Food, We Need To Talk - podcast cover

Food, We Need To Talk

A science-based, humor laced approach to health and fitness. With the help of top researchers from the health and wellness fields, Juna Gjata and Dr. Eddie Phillips break down the science behind good nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, and more. Includes a generous helping of sarcasm (Juna), dad jokes (Eddie), and pristine sound design (our awesome producers).

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Episodes

Can You Lose Weight Eating ANYTHING, How To Get Back Into the Gym, and Getting Your Kids To Eat "Healthy" - Q&A

Today, you've got Q's, we've got A's! What do you do if you don't like resistance training? How do you get back into the gym after a long break? Can you lose weight if you're eating junk food? And how can you get kids to eat healthy without putting certain foods off limits? Join us for this spooky Q&A. Remember to head to our website for our show notes ! Follow us on Instagram @foodweneedtotalk . Find Juna on Instagram @theofficialjuna . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choic...

Oct 31, 202240 min

Where Does the Fat Go? (And Other Concerns)

If you've ever wondered where fat goes when you lose weight, what exactly a calorie is, and what on earth physics has to do with all of it, this is the episode for you! Today, we talk to Ruben Meerman, AKA “the surfing scientist”, about the physiology and the physics of our bodies. What do atoms have to do with calories? What does carbon dioxide have to do with your waistline?! Find out today. Remember to head to our website for our show notes ! Follow us on Instagram @foodweneedtotalk . Find Ju...

Oct 17, 202223 min

Cardio, Lifting... or BOTH? The Best Exercise for Weight Loss, Health, and Longevity

Chances are you're one of two types of people: you love running, biking, and spin... or you love being at the gym, lifting weights, and HIIT. Whether your goal is weight loss, health, or longevity (or all three), there seems to be a never-ending debate. We know exercise is "good," but should we be doing cardio? Or lifting weights? Or maybe... BOTH? Today's episode is for the cardio bunnies and the gym rats, and everybody in between. PS: Our friends at Mind Pump are hooking us up: All exercise pr...

Oct 03, 202232 min

Sleep, Weight Gain, Eating, and Health

We spend over a third of our lives asleep, so it must be pretty darn important--but why? What is going on in our brains when we sleep? What makes sleep so crucial for our overall health, and how does it affect our eating, weight, energy, and mood? And perhaps most importantly, how can we improve our sleep? Today, a conversation with Dr. Param Dedhia on all things sleep: circadian rhythms, blue light, Eddie's trials and tribulations in medical school, and more! Remember to head to our website for...

Sep 19, 202251 min

Is the Freshman 15 a Real Thing?

Back to school season is here, which means late nights, yummy foods, and a LOT of socializing. The Freshman 15 (the weight gain many experience in their freshman year of college) is something we've all heard about, but is there any science behind it? In this episode, we figure out exactly what happens when we go back to school that makes it so hard to keep up our usual health behaviors, and what we can do about it. Get ready for a deep dive into staying healthy, happy, and sane... even in school...

Sep 05, 202228 min

Wrestling With Body Positivity, Losing Weight Without Disordered Eating, and Eating Healthy in College - Q&A

We answer some questions from YOU, our listeners. In this episode, we cover balancing body positivity and overall health, navigating your relationship to food after having dealt with disordered eating, and... it's back to school season! So how do we maintain good healthy habits, even while we're in school? Remember to head to our website for our show notes: https://www.foodweneedtotalk.com/ And please take our 5-minute survey for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! https://www.foodweneedtota...

Aug 22, 202235 min

A "Healthy" Relationship with "Unhealthy" Food ft. Jordan Syatt

Having a good relationship with food is complicated. Sure, we should be eating our fruits and veggies, of course we should exercise, but when does this go too far? Is not being able to eat cake at a birthday party truly "healthy?" Today, we talk to Jordan Syatt, a record-holding powerlifter and formerly Gary Vee's personal trainer, about how to develop a healthy relationship even with "unhealthy" food. Note: We discuss restriction, binge eating, and eating disorders in this week's episode. All s...

