Data and the Obsession with Optimization

Does tracking your sleep, steps, and nutrition actually make you healthier—or just more stressed?

In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, Kylee and Zoë explore the research on fitness trackers and self-quantification. From counting steps to monitoring REM cycles, activity trackers promise better health and performance—but the science shows it’s not always that simple.

We dig into when tracking can be helpful, and when it can backfire. From orthosomnia (the sleep problems caused by obsessing over sleep data) to runners jogging laps around the parking lot just to hit their step goals, we explore how chasing “perfect” data can actually undermine your health.

And yes, we even talk about how obsessive tracking might be linked to bad sex.

You’ll learn:

• What the research actually says about wearables and health outcomes

• The downsides of over-tracking for athletes and everyday folks

• Why optimization culture can increase stress and reduce well-being

• How to use trackers in a balanced, evidence-based way

Whether you love your Garmin, Whoop, or Oura ring—or you’ve ditched them all—this episode will help you rethink your relationship with health tech.