I wanted to like this podcast. I like the idea of it, however I am an actual scientist and have the knowledge and ability to properly critique scientific research papers and how to understand analyze data that is presented in these papers. These two have no science background from my understanding and their commentary and “takes” are usually wildly out of context or completely misinterpreting data. This podcast would be so much better if anyone with a strong scientific research background could help them!

Loved when the early episodes covered goop and Bragg. Not sure when it went off the rails and became so anti-science and anti-health.

Aubrey and Michael are the friends you didn’t know you needed. Incredibly fair and kind and inclusive without being overly ‘woke’. This show has given me a whole new perspective on weight stigma. So funny and listenable.

Aubrey and Michael have great rapport and are fun to listen to. Some of the episodes are quite entertaining, particularly ones where they dig into some of the more ridiculous fads and health advice out there. I think it’s also great they address anti-fat bias as it’s something no one else seems to want to talk about. Where the show becomes exhausting is when their episodes tackle more established and accepted science (e.g. 10,000 Steps Myth, The Trouble With Sugar, The Trouble With Calories, etc.). It’s one thing to poke holes in these topics and find where the research or science is imperfect or incomplete. Fair enough. But they seem to take their criticism too far with these subjects, almost as if to write them off entirely as things we should not listen to at all. I think it’s reckless to be so dismissive of science that is well established in the medical community. It would be better if they identify the shortcomings of the research and then provide alternative ideas or solutions, but they don’t. So just be aware that this show is more for entertainment purposes than practical health advice.

This show has helped me heal from the trauma of growing up fat in an extremely fatphobic world and the years of disordered eating it caused. Thank you 💜💜💜

i love this show

this podcast has pushed me to think about the biases I have and how deeply deeply ingrained the “thin = healthy” idea is in just about every aspect of our lives that I didn’t really notice too much before this podcast. Some reviews say that the hosts are too negative and don’t give advice on what to do after debunking a topic, however they always emphasize to eat in ways that make YOU feel nourished, and to find activities that YOU love. I like how they challenge the idea that being fat is a lack of willpower, that it means you don’t care about yourself and your wellbeing, and that it’s a morality issue. It’ll be a long road ahead of breaking these all down but I really do want to thank the hosts for creating this podcast. Not only are they super well spoken and articulate ideas well, but the two have a great energy and great humor that they feel like friends to me! Thanks again!

for a podcast that prides itself on “debunking,” it is absolutely full of disinformation… i’m a leftist who thinks people of all sizes should be treated with love, but the hosts misrepresent information and cherry pick things to fit their narrative… it’s pretty clear that the reviewers claiming this is a “well researched” podcast that has “taught them so much,” haven’t looked into the data presented by the hosts. lastly, the hosts can be quite mean and condescending, even when they are very wrong. as someone suffering from an eating disorder i really wanted to like this podcast, but i just can’t.

Love the show but couldn’t get through the mad cow disease episode lol. Freaked me out too much and so gross. Looking forward to the next one.

Very funny and super informative. And they list all their citations in the podcast notes, which 😍

Thought provoking information presented by two likable hosts with great chemistry between them. I already knew of Michael Hobbes from other podcasts, and Audrey is a true joy who challenges my perspective on every episode. I appreciate you two!!

I hate waiting for each new episode. This is my all-time favorite podcast, and I can’t get enough of either Aubrey or Michael. More please!

Aubrey and Michael are hilarious, and the podcast is both informative and entertaining. Only issues I have are sometimes the mockery of people’s experiences can be a bit dismissive (especially if it goes against their core belief system) and tthey seem to question most scientific studies (which is important to do) but at the same time use scientific studies that are aligned with their own core beliefs pretty unquestionably. Additionally, as a person of color, it can be exhausting hearing Aubrey mention how marginalized we are all the time. For example, if a diet requires you to spend money at the grocery store or someone mentions people who eat fast food, she’ll be like “And who they’re excluding are poor people of color or who they’re really talking about when they say people who eat fast food are poor people of color” etc. Like girl I get it, but also stop trying to sum up all of our experiences based on what you think you know about people of color. These issues aren’t so large, however, that I don’t still thoroughly enjoy the podcast most of the time.

But really would have appreciated a content warning for describing disgusting brain diseases I got so nauseous hearing about sponge brains

Aubrey: “Hang on. We’ve got to unpack cannibal hamsters.”

Aubrey is so ultra-zesty and a true observational wit, and Michael is truly darling and impishly funny. Would love to have at least two spiked beverages with both of them.

