Your Diet Sucks – Details, episodes & analysis

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Your Diet Sucks

Zoë Rom

Health & Fitness

Frequency: 1 episode/13d. Total Eps: 78

Diet culture, you've met your scientific match. Hosted by an elite ultrarunner/journalist and a registered dietitian, Your Diet Sucks dismantles the myths, trends, and pseudoscience that screw up how we think about food, health, and fitness. Subscribe to bonus episodes here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/microcosm-coaching0/subscribe

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Apple Podcasts

🇨🇦 Canada - nutrition
22/08/2026
#24
🇺🇸 USA - nutrition
22/08/2026
#23
🇫🇷 France - nutrition
22/08/2026
#79
🇨🇦 Canada - nutrition
21/08/2026
#22
🇺🇸 USA - nutrition
21/08/2026
#20
🇨🇦 Canada - nutrition
20/08/2026
#22
🇺🇸 USA - nutrition
20/08/2026
#30
🇨🇦 Canada - nutrition
19/08/2026
#48
🇺🇸 USA - nutrition
19/08/2026
#32
🇨🇦 Canada - nutrition
18/08/2026
#35

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https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/
27 shares
https://janji.com/
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https://www.teepublic.com/user/your-diet-sucks
9 shares

https://www.patreon.com/YourDietSucks
14 shares
https://www.patreon.com/c/YourDietSucks
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https://patreon.com/YourDietSucks
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Score global : 48%

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When Diets Become Cults

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 • Duration 38:25

YDS is supported by ⁠⁠Microcosm Coaching. ⁠

What makes a diet become a cult? From Kellogg's sanitarium to modern wellness retreats, the line between "lifestyle" and "indoctrination" is thinner than you'd think. Restrictive eating communities share surprising similarities with high-control groups: charismatic leaders, us-vs-them thinking, purity rituals, and the promise that following the rules will make you special.

In this episode, Kylee and Zoë explore the psychology of why diet communities can feel so consuming—and why leaving them can feel like losing your identity. We trace the history of food-based moral systems, examine the tactics that keep people loyal to restrictive eating patterns, and offer tools for recognizing when "wellness" has crossed into something more controlling.

If you've ever felt like your diet had become your whole personality—or watched someone you love disappear into a food ideology—this episode is for you.

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Is Alcohol Ruining Your Training?

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 • Duration 47:07

YDS is supported by ⁠⁠Microcosm Coaching. ⁠

Is alcohol ruining your training? From post-race beers to wine with dinner, drinking is woven into athletic culture—but what does the research actually say about how alcohol affects performance, recovery, and long-term health?

In this episode, Kylee and Zoë break down the science: how alcohol impacts sleep, hydration, muscle protein synthesis, and hormonal recovery. We explore why athletes drink (spoiler: it's complicated), what "moderate" actually means, and how to make informed decisions without moralizing your choices.

Whether you're wondering if that celebratory beer is sabotaging your gains or just want to understand the trade-offs, this episode gives you the facts without the judgment.

References:

Slingerland, E. (2022). Drunk: How we sipped, danced, and stumbled our way to civilization. Little, Brown Spark.

Popovic, Dejana; Damjanovic, Svetozar S.; Plecas-Solarovic, Bosiljka; Pešić, Vesna; Stojiljkovic, Stanimir; Banovic, Marko; Ristic, Arsen; Mantegazza, Valentina; Agostoni, Piergiuseppe. Exercise capacity is not impaired after acute alcohol ingestion: a pilot study. Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine 17(12):p 896-901, December 2016. | DOI: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000000151

The prohibited list. World Anti Doping Agency. (2024, January 1). https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list

The scientific history of why Humans love drinking booze. (n.d.-a). https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a47449/alcohol-science-history-vice-evans/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Major depression. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression

Prentice, C., Stannard, S. R., & Barnes, M. J. (2015). Effects of heavy episodic drinking on physical performance in club level rugby union players. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 18(3), 268–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2014.04.009

Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, Graziani G, Gaspari A, Minno GD, Ritieni A. Red Wine Consumption and Cardiovascular Health. Molecules. 2019 Oct 8;24(19):3626. doi: 10.3390/molecules24193626. PMID: 31597344; PMCID: PMC6804046.

