Support YDS on Patreon! Get a FREE Skratch Labs sample pack on us! Are ketone supplements the next big thing in sports performance, or just overpriced hype that tastes like jet fuel? In this episode of Your Diet Sucks , Zoë and Kylee break down the science behind exogenous ketones, including what they are, how they work, and whether they actually improve endurance, recovery, or brain function. We explore the difference between ketone esters, salts, and precursors like Ketone IQ, plus the wild b...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Support us on Patreon! Thanks to Skratch Labs for sponsoring the podcast! Get a free sample pack on us! This week on Your Diet Sucks , we’re digging into one of the most misunderstood—and over-marketed—topics in endurance sports: nutrition for female athletes. You’ve probably heard the myths: women should eat for their body type, avoid carbs during their cycle, or that we're not just small men when it comes to fueling. But most of that advice isn’t based on solid science; it’s based on outdated ...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Join our Patreon and get access to monthly bonus episodes and more nutriton content! Can fasting really slow aging? Does calorie restriction work for humans, or just for mice and yeast? And how much protein do you actually need to age well? This week on Your Diet Sucks , we break down the evidence behind the most talked-about interventions in the longevity space, what holds up under scrutiny, what doesn’t, and why you might not need a supplement stack to live longer, and enjoy life. We dig into:...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Join our Patreon to get monthly bonus episodes! patreon.com/YourDietSucks This common kitchen staple might boost your endurance—or send you sprinting to the porta potty. In this Patreon-exclusive episode, we break down the science of sodium bicarbonate: what it is, how it works, who should (and shouldn’t) use it, and why it’s become the legal white powder of choice for some elite athletes. 💥 It’s only $3/month to join—and you’ll get: Monthly bonus episodes like this one Direct access to Kylee f...
May 26, 2025•13 min
Get a Skratch Labs sample pack on us! Support us on Patreon! Thanks, Janji! Use code YDS for 10% off! Are CGMs the new step counter—or a $200 anxiety machine? In this episode, Zoë and Kylee discuss blood sugar basics, why fluctuations are normal, and how endurance athletes can make sense of numbers like A1C and glucose spikes without spiraling into diet culture doom . We break down: Why blood sugar goes up (and why that’s not a bad thing) What CGMs actually tell you (and what they don’t ) How st...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Use code YDSAMPLE for a free snack pack from Skratch Labs! Support us on Patreon! Is organic food actually healthier—or just more expensive? This week on Your Diet Sucks , Zoë and Kylee break down the real science behind organic food, including what “organic” really means for produce, meat, and packaged snacks. We cover nutrition claims, pesticide exposure, antioxidant levels, and whether organic food impacts inflammation, gut health, or performance. We also dive into the environmental trade-off...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Want to try Skratch for free? Use code YDSAMPLE at skratchlabs.com for a free Fuel Sample Pack, including singles of their Sport Drink Mix, Super High-Carb Sport Drink Mix, Energy Bar, and Energy Chew. This bonus episode of Your Diet Sucks is brought to you in collaboration with Skratch Labs , creators of science-backed hydration and fueling products made for athletes and anyone who sweats on purpose. Whether you're training for an ultramarathon, recovering from a high-intensity workout, or ju...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Support us on Patreon! GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are everywhere — from medical journals to fitness influencers. But what do they actually do, and what happens when active people use them in pursuit of performance, health, or body change? In this episode, we unpack: The science behind semaglutides: how they work and what they were designed for What the research actually shows about weight loss, metabolism, and long-term health Why these drugs can complicate training, recovery, and fueli...
Apr 16, 2025•51 min
Support us on Patreon! In this special bonus episode, we're live at Skratch Labs in Boulder for a high-energy AMA! Zoë and Kylee tackle your biggest nutrition questions: from hydration hacks and gut-friendly teas to creatine for endurance athletes and whether IV drips are worth it before a race. Plus, budget fueling tips, travel nutrition, and why you should probably practice your aid station cup technique. Get ready for laughs, science, and some surprisingly useful metaphors (ever measured swea...