I really liked Mike from You’re Wrong About so I followed him over to this podcast which has so many topics that intrigue me. Unfortunately I had to stop listening bc I found the tone and volume of Audrey’s voice extremely grating. I appreciate her enthusiasm and passion but she is practically yelling into the mic and I feel like it’s such a different vibe to Mike’s podcast voice that’s it’s almost jarring to hear the back and forth. I wish volume can be balanced a bit more in post production.

Aubrey and Mike are incredible and I am so grateful for their ability to synthesize really nuanced topics with excellent research and humor. #MethodologyQueens for life!

My favorite podcast of all time. Period. I NEVER want them to stop making episodes!!!

We are steeped in anti fat bias by the weight loss/exercise (not going to call it fitness) industry so completely we don’t even notice it. Thanks for shining a light on the cruelty. Aubrey’s lovely voice on Science Friday today, more please!

The hosts are so fun to listen to! I love both of them. They do excellent research and discuss complex topics with superb critical thinking skills. Yet the podcast is super accessible and fun to listen to. They are fair and compassionate. I highly recommend this podcast!!

I love this podcast as it’s not only challenging the convention of thin=healthy (rhetoric that’s very much rooted in white supremacy, for those of you who are struggling) with analytical gusto, but also because it’s breaking down how fatphobia is used to police, control, and dehumanize others. Even if fat ppl aren’t healthy, we still deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. If you don’t agree that any human, on the basis of being alive and existing, is enough to “deserve” positive community care/treatment- you can keep drinking the white cishetero koolaid, but that’ll never make you their equal.

they are both funny and witty whilst having good information about the topic.

Totally.

My favorite thing about this podcast is that from the first episode I ever listened to I felt like I made two really cool new friends. The dynamic between the hosts makes me feel like we are all out to lunch together as I learn about their latest investigation. I often listen when I feel sad or lonely and they always make me smile. The subject matter and quality of reporting is excellent, but the friendly vibes are what makes this podcast my favorite.

This is more of an argument against negative comments. The hosts actually research their topics! They’re actually explaining how being fat isn’t necessarily bad, some people fat and that’s completely fine! Being fat isn’t always a choice, so you can’t treat it like one. Let people be comfortable in their own bodies! That’s the message of this pocast!

The health of 21st century americans is the LEAST of the problems sugar has caused.

I just made the mistake of scrolling through some of the reviews and couldn’t miss the negative ones - these trolls are gobsmackingly stupid (I know gobsmackingly isn’t a real word but it really works here) - I mean, go ahead and write a negative review but at least do an iota of critical thinking before you bother to post it. These episodes are thoroughly researched, articulated in a way that’s accessible, AND they’re funny. Keep up the excellent work MH & AG 🤩

I have come to think of them as friends. The information and humor are perfectly combined to keep me listening.

I’m a Pediatrician. I started listening to this because I thought it would be fact based information about health rather than weight loss. What bothers me about the many episodes I listened to is the disregard for the actual health affects of being obese. They act as if this isn’t real, with the hostess bragging about her low cholesterol levels. Well, she’s got good genetics and she’s young. For the population I work with (I’m a Pediatrician in a community hospital), obesity is literally killing young Native Americans and Hispanic children. We have seen a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, fatty liver, and asthma - all directly related to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle with American diets. A more effective podcast would be “I’m fat but healthy (for now), and these are the things I plan to do to stay that way).” Promote health for obese people and identify how exactly you plan to stay that way as you age. Sorry but would certainly not recommend to my families as this is not what they need to hear.

This podcast is an interesting and light-hearted discussion about how bad science and even worse reporting are weaponized against people that are already an easy target for bigotry. It’s an exercise in critical thinking, not a diet plan. If you’re looking for calorie counting and inspo, this ain’t that.

Love Michael from MP and you’re wrong about Aubrey’s laugh is so delicious, I feel so full of joy and knowledge after every episode, leaves me smiling every time.

I love Aubrey and Michael! They are my favorite podcasters. I listen to everything that they do. One of my favorite things to do is to google interviews with them and other people. I love seeing how mad Michael get when the interviewer ask what the best diet is. He face is the best. If you want see some literally want to make another person head explode on television just google Michael google and being interviewed about the best diets. I’m super fan. They are incredible.

