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Pilates and the “powerhouse"Sick Architecture - Ibiayi Briggs - Body Culture and Contrology World War One: Internment centre &aposwill unlock&apos family talesThe Acrobatic Immigrant Who Invented Pilates in a Prisoner of War CampThe exercise phenomenon born in a prisoner-of-war campHistory of PilatesAn Introduction to Clinical PilatesThe Fight for the Soul of Pilates Did you know Pilates was born in prison and inspired by cats? Inside The Shocking (Black) History Of Pilates Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
04/07/2344m 59s

Brittany Dawn

How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!THIS IS DISTURBINGgoodbye for now… How Dallas-area influencer Brittany Dawn found herself at the mercy of social media&aposs double-edged swordConversations with the Inspiring Brittany DawnInfluencer Asks Customers to Sign NDA Before RefundBrittany Dawn&aposs archived apology videoInfluencer Called &aposScammer&apos for Not Providing Coaching‘You can’t cancel me’: embattled TikTok star reinvents herself as a warrior for JesusHere’s what to know about the lawsuit against Texas influencer Brittany DawnFollowers Of Christian Influencer Brittany Dawn Said They Are Angry That She Pivoted To Religion To Avoid ScrutinyFitness gurus and &aposmuscular Christianity&apos: how Victorian Britain anticipated today&aposs keep fit crazeThe Fitness-Driven Church | Christianity TodayChristian influencer Brittany Dawn defends her foster parent journey amid criticism of her past, monetized baby postsPolice Brutality Against Black Kansas City Man Caught on VideoBrittany Dawn Fitness LLC Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
20/06/231h 1m

BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore

We&aposre 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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
06/06/2356m 17s

Oprah v. Beef Part 2: Apocalypse Cow

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!"How the Cows Turned Mad" by Maxime Schwartz“Deadly Feasts” by Richard Rhodes "Mad Cow USA"UK Parliamentary inquiryHow The West Was Won OverTexas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law”Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah TrialsThe Unconstitutionality Of Iowa&aposs Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel LawsAppealOriginal LawsuitFood Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?Apocalypse CowHarvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform EncephalopathyMad Cow congressional hearingGAO reportThe Harvard Risk AssessmentThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
23/05/231h 8m

Oprah v. Beef Part 1: The Rise of "Veggie Libel"

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Original LawsuitAppealHow Oprah Got Sued for Dissing a BurgerTwo Degrees of Speech Protection Texas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law”Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah TrialsHoward Lyman talkThe Unconstitutionality Of Iowa&aposs Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel LawsHow the Cows Turned MadFood Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy?Apocalypse CowGAO reportA is for Apple, Alar, and ... Alarmist?Alar Five Years LaterAuvil v. CBS 60 MinutesAlar and Apples: Newspaper Coverage of a Major Risk Issue.Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
09/05/231h 3m

The 10,000 Steps Myth

This week we&aposre 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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!10,000 Steps: A Brief HistoryDo We Really Need to Take 10,000 Steps a Day for Our Health?A Japanese first-mover in the fitness wearables raceCounting Every Step You TakeWhen does wearing a fitness tracker do more harm than good?McDonald&aposs Enlists Trainer To Help Sell Its New MealGet happy with McDonald&aposs Go Active Happy Meal for adultsMcDonald&aposs StepometerMcDonald&aposs pushing salads and pedometersThe fight for healthier McDonald&aposs Happy MealsStep-It Canadian TV ad McDonald&aposs serves up Happy Meals for grow-upsMcDonald&aposs removes fitness tracker from Happy MealsA Very Serious Review of McDonald’s Flesh-Burning Fitness TrackerMcDonald’s quietly ended controversial program that was making parents and teachers uncomfortableWatch your step: why the 10,000 daily goal is built on bad scienceWhen does wearing a fitness tracker do more harm than good?Why Counting Your Steps Could Make You UnhappierHow many steps are enough? Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
25/04/2349m 7s

The Trouble with Sugar

This week we&aposre tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, it&aposs 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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole SmithSugar Rush: Science, Politics and the Demonisation of Fatness by Karen ThrosbyIs sugar really as addictive as cocaine? Scientists row over effect on body and brainSugar Is Not the EnemyDr. Benjamin F. Feingold, Controversial PediatricianIs There Such a Thing as a ‘Sugar High’?Effects of Diets High in Sucrose or Aspartame on The Behavior and Cognitive Performance of ChildrenSugar and the Hyperactive ChildSome popular diets are based on this carb-rating scale. Here’s why it could be misleading.Glycemic Index: History and Clinical ApplicationGlycemic Index and Glycemic Load Low glycaemic index or low glycaemic load diets for overweight and obesityWhat is the glycaemic indexDon&apost Play a Numbers Game, Experts Say, Just Eat Your VegetablesSugar addiction: the state of the scienceThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
11/04/2349m 21s

"Forks Over Knives": Is a Vegetarian Diet Better For You?

