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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.foodweneedtotalk.com

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 our shownotes on our website.

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.

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.

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.

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 gatherer tribes can teach us about how our metabolism works.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Juna and Eddie answer listeners' questions about exercise, from "how much is enough" to "how much is too much?"

"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.

From potatoes to quickie "food challenges," Eddie and Juna answer questions from listeners.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.