Ultra-Processed Foods
Tue, 03 Jun 2025
Everyone agrees that processed foods are bad for you. When it comes to defining what they actually a...
BONUS: MAHA's First 90 Days
Thu, 01 May 2025
From our Patreon feed, we're catching up with RFK Jr. and his cadre of "Make America Healt...
The Bulletproof Diet
Wed, 26 Mar 2025
Meet the tech bro on a noble quest to double his lifespan, improve his productivity and irritate his...
Blue Zones
Thu, 30 Jan 2025
The places where humans live the longest are explained by traditional lifestyles, widespread incest ...
BONUS: What's New With RFK Jr.?
Fri, 20 Dec 2024
Because we live in hell, here is last month's bonus episode about RFK Jr.'s presidential c...
Richard Simmons Isn't Missing
Thu, 21 Nov 2024
The internet gets weird investigating the "disappearance" of America's gay best frien...
Growing Up Richard Simmons
Fri, 25 Oct 2024
Before building his fitness empire, America’s most bedazzled fitness guru was a guy named Milton f...
The Myers-Briggs Personality Test
Thu, 12 Sep 2024
How a mother, a daughter and a crackpot Swiss psychologist gave us the world's most popular Buz...
BONUS: Breaking Down The Latest Anti-Trans Victory Lap
Mon, 01 Jul 2024
We went a little easy on the Cass Report in our last main feed episode, so we're back to [Morta...
"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 2: Panic! At The Endocrinologist.
Tue, 18 Jun 2024
Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for hel...
"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 1: The Cooties Theory of Transgender Identity
Thu, 09 May 2024
Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano) for hel...
Jamie Oliver
Thu, 04 Apr 2024
In the 2000s, Jamie Oliver made a big splash with his work reforming kids’ meals in the UK and US....
COVID Conspiracies
Thu, 07 Mar 2024
What was missing from America's pandemic response? According to the internet, a sunshine vitami...
Ozempic
Tue, 10 Oct 2023
Ozempic is being hailed as “the end of the Obesity Epidemic.” This week, Mike and Aubrey dig thr...
"Soy Boys"
Tue, 12 Sep 2023
How a plant-based pejorative went from an alt-right burn to a core concern of mainstream Republicans...
RFK Jr. and The Mainstreaming Of The Anti-Vaxx Movement
Tue, 01 Aug 2023
Join us for a 75 minute answer to a 5 word question: Is there mercury in vaccines? Support us:Hear b...
RFK Jr. and The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement
Tue, 18 Jul 2023
A political candidate has some questions and we have some extremely obvious answers.Support us:Hear ...
Pilates
Tue, 04 Jul 2023
Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ev...
Brittany Dawn
Tue, 20 Jun 2023
How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains. S...
BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore
Tue, 06 Jun 2023
We're taking a much-needed break this week so to tide you over here is one of our bonus episode...
Oprah v. Beef Part 2: Apocalypse Cow
Tue, 23 May 2023
The closing argument of our two-part Oprahsode starts in a Texas courtroom, wanders through some Bri...
Oprah v. Beef Part 1: The Rise of "Veggie Libel"
Tue, 09 May 2023
On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey did a show about mad cow disease. Six weeks later, a couple of Texa...
The 10,000 Steps Myth
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
This week we're digging into the weird history of an omnipresent fitness goal. Episode comes ...
The Trouble with Sugar
Tue, 11 Apr 2023
This week we're tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, it'...
"Forks Over Knives": Is a Vegetarian Diet Better For You?
Tue, 28 Mar 2023
A viral documentary says a "whole foods plant-based diet" will prevent heart disease and c...
The Instagram Fiber Feud
Tue, 14 Mar 2023
Aubrey tells Mike about the diet that took over New York City (and its bathrooms).Support us:Hear bo...
Doctors Have a New Plan for Fat Kids
Tue, 28 Feb 2023
Last month the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new set of guidelines for "childhood o...
Elizabeth Taylor's "Elizabeth Takes Off"
Tue, 14 Feb 2023
History should make you feel weird and so, apparently, should diet books. Support us:Hear bonus epis...
“Glorifying Obesity” And Other Myths About Fat People
Tue, 03 Jan 2023
This week, we're talking about Aubrey's new book, "'You Just Need To Lose Weight...
Workplace Wellness
Tue, 20 Dec 2022
Charging disabled people more for health care is illegal. But what about ... charging non-disabled p...
