Fitness Influencers, Wellness Scams, & The Myth Of "Being Healthy"

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Chelsea interviews fitness expert Casey Johnston about fitness influencers, the cult of thinness, and what women can gain from getting strong.
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[@shannonhayes2447]

The animators on Encanto had to fight really hard to draw the character Luisa as a muscle-y woman (since, you know...her gift is super-strength). It was mind-blowing to see a big, strong woman in a movie aimed primarily at little girls. Luisa is my daughter's favorite character, and I think it will help her to accept the beauty of female strength as she grows older.

[@lynnburdick7255]

I'm 60, been a runner for 15 years, doing yoga for about 8. I started working out to be thin but now that I'm older, I'm in it for quality of life. Exercise may not be a big factor in losing weight but it is SO important to my mobility and mental health. I think it's the reason I breezed through menopause. Also, exercise doesn't just mean lift weights or run. Our bodies were meant to move so find the movement that you enjoy - dancing, walking, yoga, pilates, boxing, etc. Whether it's food or exercise, there are no one size fits all solutions so the first step is to figure out what makes you feel best, not one some "influencer" says.

[@lillipearse5579]

100%. I’m a climber and I love the way it makes me feel. I lift weights to help build the strength I need to climb harder routes

[@asuka_the_void_witch]

based

[@calibby85]

37 and hoping to build in a more consistent movement routine so I can handle menopause better too, along with a healthier diet. Balance is 🔑

[@sammierose1150]

@@asuka_the_void_witch I’ve been seeing this comment everywhere. What exactly does “based” mean? Are you trying to say “biased”?? 🤔

[@llkoolbean4935]

Amen, well said!

[@ruthgovanbader]

The idea that genetically hot, lean people disproportionately become fitness trainers and influencers RATHER than that the exercise/diet they're pedalling making them hot and lean. That was such a helpful game changer for my mindset.

[@asuka_the_void_witch]

damn thats hardcore facts.... 😵

[@KateeAngel]

It is both actually. If a person works out a lot, no way they will stay obese. Obesity is not natural

[@neleawest7196]

@@KateeAngelworkout plus a healthy diet. What u eat plays a greater role in losing weight than exercise

[@asuka_the_void_witch]

@@KateeAngel thyroid problems etc are definitley natural.

[@ruthstaus409]

@@KateeAngel Obesity, upon dynamic systems mapping, turns out to be an interconnected 108 variable problem within numerous interconnected sectors that includes genetics ( think FTO gene), epigenetics ( think DNA methylation), thousands of biomolecules that control satiety which are not well understood, the microbiome, sleep, stress ( think Geronomus' weathering hypothesis), endocrine disrupting chemicals found in every human body on the planet that change the function of adipose tissue which has endocrine function that affects metabolism, medications that affect weight ( think atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants), a dysfunctional food system based on the sugar and corn industry becoming incredibly rich and powerful, a built environment that favors the use of cars, the use of BMI to measure obesity when it is not a measure of adiposity or body composition. What obesity clearly is not- an individual moral failing that can easily be solved by "eating less and exercising more" . The research is clear, this is a systems problem that requires a systems approach.

[@aleksandrasivolob]

I am thankful I stopped worrying about my weight as I hit my thirties. I pole dance now and the people in my studio have all body shapes and they all can look empowered and sexy. It’s been a great shift in my mind from being obsessed with being thin most of my life.

[@fmdollify]

Me too! Not quite 30 but very happy to have dropped this worry. I like to be active and have a gym where I love the community and style of classes, I go to feel better, take my mind off work, and hang out :) Earlier this week I was going through boxes in my basement and found all of my middle/high school journals. They made me a bit sad! I was obsessed for years with weighing 110 pounds (no idea where the number came from). At that point in my life I would have weighed about 115-125 pounds, sad to think that the "last 5 pounds" mindset that is so prevalent in our society was weighing on my mind for years at that young age.

