Two Percent with Michael Easter

Michael speaks with Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman, author of Fed Up. They talked about how humans didn't evolve to think about what to eat, the history of food and humans, what Dan learned trying popular diets for the book, biggest diet myths, and where Dan lands on exercise and weight loss. They covered:

(00:00) Cold open
(01:15) Humans never evolved to choose food
(09:59) What the paleo diet gets wrong
(14:32) Why we overeat
(24:22) The hardest diet Dan tried
(26:47) The case against the carnivore diet
(33:40) How diets become like a religion
(38:18) The protein craze: facts and myths
(43:19) A sustainable approach to eating
(50:03) Why nutrition headlines constantly change
(54:44) Eat like a fox: A rule for nutrition
(58:40) Does exercise help us lose weight?

Get Dan's book, Fed Up: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737466/fed-up-by-daniel-e-lieberman/

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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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A lot of us think of quitting as a path to failure. Michael speaks with Lindsay Crouse, the former New York Times writer, editor and producer, lifelong distance runner and author of The Case for Quitting, about when perseverance backfires, how to tell meaningful suffering from the pointless kind, and the signs it's time to walk away. They discuss:

(00:00) Cold open
(00:54) Good sisu and bad sisu
(06:30) The Olympic Trials goal she missed
(13:12) When perseverance backfires
(20:54) Where quitting pays off
(24:22) Should you quit your job?
(27:24) Type A minds and never enough
(32:05) Where we quit too much
(35:08) Who pays when you quit?
(37:09) Bill Withers' golden toilet seat
(42:23) Do we all need a rumspringa?
(46:55) Why Lindsay left the Times
(49:25) Signs it's time to quit

Get Lindsay's book, The Case for Quitting: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-case-for-quitting-the-surprising-benefits-of-opting-out-lindsay-crouse/5d08b49f272f6816
Find Lindsay: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaycrouse/

Sponsors:
Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.
MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.

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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Michael speaks with Tim Wu, the Columbia law professor and author of The Age of Extraction, about how media and tech platforms learned to harvest our attention, why convenience is among the most powerful forces of our time, and what the easy option can take from us. They discuss:

(00:00) Cold open
(01:12) Selling attention, from 1833 to now
(07:46) Why phones are changing human evolution
(16:20) Why ads adapt to every backlash
(18:00) Attention merchants vs. extractors
(25:48) Easiest wins: the power of convenience
(28:01) What convenience takes from us
(34:17) Can tech serve more than profit?
(39:45) What makes a good life
(44:42) Is there an ethical way to fund media?
(48:51) Social media, kids and age limits
(53:51) Why reality TV casts difficult people
(57:17) Tim's own media diet

Get Tim's book, The Age of Extraction: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691177/the-age-of-extraction-by-tim-wu/
Find Tim: https://x.com/superwuster

Sponsors:
MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.
Vuori: Get 20% off your first order at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.

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Follow Michael:
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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Michael speaks with Brady Holmer, the exercise scientist and 2:24 marathoner behind the Substack Physiologically Speaking, about which fitness trends hold up. Brady explains why he stopped taking creatine, which numbers on your wearable to ignore, and why endurance athletes now eat the carbs of three Cokes an hour. They discuss:

(00:00) Preview
(00:35) Why Brady stopped taking creatine
(03:26) Creatine is oversold for the brain
(09:14) The wearable numbers to ignore
(12:47) The problem with HRV
(16:14) What wearables get right
(18:49) Carb maxing: three Cokes an hour
(24:56) What Lance Armstrong said about carbs
(28:11) Race weight and eating enough
(32:57) Why carb timing matters
(36:33) Why Brady is eating less protein
(38:57) Mile record or two-hour marathon?
(41:35) The second running boom
(45:58) More strength or more cardio?
(48:15) Training with a newborn

Subscribe to Brady's Substack, Physiologically Speaking: https://www.physiologicallyspeaking.com
Find Brady: https://www.instagram.com/brady.j.holmer/

Sponsors:
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MacroFactor: Download MacroFactor in the app store and use code TWOPCT for 14 days free.
Vuori: Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/TWOPCT. Exclusions apply.

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Follow Michael:
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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Heather Gay, star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and author of Bad Mormon, tells Michael why she left the Mormon faith, what that decision cost, and how she rebuilt a sense of self and community. They also discussed her role on the show, and:

(00:00) Preview
(00:46) Why Heather left her faith
(03:01) The choice that changed her life
(05:35) Why she stayed Mormon for so long
(11:15) The cost of trying to be perfect
(15:52) Finding belonging after leaving a faith
(22:00) Why most people live a double life
(24:30) When reinvention works and when it fails
(30:20) The stages of leaving a high-demand group
(33:41) Finding a new community
(38:36) Sales lessons from her Mormon mission
(43:48) Choosing to be on Real Housewives despite pushback
(50:10) Writing fiction: Eternal Glow
(52:28) A Housewives rapid fire: takes on Jen, Lisa, and Meredith
(57:47) Why the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City resonates

Get Heather's book, Bad Mormon: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bad-Mormon/Heather-Gay/9781982199548

Sponsors:
MacroFactor: Try MacroFactor free for 14 days in the Apple or Android app store with code TWOPCT.