A viral documentary says a "whole foods plant-based diet" 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&aposre 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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!Health effects associated with consumption of unprocessed red meat: a Burden of Proof studyUnprocessed Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption: Dietary Guideline Recommendations From the Nutritional Recommendations (NutriRECS) ConsortiumPresent status of the aflatoxin situation in the PhilippinesThe role of natural consequences in the changing death patternsDietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets—A ReviewQuality of Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Total, Ischemic, and Hemorrhagic StrokeParachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trialDo We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy?Observational evidence does not necessarily imply causationThe Problem with Observational Studies (Epidemiology)Vegetarian Diet Patterns and Chronic Disease Risk: What We Know and What We Don’tThe rise, the fall and the renaissance of vitamin EThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
28/03/231h 2m

The Instagram Fiber Feud

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&aposs bookListen to Mike&aposs other podcastLinks!F-Factor drama timelineWhat Is the F-Factor Diet, and Is it Safe?Tanya Zuckerbrot Sets a Weight-Loss ExampleWhat Is the F-Factor Diet? Here’s What You Need to KnowF-Factor Under Fire After TONS Of Women Come ForwardTanya Zuckerbrot and an Instagram Crusade Against the F-Factor DietDietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella reviewClosing America’s Fiber Intake GapF-Factor has sent legal threats and deleted Instagram commentsF-Factor Diet Allegations: What Dietitians Want You To KnowCorrecting the RecordUnpacking the F-Factor Diet DramaInsider rundown of symptoms Tanya Zuckerbrot addresses health concernsInsider rundown of workplace issues Tanya Zuckerbrot Files Lawsuit Over F-Factor Diet Criticism on InstagramTanya Zuckerbrot sues Emily Gellis in new defamation suitIn a Lawsuit, Eight Women Claim the F-Factor Diet Made Them SickSubmit concerns to F-FactorThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
14/03/2346m 36s

Doctors Have a New Plan for Fat Kids

Last month the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new set of guidelines for "childhood obesity." We have some comments. Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreBuy Aubrey&aposs new bookListen to Mike&aposs new podcastLinks!The 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines The 2007 guidelines Pros and cons of bariatric surgery in adolescents Serious Issues With the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines For Higher-Weight Children and Adolescents Semaglutide treatment for obesity in teenagers: a plain language summary of the STEP TEENS research study Patients’ views of long-term results of bariatric surgery for super-obesity: sustained effects, but continuing struggles Long-Term Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery Support the show
28/02/231h 14m

Elizabeth Taylor's "Elizabeth Takes Off"

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&aposs new bookListen to Mike&aposs new podcastLinks!Elizabeth Takes OffElizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth TaylorElizabeth Taylor: Diet Tips on How to Become a Size 6Just Look at Her NowElizabeth Taylor: Born to the PurpleElizabeth Taylor: The Lost Interview Elizabeth Taylor’s Glorious ExcessElizabeth Taylor’s Astonishing Health HistoryElizabeth Taylor’s Cook Not To BlameSupport the show
14/02/2358m 17s

“Glorifying Obesity” And Other Myths About Fat People

This week, we&aposre talking about Aubrey&aposs new book, "&aposYou Just Need To Lose Weight&apos and 19 Other Myths About Fat People." And we&aposre 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&aposs new bookListen to Mike&aposs new podcastPreorder Aubrey&aposs book at your favorite bookstore or here:Bookshop.orgPowell&aposs BooksBlackstone BooksBlack Pearl BooksAmazonBarnes & NobleBook DepositoryAudible (audiobook)Libro.fm (audiobook)Support the show
03/01/2349m 55s

Workplace Wellness

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&aposs new bookListen to Mike&aposs new podcastLinks! A Review of the U.S. Workplace Wellness Market"Wellness" Based Healthcare is a Scam2013 Rand ReportWorkplace Wellness Produces No Savings\Workplace Wellbeing Is a ScamEmployers should disband employee weight control programsUsing Incentives in Workplace Wellness ProgramsCoerced into HealthCurrent Trends in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the USThe effectiveness of worksite nutrition and physical activity interventions for controlling employee overweightManaging Manifest Diseases, But Not Health Risks, Saved PepsiCo Money Over Seven YearsThe Dubious Empirical and Legal Foundations of Workplace Wellness ProgramsToward A Critical Theory of Corporate WellnessThe development and growth of employer-provided health insuranceThe Ideological Construction Of RiskWellness Incentives In The WorkplaceA Fatter Butt Equals a Skinnier WalletThe Outcomes, Economics, and Ethics of the Workplace Wellness IndustryWhat’s Bad about Wellness? Support the show
20/12/221h 12m

The Food Pyramid

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&aposs new bookListen to Mike&aposs new podcastLinks!Anna-Britt AgnsäterRounding Out the Food PyramidFood Lobbies, The Food Pyramid, and US Nutrition PolicyThe Fattening: Reassessing The Food PyramidCatering to Cows and ConsumersUS Drops New Food ChartAre Cattlemen Now Guarding the Hen House?Testing of the Food Pyramid Comes Full CircleTopping the Food PyramidFood Pyramid Replaced By &aposMyPlate&aposIs The Food Pyramid Obsolete?Coca-Cola Funds Scientists to Shift BlameExperts Say Lobbying Skewed the US Dietary GuidelinesFood PoliticsThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
15/11/2251m 52s

Bonus: Mike's New Podcast!

Mike and Aubrey introduce Mike&aposs new show, If Books Could Kill! Find it on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google and wherever else you get your podcasts. Also, don&apost forget to pre-order Aubrey&aposs new book! Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreSupport the show
08/11/221h 18m

The Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Scandal

“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Check out Mike&aposs other podcast, If Books Could KillPre-order Aubrey&aposs book!Links!Marion Nestle&aposs "Safe Food"The vomiting, diarrhea, and gallbladder surgeries were bad enough. Daily Harvest’s alleged food poisoning victims say the startup’s response made things worseFor Now, Skip Eating Products That Contain Tara Flour, CR&aposs Food Experts SayBill Marler’s Daily Harvest postsThe original Reddit postThe History, Politics & Perils Of The Current Food Safety ControversyFood poisoning and unsafe temperatures: Many meal kit companies aren’t FDA regulatedPublic Health and Food Safety: a Historical AssociationInvestigating Food Safety Implications Of Meal-Kit Delivery Subscription Services In TorontoVitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storageTen years post-GAO assessment, FDA remains uninformed of potentially harmful GRAS substances in foodsDaily Harvest updatesRachel Drori interviewAntioxidants in Fresh and Frozen Fruit and Vegetables: Impact Study of Varying Storage ConditionsGenerally recognized as safe (GRAS): history and descriptionThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
01/11/221h 1m