Aug 08, 202227 min

Stress, Eating, and Weight

We usually think of stress as a "bad" thing, something to be avoided–but is stress actually bad for our health? How does stress affect our eating and our food choices? Why do some of us gain weight when we get stressed, while others lose weight? This week, we talk to Professor Daryl O'Connor of University of Leeds all about stress, food, and our waistlines. All shownotes can be found on our website: https://www.foodweneedtotalk.com Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Jul 25, 202230 min

How to Create Habits and Hack Your Health

You know those people who have it all together—their eating, their exercise, their work life—all seemingly with no effort? Well, it turns out it's not because they have amazing "self-control" or "will power." It's actually because they have really good habits. In this episode, we speak to Professor Wendy Wood all about how to create new habits, break bad ones, and the power of habit hacking and habit stacking. All the shownotes can be found on our website: https://www.foodweneedtotalk.com Learn ...

Jul 11, 202236 min

From "Fat Is In" to "Slim-Thick" - A History of Dieting

From the time of the Victorians to the time of the Kardashians, there's always been a body type that's been "in." The only problem? It's always changing. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Katharina Vester of American University about the origins of body ideals and how they have impacted society and culture over time. Having a six pack used to mean you were broke? Only men were allowed to watch their weight? The surprising history of dieting and our bodies. All shownotes on our website: www.foodwen...

Jun 27, 202232 min

Be Kind...Even To Yourself

We all have that little voice inside our heads—you know the one: calling you names, criticizing everything you do, just in general being a negative Nancy. Although we may think "tough love" will get us to our goals faster, it turns out it may actually backfire and make it harder to be successful. On this episode, we talk to Dr. Kristin Neff all about the science of self-compassion, and how practicing it may actually help us stick to our goals and live happier, healthier lives. You can find all o...

Jun 13, 202228 min

Here's What We Do Agree On About Nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, it seems like we disagree about nearly everything: carbs, sugar, fat... even fruit. But, it turns out, there's actually a lot that the entire scientific community agrees on. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Christopher Gardner about nutrition science, what we've gotten wrong, and more importantly, what we've gotten right. It turns out, nutrition may not be as complicated as we make it seem. Find all shownotes on our website . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.o...

May 30, 202232 min

The Magic of NON-Exercise

We've all heard advice like "take the stairs!" or "park in the furthest spot," but can this stuff actually make a difference? What's the point of movement if it's not leaving you out of breath, dripping in sweat, and sore the next day? This week, we talk to Dr. James Levine about the powerful health (and non-health) benefits of non-exercise. Get ready to bust out the bike desk. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

May 16, 202231 min

Is Your Body Working Against You?

You know the feeling: you start eating right, working out, you’re seeing some progress and then…your body just stops responding. Over 80% of diets fail, but WHY? Juna and Eddie talk to Dr. Paul MacLean, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at University of Colorado School of Medicine, about what happens at the end of a diet and the biological drive to regain weight. Tune in to find out what happens to appetite, movement, fat storage and more AFTER the diet. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.p...

May 02, 202230 min

The Surprising Secrets of Your Metabolism

The metabolism may seem like a magical concept: some people eat whatever they want and don’t gain weight. Others so much as look at a dessert and feel the pounds creeping on. But what do we know about our metabolism? Can it speed up? Can it slow down? Does yo-yo dieting damage our metabolisms? On this episode, Juna and Eddie talk to Dr. Herman Pontzer, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University all about the ins and outs of human energy expenditure, and what hunter gathe...

Apr 18, 202228 min

Is It Really Just About the Calories?

Are all calories created equal? Do calories even matter? Are calories ALL that matter? In this episode, Juna and Eddie talk to EC Synkowski, founder of Optimize Me Nutrition, about those little things we all love to hate: calories. What are they, and should we even be paying attention? Listen up, the answer may surprise you… You can find EC on Instagram, here: www.instagram.com/optimizemenutrition And her amazing website, here: https://optimizemenutrition.com Learn about your ad choices: dovetai...

Apr 04, 202224 min

First Listen - We're Back!