I have been devouring the episodes of this podcast in the recommendation of my historian friend. Kudos for making incredibly complex and fascinating stories so accessible to the listener with pop culture related topics and the most authentic rapport between cohosts. In one day, I listened to the goop episode, one about Jordon Peterson, super size me, and the cherry on top: the vibrator episode. What a masterclass on historian bias, public opinion construction, and critical media consumption. THANK YOU!!! I can’t wait to listen to the whole backlog.

If you want to stay fat, this is your show. Fat people enabling other fat people… everyone’s a victim, everyone is systemically oppressed. If you actually want to get healthy, stop making excuses and take responsibility for your choices

The most important podcast to be listening to!!! It’s amazing

I thought this was about promoting health and it’s just negative. I haven’t heard anything positive, no good advice to improve health. This last episode 10000 step myth? What is wrong with setting a goal that helps you move? I see it’s a highly rated podcast but I don’t get it.

I just found this podcast and am binging all the episodes. I loved Michael on “You’re wrong about” and didn’t realize how much I Missed you until now. I also love the chemistry and the pacing and overall vibe.

Maintenance Phase is awesome. I learn so much listening to this podcast and it expands my worldview about weight stigma and anti-fat bias, an epidemic in our country. Thank you Aubrey and Michael for your thoughtful podcast.

Well researched and well reasoned, this podcast is helping me unpack the biases and propaganda I’ve internalized over my lifeline. And Aubrey and Michael make the information accessible and enjoyable to learn. Couldn’t be more grateful.

These guys are so funny and I enjoy listening but the way Aubrey and sometimes Michael phrase everything with a question mark at the end—uptalking is what it’s called, and it’s super annoying when you notice it. They (mostly Aubrey) really seem to hate everything health-related. Once I heard them laugh at someone saying that you don’t see any obese elderly people, which is…true. #sorrynotsorry Also I could live without every single show fading out to their laughter. 🫣

Finally, a breakdown of all of the “too good to be true” pseudoscientific diet and wellness trends we’ve been sold. I have so much fun listening to these two and their academic research is trustworthy. This is the podcast you will send your friends and family links to over and over.

If you’ve spent your life having medical “professional s”, friends, family, and concerned strangers filling your head with misinformation about your body and how you should feel, think, or eat… this is the antidote. Set yourself free.

The 10,000 steps episode seems like filler over something that isn’t a problem at all. People should be walking for their health, you guys are even cool with that, 10,000 is a fun number to reach. Who cares? Are you guys running out of ideas? I get it’s hard to lose weight and I don’t care if you like being fat, but what’s next? Playing tennis on a nice 65 degree day is fatphobic? People want to be healthy and yes, fit and that’s not gonna change anytime soon. Maybe do an episode or two on how someone can actually sustainably lose weight. I would love to listen to it.

Ugh no words..I love this show and all the work Michael and Aubrey have put into producing it. All their episodes have been so formative in helping me reframe everything that shaped my understanding of fitness and weightloss (&subsequent ED) throughout my childhood—from the biggest loser, the presidents fitness test, to supersize me; it’s helping me unlearn all the fatphobic things child me had accepted as painful truths

Micheal: Aubrey, have you heard of thing called eating well and exercising? Aubrey: Oh god, don’t get me started on the eating well and exercising industrial complex. M: They say it’s good for people’s mental and physical health but there’s like no evidence to support that. A: No evidence at all! M: Ugh, it’s so stupid. A: Right? So stupid! And scene.

The theme of every episode of this podcast is “science isn’t perfect so just ignore it all and stay fat and unhealthy”. Their tone is so negative and they spend the entire episode justifying being lazy and unhealthy.

They’re right about a lot as far as issues with dieting and if you can really control your own weight, but their claims about the supposed lack of health effects of having excess body fat are as egregious and dangerous as any other medical misinformation circulating online.

I have listened to probably 10 or 15 episodes now. I was initially pulled in because I love data based advice and the hosts are really very entertaining. After a while the show did wear on me as you start to notice the hosts gleefully pick apart almost any strategy anyone has ever had to be healthy and never really seem to offer any alternatives. The hosts biases began to creep out and are hard to miss after you notice. I really still enjoy the show and just pick out the data while toning down the interpretation. If you listened to the hosts you would think humans really have no idea how to be healthy or change their bodies. That’s ultimately why I rated the cast as low as I did even acknowledging that it is entertaining and contains useful data. I would love the hosts to speak more about their own alternative methods for a healthy lifestyle against some of the things they’re criticizing

I LOVE this show. I tell everyone about it. So informative and the hosts always make me chuckle. I’m a nurse practitioner and consider this show part of my “homework” to inform myself to better treat my patients. Y’all are the best