The Freakonomics guys brought attention to the Seth Roberts diet, which claims to reduce hunger by ingesting flavorless calories, without testing its effectiveness. Although it was never tested, the diet became popular due to the language of science used in promotion.
The speaker criticizes the male-dominated TED Talk culture that lacks rigorous testing of overconfident ideas. They proceed to discuss the all-oil diet with a focus on how it tricks the body into consuming fewer calories while still taking in more oil.
In extreme cases, some patients in hospitals consume their entire daily calorie intake through high-sugar alcoholic drinks. Others resort to consuming 50 Red Bulls, coffee, and cigarettes for appetite suppression, resulting in a super skinny physique.
The speaker shares a clockwork diet thing designed to help overweight people lose weight, with specific guidelines on calorie distribution. The response from overweight people to the process was gratifying, showing a positive emotional response and sharing their own personal stories.
In this episode, the hosts discuss the classic diet of extreme caloric restriction, dressed up with psychology and marketing techniques that lure repeat offenders of dieting.
The author reflects on her experiences with different dieting methods and the slogans of diet culture that were prevalent in the 1980s, which ultimately led to a cyclical struggle between excess and restriction in her relationship with food.