The Food Pyramid
Tue, 15 Nov 2022
In the 1990s, the Food Pyramid was one of the most recognizable symbols in nutrition education. But ...
Bonus: Mike's New Podcast!
Tue, 08 Nov 2022
Mike and Aubrey introduce Mike's new show, If Books Could Kill! Find it on Apple, Spotify, Stit...
The Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Scandal
Tue, 01 Nov 2022
“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon.Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate...
Mini-Sode: The Dr. Oz Campaign
Tue, 18 Oct 2022
Pennsylvania listeners check your registration here!Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and prom...
Paul Bragg & The Rise of Apple Cider Vinegar
Tue, 11 Oct 2022
Health claims about apple cider vinegar are everywhere. But are they true? This week, we hop into th...
The French Paradox
Tue, 27 Sep 2022
How an early-'90s newsmagazine show convinced a generation of Americans to start drinking red w...
Goop
Tue, 13 Sep 2022
Do we even need to write a description? It's the Goopisode! Support us:Hear bonus episodes on ...
BONUS: Moon Juice Taste Test
Tue, 06 Sep 2022
This week's episode is running late so here's something to tide you over! Last year, we di...
The Scarsdale Diet Murder feat. Sarah Marshall
Tue, 23 Aug 2022
In 1982 a murder captured America's imagination. Forty years later, two podcasts joined forces ...
“French Women Don't Get Fat”
Tue, 09 Aug 2022
A dieting book or a how-to guide for an eating disorder? Pourquoi pas les deux ?Support us:Hear bonu...
Pete Evans Part 2: COVID & Consequences
Tue, 26 Jul 2022
"Celebrity chef Pete Evans has activated his last almond with the Seven Network."Support u...
Pete Evans Part 1: The Paleo Way
Tue, 12 Jul 2022
How a beloved TV chef became one of Australia's most polarizing public figures. Support us:Hea...
The Worm Wars
Tue, 28 Jun 2022
In 1998, a researcher rolled out an innovative approach to education. And in 2015, Methodology Twitt...
Calorie Menu Labeling
Tue, 07 Jun 2022
This year, the UK implemented a law requiring chain restaurants to list calorie counts on their menu...
The Trouble With Calories
Tue, 24 May 2022
Weight loss is as simple as “calories in, calories out,” right? Or — gasp — could the reply ...
Diet Book Deep Dive: “How To Take 20 Pounds Off Your Man”
Tue, 10 May 2022
This week, Mike and Aubrey take on a manual for creep behavior masquerading as a diet book. Along th...
Zombie Statistics Spectacular!
Tue, 19 Apr 2022
Debunking some of the most widely repeated myths about fat and health. Here's Mike's new v...
Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma"
Tue, 05 Apr 2022
How a liberal journalist entrenched a libertarian fantasy. Thanks to Sarah Taber for helping us with...
Bonus: Fad Diets
Tue, 29 Mar 2022
This week's show is still in the oven so we're releasing one of our first Patreon bonus ep...
Jordan Peterson Part 2: The Moscow Diaries
Tue, 15 Mar 2022
In 2019, Jordan Peterson disappeared from public life. One year later, he re-emerged with a diagnosi...
Jordan Peterson Part 1: The Carnivore Diet
Tue, 01 Mar 2022
Oops all meat: How a '50s bodybuilder, a Grateful Dead roadie and an unreadable professor accid...
"Super Size Me"
Tue, 15 Feb 2022
Aubrey thought she could swear less in this week’s episode. She was wrong. Support us:Hear bonus e...
"Illness Influencer" Belle Gibson
Tue, 01 Feb 2022
In 2015, Belle Gibson was an Australian "eco-preneur" with a vegetarian cookbook, a blockb...
Diet Book Deep Dive: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet
Tue, 18 Jan 2022
Who’s that Bond villain stroking a cat and yelling at beloved public figures? It’s Karl Lagerfel...
Fat Camps
Tue, 04 Jan 2022
How America's oldest fat camp — and the inspiration for Disney’s "Heavyweights" —...
The "Sleep Loss Epidemic"
Tue, 14 Dec 2021
Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" was one of the most popular and acclaimed wellness bo...
Vibrators
Tue, 30 Nov 2021
It's a sexual health episode! This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the hotly debated medical hi...
Is Being Fat Bad For You?
Tue, 16 Nov 2021
For nearly four decades, Americans have heard a simple story about health, longevity and obesity. Th...