[@rodemates]

During 2020 I started to exercise at home. I used to heavily associate gyms with exercise and it's not the case for me at all anymore. I ended up loving exercising at home for free (minus a little bit of equipment cost). Since exercising at home is more convenient and takes up less of my day I do it way more often now too.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I love that for you. We Stan the progress 👏🏽

[@breebartkowiakova]

i love working out but haven't set foot in a gym in ages. 12 years ago i invested around $2500 in exercise equipment and turned my guest bedroom into a home gym. it's the best investment i have ever made.

[@mlsb9591]

I know is a bit late! But do you recommend any particular videos on KZbin for home weight training?

[@biostatmom2]

Also late! Check out Caroline Girvan!

[@TerriMRoberts]

I work in non-profit, community run fitness, and SO much of this doesn`t apply. We`re got trainers of all sizes, ages & abilities... in other words, the trainers the big, fancy-pants corporations that sell the dream of thinness, would never hire. There`s realistic trainers out there, but we aren`t the ones who get famous.

[@harmonybarry6182]

“The Halo Effect”: People who are considered attractive tend to be rated higher on other positive traits as well, (like Casey’s example of an attractive fitness trainer. We’re also likely to consider the fitness trainer’s merit based on their appearance).

[@katarh]

I picked up weight lifting a few years ago as my primary exercise. I'd been misdiagnosed as having fibromyalgia (turned out to be familial hEDS instead) and I was still constantly in pain, even after losing almost a hundred pounds. Two months of DOMS later my really bad flare up days became fewer and farther between. I no longer ached for no reason just sitting on the couch. Today, I can deadlift my body weight, walk for ten kilometers without being sore the next day, and now that I'm eating enough calories and protein to sustain my body, I no longer have the constant flare ups that plagued me for decades. Shout out to Coach Joe at Athens Fitness for kicking my ass twice a week. He's one of the great ones.

[@rba4377]

Weight lifting did something similar for me but it can easily become unhealthy like any exercise/diet pattern. I do believe other body trends can be just as harmful physically and mentally as thinness is. (having stopped weightlifting due to health issues, I didn’t realize how unhealthy my relationship with weights was until I was forced to stop) and that’s REALLY common nowadays, just look at the average fitness influencers, a lot of them are not striving for thinness, weightlifting very frequently leads to an obsession with having a certain body and eating a certain amount of calories. Yes, it felt like freedom going from limiting calories to eating as much as I wanted but it can easily become an obsession as well, its so easy to start obsessing over your lifting goals (numbers or body image). Anyway, move your body for mobility, strength and heart health, eat a balanced diet of mostly whole foods all macros and you are doing good.

[@ChloeTheePayne]