Ragland G. (1990). Electrolyte abnormalities in the alcoholic patient. Emergency medicine clinics of North America, 8(4), 761–773.

https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm

Nam, Y. S., Lee, G., Yun, J. M., & Cho, B. (2018). Testosterone Replacement, Muscle Strength, and Physical Function. The world journal of men's health, 36(2), 110–122. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.182001

Judelson, D. A., Maresh, C. M., Anderson, J. M., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J. S. (2007). Hydration and muscular performance: does fluid balance affect strength, power and high-intensity endurance?. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 37(10), 907–921. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200737100-00006

Sullivan, E. V., Harris, R. A., & Pfefferbaum, A. (2010). Alcohol's effects on brain and behavior. Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 33(1-2), 127–143.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2022). Alcohol and the Brain: an Overview | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Www.niaaa.nih.gov. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/alcohol-and-brain-overview

Stein, M. D., & Friedmann, P. D. (2005). Disturbed sleep and its relationship to alcohol use. Substance abuse, 26(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1300/j465v26n01_01

Shirreffs, S. M., & Maughan, R. J. (2006). The effect of alcohol on athletic performance. Current sports medicine reports, 5(4), 192–196. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.csmr.0000306506.55858.e5

Onate J. (2019). Depression in Ultra-endurance Athletes, A Review and Recommendations. Sports medicine and arthroscopy review, 27(1), 31–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSA.0000000000000233

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Episode 2 - The Zero Calorie Ultra

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 • Duration 47:22

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. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015 Oct;25(5):610-22. doi: 10.1111/sms.12261. Epub 2014 May 30.

Fensham NC, Heikura IA, McKay AKA, Tee N, Ackerman KE, Burke LM. Short-Term Carbohydrate Restriction Impairs Bone Formation at Rest and During Prolonged Exercise to a Greater Degree than Low Energy Availability. J Bone Miner Res. 2022 Oct;37(10):1915-1925. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.4658. Epub 2022 Aug 10.

Vilaça-Alves J, Muller F, Rosa C, Payan-Carreira R, Lund R, Matos F, Garrido N, Saavedra FJ, Machado Reis V. Cardiorespiratory, enzymatic and hormonal responses during and after walking while fasting. PLoS One. 2018 Mar 1;13(3):e0193702. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193702. PMID: 29494664; PMCID: PMC5833199.

Roche, D. (2021, June 11). Fasted training may have long-term risks, especially for female athletes. Trail Runner Magazine. https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/trail-tips-training/fasted-training-may-have-long-term-risks-especially-for-female-athletes/

Oakes, John. The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without. United States, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2024.

The works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. xi letters and MISC. writings 1784-1788: Online library of liberty. The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. XI Letters and Misc. Writings 1784-1788 | Online Library of Liberty. (n.d.). https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/franklin-the-works-of-benjamin-franklin-vol-xi-letters-and-misc-writings-1784-1788

Ep. 1 - Why Athletes Fall For Diet Bullsh*t

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 • Duration 52:32

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., Tornberg Å.B., Skouby S., Møller S.S., Sundgot-Borgen J., Faber J., Sidelmann J.J., Aziz M., Sjödin A. Energy availability and the female athlete triad in elite endurance athletes. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports. 2015;25:610–622. doi: 10.1111/sms.12261

Ashwanden, C. (2018, January 3). Tom Brady is drowning in his own pseudoscience. FiveThirtyEight. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/tom-brady-is-drowning-in-his-own-junk-science-advice/

Fitzgerald, M. (2015). Diet cults: The surprising fallacy at the core of nutrition fads and a guide to healthy eating for the rest of Us. Pegasus Books.