Juna and Eddie are back to tackle all the health and fitness topics you guys requested most! With guidance from some of the world’s top experts, some witty banter, and a good helping of dad jokes, Juna and Eddie dive deep into the science behind intermittent fasting, metabolism, aging, fat loss, microbiome and more. Find out what works, what doesn’t, and why, every two weeks right here on Food We Need to Talk, a science-based, humor-laced approach to health and fitness. Learn about your ad choic...

Mar 21, 20222 min

Your Body, Your Self

From weight stigma to the "Health At Every Size" movement, Eddie and Juna dig into the complex issue of body image with Dr. Mark Berman, Dr. Lesley Williams, Janet Tomiyama, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford and Sal Distefano. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Mar 09, 202024 min

Disordered Eating And Eating Disorders

Juna reveals that she is battling an eating disorder and explores how and why dieting can tip into problem territory, and what to do about it. Experts in this episode include Jenny Thomas, co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Kristin Javaras, clinical psychologist at McLean Hospital. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Feb 24, 202025 min

Supplements And Snake Oils

Want a flat stomach? A faster metabolism? Maybe to get rid of that cellulite? Well, there's a supplement for that. If only it were so easy... But as with most things in life, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Guests in this episode include champion lifter Layne Norton and Dr. Pieter Cohen. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Feb 17, 202023 min

Stress, Stress, Stress and Your Waistline

"Stress eating" can shift food preferences toward sugar and fat, leading Eddie and Juna to try the famous "raisin exercise." They also check in with Dr. John Denninger at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine and Dr. Marc Potenza at Yale School of Medicine. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Feb 03, 202021 min

Am I Destined To Be This Size?

You know better than to expect life to be fair. But still, it's enough to drive anyone crazy: Some people seem to be able to eat anything they want and never gain weight. About 50% of weight variation stems from genetics, according to Rooth Loos, a professor of public health at the Icahn School of Medicine. We'll also hear from Yale neuroscientist Dana Small. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jan 20, 202017 min

How Can I Become A Fat-Burning Machine?

Asked for just one recommendation for lifelong health, our experts all had the same answer: exercise. And there's one type of exercise that may bring the best benefit in the least amount of time. Experts include: Wayne Westcott, Sal Di Stefano, and Jackie Shahar. (Bonus: For more on exercise, listen to "The Magic Pill": https://www.wbur.org/magicpill ) Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Jan 13, 202020 min

What The Heck Should We Eat?

Possibly the best thing you can do to help yourself eat better is not about choosing a particular type of food at all. It's about the quality of what you eat. The hosts distill the state of nutrition science down to a few helpful basics. Experts include: Dr. Walter Willett, Michael Pollan and Dr. Rani Polak. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jan 06, 202021 min

This Is Your Brain On Cheesecake

Among the scary insights that brain science can offer into junk foods: eating them tends to shift food preferences long-term -- at least, in mice. Co-hosts Dr. Eddie Phillips and Juna Gjata discuss what happens in your brain when you eat the most craveable foods. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dec 30, 201919 min

Good Food, Bad Food

What if there’s no forbidden fruit? What if you think about eating to take care of yourself? In episode two, Juna describes the judgments she and others impose on themselves and their food choices. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dec 23, 201921 min

Doomed If You Diet, Doomed If You Don’t

Episode one! 24-year-old co-host Juna Gjata says restrictive eating has made her miserable her entire adult life, but she’s sure if she stops she’ll "literally gain 20 pounds on gingerbread lattes peppermint mochas." Enter Dr. Eddie Phillips, founder of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine and a seasoned doctor, who aims to help Juna get to a happier, healthier place with food. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Dec 23, 201919 min

First Listen

One woman's quest to end her war with food. Hosts Juna Gjata and Dr. Eddie Phillips wield solid science, medical knowledge, common sense and an endless supply of dad jokes to teach us how to eat better and feel better about it. Hint: It’s not dieting. They discuss exercise, body image, food addiction, genetics, weight loss and more. A WBUR production. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dec 06, 20193 min
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