Mini-Sode: The Dr. Oz Campaign

Pennsylvania listeners check your registration here!Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and promises of Dr. Oz&aposs 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. OzColumbia and the Problem of Dr. OzThe FTC lawsuit against green coffee bean extract sellersThe Oz craze: The effect of pop culture media on health careThe BMJ content analysis of the Dr. Oz showAgeing, fitness and neurocognitive functionReal-world doctors fact-check Dr. Oz, and the results aren&apost pretty Dr. Oz may be America&aposs most influential — and controversial — physician Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
18/10/221h 13m

Paul Bragg & The Rise of Apple Cider Vinegar

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&aposs first health influencer. (That&aposs 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) 100 Years of Health with Patricia BraggPatricia Bragg: Born to do her father&aposs workIn the Name of the ‘Father’ (part 2, part 3)FDA report on enforcement & complianceFTC decisions, 1941  How Americans Became Obsessed With Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Debunking the health benefits of apple cider vinegarOrlando Bloom Bonded with Katy Perry over Apple Cider Vinegar Investor group acquires Bragg Live Food ProductsThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
11/10/2255m 22s

The French Paradox

How an early-&apos90s 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 subjectsFrom red wine to polyphenols and back: A journey through the history of the French ParadoxWine as a Biological Fluid: History, Production, and Role in Disease PreventionCardiovascular Risk Factors and Confounders Among Nondrinking and Moderate-Drinking U.S. AdultsAlcohol, Drinking Pattern, and Chronic DiseaseThe French paradox: lessons for other countriesMyocardial Infarction and Coronary Deaths in the World Health Organization MONICA ProjectCoronary heart disease in France and in Europe: Where are the facts?Wine And Juice Management And Marketing Decisions: The Case Of The French ParadoxDecline of coronary heart disease mortality is strongly effected by changing patterns of underlying causes of deathThe Medical Autopsy: Past, Present, and Dubious FutureNew dimensions in cause of death statisticsShould socioeconomic factors be considered as traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as confounders, or as risk modifiers?Wine, alcohol, platelets, and the French paradox for coronary heart diseaseAlcohol, Ischemic Heart Disease, and the French Paradox Death certificates are not reliable: revivification of the autopsy Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
27/09/2255m 9s

Goop

Do we even need to write a description? It&aposs 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 YouIs Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP $1.6M In Debt?Goop and Condé Nast Team Up on a Magazine - The New York Times Gwyneth Paltrow didn&apost want Condé Nast to fact-check Goop articlesA hungry Gwyneth Paltrow fails the food-stamp challenge four days inDear Gwyneth, this is what living on food stamps really looks likeMy $29 Food Stamp Challenge & The RecipesGwyneth Paltrow&aposs Having the Chicest Yard Sale Ever Gwyneth Paltrow says children of celebrities &aposalmost have to work twice as hard&apos once they &aposunfairly&apos get their start in Hollywood Gwyneth Paltrow brings aerial yoga, trans talks and cryofacials to Goop health conference We Attended Gwyneth Paltrow&aposs $500-a-Ticket Health SummitAnti-Medication Goop Summit Expert Claims AIDS Treatment Kills and GMOs Cause DepressionInside Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow&aposs Growing EmpireThe history of self-careStill Processing: We Care for Ourselves and Others in Trump’s AmericaThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
13/09/2259m 37s

BONUS: Moon Juice Taste Test

This week&aposs episode is running late so here&aposs 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&aposd 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!Support the show
06/09/2254m 7s

The Scarsdale Diet Murder feat. Sarah Marshall

In 1982 a murder captured America&aposs imagination. Forty years later, two podcasts joined forces to talk about it. Hear more from Sarah at You&aposre 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”"The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet"Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
23/08/221h 31m

“French Women Don't Get Fat”

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 FranceInhaling Their FoodPublishers sell snobbery by the pageChampagne and Pizza&aposFrench Women Don&apost Get Fat&apos: Like Champagne for ChocolateThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
09/08/2257m 25s

Pete Evans Part 2: COVID & Consequences

"Celebrity chef Pete Evans has activated his last almond with the Seven Network."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 Pete Evans&apos company fined for alleged COVID-19 advertising breaches | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Pete Evans fined $80,000 by health department for alleged unlawful spruiking of devices and medicines Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans under fire for sharing views of UK conspiracy theorist David IckePete Evans&apos boasts he played 60 Minutes Australia like &aposgame of chess&apos Oh, for Pete&aposs sake: The rise and fall (and possible rise) of Pete Evans Dumped by sponsors, what happens to Pete Evans now? Sonnenrad, symbol used in shooter&aposs manifesto, explainedPete Evans Is Now Posting Neo-Nazi Symbols And The Far-Right Love ItCelebrity chef Pete Evans&apos Instagram account deleted for &aposrepeatedly sharing&apos Covid misinformationNeo-Nazi groups allegedly targeted celebrity chef Pete Evans before infamous black sun cartoonThe URL &aposPete Evans For Senate&apos redirects to unexpected webpageThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
26/07/2258m 56s

