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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 Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The Woman Who Fooled The World What we know about Belle Gibson The mystery of Belle Gibson, who claimed she cured cancer with clean living Friends and doctors raise doubts over 'Heal...
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 Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links!: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet Kaiser Karl: The Life of Karl Lagerfeld Karl Lagerfeld: My childhood was very simple A Look Back at Designer Karl Lagerfeld’s Iconic Fash...
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 PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-Loss Camp for Kids Two teenagers placed in foster care after weight loss plan fails Calls to set up fat camps for obe...
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 episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Walker's TED Talk Alexey's blog post: Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" Is Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors Walker’s Response Troub...
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 linked to genitals (it isn’t) and that vibrators were used primarily by cis women (they weren’t). We love our trans listeners and we don’t want to do anything that makes them feel excluded, so we’ve removed the s...
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: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Katherine Flegal’s “The obesity wars and the education of a researcher” Walter Willett's " Evidence does not s...
Aubrey and Michael dive into Angela Lansbury's 1990 fitness book and 1988 home VHS, "Positive Moves," positioning her as the "anti-Goop" of wellness. They analyze her surprisingly progressive (for its time) approach, which emphasizes joyful, accessible movement, self-acceptance, and a holistic view of health, including naps and senior sexual health. The discussion also touches on the subtle ways her advice reflects her privilege and the challenges of navigating weight loss conversations in fat-positive spaces.
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 us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The infamous Tik Tok Savy Writes Books' video essays The Rise & Fall of Rachel Hollis The Divin...
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 Support the show...
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 her 2010 book, “A Course in Weight Loss." Along the way we talk nonprofit drama, Eleanor Roosevelt and gays for Marianne. Plus, Mike’s got a message for the twinks. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon D...
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 Empire. “No one may starve in the British Empire”: Kwashiorkor, Protein and the Politics of Nutrition Between Britain and Africa “How Little Progress”? A Political Economy of Postcolonial Nutrition Support us: Hear bon...
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 Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Books! Fat Politics Killer Fat The End of the Obesity Epidemic Folk Devils and Moral Panics Moral Panics Links! American Obesity Association PSA ...
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.” Along the way they visit 18th century Belgium, learn a gross new acronym and dissect Dracula's facial features. LINKS!: The Bizarre and Racist History of the BMI (Elemental) Adolphe Quetelet, Social Ph...
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 blog post and it all came crashing down. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers, face masks and more Links! A Credibility Crisis in Food Science Statist...
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! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! What Is the Keto Diet and Does It Work? (NYT) The Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss (Today’...
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 Oprahfication of American Culture Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980 Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Behind the Bastards ...
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's books: Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980 Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers ...
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 ever seen. Plus, we start the show with an announcement: We're doing Patreon-only bonus episodes! Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get...
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 Rothschild is on Twitter and you can pre-order his book here ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistan...
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 & Britney Spears on Star Search Ed McMahon for American Family Sweepstakes Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Lynn Barbera for editing ass...
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 Selling of Olestra Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything The 1996 Federal Register The Trouble With Fries Reduction of the body burden of PCBs and DDE by dietary intervention in a randomized trial Review of the ...
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. Here's Erin's faculty page and a bunch of her research ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Mitra Kaboli for production support and Doctor Drea...
Maintenance Phase unpacks the complex history of Weight Watchers, from its origins stealing a public health diet to its evolution under corporate ownership and various rebrands. The hosts expose the company's continuous financial struggles, its problematic marketing tactics targeting teens and children, and the dubious science behind its supposed effectiveness. The episode critically examines the societal impact of Weight Watchers' "support group" model, highlighting how it fosters negative body image and hinders genuine community support for fat people.
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. Mike wishes to clarify that he adores Kate Bush and quips with the utmost affection. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links!: The Master Clea...
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. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links: Transcript of the infamous Congressional hearing The Making of Dr. Oz Columbia and the Problem of Dr. Oz The FTC lawsuit agai...
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 roasts the state where most of his family lives. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links: Snake Oil, Hustlers & Hambones by Mary Ande...
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': Australian audiences respond to the Biggest Loser "Cheapening the struggle:" obese people's attitudes towards the Biggest Loser The Effects of Reality Television on Weight Bias: An Examination of The Biggest Loser 'It's a miracle no one...
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 Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! What is biohacking? The new “science” of optimizing your brain and body. (Vox) Halo Top Is Now the Most Popular Pint of Ice Cream in America (Food and Wine) What It's Like to Eat Nothi...
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: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Get Aubrey's book in the U.S.: Powell's Books Bookshop.org Beacon Press Buy from your local bookstore on Indiebound Get Aubrey's book outs...
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 PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Mike's "Victim's Rights" episode on his other show! The Trial of Dan White: The Diminished Capacity ("Twinkie") Defense Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death ...