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Follow Michael:
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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Michael speaks with Tamar Haspel, The Washington Post's Unearthed columnist and author of To Boldly Grow, about her case for why we should stop eating lettuce. Starting with the explosive diarrhea story behind her column, they examine lettuce's food-safety risks, the healthy reputation of salads, and how to eat well when nutrition advice conflicts. They discuss:

(00:00) Preview
(00:52) Lettuce and foodborne illness
(05:11) Lettuce, water and food waste
(09:07) The salad health halo
(12:39) Lettuce backlash and staple crops
(20:51) Potatoes, corn and other staples
(26:34) What food policy can change
(31:00) Restaurant portions and home cooking
(33:46) Italy's meals versus American snacking
(39:54) Dietary guidelines and protein
(44:34) The case for diet soda
(47:37) The blind egg taste test
(51:20) Food dyes and food beliefs
(55:42) Eating well with uncertain science

Get Tamar's book, To Boldly Grow: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/688423/to-boldly-grow-by-tamar-haspel/
Find Tamar: https://www.tamarhaspel.com

Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT.

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Follow Michael:
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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Michael speaks with Jessica Tarlov, co-host of The Five on Fox News and author of I Disagree, about how to argue without losing friends. Outnumbered four to one on the most-watched show in cable news, Jessica explains how she makes the truth safe to hear, why she argues with averages instead of anecdotes, and how to decide whether a disagreement is worth having. They discuss:

(00:00) Preview
(00:40) Her biggest conversion on The Five
(05:08) Are we really more divided?
(09:06) When one person breaks with the group
(12:31) Making the truth safe to hear
(16:51) Argue with averages, not anecdotes
(21:26) Sowing a little doubt
(24:36) Framing numbers and keeping it simple
(33:27) Be sharp, not cruel
(37:32) When to engage and when to let it go
(42:38) How Americans start talking again

Get Jessica's book, I Disagree: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/
Find Jessica: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatarlov/

Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT.

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Follow Michael:
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Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

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Michael speaks with Christian Craighead, a former SAS soldier and author of One Man In, about the afternoon he singlehandedly fought off a major terror attack in Nairobi and what it teaches about acting while afraid, leading people, and being ready before anything happens. They discuss:

(00:00) Preview
(00:38) Entering a terror attack with no backup
(07:11) How a hard childhood shaped Christian's resolve
(12:34) Why the top Special Forces operators look like accountants
(23:20) Christian's moves against the terror attack
(27:53) Why danger brings intense focus
(33:57) How to lead in a crisis
(43:34) The importance of clear instructions
(46:44) Adapting and maintaining momentum under pressure
(53:41) Taking responsibility in ordinary life

This episode includes descriptions of childhood abuse, terrorism, injury and death.

Get Christian's book, One Man In: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/One-Man-In/Christian-Craighead/9781982177331

Find Christian: https://theministryofdefence.com/pages/about

Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT.

Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com

Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

Follow Michael:
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Michael speaks with Jim Kwik, brain coach and author of the new book Limitless Daily, about how to learn faster, remember more, and use AI to get smarter instead of dumber. They discuss:

(00:00) Cold open
(01:30) Jim's early learning struggles
(05:32) The question that changed Jim's approach to learning
(17:30) Problems with school systems and tech use
(23:00) Using AI to get smarter, not dumber with the BUILD framework
(29:56) Memory, boredom, and why you need room to think
(32:44) Improving reading speed and comprehension
(41:03) Choosing what is worth learning
(47:51) Daily practice and morning habits
(52:32) Rapid fire: brain supplements and cognitive performance
(57:49) Books and Limitless Daily

Get Jim's book, Limitless Daily: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761666/limitless-daily-by-jim-kwik/

Find Jim: https://jimkwik.com

Download MacroFactor in the Apple or Google app store. Get 14 days free with code TWOPCT.

Visit Two Percent, the #1 health and wellness Substack newsletter: https://www.twopct.com

Host: Michael Easter
Executive Producer: Robbie Hiser
Music: The Heater Manager
Graphics: Jackie Philips

Follow Michael:
https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter
https://instagram.com/michael_easter/
https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/
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Michael speaks with FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeifer, who led the first fire units into the North Tower on 9/11 and later gave the order to evacuate the towers. Chief Pfeifer later served as the FDNY Chief of Counterterrorism and Emergency preparedness, is a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and wrote Ordinary Heroes, which examines what 9/11 taught him about crisis leadership, resilience, and the ordinary acts of heroism. They discuss:

(00:00) Introduction
(02:36) Racing to the North Tower
(09:20) Seeing His Brother in the Lobby
(12:10) The Second Plane Hits
(14:40) The South Tower Falls and the Evacuation Order
(19:20) Surviving the North Tower Collapse
(23:19) What Makes an Ordinary Hero
(32:54) Three Principles for Crisis Leadership
(36:57) Four Stages of Resilience
(46:48) The Threats Communities Face Next

This episode includes detailed discussion of the September 11 attacks, death, and trauma.

Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today's episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. Our editor is Will Mayo.

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