Lacke, S. (2023, April 10). The fight against pseudoscience, bad training advice, and bullsh*t. Triathlete. https://www.triathlete.com/culture/the-fight-against-pseudoscience-and-bad-training-advice-in-endurance-sports/

Bailey RP, Madigan DJ, Cope E, Nicholls AR. The Prevalence of Pseudoscientific Ideas and Neuromyths Among Sports Coaches. Front Psychol. 2018 May 2;9:641. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00641. PMID: 29770115; PMCID: PMC5941987.

Powell, M. (2022, November 10). Is sport a breeding ground for pseudoscience?. Skeptical Inquirer. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/is-sport-a-breeding-ground-for-pseudoscience/

Tiller NB, Sullivan JP, Ekkekakis P. Baseless Claims and Pseudoscience in Health and Wellness: A Call to Action for the Sports, Exercise, and Nutrition-Science Community. Sports Med. 2023 Jan;53(1):1-5. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01702-2. Epub 2022 Jun 10. PMID: 35687251.Chrzan, J., & Cargill, K. (2022). . Columbia University Press.

Introducing: Your Diet Sucks

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 • Duration 01:02

Introducing Your Diet Sucks: A podcast about how we can unf*ck food. Registered dietitian nutritionist Kylee Van Horn and Journalist Zoë Rom are teaming up to demystify the science and dive into the cultural stories that make it so damn hard to just eat food. Episodes 1&2 drop July 24.

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Athletes, The Microbiome and Gut Health

Wednesday, September 4, 2024 • Duration 57:21

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 their gut health (spoiler alert: you probably don’t need all that kombucha).

Yong, E. (2018). I contain multitudes: The microbes within US and a grander view of life. Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

Mohr, A.E., Jäger, R., Carpenter, K.C. et al. The athletic gut microbiota. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 17, 24 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00353-w

Bressa, C., Bailén-Andrino, M., Pérez-Santiago, J., González-Soltero, R., Pérez, M., Montalvo-Lominchar, M. G., Maté-Muñoz, J. L., Domínguez, R., Moreno, D., & Larrosa, M. (2017). Differences in gut microbiota profile between women with active lifestyle and sedentary women. PLOS ONE, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171352

Clarke SF, Murphy EF, O'Sullivan O, et alExercise and associated dietary extremes impact on gut microbial diversityGut 2014;63:1913-1920.

Estaki, M., Pither, J., Baumeister, P. et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of intestinal microbial diversity and distinct metagenomic functions. Microbiome 4, 42 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-016-0189-7

Jang, LG., Choi, G., Kim, SW. et al. The combination of sport and sport-specific diet is associated with characteristics of gut microbiota: an observational study. 16, 21 (2019).

Eating Disorder Myths That Won't Die

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 • Duration 57:38

YDS is supported by ⁠⁠Microcosm Coaching. ⁠

Most people with eating disorders don't look sick—and that's part of the problem. Eating disorders affect people of every size, gender, race, and athletic ability, but myths about who gets them and what they look like keep millions from getting treatment.

In this episode, Kylee and Zoë debunk the most harmful misconceptions: that EDs only affect young white women, that you have to be underweight to be diagnosed, that recovery means "just eating more," and that athletes are somehow immune. We trace the history of how eating disorders have been understood (and misunderstood) in medicine, examine how weight stigma impacts treatment access, and explain why so many cases are labeled "atypical"—even though they're actually the norm.

Then, we offer practical solutions for fixing a system that's failing the people who need it most.

REFERENCES:

Kazdin, C. (2023). What’s eating us. St Martin’s Press.

Dell'Osso L, Abelli M, Carpita B, Pini S, Castellini G, Carmassi C, Ricca V. Historical evolution of the concept of anorexia nervosa and relationships with orthorexia nervosa, autism, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016 Jul 7;12:1651-60. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S108912. PMID: 27462158; PMCID: PMC4939998.

Niedzielski A, Kaźmierczak N, Grzybowski A. Sir William Withey Gull (1816-1890). J Neurol. 2017 Feb;264(2):419-420. doi: 10.1007/s00415-016-8250-9. Epub 2016 Aug 8. PMID: 27502084; PMCID: PMC5306080.