Diet Book Deep Dive: Angela Lansbury's "Positive Moves"
Tue, 26 Oct 2021
At the height of her "Murder She Wrote" fame, Angela Lansbury released a home workout vide...
Rachel Hollis Part 2: Girl, Start Apologizing
Tue, 12 Oct 2021
In the sequel (sorry) to our first installment, we take a deep dive into Rachel's wildly proble...
Rachel Hollis Part 1: Hashtag Relatable
Tue, 28 Sep 2021
Girl, stop reinforcing the status quo.Support us:Hear bonus episodes on PatreonDonate on PayPalGet M...
Marianne Williamson
Tue, 14 Sep 2021
Last year, spiritual leader Marianne Williamson made headlines when she ran for president. But 10 ...
The Great Protein Fiasco
Tue, 31 Aug 2021
How Nestlé executives, global health institutions and a very racist white lady seeded a series of n...
The Obesity Epidemic
Tue, 17 Aug 2021
Over the last 30 years, fatness has been defined as a risk factor for disease, then a disease in its...
The Body Mass Index
Tue, 03 Aug 2021
The BMI is EVERYWHERE. But is it scientific or scientif-ish? While many Americans think of the body ...
School Lunches, P-Hacking and the Original "Pizzagate"
Tue, 20 Jul 2021
This week we're diving into one of the biggest-ever scandals in nutrition research. For nearly ...
The Keto Diet
Tue, 06 Jul 2021
So long, root vegetables! This week, we dive into the strange and surprising history of the 100-year...
Oprah Winfrey & "John of God"
Tue, 22 Jun 2021
Special guest Kimberly Springer joins us to talk about an infamous, dangerous faith healer and his t...
Oprah Winfrey & The “Wagon of Fat”
Tue, 08 Jun 2021
Do you have weird feelings about Oprah? So do we, and so does our guest! Kimberly Springer, co-edito...
Celery Juice
Tue, 25 May 2021
Do you have viruses? Cysts? Cancer? Are you tired sometimes? According to Instagram, the problem m...
The Wellness to QAnon Pipeline
Tue, 11 May 2021
Special guest Mike Rothschild tells us how the road to wellness can be an on-ramp to a conspiracy th...
Diet Book Deep Dive: Ed McMahon’s “Slimming Down”
Tue, 27 Apr 2021
This week is our first Diet Book Deep Dive, where we dig into some of the worst and wildest weight...
Olestra
Tue, 13 Apr 2021
In 1996, Proctor & Gamble launched an artificial fat substitute that promised all of the taste...
Eating Disorders
Tue, 30 Mar 2021
Fat people have them too! This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America's ...
Weight Watchers
Tue, 16 Mar 2021
Get your flex point calculators and food scales! This week, Mike and Aubrey are talking about one of...
The Master Cleanse
Tue, 02 Mar 2021
Are your moods too stable? Is your face free of cold sores? Get your lemon juice, maple syrup and c...
Dr. Oz
Tue, 16 Feb 2021
This week we're dissecting "America's Doctor." How did a smart, hardworking surg...
Snake Oil
Tue, 02 Feb 2021
The world of dieting and wellness is full of so-called snake oil salesmen—but what IS snake oil? T...
The Biggest Loser
Tue, 19 Jan 2021
This week we dissect the content and impact of one of America's most harmful TV experiments. ...
Halo Top Ice Cream
Tue, 05 Jan 2021
WE’RE BACK! A new diet ice cream is taking your grocery store by storm. But what even is it? This ...
Anti-Fat Bias
Tue, 24 Nov 2020
To celebrate the release of her new book, Aubrey takes Mike on a tour through the statistics and deb...
The Twinkie Defense
Tue, 17 Nov 2020
The Twinkie Defense has become a shorthand for disingenuous legal defense strategies. But was it dis...
Moon Juice
Tue, 10 Nov 2020
What's that Gwyneth Paltrow's drinking? It's MOON JUICE! This week, we're talkin...
Snackwell's Cookies
Tue, 03 Nov 2020
They hit the market in 1992. Three years later, they were the best-selling cookie in America. This w...
Fen Phen & Redux
Tue, 27 Oct 2020
Fen-Phen & Redux were "the next miracle drugs" in the '90s, claiming to help peop...
The President's Physical Fitness Test
Tue, 20 Oct 2020
The shuttle run! The flexed arm hang! The v-sit reach! These terms are seared into the memories of a...
What's Our Deal?
Sun, 11 Oct 2020
Welcome to Maintenance Phase! In our first episode, we tell our origin stories and talk about some o...