Maintenance Phase

Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

About

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

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82 episodes

Richard Simmons Isn't Missing

The internet gets weird investigating the "disappearance" of Americas gay best friend. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 5m
Nov 21
Richard Simmons

Part 1: The Early Years Before building his fitness empire, America’s most bedazzled fitness guru was a guy named Milton from New Orleans.  SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 1m
Oct 25
The Myers-Briggs Personality Test

How a mother, a daughter and a crackpot Swiss psychologist gave us the worlds most popular Buzzfeed quiz. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

55m
Sep 12
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 were back to [Mortal Kombat voice] FINISH HIM!!! This was supposed to be a Patreon bonus episode but wed 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/juliaserano Parker Molloy: https://www.readtpa.com/ Katelyn Burns: https://www.patreon.com/katelynburns Evan Urquhart: https://www.assignedmedia.org/support Erin Reed: https://www.erininthemorning.com/ Or organizations that work with trans youth in the UK: Mermaids: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/ Stonewall: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the Show. https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 3m
Jul 01
"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 2: Panic! At The Endocrinologist.

Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com https://www.jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano https://www.patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart https://www.assignedmedia.org/, Parker Molloy https://www.readtpa.com/ and Katelyn Burns https://x.com/transscribe for fact-checking! SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the Show. https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 31m
Jun 18
"Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria"

Panic! At the endocrinologist. Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson (jgillpeterson.com https://www.jgillpeterson.com) and Julia Serano (patreon.com/juliaserano http://www.patreon.com/juliaserano) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart https://www.assignedmedia.org/ and Parker Molloy https://www.readtpa.com/ for fact-checking! SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the Show. https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 27m
May 09
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: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 2m
Apr 04
COVID Conspiracies

What was missing from Americas pandemic response? A sunshine vitamin, a malaria treatment and a whole lot of horse paste. Thanks to Health Nerd https://gidmk.substack.com/ for helping us research and fact-check this episode! SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS: __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 27m
Mar 07
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:  __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

58m
Oct 10, 2023
"Soy Boys"

How a plant-based pejorative went from an alt-right burn to a core concern of mainstream Republicans. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

44m
Sep 12, 2023
RFK Jr. And The Secret Meeting That Wasn’t Secret

Join us for a 75 minute answer to a 5 word question: Is there mercury in vaccines? SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 13m
Aug 01, 2023
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: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 14m
Jul 18, 2023
Pilates

Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ever. Were as surprised as you are. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

44m
Jul 04, 2023
Brittany Dawn

How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains. LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 1m
Jun 20, 2023
BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore

Were taking a much-needed break this week so to tide you over here is one of our bonus episodes! SUPPORT US: __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

56m
Jun 06, 2023
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: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 8m
May 23, 2023
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: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 3m
May 09, 2023
The 10,000 Steps Myth

This week were digging into the weird  history of an omnipresent fitness goal. Episode comes free with a happy meal. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

49m
Apr 25, 2023
The Trouble with Sugar

This week were tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, its 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: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

49m
Apr 11, 2023
"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? (were so sorry) Thanks to Katherine Flegal for helping Mike with this episode! SUPPORT US: __ __ Links! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 2m
Mar 28, 2023
The Instagram Fiber Feud

Aubrey tells Mike about the diet that took over New York City (and its bathrooms). SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

46m
Mar 14, 2023
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: __ __ Links! __ __Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 14m
Feb 28, 2023
Elizabeth Taylor's "Elizabeth Takes Off"

History should make you feel weird and so, apparently, should diet books. SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS! __ __ Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

58m
Feb 14, 2023
“Glorifying Obesity” And Other Myths About Fat People

This week, were talking about Aubreys new book, "You Just Need To Lose Weight and 19 Other Myths About Fat People." And were yelling about Piers Morgan as a little treat. SUPPORT US: __ __ PREORDER AUBREY'S BOOK AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE OR HERE: __ __Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

49m
Jan 03, 2023
Workplace Wellness

Charging disabled people more for health care is illegal. But what about ... charging non-disabled people less? SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS!  __ __Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 12m
Dec 20, 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: __ __ Links! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

51m
Nov 15, 2022
Bonus: Mike's New Podcast!

Mike and Aubrey introduce Mikes new show, If Books Could Kill https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-books-could-kill/id1651876897! Find it on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-books-could-kill/id1651876897, Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2khJBoF73ujIATWUFtSxLD?si=c7ad64a1a40646a5, Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/if-books-could-kill, Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMDQwOTUzLnJzcw and wherever else you get your podcasts. Also, dont forget to pre-order Aubreys new book https://www.stitcher.com/show/if-books-could-kill! SUPPORT US: __ __Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 18m
Nov 08, 2022
The Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Scandal

“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon. Support us: __ __ Links! __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 1m
Nov 01, 2022
Mini-Sode: The Dr. Oz Campaign

Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and promises of Dr. Ozs Senate campaign in Pennsylvania.  Plus! A re-run of our complete Dr. Oz episode from last year.  Support us: __ __ Links: __ __ Thanks to Ashley Smith https://www.cosmicbigfoot.com/ for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

1h 13m
Oct 18, 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 Americas first health influencer. (Thats not true, but neither is anything else in this episode.) Thanks to David Johnston for providing sources for this week’s episode! SUPPORT US: __ __ LINKS: __ __ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dreamchip/ for our lovely theme song! Support the show https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase

55m
Oct 11, 2022