Harrop EN, Hutcheson R, Harner V, Mensinger JL, Lindhorst T. "You Don't Look Anorexic": Atypical anorexia patient experiences of weight stigma in medical care. Body Image. 2023 Sep;46:48-61. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.04.008. Epub 2023 May 24. PMID: 37236121; PMCID: PMC10524894.

Beaumont, P. J. V. (1994). Diagnoses of Eating Disorder or Dieting Disorders: What may We Learn from Past Mistakes? International Journal of Eating Disorders, 16(4).

Do You Actually Need Supplements?

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 • Duration 01:02:10

YDS is supported by ⁠⁠Microcosm Coaching. ⁠

Do you actually need supplements? The sports nutrition industry wants you to believe you can't perform without a cabinet full of pills, powders, and proprietary blends. But what does the research actually say—and how do you separate evidence from marketing?

In this episode, Kylee and Zoë break down the supplement landscape: which ones have solid evidence behind them (spoiler: it's a short list), which are a waste of money, and which might actually be harmful. We cover protein powders, creatine, BCAAs, greens powders, and the unregulated Wild West of sports supplements—including the heavy metals and unlisted ingredients that sometimes show up in third-party testing.

Whether you're wondering if you need to add something to your stack or looking for permission to simplify, this episode will help you make evidence-based decisions without the hype.

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Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes Unhealthy

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 • Duration 01:05:20

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 in the DSM but still significantly impacts mental and physical health, drawing from professional insights and research. We also chat through how athletes and active folks can work towards a more balanced approach to nutrition, and avoid the pitfalls of over-restriction.

References

Conviser JH, Fisher SD, McColley SA. Are children with chronic illnesses requiring dietary therapy at risk for disordered eating or eating disorders? A systematic review. Int J Eat Disord. 2018; 51: 187–213. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22831

Scheiber R, Diehl S, Karmasin M. Socio-cultural power of social media on orthorexia nervosa: An empirical investigation on the mediating role of thin-ideal and muscular internalization, appearance comparison, and body dissatisfaction. Appetite. 2023 Jun 1;185:106522. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106522. Epub 2023 Mar 8. PMID: 36893917.

Turner PG, Lefevre CE. Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord. 2017 Jun;22(2):277-284. doi: 10.1007/s40519-017-0364-2. Epub 2017 Mar 1. PMID: 28251592; PMCID: PMC5440477.

Lakritz C, Tournayre L, Ouellet M, Iceta S, Duriez P, Masetti V, Lafraire J. Sinful Foods: Measuring Implicit Associations Between Food Categories and Moral Attributes in Anorexic, Orthorexic, and Healthy Subjects. Front Nutr. 2022 Jun 13;9:884003. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.884003. PMID: 35769379; PMCID: PMC9234570.

Mai Adnan Abdullah, Huda Mustafa Al Hourani, Buthaina Alkhatib,

Prevalence of orthorexia nervosa among nutrition students and nutritionists: Pilot study, Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, Volume 40, 2020, Pages 144-148, ISSN 2405-4577, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.09.175.

Is Your Fitness Tracker Helping or Hurting?

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 • Duration 01:04:49

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This podcast is supported by Microcosm Coaching and Fly Nutrition.

Is your Garmin making you crazy? Whoop, Oura, MyFitnessPal, Apple Watch—activity trackers promise optimization, but research shows they can fuel anxiety, obsessive behavior, and orthorexia in athletes. The line between "data-driven training" and compulsive self-monitoring is thinner than you think.

In this episode, Kylee and Zoë dive into the research on when tracking helps performance and when it hurts your health. We explore the psychology of quantification—why we love turning our bodies into spreadsheets—and how the wellness industry profits from making you feel like you're never optimized enough.

If you've ever felt guilty for missing your step goal, panicked over a "bad" HRV score, or wondered whether your recovery app is actually recovering anything, this episode will help you figure out where the line is—and whether it's time to take off the watch.

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Your Diet Sucks – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

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Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

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Your Diet Sucks – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

Patreon6

Google Docs3

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Patreon6

Google Docs3

Apple Podcasts

Spotify