Apr 09, 2025•46 min
Support us on Patreon! Follow us on Instagram @yourdietsuckspod ! This week, Kylee and Zoë take a deep dive into ultra-processed foods: what they are, where they came from, how they’re designed to light up your brain’s reward systems, and what role they play in athletic nutrition. We talk about everything from cereal meant to prevent sinning to the low-fat diet craze, the war-time origins of shelf-stable food, and the engineering behind the foods that are hyper-palatable. We also get into the la...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Support us on Patreon! This week on Your Diet Sucks , Kylee and Zoë take a hard look at health documentaries, specifically the cult classic Game Changers —aka, the boner experiment film—and other nutrition flicks that have people rethinking their entire diet for about a week. They break down why these documentaries always go full fear-mongering mode, how they cherry-pick studies to push an agenda, why they obsess over masculinity and strength, the biggest nutrition myths they keep pushing, and h...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Support us on Patreon! What happens when the pressure to perform collides with the pressure to look a certain way? This week, we’re tackling body image in sports and fitness—breaking down the differences between body dysmorphia, body dissatisfaction, and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and why athletes are especially vulnerable. From social media-fueled comparison traps (looking at you, Facetune) to toxic fitness culture and outdated coaching methods, we explore why so many athletes struggle wit...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Support us on Patreon! Follow us on Instagram! Your Diet Sucks is back, and today Zoë and Kylee are diving into the Wild Wild West of sports nutrition marketing—where sugar is the enemy, ketones are tactical, and somehow, gels need to be “guilt-free.” In this episode, we break down how sports nutrition marketing plays on fear, misinformation, and diet culture to sell you products that may or may not actually help you perform. We unpack why terms like “guilt-free” are designed to manipulate you (...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 19 min
You came here for nutrition tips and maybe some good-natured dunking on diet fads—not a deep dive into politics. But here’s the thing: food and health are political. And with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushing his "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) agenda, it's impossible to ignore how his take on fitness, food, and public health is pulling people into his camp. On the surface, MAHA taps into real concerns—ultra-processed foods, chronic disease, corporate influence on health policy. But beneath the ...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Support us on Patreon! Is sugar the enemy? Or is it just misunderstood? In this episode of Your Diet Sucks Zoë and Kylee dive deep into the science and misconceptions behind sugar addiction, breaking down the science behind dopamine, deprivation, and diet culture. Join us as we cut through the BS, debunk inflammatory headlines, and reclaim the middle ground between demonizing sugar and downing 591 Sour Patch Kids (Zoë!!). If you’ve ever felt guilty about a cupcake or been told to fear fruit, thi...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 8 min
YDS is sponsored by Janji! Use our code "YDS" for 10% off your purchase. YDS is sponsored by Microcosm Coaching. Get matched with a certified coach today! New Year, same unrealistic resolutions? Zoë and Kylee dive into the science, myths, and psychology behind habit formation—and why your January goals are destined to flop without a game plan. From ancient Babylonian promises to modern-day Quitters Day, we unpack the history of resolutions, the cognitive biases that sabotage them, and why you ca...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Join the Feisty Fueled Challenge! Sponsored by Microcosm Coaching and Fly Nutrition. Happy New Year! It’s the season of crash diets and bad advice, so we’re here to cut through the noise with evidence-based answers to your nutrition questions. In this episode, we’re covering: How to pick the best protein powder (and why Kylee has a lot of opinions). The secret to knowing if you’re eating enough without counting calories. Tips for finding the right gel without losing your mind. How to challenge b...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 13 min
Join the Feisty Fueled Challenge! Kylee and Zoë wade into the murky waters of "racing weight"—a concept that’s been messing with athletes’ heads since the early days of endurance sports. From ancient Greek wrestlers sweating it out in bathhouses to modern-day endurance athletes chewing gum to spit out extra grams (yes, that’s a thing), the obsession with weight and performance has a long, bizarre history. We unpack the origins of this idea, critique the pseudoscience and harmful messaging it oft...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Ask Kylee and Zoë Anything! We're looking for listener questions for an "Ask Us Anything" episode in the New Year! Follow us on the 'gram. In this episode, Kylee and Zoë dive unpack the history of superfoods and why the term might have more to do with marketing than science (spoiler alert, I guess?). We debunk some popular superfood myths and examine the downsides of being hyper-reliant on any one food or ingredient when it comes to maximizing health and performance. Then, we walk through the fo...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Kylee and Zoë dive deep into the culture and science of biohacking, from cold plunges to Bulletproof coffee to see why we're all obsessed with the idea that "one weird trick" can have huge results. We unpack where the idea of biohacking came from, and how it has become a major factor in many athletes, especially men's diets. We'll look at some studies that show how the trend is feeding into many men's disordered relationships with food, and ask the question: is biohacking just another way for du...
