Episodes

December 20, 2022

Charging disabled people more for health care is illegal. But what about ... charging non-disabled people less? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcas...

Listen Transcript

November 15, 2022

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 Patreon Donate o...

Listen Transcript

November 8, 2022

Bonus: Mike's New Podcast!

Mike and Aubrey introduce Mike's new show, If Books Could Kill ! Find it on Apple , Spotify , Stitcher , Google and wherever else you get your podcasts. Also, don't forget to pre-order Aubrey's new book ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Ma...

Listen Transcript

November 1, 2022

The Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Scandal

“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Check out Mike's other podcast, If Books Could Kill Pre-order Aubrey's book! Links! Marion Nestle's "...

Listen Transcript

October 18, 2022

Mini-Sode: The Dr. Oz Campaign

Pennsylvania listeners check your registration here ! Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and promises of Dr. Oz's Senate campaign in Pennsylvania. Plus! A re-run of our complete Dr. Oz episode from last year. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenanc...

Listen Transcript

October 11, 2022

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's first health influencer. (That's not true, but neither is anything else in this episode.) Thanks to David Johnston for providing sources for t...

Listen Transcript

September 27, 2022

The French Paradox

How an early-'90s newsmagazine show convinced a generation of Americans to start drinking red wine. For the antioxidants! Special thanks to Susanne Stolpe and Alexander H. Sandtorv for helping us fact-check this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal ...

Listen Transcript

September 13, 2022

Goop

Do we even need to write a description? It's the Goopisode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 Million How Gwyneth Paltrow took...

Listen Transcript

September 6, 2022

BONUS: Moon Juice Taste Test

This week's episode is running late so here's something to tide you over! Last year, we did an episode on Gwyneth-adjacent influencer Amanda Chantal Bacon and her wellness company, Moon Juice. This year we decided to TASTE THE DUST. This episode was originally for our Patreon suppor...

Listen Transcript

August 23, 2022

The Scarsdale Diet Murder feat. Sarah Marshall

In 1982 a murder captured America's imagination. Forty years later, two podcasts joined forces to talk about it. Hear more from Sarah at You're Wrong About and You Are Good ! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, sticker...

Listen Transcript

August 9, 2022

“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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The By The Book episode The NYT interview with Mireille Guiliano Gabrielle De...

Listen Transcript

July 26, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Pete Evans on COVID-19 restrictions Pete Evans on who gets COVID I...

Listen Transcript

July 12, 2022

Pete Evans Part 1: The Paleo Way

How a beloved TV chef became one of Australia's most polarizing public figures. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Going Paleo: What Prehistoric Man Actually Ate The Paleo Way (video clip) ...

Listen Transcript

June 28, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The original 2004 paper The 2015 ...

Listen Transcript

June 7, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on ...

Listen Transcript

May 24, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-s...

Listen Transcript

May 10, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal ...

Listen Transcript

April 19, 2022

Zombie Statistics Spectacular!

Debunking some of the most widely repeated myths about fat and health. Here's Mike's new video ! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support ...

Listen Transcript

April 5, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Julie Guthman's "Wei...

Listen Transcript

March 29, 2022

Bonus: Fad Diets

This week's show is still in the oven so we're releasing one of our first Patreon bonus episodes. We asked our listeners for the wildest and wackiest fad diets they've ever tried and ended up doing mini-deep dives into The Rotation Diet, The Shangri-La Diet, The Special K Diet, Bethe...

Listen Transcript

March 15, 2022

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 b...

Listen Transcript

March 1, 2022

Jordan Peterson Part 1: The Carnivore Diet

Oops all meat: How a '50s bodybuilder, a Grateful Dead roadie and an unreadable professor accidentally launched one of America's wildest fad diets. Here's Mike's "Cancel Culture" video! Note: In our discussion of Jordan Peterson’s political correctness lecture, I...

Listen Transcript

February 15, 2022

"Super Size Me"

Aubrey thought she could swear less in this week’s episode. She was wrong. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Super Size Me Trailer "Super Size Me" - CBS News Where's the Bee...

Listen Transcript

February 1, 2022

"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's one of the most hated figures in the country. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenan...

Listen Transcript

January 18, 2022

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Ma...

Listen Transcript

January 4, 2022

Fat Camps

How America's 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's health. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayP...

Listen Transcript

December 14, 2021

The "Sleep Loss Epidemic"

Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" was one of the most popular and acclaimed wellness books of 2017. There's just one problem: Much of it isn't true. Thanks to University of Ottawa Postdoctoral Fellow Dylan Smith for helping us with the research! Support us: Hear bonus e...

Listen Transcript

November 30, 2021

Vibrators

It's a sexual health episode! This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the hotly debated medical history of vibrators and ask: who fact-checks the fact-checkers? Note: A previous version of this episode included language that referred to “the female downstairs,” implying both that gender is link...

