275. Can You Love Fitness But Hate Fitness Culture?

“Taking the first step is always intimidating, whether it’s to therapy, or whether it’s to finding a non-traditional fitness space for you to feel safe, heard, and acknowledged in.”

You can love fitness, but hate the anti-fat bias and weight stigma that is baked into so much of it. Today I’m talking with Wendy Welsher, a USA Weightlifting Level Two coach, masters athlete, and founder of My Jam, about finding your way back to fitness and building a healthier relationship with movement. Wendy shares her experiences with weight stigma, anti-fat bias, diet culture, and eating disorder recovery, and how she created a safe fitness space for people who have felt excluded or harmed by traditional fitness environments. Wendy reminds us that there isn’t a single right way to move your body, and showing curiosity instead of judgment is the first step toward building strength.

✅ What You'll Learn:

• How anti-fat bias and weight stigma can affect your relationship with exercise and fitness spaces
• Why movement doesn't have to be punishment
• Using rest, recovery, fueling, and body awareness to better support your relationship with movement
• How strength training can help you feel strong, capable, and more connected to your body
• Why there is no single "right" way for movement to look, and how to experiment with what works for your body
• Practical ways to find fitness spaces and practitioners that align with your values and help you feel safe, supported, and welcome

🔗 Resources:

• Regain Chastain
• Wendy’s Fat Athlete Journal
• Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food
• Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.