at some point i'll make a vid on my channel about my experience getting breast reduction surgery, but in the meantime just wanted to thank casey for not sugarcoating the FACT that so many doctors do real harm by defaulting to weight loss as the first recommendation for so many ailments that may have nothing to do with someone's weight. please feel welcome to read on if you would like to be infuriated by my ridiculous (and unfortunately TOTALLY typical) experience qualifying for surgery! 😁 typical origin story: my body developed young, i was double D by age 15 and only got bigger from there. i decided on breast reduction by age 32 because i was a freaking G cup, which meant that despite being an otherwise healthy active person i was throwing my back out, had constant neck and shoulder pain, working out was really difficult, i was spending a ton of money to find specialized bras that could fit, the list of issues goes on and on... if i'd been able to pay approximately 16K out of pocket, i wouldn't have needed to go through any type of qualification process and a plastic surgeon would have done this relatively simple outpatient procedure for me no questions asked. but i needed to jump through the hoops to get my insurance to cover as much as possible (i ended up spending a little less than 8K). i'm really lucky that i had an honest, empathetic surgeon who let me know exactly what i was in for. during our consultation, she sat me down and explained "i do think you are a model candidate for this type of procedure and it will greatly improve your quality of life, but i also have to be clear: many of the patients with whom i have this consultation end up going without the surgery because they can't commit to all the ridiculousness required by the insurance companies. all their qualification codes were written by white guys in the fifties. it's terribly outdated and needs to be changed, but there are so many more pressing issues in the medical field that i doubt anyone will ever get around to addressing these requirements. so: the first thing they're gonna expect you to do is lose weight, because there are still plenty of people in medicine and insurance who are convinced that if a woman loses weight her breasts will get smaller. based on the average numbers i see from different companies, they'll probably expect you to lose about 20% of your body weight over the course of the next six months, and there will be a weigh-in right before you're approved for the surgery. they'll probably also require a minimum number of sessions with a physical therapist and a personal log from you to document a history of healthy habits and working out. it's really gonna suck, but if you can stick to it then i'll look forward to seeing you again for the surgery in six months." everything she predicted was totally accurate, those were the requirements i had to meet in order for my insurance to cover this “elective cosmetic procedure.” i practiced disordered eating habits for the next six months in order to achieve the weight loss (and surprise surprise, my breasts didn’t get any smaller). when i went to the sessions with the physical therapist, he was also super cool about acknowledging what a waste of time it was. as soon as he reviewed the case notes from my referral, he said “oh you’re just here for the silly insurance requirements right? ugh, i’m sorry i know this is such a hassle. and i can assume without even talking to you about it that you already have decent habits because you’ve been living in your body and dealing with this back pain for years, but if you want we could just do some basic exercises during these sessions about like posture and core strength?” so that’s what we did, three sessions of the kind of work i’d already been doing to try to manage my pain for years, practicing how to sit up straight with my shoulders back, how to stabilize movement from my core, how to massage the knots out of my neck and shoulders… i felt terrible about what a waste of the therapist’s time this was, cuz his other patients were people who really needed help recovering from injuries. but the therapist told me not to feel bad, cuz it wasn’t my fault and he got referrals like me from the insurance companies “all the time.” sigh 🙃 in the end i got the surgery and it changed my life for the better. the procedure itself was a breeze after all that! if you’ve read this far, then thank you for joining me on this spontaneous “OOH casey has inspired me to vent before i clock in at my day job” rambling session! TLDR: in many different areas of practice, doctors (and industries adjacent to the medical field, such as insurance companies) are really out of touch when it comes to ideas about weight loss and this causes a lot of harm. take care of yourselves out there everybody!

[@dididididididididdidi]

The insurance companies are the problem here and your doctor was up front about wanting to help you but being blocked by the insurance company. This is not the fault of doctors so stop blaming them.

[@loreleiandworld3774]

I hit my 30-ies during the pandemic. Mentally as well as physically I felt the weakest I had ever felt: my knees felt weak, I had no muscle (definition) what so ever, I didn't feel confident nor did I feel like I had any mental resilience left. I had a rock-bottom-moment and wanted do something about it. It started very small with just a fitnessmat in my living room, doing body-weight-exercises with a youtuber at home. Once I felt comfortable with that, I invested in some dumbbells and started doing youtube workouts with weights. I still do home-workouts to this day as I'm naturally an introverted person and gym environments don't speak to me. I can 100% can vouch for what this guest was saying! It may have started out as something that I wanted to do to (mainly) improve my physical appearance, but it has generated FAR more benefits that aren't even related to appearance: improved strength, improved calmness, the confidence and pride in knowing that I CAN do difficult things and make progress just by showing up for my workouts, better posture, etc. I highly recommend doing this for yourself. And starting out small is perfectly fine. Great, even! That's how habit-building works anyway.