Pete Evans Part 1: The Paleo Way

How a beloved TV chef became one of Australia&aposs 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 historyHow to Really Eat Like a Hunter-Gatherer: Why the Paleo Diet Is Half-BakedAncient leftovers show the real Paleo diet was a veggie feastExpert dismisses Pete Evans&apos claims that modern diet causes autism Celebrity Chef&aposs Paleo Cookbook for Babies Delayed After Health FearsPete Evans: paleo cookbook for mums and babies under fire again AMA accuses Pete Evans of endangering lives with unscientific health advice Pete Evans provides &aposevidence&apos for his fluoride claims Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
12/07/2252m 34s

The Worm Wars

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-analysisThe Tanzania dissertationDoing Good BetterWorm Wars: The AnthologyDeworming DebunkedWHO advises blanket anti-worming treatment for children despite lack of benefitDeworming Delusions? Mass Drug Administration In East African SchoolsUnderstanding Heterogeneity in the Impact of National Neglected Tropical Disease Control ProgrammesWhat Has Been Learned from the Deworming Replications: A Nonpartisan ViewMass Deworming Programs in Middle Childhood and AdolescenceIs it worth treating everyone who might get worms?New research debunks merits of global deworming programmesShould the WHO withdraw support for mass deworming?Why Don&apost People Take Their Medicine? Experimental Evidence from KenyaDear journalists and policymakers: What you need to know about the Worm WarsThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
28/06/2257m 5s

Calorie Menu Labeling

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.UKDo Menu Calorie Counts Actually Change How We Eat?Calorie counts on menus: What&aposs the real impact on diners and restaurants?Court Upholds the City&aposs Rule Requiring Some Restaurants to Post Calorie CountsMenu Labeling | Center for Science in the Public InterestMenu Labeling Requirements | FDACalorie Labeling And Food Choices: A First Look At The Effects On Low-Income People In New York CityThe influence of calorie labeling on food orders and consumption: A review of the literature - PMCChanges in Calorie Content of Menu Items at Large Chain Restaurants After Implementation of Calorie LabelsWhy Listing Calorie Counts on Menus Can Do More Harm Than GoodThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
07/06/2250m 27s

The Trouble With Calories

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 CalorieWhy the most popular rule of weight loss is completely wrongTime to Correctly Predict the Amount of Weight Loss With DietingMysteries of Weight LossThe energy balance model of obesity: beyond calories in, calories out“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intakeOlympians owe gold standard to a 19th-century chemistCalories on food packets are wrong—it’s time to change thatWhy Does the FDA Recommend 2,000 Calories Per Day?Who Actually Needs a 2,000 Calorie a Day Diet?The Nutrition Facts Label: Its History and UpdatesThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
24/05/2252m 33s

Diet Book Deep Dive: “How To Take 20 Pounds Off Your Man”

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 ObituaryThe book coverThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
10/05/2250m 23s

Zombie Statistics Spectacular!

Debunking some of the most widely repeated myths about fat and health. Here&aposs Mike&aposs 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
19/04/2257m 56s

Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma"

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&aposs "Weighing In" Rachel Laudan&aposs "Cooking and Empire"Heidi Zimmerman&aposs "Caring for the Middle Class Soul"Joel Salatin’s Unsustainable MythChris Newman’s BlogEverything I Want to Do Is Racist: How America’s favorite farmer lost his way.Clean Food: If You Want to Save the World, Get Over Yourself.The USA lags behind other agricultural nations in banning harmful pesticidesGoverning food: Media, politics and pleasureMichael Pollan&aposs Misguided Food Nostalgia A Plea for Culinary ModernismThe French Terroir Strategy, and Culinary ModernismThe Dark Side of Local Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
05/04/221h 5m

Bonus: Fad Diets

This week&aposs show is still in the oven so we&aposre releasing one of our first Patreon bonus episodes. We asked our listeners for the wildest and wackiest fad diets they&aposve ever tried and ended up doing mini-deep dives into The Rotation Diet, The Shangri-La Diet, The Special K Diet, Bethenny Frankel&aposs "Naturally Thin" 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
29/03/221h 11m

Jordan Peterson Part 2: The Moscow Diaries

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 PetersonWhy the Left Is So Afraid of Jordan PetersonWhen Your Psychologist Goes Viral: How Jordan Peterson’s Fame Affected His Private PracticeJordan Peterson’s Gospel of MasculinityThe Intellectual We DeserveAuditing Radicalization Pathways on YouTubeThe Left’s Contempt for Jordan Peterson Is Perfectly RationalI was Jordan Peterson’s strongest supporter. Now I think he’s dangerous.Jordan Peterson: Why I am no longer a tenured professor at the University of TorontoJordan Peterson & Fascist MysticismSunday Times: Unedited Interview TranscriptAlgorithmic extremism: Examining YouTube&aposs rabbit hole of radicalizationWhat is the “lite” in “alt-lite?” The discourse of white vulnerability and dominance among YouTube’s reactionariesExposing Jordan Peterson’s Barrage of Revisionist Falsehoods About Hitler, the Holocaust and NazismSupport the show
15/03/2254m 51s

