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Send us Fan Mail When does healthy eating become disordered eating, and how can you tell when your relationship with food has started to become unhealthy? In this episode of the All or Something Podcast, we sit down with Registered Dietitian and coach Rachel Hobbs to have a nuanced conversation about dieting, eating disorders, disordered eating, binge eating, fitness culture, and what it actually means to have a healthy relationship with food. Rachel describes her philosophy as “anti-diet culture, but not anti-diet, a distinction that opens up a much bigger conversation about where healthy nutrition ends and problematic behaviors begin. We talk about the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating, whether dieting actually causes eating disorders, and the warning signs that someone's relationship with food may be becoming problematic. We also discuss binge eating, including some of the common misconceptions surrounding it and why simply telling someone to “have more willpower” completely misses the bigger picture. The conversation then moves into the fitness world, where behaviors like calorie tracking, following meal plans, getting lean, cutting weight and pursuing a certain physique can be completely normalised.  We explore what happens when someone genuinely wants to improve their health but doesn't want food and dieting to consume their life.  What can you do if you're constantly thinking about food? What if you struggle to adhere to a calorie target or meal plan? And does failing to follow a diet mean you've failed, or could the approach itself be part of the problem? We also discuss how parents can help children develop a healthy relationship with food without unintentionally creating fear, guilt or unnecessary food rules. In this episode, we discuss: - What “anti-diet culture, but not anti-diet” actually means - The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating - Whether dieting causes eating disorders - Warning signs of a problematic relationship with food - Why binge eating is often misunderstood - Calorie tracking and meal plans - Why struggling with adherence doesn't necessarily mean you've failed - Food obsession and constantly thinking about eating - When healthy fitness behaviors become unhealthy - Disordered eating in athletes and strength sports - Why losing your period shouldn't simply be dismissed as part of being lean - How to help children develop a healthy relationship with food - Whether you can improve your health without traditional dieting The goal isn't to stop caring about nutrition or to imply that nutritious diets are not health promoting. It's to make sure nutrition doesn't become the thing controlling your life. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Liam Layton, better known online as The Plant Slant, joins us to unpack and defend his hottest health and nutrition takes. Liam has built a huge audience with his unique comedic style, allowing him to deliver health and nutrition information to the masses. So, with such a large audience, if he had to pick a handful of the most important lessons that he could communicate to everyone, what would they be? We discuss the concept of “good” and “bad” foods, whether there are specific foods you should or shouldn’t eat, why the perfect diet doesn’t exist, and why Liam prefers to focus on foods to add into your diet rather than what you should take out of it. Of course, we also discuss beans, because he is known as “the bean guy”. We also discuss his social media ethos, why he decided to lean towards comedy and away from strict education content, what topics on social media really annoy him, and what frustrates him about health and fitness influencers specifically. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail What are we getting wrong about mental health? Mental health is talked about more openly than ever, but more conversation doesn't necessarily mean better understanding. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Mike Banna to unpack some of the biggest misconceptions around mental health, mental illness, lifestyle, and modern medicine. We discuss where the line is between normal emotions like sadness, stress and anxiety and a diagnosable mental health disorder. We talk about the warning signs that someone may not be coping as well as they think, how to approach someone you're worried about, and whether efforts to “remove the stigma” can sometimes blur the distinction between struggling with life and having a mental illness. We also explore the role of lifestyle. How much can sleep, exercise and nutrition actually influence mental health? When can lifestyle changes genuinely help and when do they become an inadequate substitute for professional treatment? Mike also opens up about losing roughly a third of his body weight and how experiencing that transformation himself changed the way he thinks about health, prevention and the advice he gives to patients. And we challenge some common criticisms of modern medicine: - Do doctors focus too much on treating disease rather than preventing it? - Is the idea that doctors simply “push pills” fair? - How much do doctors actually learn about nutrition and lifestyle? - What are legitimate criticisms of the medical system? - And can we really trust social media for health and fitness information? This isn't an argument that lifestyle changes can replace therapy or medication, or that modern medicine has all the answers. It's a conversation about understanding the difference between them and being more careful about how we talk about mental health in the first place. If you've ever struggled with your own mental health, worried about someone close to you, or wondered where lifestyle fits into the bigger picture, this episode is for you. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Intermittent fasting was supposed to change the way we think about eating. For years, fasting was one of the biggest trends in nutrition and health.  The idea was simple, when you eat might be as important or more important than what you eat. Timing your meals properly could help you lose weight, improve your metabolic health, reduce your risk of disease, and perhaps even live longer. 16:8 became a household term. The 5:2 diet exploded in popularity. Alternate-day fasting attracted serious scientific attention. Books, podcasts and social media turned intermittent fasting into one of the most talked-about approaches to nutrition. But over time, this hype seems to have started dying down. Intermittent fasting (and time restricted feeding) are still very popular, but they don't seem as dominant as they once were. In this episode of the All or Something Podcast, we take a step back and look at the rise and fall of intermittent fasting.  - Why did fasting become so popular in the first place?  - What did the early research actually show?  - How much of the excitement was supported by good evidence? We break down the different forms of intermittent fasting, including time-restricted eating, 16:8, the 5:2 diet and alternate-day fasting, and explain how they actually compare with conventional calorie restriction. We also look at one of the biggest questions surrounding fasting: does fasting have unique benefits, or does most of the benefit come from the fact that people simply end up eating fewer calories? As always, people misinterpret these videos as us saying intermittent fasting doesn't work, but that isn't what we are saying at all. We are saying that maybe it doesn't work as well as what many people claimed, and maybe it works for a different reason as well. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Sohee opens up about something she hasn’t talked about publicly before (or privately, really). This is her experience with postpartum depression and the mental health challenges she has faced since becoming a mum. We talk honestly about what postpartum depression can actually look and feel like, why it doesn’t always look like the stereotypical picture of depression, and the feelings that can be difficult to admit. We also discuss postpartum rage, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, the enormous transition into parenthood, and why new mothers can struggle even when they desperately love their baby. This is a deeply personal conversation, but it’s also an important one. If you’re a new parent, know someone who is, or simply want to understand more about postpartum mental health, we hope this episode helps you feel a little less alone. If you’re struggling with your mental health after having a baby, please speak to someone you trust and seek professional support. You do not have to deal with it alone. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Cheat meals are one of the most common strategies in the fitness and dieting world. The idea is simple: eat “clean” all week, stick to your diet, and then give yourself permission to eat whatever you want for one meal—or even an entire day. But do cheat meals actually help with fat loss? Do they boost your metabolism, prevent metabolic adaptation, make dieting easier to stick to, or provide some other physiological benefit? Or are we giving them far more credit than the evidence deserves? In this episode, we take a closer look at the science behind cheat meals and the claims that have made them so popular. We discuss what research tells us about planned indulgences, calorie restriction, adherence, hunger, and overeating. But we also think there's a bigger issue worth discussing: why do we call certain foods a “cheat” in the first place? For some people, a cheat meal approach to eating can be completely harmless. But for others, the concept of cheat meals can reinforce a cycle of restriction, food rules, guilt, overeating, and compensation.  When you spend the week being “good” and then feel like you've earned the right to eat everything you've been restricting, is that really helping you build a healthier relationship with food? We talk about where we think the line can start to blur between dieting behaviours that resemble disordered eating and why eating a pizza or having dessert doesn't need to be considered cheating. In this episode, we discuss: - Where the idea of cheat meals came from - Whether cheat meals actually provide any metabolic advantage - Whether they improve adherence to a diet - The difference between a planned indulgence and a binge - Why labeling foods as “good,” “bad,” or “cheats” can be problematic - Restriction, overeating, guilt, and compensatory behaviors - Whether cheat days are different from cheat meals - What the science actually says—and what comes from fitness culture rather than research Obviously, we don't think there's anything wrong with eating foods that you enjoy. That is not the question at all. The question is whether calling them a “cheat” actually makes your relationship with food worse. If you've ever wondered whether cheat meals are a useful dieting strategy or just another fitness industry rule we accepted without questioning, this episode is for you. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail How should you actually train if your goal is to build muscle and get stronger? In this episode, we break down the latest American College Sports Medicine (ACSM) resistance training guidelines and turn them into practical advice you can actually use in the gym. Also, how do the new guidelines compare to what we thought was true before? Many of our beliefs have changed, especially if we rewind to when we first started in the fitness industry (over 20 years ago for Ben). - How many sets should you do? - How often should you train each muscle? - How many reps should you perform? - Do you need to train to failure? - How important is exercise selection? - Does the order of your exercises matter? - How much volume is actually necessary for muscle growth? - And how much flexibility do you really have when designing your workout program? Which common resistance training rules are genuinely useful, which are oversimplifications and which ones should be thrown in the fire? The good news is that effective resistance training doesn't have to be complicated, so here we tell you the most important things you need to know, and also tell you what you have more flexibility on. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Most of us have heard of “starvation mode”, the idea that if you eat too little for too long, your body eventually stops losing weight and holds onto every calorie. But is that actually what happens? In this episode, we unpack what really happens to your metabolism during prolonged calorie restriction and why the popular idea of “starvation mode” gets metabolic adaptation wrong. We look at two of the most famous (and frequently misunderstood and misrepresented) examples in the history of weight loss research: the Minnesota Starvation Experiment and The Biggest Loser. The Minnesota study showed just how dramatically the body can respond to prolonged energy restriction, while The Biggest Loser became famous for findings suggesting that some participants experienced substantial metabolic adaptation after losing large amounts of weight. In this episode we discuss: What exactly is starvation mode?What is the strongest research we have in support of starvation mode?Why do people misrepresent this research to support an argument that is factually incorrect?What actually happens to your metabolism when you lose weight?How much can metabolic adaptation really explain? We separate what the science actually shows from the common claims you see online about starvation mode, metabolic damage, and “damaged” metabolisms. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail This week, a huge debate sparked after someone suggested that adding bananas to blueberry smoothies could reduce some of the health benefits of the berries. The internet quickly responded, with many accusing her of spreading misinformation and unnecessary fear. So... who's right? In this episode, we break down the actual research behind the controversy. We explain what the famous banana smoothie study found, what it didn't find, and why the conversation online became so polarized. We discuss: - The human study that started the controversy - What polyphenol oxidase (PPO) actually does - Whether bananas really "destroy" the nutrients in blueberries - The difference between changes in nutrient absorption and meaningful health outcomes - How social media can exaggerate scientific findings - What this debate teaches us about interpreting nutrition research As always, our goal isn't to defend or attack anyone—it's to look at the evidence, discuss its strengths and limitations, and help you understand what the science actually says. If you enjoy evidence-based nutrition, exercise science, and myth-busting, don't forget to subscribe and let us know what topic you'd like us to tackle next. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Jordan Feigenbaum of Barbell Medicine joins us to separate evidence from internet myths. We discuss testosterone, cortisol, menopause, lifting injuries, GLP-1 medications, artificial sweeteners, blood pressure, resistance training, and what the latest research actually says about building muscle and improving health. Along the way we unpack why bodybuilding may be safer than many people think, whether cortisol is really the "stress hormone" social media makes it out to be, how much menopause actually affects muscle gain, whether testosterone levels predict training results, and what happens to muscle while taking GLP-1 medications. If you're tired of fitness advice based on anecdotes and algorithms, this episode is for you. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 9:09 Has health optimization become an unhealthy obsession? 16:18 Is cortisol getting an unfair reputation? 24:46 Are we focusing on the wrong health markers for longevity? What actually matters?  33:52 Is heavy lifting inherently dangerous?  40:57 Does lifting weights cause more injuries than other forms of exercise like running?  47:02 How much does lifting technique actually matter?  57:38 “You don’t need cardio if your goal is to lose fat.” What is the truth?  1:03:40 Do women gain muscle at the same rate as men?  1:06:47 Does menopause change the rate of muscle growth?  1:13:25 People seem to be more afraid of diet soda than alcohol. Why do you think that is?  1:22:05 Do you think people are focusing too much on the weight loss aspect of GLP-1 medications?  1:27:26 Would there ever be reasons for people to take GLP-1 medications without a desire for weight loss?  1:30:58 Do GLP-1 medications make you lose muscle?  1:41:20 What is something you’ve changed your mind on?  1:44:55 What is a hill you’re willing to die on?