Nov 27, 2024•52 min
Take Our Audience Survey! This podcast is supported by Microcosm Coaching and Fly Nutrition . Does tracking your sleep, steps, and nutrition actually make you healthier? In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, Kylee and Zoë dive into the research on when activity trackers help and when they might hurt your health. Whether it's orthosomnia or jogging laps around the parking lot, we examine how the quest for optimization can undermine your well-being and how obsessively tracking your metrics and stats...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 5 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching and Fly Nutrition . How influential are influencers, anyway? Studies show that the folks we interact with (or don’t!) virtually on social media can have a real impact on our mental and even physical health. From ancient Roman gladiators shilling olive oil and wine to today’s #fitspo influencers shilling supplements and diet hacks, everyone has the capacity to be influenced. In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, Kylee and Zoë unpack why misinformation spreads ...
Oct 30, 2024•58 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. In this episode, Kylee and Zoë dive into the evolving conversation around Orthorexia—a term for an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. We explore the impact of societal norms, social media, and misinformation on people's relationship with food, particularly athletes. As more people seek to "clean up" their diets, we’re seeing how rigid rules and an obsession with food purity can disrupt lives. We’ll unpack how Orthorexia isn't officially recognized i...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. Kylee and Zoë dive into the Wild West of supplementation for athletes. We unpack the history of how athletes have been trying to gain an edge since the very first Olympics (with figs!) and how a lack of regulation makes it tough to know what substances are backed by evidence and what supplements belong in a gas station bathroom. We discuss what athletes should know about contamination and competition and what questions everyone should ask themselves if...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 2 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. At least 30 million Americans have an eating disorder, but only 1 in 10 people gets the treatment they need. Why? Kylee and Zoë debunk common myths about eating disorders, from who they affect to how they’re treated. We dive into the history of eating disorders and how common misbeliefs about mental illness shape their treatment today. We examine how weight stigma impacts treatment and why so many EDs are considered “atypical.” Then, we offer some prac...
Sep 18, 2024•58 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. Kylee and Zoë take a magic school bus ride into the microbiome! We go back (waaay back) into the origins of the human microbiome and examine the research on how gut biota affects and interplays with athletic performance. Put your gloves on, because we’re digging into Zoë’s microbiome to get to know her on a very, very intimate level (the microbial level!). We also discuss common and uncommon causes of GI distress and what athletes can do to support the...
Sep 04, 2024•57 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. Zoë and Kylee break down why diets feel so...culty lately. From Paleo bros to Keto fanatics, we dive into why people are drawn to rigid ways of eating, and how to know if you just might be in a diet cult yourself!
Aug 21, 2024•38 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. In this episode, Kylee and Zoë explore the complicated history that humans have with alcohol and athletics. We dive into the deep past (shoutout to our simian ancestors!) and see why scientists think humans developed a taste for something that seems counterproductive to passing on our genes (looking at you, Smirnoff blue raspberry). We try to parse out why alcohol is so closely tied to endurance sports and take a deep dive into what the research says a...
Aug 07, 2024•47 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. Would you run 100 miles with zero calories? Should you? In episode two, we break down the history - and the science - of fasting. We dive into why athletes seem drawn to a mentality of doing more with less fuel and the potential benefits of fasting compared with the downsides. Melin A, Tornberg ÅB, Skouby S, Møller SS, Sundgot-Borgen J, Faber J, Sidelmann JJ, Aziz M, Sjödin A. Energy availability and the female athlete triad in elite endurance athletes...
Jul 24, 2024•47 min
YDS is supported by Microcosm Coaching. Welcome to episode one! Get to know hosts Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom and why they’re endlesslessly fascinated with food. In this episode, we ask why athletes seem so prone to diet bullsh*t and pseudoscience. We discuss how social media has hastened the spread of pseudoscience and why “experts” tend to overstate their experience. We conclude with a discussion of Bullsh*t Red Flags to help you identify diet nonsense in the wild. References: Melin A., Tor...
Jul 24, 2024•53 min