Jordan Peterson Part 1: The Carnivore Diet

Oops all meat: How a &apos50s bodybuilder, a Grateful Dead roadie and an unreadable professor accidentally launched one of America&aposs wildest fad diets. Here&aposs Mike&aposs "Cancel Culture" 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&aposve removed it from the episode. We&aposll 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 PatreonDonate on PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Joe Rogan Experience #1070 - Jordan PetersonAtlantic article on the all-beef dietJordan Peterson, Custodian of the PatriarchyIs Jordan Peterson the stupid man&aposs smart person?How dangerous is Jordan B. Peterson?The Intellectual We DeserveJordan Peterson & Fascist MysticismThe Pronoun WarriorJordan Peterson’s Gospel of MasculinityThe Bizarre Fad Diet Taking the Far Right by StormInside the World of the &aposBitcoin Carnivores&aposHuman Ancestors Were Nearly All VegetariansMy carnivore diet: what I learned from eating only beef, salt and waterThe Inuit ParadoxWhy Right Wingers Are Going Crazy About MeatOwsley “The Bear” Stanley’s Active Low-Carber Forum PostsThanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
01/03/221h 8m

"Super Size Me"

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"Super Size Me" - CBS NewsWhere&aposs the Beef? The Challenges of Obesity SuitsMorgan Spurlock on Sexual Misconduct Confession, &aposSuper Size Me 2&aposFormer Employees Say Morgan Spurlock&aposs Production Company Was &aposFratty Boys&apos Club&aposFood and Drug Law Journal“Cheeseburger Bill” protects food industry - The LancetMeet the science teacher who lost 60 pounds eating nothing but McDonald&aposs three meals a dayImpressed by the demise of Supersize? Take a closer lookSupport the show
15/02/221h 2m

"Illness Influencer" Belle Gibson

In 2015, Belle Gibson was an Australian "eco-preneur" with a vegetarian cookbook, a blockbuster wellness app and a terminal cancer diagnosis. Today, she&aposs 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 livingFriends and doctors raise doubts over &aposHealing Belle&apos cancer claimsMega-blogger Belle Gibson casts doubt on her own cancer claimsMelbourne mum Belle Gibson on taking the world by storm with her app The Whole Pantry, while fighting terminal brain cancerThe Belle Gibson scandal: The rise of lifestyle gurus as micro-celebrities in low-trust societies Belle Gibson: "My lifelong struggle with the truth"Catalog of Belle’s posts and timelineBad Influencer: The Great Insta ConCosmo: An honest account of our experience with Belle GibsonJulia Watson&aposs "Breakfast, School Run, Chemo" Support the show
01/02/221h 6m

Diet Book Deep Dive: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet

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 simpleA Look Back at Designer Karl Lagerfeld’s Iconic Fashion Career in PhotosSeven of Karl Lagerfeld&aposs most iconic momentsKarl Lagerfeld Becomes a Video-Game CharacterKarl Lagerfeld&aposs most controversial quotes on fat womenKarl Lagerfeld&aposs most controversial quotesKarl Lagerfeld on Adele (archived)Karl Lagerfeld’s illustration of Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel (archived)Paris is Losing it - The New York TimesHere&aposs What Our Nutritionist Thinks of Karl Lagerfeld&aposs DietKarl Lagerfeld: Adele &aposfat&apos remarks taken out of contextKarl Lagerfeld Would Marry His Cat Choupette If It Were LegalSupport the show
18/01/2253m 22s

Fat Camps

How America&aposs oldest fat camp — and the inspiration for Disney’s "Heavyweights" — became the symbol of a health intervention that enjoys worldwide popularity despite no evidence that it improves anyone&aposs 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 failsCalls to set up fat camps for obese children in ScotlandChildhood obesity: are new treatment centres the solution?Weight-loss Camps and Their Effect on Childhood Obesity Psychosocial outcomes in a weight loss camp for overweight youthInside Britain’s First Ever Residential “Fat Camp” Working at Camp Shane: Employee ReviewsMissing campers, falsified documents and other issues revealed in CT weight-loss camp investigationKids Weight Loss Camp That Closed Has History of ViolationsWeighty Problems by Laura BackstromThe Actually Terrible Things that Happen at Fat CampSupport the show
04/01/2259m 27s

The "Sleep Loss Epidemic"

Matthew Walker&aposs "Why We Sleep" was one of the most popular and acclaimed wellness books of 2017. There&aposs just one problem: Much of it isn&apost 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&aposs TED TalkAlexey&aposs blog post: Matthew Walker&aposs "Why We Sleep" Is Riddled with Scientific and Factual ErrorsWalker’s ResponseTrouble With TEDDoes daylight savings kill people?Why We Sleep: A Tale Of Institutional FailureIs Matthew Walker’s “Why We Sleep” Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors?Up All Night: The science of sleeplessnessExploring the Necessity and Virtue of SleepWhy Do We Sleep?Siesta in Healthy Adults and Coronary Mortality in the General PopulationA Chronobiological Evaluation of the Acute Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Traffic Accident RiskHas Adult Sleep Duration Declined Over the Last 50+ Years?Americans Are Sleeping More, If Not Necessarily BetterHigh-profile sleep researcher loses paper for duplicationSupport the show
14/12/211h 11m

Vibrators

It&aposs 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&aposll 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 moreLinks!The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel MainesBuzz by Hallie LiebermanSignior DildoHysteria! trailerVibrators had a long history as medical quackery before feminists rebranded them as sex toysA Failure of Academic Quality Control: The Technology of OrgasmHow Gosnell Duncan Changed the Sex Toy Game ForeverVictorian Doctors Didn&apost Treat Women With Orgasms, Say Historians (Almost) Everything You Know About the Invention of the Vibrator Is WrongSupport the show
30/11/2149m 16s

Is Being Fat Bad For You?