[@thatjillgirl]

This is your reminder that if you're not listening to Maintenance Phase yet, you really should be. And yes! Among many of the myths of the wellness industry and pop culture beliefs that we should get rid of is the fallacy that exercise is the key to weight loss. Exercise alone is really not a great weight loss method. Exercise is wonderful in a lot of ways and has many well-established health benefits. Reliable weight loss is not really one of them. I'm kind of at the point where I don't think weight loss needs to be a health goal at all, but definitely exercise should be enjoyed for its other benefits, not engaged in for the sole purpose of trying to lose weight. Also, I am a pharmacist. You have no idea how sick we all are of Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic, and Trulicity. All of them are on backorder because the entire world decided to use them off-label for weight loss. It has been this way for months. It's absolutely absurd. Patients who have been using those meds for diabetes now suddenly can't get them. Such a stupid mess.

[@frogamigo]

Wegovy and Zepbound are *specifically* FDA designated for obesity or high body weight associated with health problems. (For good reason.) One of my dearest friends saw his BMI go from 39 to 29 on semgalutide. He can play with his young child, dress himself without losing his breath, maintain adequate hygeine, and can safely exercise on a treadmill at home. He is employed. He is no longer suicidal. For some people these medications are lifesaving. Be careful who you judge.

[@thatjillgirl]

@@frogamigo This is not about judgement. This is about people snapping up important medications to use on vanity weight. A good 50% of the people I see on these drugs at my pharmacy would not qualify for a diagnosis of obesity. Many of them are using them specifically for diabetes. But not all.

[@JaneTheMessage]

I ended up teaching fitness because I have over two decades of professional training in ballet, contortion, and adjacent interest in movement arts and kinesiology to support my training and performance in ballet. I think a lot of us in competitive physical skills end up in fitness jobs because we are around them as cross-training for our movement careers. It ultimately felt disingenuous to be the person in the front of a barre class demonstrating what the movements should look like when what my body looks like and is able to do came from 8 hours of training that started as an adolescent and had continued on for decades.

[@fleurmk]

I understand your concern, and I feel like one answer would be to encourage your students and remind them that your body, fitness or flexibility took professionnal hard work, did not come from usual fitness classes, and shouldn't be seen as the goal for them.

[@notadocmartin]

I feel like my stark wake up moment with the American health care system was when I gained ten pounds and my then-doctor said to me "have you tried eating less meat? eat nuts" to someone who barely eats meat and has a nut allergy (which was definitely in my medical records.)

[@NavaSDMB]

When I was 15 I went to my school's summer camp. Every other day we'd climb a mountain; "rest days" involved walking over the nearest mountain pass twice a day, because we liked the river in the other valley better. So, 4x7km on rest days. I gained 5kg and lost 2 jeans' sizes... and yet, often all doctors look at is the weight, not at what makes up that weight.

[@Artofcarissa]

I remember when I first found out that lifting weight burns fat and tones you better than cardio does I was super surprised; I definitely bought into the lie from the late 90’s/early 2000’s that cardio was how you lose weight and burn fat, that weight lifting was for men who wanted to ‘bulk up’ and not for ladies who wanted to ‘slim down; because the idea of a bulky strong woman is horrifying 🙄 As someone who has that short and stocky muscle structure with naturally muscular calves and arms, I’ve definitely felt insecure about my body and it being too thick and wide compared to the tall lean skinny girls

[@rba4377]

I do believe other body trends can be just as harmful physically and mentally as thinness is. (having stopped weightlifting due to health issues, I didn’t realize how unhealthy my relationship with weights was until I was forced to stop) and that’s REALLY common nowadays, just look at the average fitness influencers, a lot of them are not striving for thinness, weightlifting very frequently leads to an obsession with having a certain body and eating a certain amount of calories. Yes, it felt like freedom going from limiting calories to eating as much as I wanted but it can easily become an obsession as well, its so easy to start obsessing over your lifting goals (numbers or body image). Anyway, move your body for mobility, strength and heart health, eat a balanced diet of mostly whole foods all macros and you are doing good.