Send us Fan Mail How do scientists know how many calories people actually eat? It sounds like a simple question, but measuring food intake is actually extremely difficult. If someone says they are eating 2000 calories per day, how accurate is that number likely to be? In this episode, we explore the evidence behind calorie underreporting, why self-reported food intake is often inaccurate, and how researchers verify whether people are truly eating what they say they are. We discuss: - Why food diaries and dietary recalls are often unreliable - The science of calorie underreporting - How researchers try to verify what people eat - Why people often underreport intake without realising it - The implications for nutrition and obesity research - What this means for anyone trying to lose weight Rather than blaming individuals, we examine why accurately measuring food intake is so difficult (even under research conditions) and how scientists have developed better methods to study energy balance. Whether you're interested in nutrition, weight loss, or how research is conducted, this episode offers an evidence-based look at one of the most important (and misunderstood) topics in nutrition science. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro have become one of the most controversial topics in health and fitness. Are they “cheating”? Are people with obesity simply lacking willpower? Are these medications safe? And what does the research actually show about weight loss, appetite, muscle retention, metabolic health, and long-term outcomes? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Spencer Nadolsky for a comprehensive, evidence-based deep dive into GLP-1s. Rather than relying on social media opinions, we examine what the scientific literature says about: How GLP-1 medications workExpected weight loss outcomesEffects on hunger and appetiteMuscle loss and body compositionSafety and side effectsLong-term useCommon misconceptions and mythsAs always, our goal was not necessarily to promote and sensationalize nor condemn and dismiss GLP-1s, but to provide an objective discussion of the current evidence so you can make more informed decisions. If you’ve seen strong opinions online and wanted a balanced explanation grounded in research, this episode is for you. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Most people don't struggle because they don't know what to do. They struggle because turning knowledge into consistent action is much harder than it sounds. Why is it so difficult to stick to healthy habits? Why do we keep falling back into old routines, even when we genuinely want to change? And is motivation really the answer? In this episode of the All or Something Podcast, we're joined by Rachel Pendakur to explore the science of turning good intentions into lasting habits. We discuss why knowledge alone rarely changes behaviour, what psychology tells us about consistency and how to make healthy choices easier rather than relying on willpower alone. Whether your goal is to exercise more regularly, improve your nutrition, lose weight, or simply stop feeling like you're constantly starting over, this conversation is packed with practical, evidence-based strategies that can help. In this episode we discuss: - Why knowing what to do isn't enough - The psychology of behaviour change - Why motivation comes and goes - Building habits that actually last - Common barriers to consistency - The role of your environment in shaping behaviour - Practical strategies to make healthy choices easier - Why willpower isn't the whole story If you enjoy evidence-based conversations about fitness, nutrition, health, and behaviour change, subscribe for new episodes every week. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail For some strange reason, we haven't yet talked about Sohee's PhD study, so we thought we better change that. For years, exercise science has relied more heavily on studies in men, leaving important questions about how women respond to resistance training unanswered. In this episode of the All or Something Podcast, we discuss Sohee's newly completed PhD research investigating high-intensity circuit training in women. Rather than simply reviewing the existing evidence, she spent years conducting her own study to address an important gap in the literature. We explain why previous research often underestimated training intensity in women, how her study was designed to overcome these limitations, what the results showed, and what they mean for women who want to build muscle, get stronger, or simply train more effectively. Along the way, we also discuss why research in women is often more complex than research in men, the challenges of completing a PhD while building a career, and what it's like to finally see years of work come to an end. Whether you're interested in resistance training, exercise science, or just curious about how research actually gets done, we hope you enjoy the conversation. Topics covered: - Why women have historically been underrepresented in exercise science - High-intensity circuit training explained - Training close to muscular failure - What Sohee's PhD study found - Practical implications for women (and men) who lift weights - Common misconceptions about women's training If you enjoy evidence-based conversations about fitness, nutrition, and health, subscribe for new episodes every week. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss

Send us Fan Mail Why can two people follow the same weight loss plan and get completely different results? In this episode of the All or Something Podcast, we dive into the science of interindividual variability and explore why some people find losing weight and body fat much harder than others. We discuss the research showing that people can respond very differently to the same diet, exercise program, or lifestyle intervention. From differences in appetite and hunger to energy expenditure, genetics, behaviour, and biology, we break down the many factors that influence weight loss outcomes. Topics covered include: - Why average results can be misleading - Individual differences in fat loss and weight loss - Appetite, hunger, and food cravings - Genetics and biological variability - Metabolic adaptation and energy expenditure - Why some people are 'compensators' and some are not If you've ever wondered why weight loss seems easier for some people than others, this episode is for you. P.S., If you want to support us and would like monthly lifting workouts, you can join the Momentum by Sohee fitness app. http://momentumbysohee.com If you are interested in fat loss science, you can purchase Ben's best-selling comprehensive fat loss book, Everything Fat Loss. http://geni.us/EverythingFatLoss