For nearly four decades, Americans have heard a simple story about health, longevity and obesity. This week, we learn it&aposs 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&aposs " Evidence does not support benefit of being overweight on mortality"Flegal’s 2005 paperFlegal’s 2013 articleWillett’s 2016 meta-analysisThe infamous 2004 CDC paperFat: A Cultural History of ObesityPaul Campos&aposs "The Obesity Myth"Walter Willett’s Food Fight           The obesity research that blew upFlawed methods and inappropriate conclusions for health policy on overweight and obesity: The Global BMI Mortality Collaboration meta-analysisDoes Body Mass Index Adequately Convey a Patient’s Mortality Risk?The Weight of Medical Authority: The Making and Unmaking of Knowledge in the Obesity EpidemicObesity: An Overblown Epidemic? Commentary: On ‘public health aspects of weight control’Obesity And Its Relation To Health And DiseaseDoes Being Overweight Really Reduce Mortality?Individual and Aggregate Years-of-life-lost Associated With Overweight and ObesitySupport the show
16/11/211h 25m

Diet Book Deep Dive: Angela Lansbury's "Positive Moves"

At the height of her "Murder She Wrote" 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, "Positive Moves."!  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”)Positive Moves bookWhat is Gaslighting? The 1944 film Gaslight is the best explainer.Support the show
26/10/2156m 54s

Rachel Hollis Part 2: Girl, Start Apologizing

In the sequel (sorry) to our first installment, we take a deep dive into Rachel&aposs 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 & Fall of Rachel HollisThe Divine Rise of Multilevel MarketingKaitlyn Luckow&aposs "Girl, It’s Okay To Be Dirty: A Look At Toxic Self-Help"Multilevel-marketing companies like LuLaRoe are forcing people into debt and psychological crisisJesus never called us to chase after power, money, and fame “Girl, Wash Your Face” Is A Massive Best-Seller With A Dark MessageYour Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile InsideInfluencer Rachel Hollis Is Facing Accusations She Is Plagiarizing On Her InstagramSupport the show
12/10/211h 7m

Rachel Hollis Part 1: Hashtag Relatable

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 "bikini mom" talkHow To Start A PodcastSupport the show
28/09/211h 11m

Marianne Williamson

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" 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."  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 Weight LossA Course in Weight Loss, Chapter Two A Course in Weight Loss, Chapter 7A Course in Weight Loss, Chapter 8Links!Who is Marianne Williamson? Her 2020 presidential campaign and policies, explained The Divine Miss WFaith: Marianne Williamson Is Full of ItThe Gospel According to Marianne Williamson “No One Decides to Run for President Impulsively”: Marianne Williamson Explains Her Magical ThinkingMarianne Williamson has almost everything Marianne Williamson is a controversial AIDS-crisis figure for gay men.Into America&aposs Spiritual Void With Marianne WilliamsonWhy Marianne Williamson’s most famous passage keeps getting cited as a Nelson Mandela quote Thanks to  Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
14/09/2157m 53s

The Great Protein Fiasco

How Nestlé executives, global health institutions and a very racist white lady seeded a series of nutritional misconceptions we&aposre still living with today. Special thanks to John Nott for helping us out with this episode! Here&aposs 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 PayPalGet Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and moreLinks!Cicely Williams’ dissertationDariush Mozaffarian&aposs "History of Modern Nutrition Science"The Incidence Of Protein-Calorie Malnutrition Of Early ChildhoodAn Error of Medicine? Kwashiorkor and the “Protein Gap”Childhood Malnutrition In Developing Nations: Looking Back and Looking ForwardThe Politics of ProteinThe Impact of Colonialism on Health and Health Services in TanzaniaBreast-Milk and the World Protein GapThe Influence of Colonialism on Africa’s Welfare: An Anthropometric StudyFood, Colonialism and the Quantum of HappinessRevisited: Is Subclinical Protein Deficiency A Significant Public Health Concern?Listening to the Ga: Cicely Williams’ Discovery of Kwashiorkor on the Gold Coast“Milking the Third World: Humanitarianism, Capitalism and the Moral Economy of the Nestlé Boycott”The Controversy Over Infant FormulaWar on Want’s “The Baby Killer “75 years of Kwashiorkor In AfricaThe Rise and Fall of Protein Malnutrition in Global HealthSupport the show
31/08/211h 10m

The Obesity Epidemic

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 Folk Devils and Moral Panics Moral Panics Links!American Obesity Association PSAAMA Recognizes Obesity as a Disease Regarding Obesity as a Disease: Evolving Policies and Their Implications For Researchers on Obesity: Historical Review of Extra Body Weight Definitions Obesity task force linked to WHO takes “millions” from drug firms Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer Research: How Americans’ Biases Are Changing (or not) Over Time Satcher: Obesity Reaching Crisis Levels Do Photographic Images of Obese Persons Influence Antifat Attitudes?Did the American Medical Association make the correct decision classifying obesity as a disease? What exactly is a disease? The “Childhood Obesity Epidemic”: Health Crisis or Social Construction? Fears of a fat planet overblown, skeptics say An Unjust War: The Case Against the Government’s War on Obesity Expanding Definitions of Obesity May Harm Children Support the show
17/08/2159m 19s

The Body Mass Index

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&aposs 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 are reexamining the genetics of social mobility (Quartz) Adolphe Quetelet (1796–1874)—the average man and indices of obesity (Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation)For Researchers on Obesity: Historical Review of Extra Body Weight Definitions (Obesity)Quetelet, Adolphe (Canada’s Eugenics Archives)Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus (NPR)The False Science Linking Body Shape to Personality (The Atlantic)Obesity task force linked to WHO takes “millions” from drug firms (The BMJ)Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity (Obesity Reviews) Support the show
03/08/211h 8m

School Lunches, P-Hacking and the Original "Pizzagate"

