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Two Percent with Michael Easter

Two Percent with Michael Easter

iHeartPodcasts 16 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

From New York Times bestselling author and journalist Michael Easter comes a twice-weekly deep dive into the science of living better by doing things the hard way. Building on the insights of his #1 Substack and acclaimed books, Easter balances rigorous evidence with a healthy dose of skepticism to cut through the noise of the modern wellness industry. Whether he’s interviewing elite explorers and Harvard biologists or deconstructing the truth about longevity and metabolic health, this isn't a show for "biohacking" perfectionists—it’s a grounded, often humorous guide for real people looking to build resilience and agency in an increasingly comfortable world. From ancient wisdom to cutting-edge research, listen to Two Percent to discover why the antidote to modern malaise is often found in the challenges we’ve been taught to avoid.

Episodes

#54: A Harvard Professor Tested Popular Diets on Himself | Dan Lieberman
#54: A Harvard Professor Tested Popular Diets on Himself | Dan Lieberman Oct 13, 2026 4085 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
#53: Your Mind Lies About How Much You Can Take | Lindsay Crouse
#53: Your Mind Lies About How Much You Can Take | Lindsay Crouse Oct 8, 2026 3159 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(0
#52: What Convenience and Your Phone Are Costing You | Tim Wu
#52: What Convenience and Your Phone Are Costing You | Tim Wu Oct 6, 2026 3625 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
#51: Creatine, Wearables, Carbs: What's Hype and What's Real | Brady Holmer
#51: Creatine, Wearables, Carbs: What's Hype and What's Real | Brady Holmer Oct 1, 2026 3060 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) Crea
#50: The Mormon Missionary Who Became a Real Housewife | Heather Gay
#50: The Mormon Missionary Who Became a Real Housewife | Heather Gay Sep 29, 2026 3643 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
#49: Why We Should Stop Eating Lettuce | Tamar Haspel
#49: Why We Should Stop Eating Lettuce | Tamar Haspel Sep 24, 2026 3549 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
#48: A Fox News Host’s Formula for Winning Arguments | Jessica Tarlov
#48: A Fox News Host’s Formula for Winning Arguments | Jessica Tarlov Sep 22, 2026 2734 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(00:4
#47: Lessons from Singlehandedly Fighting Off a Terrorist Attack  | Christian Craighead
#47: Lessons from Singlehandedly Fighting Off a Terrorist Attack | Christian Craighead Sep 17, 2026 3357 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 r
#46: How to Learn Faster and Remember More | Jim Kwik
#46: How to Learn Faster and Remember More | Jim Kwik Sep 15, 2026 3672 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
#45: Inside the North Tower on 9/11 | Chief Joseph Pfeifer
#45: Inside the North Tower on 9/11 | Chief Joseph Pfeifer Sep 10, 2026 3286 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 t
#44: How to Recover From Trauma and Come Back Stronger | Elizabeth Smart
#44: How to Recover From Trauma and Come Back Stronger | Elizabeth Smart Sep 8, 2026 3385 Michael sits down with Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted at 14, survived nine months of captivity, and spent the decades after building her own path to recovery. She is the Founder of the Elizabeth Smart foundation and host of The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart, a true-crime podcast where she speaks with survivors of violent crimes about healing. Michael and Elizabeth discuss: (00:00) Cold op
#43: Avoiding Anxiety Makes it Stronger & Relationship Rules | Dr. John Delony
#43: Avoiding Anxiety Makes it Stronger & Relationship Rules | Dr. John Delony Sep 3, 2026 3793 Michael speaks with Dr. John Delony, host of The Dr. John Delony Show and author of Building a Non-Anxious Life. They discuss: 00:00 Preview00:54 Mental Health and Relationship Lessons from Thousands of Callers09:09 Why The Problem People Describe is Never the Real Problem 12:45 What People Are Really Calling About25:51 Lessons from a Homicide Detective28:28 Why Punk Rock Teaches Stewardship32:09

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