Listen Transcript

November 16, 2021

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's a little more complicated. Thanks to Katherine Flegal, Paul Campos, Jeff Hunger and Jason Salemi for helping us research and fact-check this episode! Support us: He...

Listen Transcript

October 26, 2021

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 ...

Listen Transcript

October 12, 2021

Rachel Hollis Part 2: Girl, Start Apologizing

In the sequel (sorry) to our first installment, we take a deep dive into Rachel's wildly problematic books and deeply weird downfall. Along the way we discuss allyship etiquette, MLMs and Ronald Reagan. We remain convinced that getting matching tattoos was the right decision for us. Support...

Listen Transcript

September 28, 2021

Rachel Hollis Part 1: Hashtag Relatable

Girl, stop reinforcing the status quo. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Videos! The infamous Tik Tok Momfession: I get up at 5 am The "bikini mom" talk How To Start A Podcast Suppor...

Listen Transcript

September 14, 2021

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 he...

Listen Transcript

August 31, 2021

The Great Protein Fiasco

How Nestlé executives, global health institutions and a very racist white lady seeded a series of nutritional misconceptions we're still living with today. Special thanks to John Nott for helping us out with this episode! Here's his papers on the history of protein and the British Empir...

Listen Transcript

August 17, 2021

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 Patreon Dona...

Listen Transcript

August 3, 2021

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.” ...

Listen Transcript

July 20, 2021

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

This week we're diving into one of the biggest-ever scandals in nutrition research. For nearly two decades, Brian Wansink's Food and Brand Lab told Americans that lower weights, healthier workplaces and better school lunches were just a few small tweaks away. Then, in 2015, he wrote a blo...

Listen Transcript

July 6, 2021

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're counting macros!...

Listen Transcript

June 22, 2021

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's talk show. This episode contains, we're sorry to say, detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Buy Kimberly's books: Stories of Oprah: The Oprah...

Listen Transcript

June 8, 2021

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...

Listen Transcript

May 25, 2021

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've...

Listen Transcript

May 11, 2021

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 ...

Listen Transcript

April 27, 2021

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's pun, alcohol and misogyny-fueled diet plan from the 1970s. Hope you like broiled steak and Sanka! Clips! Ed McMahon &am...

Listen Transcript

April 13, 2021

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Marion Nestle’s The Se...

Listen Transcript

March 30, 2021

Eating Disorders

Fat people have them too! This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America's most under-diagnosed and misunderstood problems. Along the way we talk about elbow bumps, Twitter etiquette and '90s sweatpants. Our content warnings are becoming increasingly threatening. Her...

Listen Transcript

March 16, 2021

Weight Watchers

Get your flex point calculators and food scales! This week, Mike and Aubrey are talking about one of America's most iconic diet programs: Weight Watchers. Along the way, we encounter The Rock, the mating habits of straight people and a new James Bond villain. Support us: Subscribe on Pat...

Listen Transcript

March 2, 2021

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're talking about celebrity favorite THE MASTER CLEANSE! Along the way we roast New Atheism, praise Gwyneth Paltrow (!) and endorse garbanzo bean salads...

Listen Transcript

February 16, 2021

Dr. Oz

This week we're dissecting "America's Doctor." How did a smart, hardworking surgeon become one of TV's leading purveyors of junk science? Along the way we debunk green coffee bean extract, raspberry ketones, conversion therapy (!) and a salad dressing skincare regimen. Su...

Listen Transcript

February 2, 2021

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 ...

Listen Transcript

January 19, 2021

The Biggest Loser

This week we dissect the content and impact of one of America's most harmful TV experiments. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Aubrey’s article on The Biggest Loser That's not reality for me&a...

Listen Transcript

January 5, 2021

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance ...

Listen Transcript

November 24, 2020

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, 'skinny shaming' or the sugar content of melons is legally obligated to join us. Support us: Subscrib...

Listen Transcript

November 17, 2020

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 Patreon Donate on P...

Listen Transcript

November 10, 2020

Moon Juice

What's that Gwyneth Paltrow's drinking? It's MOON JUICE! This week, we're talking adaptogens, brain dust, hot sex milk and the wellness company that's taken L.A. by storm. Be sure to take your quinton shots before you listen to this one. Thanks to Ashley Smith for editin...

Listen Transcript

November 3, 2020

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 Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Mai...

Listen Transcript

October 27, 2020

Fen Phen & Redux

Fen-Phen & Redux were "the next miracle drugs" in the '90s, claiming to help people lose dramatic amounts of weight in just three months. But within a few short years, they'd been pulled from the market. They were just too effective! (Just kidding, they killed some people....

Listen Transcript

October 20, 2020

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's Physical Fitness Test actually make us fitter? (Spoiler: lol no) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Do...

Listen Transcript

October 11, 2020

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's where to find us: Aubrey: https://www.yourfatfriend.com/ Mike: https://rottenindenmark.org/ Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doct...

Listen Transcript