This week we&aposre diving into one of the biggest-ever scandals in nutrition research. For nearly two decades, Brian Wansink&aposs 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 Food and Brand LabBrian Wansink: Data Masseur, Media Villain, Emblem of a Thornier ProblemThe Wansink Dossier: An OverviewMore Evidence That Nutrition Studies Don’t Always Add UpHere’s How Cornell Scientist Brian Wansink Turned Shoddy Data Into Viral Studies About How We EatFalse-Positive Psychology: Undisclosed Flexibility in Data Collection and Analysis Allows Presenting Anything as SignificantDeath of a Veggie SalesmanThe Strange, Uplifting Tale of “Joy of Cooking” Versus the Food ScientistMoms, “Food Fears” and the Power of the InternetThe science behind Smarter LunchroomsYou Can’t Trust What You Read About NutritionEnergy balance measurement: when something is not better than nothingScientific method: Statistical errorsEffect of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on the Nutritional Quality of Meals Selected by Students and School Lunch Participation Rates9.67 Degrees of DeceptionSupport the show
20/07/211h 17m

The Keto Diet

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&aposre 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 Wackiest Billionaire Ever to Run for President (Money)Trailer for "First, Do No Harm"Keto Diet History - How the Ketogenic Diet Went Mainstream (Men&aposs Health)7 Dangers of the Keto Diet | Health.com (Health Magazine)15 Keto Diet Side Effects to Know – Possible Keto Diet Dangers (Prevention)Ketogenic Diet May Lead to an Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (The Physiological Society)Support the show
06/07/2155m 40s

Oprah Winfrey & "John of God"

Special guest Kimberly Springer joins us to talk about an infamous, dangerous faith healer and his two — two! — appearances on Oprah&aposs talk show. This episode contains, we&aposre sorry to say, detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Buy Kimberly&aposs 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!Behind the Bastards podcast series on John of God The O Magazine articleJohn of God, the Miracle HealerCelebrity Healer in Brazil Is Accused of Sexually Abusing FollowersOprah’s 2012 articleSupport the show
22/06/2157m 41s

Oprah Winfrey & The “Wagon of Fat”

Do you have weird feelings about Oprah? So do we, and so does our guest! Kimberly Springer, co-editor of "Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture," joins us to talk about the rise of Oprah Winfrey and her infamous "wagon of fat" weight loss episode.Buy Kimberly&aposs 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!Oprah Winfrey Rolls Out A Wagon Of Fat  (Buzzfeed)How Oprah&aposs Weight Affected Her Relationship with Stedman (Oprah)MadTv - Oprah - Fat Cam (Mad TV)Links!The Importance of Being Oprah (New York Times Magazine)Oprah&aposs &aposFattest&apos Mistake (CBS News)5 awesome objects from the new Oprah exhibit (Washington Post)Oprah&aposs biggest on-air mistake? The wagon of fat (Today)Diet That Made Oprah Winfrey Slim Demands Discipline, Specialists Say (New York Times)Support the show
08/06/2149m 55s

Celery Juice

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&aposve ever seen.Plus, we start the show with an announcement: We&aposre 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 ExtraAnthony William on Keeping Up with the KardashiansCelery Juice Is the Perfect, Probably Pointless Trend for 2019 (Vanity Fair)Food Isn&apost Medicine. Here&aposs Why It&aposs Dangerous to Believe It Is. (Huffington Post)Is celery juice a viable alternative to nitrites in cured meats? (McGill University)Is Celery Juice a Sham? (The New York Times)Today&aposs Diet Fads (Today&aposs Dietitian)People think celery juice can protect you from COVID-19. Here&aposs why that&aposs categorically false. (Mama Mia)Support the show
25/05/2150m 39s

The Wellness to QAnon Pipeline

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 Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
11/05/2144m 57s

Diet Book Deep Dive: Ed McMahon’s “Slimming Down”

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&aposs pun, alcohol and misogyny-fueled diet plan from the 1970s. Hope you like broiled steak and Sanka!Clips!Ed McMahon & 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 lovely theme song!Support the show
27/04/2140m 40s

Olestra

 In 1996, Proctor & 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&aposs The Man Who Ate EverythingThe 1996 Federal RegisterThe Trouble With FriesReduction of the body burden of PCBs and DDE by dietary intervention in a randomized trialReview of the effects of dilution of dietary energy with olestra on energy intakeAuthors’ Financial Relationships With the Food and Beverage Industry and Their Published Positions on the Fat Substitute OlestraPostmarketing Surveillance of New Food Ingredients: Results from the Program with the Fat Replacer OlestraEffects of wheat bran and olestra on objective measures of stool and subjective reports of GI symptomsThe effect of ingesting olestra-based foods on feeding behavior and energy balance in humansEffect on Body Weight of Replacing Dietary Fat with Olestra for Two or Ten Weeks in Healthy Men and Women Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
13/04/211h 5m

Eating Disorders

Fat people have them too! This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America&aposs most under-diagnosed and misunderstood problems. Along the way we talk about elbow bumps, Twitter etiquette and &apos90s sweatpants. Our content warnings are becoming increasingly threatening.Here&aposs Erin&aposs 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 Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
30/03/2155m 30s

Weight Watchers

Get your flex point calculators and food scales! This week, Mike and Aubrey are talking about one of America&aposs 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 Weight Watcher&aposs Kurbo app slammed for targeting kids. Makers defend it What&aposs gone wrong at Weight Watchers? Weight Watchers Is Offering Teens Free Memberships and People Aren&apost Happy Americans’ new way of losing weight has left Weight Watchers behind How the Oprah effect helped Weight Watchers regain Americans&apos trust Deal Master Debbane The Population Cost‐Effectiveness of Weight Watchers with General Practitioner Referral Compared with Standard Care Weight Watchers on prescription: An observational study of weight change among adults referred to Weight Watchers by the NHS The Problem With &aposFat Talk&apos &aposFat Talk&apos Compels but Carries a Cost Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
16/03/2150m 43s

The Master Cleanse

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&aposre 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 BurroughsI Heard It Through the Diet Grapevine (New York Times)Improving Ourselves to Death (The New Yorker)Cleansing&aposs Dirty Secret (Marie Claire)Mr. Clean: Jeffrey Steingarten Puts the Master Cleanse to the Test (Vogue)The Dubious Practice of Detox (Harvard Health)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
02/03/2147m 33s

Dr. Oz

This week we&aposre dissecting "America&aposs Doctor." How did a smart, hardworking surgeon become one of TV&aposs 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. OzColumbia and the Problem of Dr. OzThe FTC lawsuit against green coffee bean extract sellersThe Oz craze: The effect of pop culture media on health careThe BMJ content analysis of the Dr. Oz showAgeing, fitness and neurocognitive functionReal-world doctors fact-check Dr. Oz, and the results aren&apost pretty Dr. Oz may be America&aposs most influential — and controversial — physician Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
16/02/2155m 52s

Snake Oil

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 & Hambones by Mary AndersonA History Of &aposSnake Oil Salesmen&apos : Code Switch (NPR)How Snake Oil Got a Bad Rap (Hint: It Wasn’t The Snakes’ Fault) (Collectors Weekly)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
02/02/2148m 52s

The Biggest Loser

This week we dissect the content and impact of one of America&aposs 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&aposs not reality for me&apos: Australian audiences respond to the Biggest Loser "Cheapening the struggle:" obese people&aposs attitudes towards the Biggest Loser The Effects of Reality Television on Weight Bias: An Examination of The Biggest Loser&aposIt&aposs a miracle no one has died yet&apos: The Biggest Loser returns, despite critics&apos warningsThe Retrograde Shame of The Biggest LoserAnalysis of all contestantsNeoliberalism And The Realities Of Reality TelevisionThe “Reality” of Health: Reality Television and the Public HealthLife after NBC&aposs "The Biggest Loser": The Experiences and Perspectives of Former Reality TV Contestants Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
19/01/2154m 35s

Halo Top Ice Cream

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 "Halo Top diet."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) What It&aposs Like to Eat Nothing but This Magical, Healthy Ice Cream for 10 Days (GQ) Is Halo Top Good For You? The Truth About Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Ice Creams (HuffPost)Seven in 10 young people would eat whole tub of low-cal ice cream (The Grocer UK)Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
05/01/2144m 55s

Anti-Fat Bias

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, &aposskinny 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&aposs book in the U.S.:Powell&aposs BooksBookshop.orgBeacon PressBuy from your local bookstore on IndieboundGet Aubrey&aposs book outside the U.S.Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
24/11/2054m 39s

The Twinkie Defense

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&aposs "Victim&aposs Rights" episode on his other show!The Trial of Dan White: The Diminished Capacity ("Twinkie") DefenseHarvey Milk: His Lives and DeathThe Myth of the Twinkie Defense: The Verdict in the Dan White Case Wasn’t Based on His Ingestion of Junk FoodPsychiatric Testimony and the Insanity DefenseCalifornia’s Proposition 8 (1982)Support the show
17/11/2049m 20s

Moon Juice

What&aposs that Gwyneth Paltrow&aposs drinking? It&aposs MOON JUICE! This week, we&aposre talking adaptogens, brain dust, hot sex milk and the wellness company that&aposs 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&aposs Favorite Juice Bar Owner Eats Every Day (Elle)How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness Business (NYT)What Are Adaptogens? (NYT)Wellness Brand Moon Juice Has Plenty of Haters - And Its Founder is Cool With That (Entrepreneur)The Moon Juice Gospel of Self (The New Yorker)How Wellness Got Whitewashed (Glamour)Support the show
10/11/2057m 59s

Snackwell's Cookies

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 Been A Big Fat Lie?”“Ending the War on Fat”  Support the show
03/11/2056m 36s

Fen Phen & Redux

Fen-Phen & Redux were "the next miracle drugs" in the &apos90s, claiming to help people lose dramatic amounts of weight in just three months.  But within a few short years, they&aposd 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)How Fen-Phen, A Diet &aposMiracle,&apos Rose and Fell (the New York Times)Blowing the Whistle on Fen-Phen (Journal of Business Communication)Purdue OxyContin settlement would rank among largest in pharma history (Reuters)National Trends in Antiobesity Medication Use (JAMA Network)The Fen-Phen Finale: A Study of Weight Loss and Valvular Heart Disease (Obesity Research)Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
27/10/2051m 28s

The President's Physical Fitness Test

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&aposs 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 PresidentJFK’s Sports Illustrated article, “The Soft American”1958–2008: 50 Years of Youth Fitness Tests in the United StatesThe President&aposs Council on Physical Fitness and the Systematisation of Children&aposs Play in AmericaWhy is there so little critical physical education scholarship in the United States? The case of FitnessgramThe Modern Era: Blossoming of the Olympic Movement and the Conquest of Acute DiseaseThe President&aposs Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: The First 50 YearsDo Fitness Test Performances Predict Students’ Attitudes And Emotions Toward Physical Education?Support the show
20/10/2058m 21s

What's Our Deal?

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&aposs 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
11/10/2056m 58s
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