[@borkbork4124]

Yes, same. I put off lifting weights for years, and I am naturally beefy so I was scared I would grow Hercules muscles. Now, after doing some lifting, I am not bulky visually, but I am definitely stronger! Woo hoo

[@NavaSDMB]

A few years ago, I was in the bar at the intercity station, just killing time, and the waiter started flipping through channels. I SCREAMED when a sports channel came up. All through school I'd been smashed against types of exercise that were completely unsuitable for me, and here was a Turkish teenager who could have been my twin, powerlifting. The comentator explained that our body type (guitar-shaped, with thick thighs and short legs) is very good for the particular type of lifting she was doing, whereas other body shapes are better at other kinds of lifting, all because of the forces and leverage involved... Attempts at finding a lift trainer who gives me any kind of answers that make sense (*) have failed so far, but that was the day I stopped letting anybody try to stick me into "girly exercises". I do own a vagina but that doesn't mean I am required to like aerobics, damnit, and I don't care what adjective you place in front of that word! (*) "before you start doing any kind of lifting, you need to come to the gym at least three times per week" is one I've gotten several times. As if there was no exercise outside of gym exercise, and as if "going to the gym" was itself some sort of sport...

[@vulpixelful]

Yes to more women getting into lifting! It really has more benefits than cardio for our long-term health, and we typically can challenge ourselves beyond those 5 pound rose-gold dumbbells 😉

[@mkitten13]

An interesting thing when Chelsea started talking about the first steps you make when you decide to fix your finances. I actually used a lot of the same tools I used to improve my finances to improve my health. Like I started just spending the first month tracking my food intake (just a food diary, no numbers involved), observing myself. Just doing those observations shed light on several bad habits that I was able to fix either instantly or relatively quickly. I used a lot of the same mentality. I didn't specifically do a "budget" but I sorted through the foods I ate in a similar way that I did with evaluating my expenses, figuring out which foods made me feel good afterwards, keep me full, etc. and which foods didn't. I looked at the overall picture of the month rather than the day to day, but had a guiding number that I tried to stay close to (similarly to how I mentally allocated a certain amount of spending money to each week, and if I went over one week I knew I had to go below another). I didn't panic or punish myself for a single excess day, instead focused on the everyday habits I was making and how little that one excess day actually mattered in the long run.

[@kwailcamp]

The gym being touted as the only place to workout is an issue too. Loads of folks just not into the gym environment and culture.

[@thatjillgirl]

Yep. And a lot of times, using the gym means spending money. One of the reasons I took up running as an exercise was because it was something I could do on my own for free without having to bother with the gym scene.

[@sarahmunoz14]

Weight training is crucial. If you can work it into your life, please do it now. 50-60-70 yr old you and your bones will thank you. ☺️I turned 50 this year and felt my strength waning. 2-3 days of lifting has changed my body and I feel really strong. Also, getting more protein is hard, especially if you don’t eat meat as I do. It requires planning but doesn’t always mean hours of cooking theses day.

[@sparstangled]

I started lifting recently because of Casey! I read her ebook a year ago and had been thinking about it ever since. So cool to see her on the show!

[@Fixtheproblemwithgoodpolicy]

Having to think about working out is bad design. A huge part of why we're so sedentary is the way we design our cities and towns to be car centric instead of people centered.

[@Balladofbooks]

Honestly the conversation around the fear of not fitting in at a gym is real and is definitely why I have always strayed from them. I’m a marathon runner now and I also didn’t feel like I fit into the stereotype of a runner until I actually went to my first marathon and realized oh there is no stereotype, people of all different ages, and body types were there! So sometimes you just have to go out of your comfort zone

[@breebartkowiakova]

i love working out but haven't set foot in a gym in ages. i also hate gyms. 12 years ago i invested around $2500 in exercise equipment and turned my guest bedroom into a home gym. it's the best investment i have ever made.

[@Pomagranite167]

I've gone from being a runner to being a skater to being a pole dancer, yoga enthusiast, and camping hiker girl. I love movement, i love taking walks, and I fucking love to dance, but I simply cannot stand the gym. I hate ppl looking at me, i hate men watching me and trying to talk to me in public lol. Everytime i go to a gym, it feels like its only ppl who dont actually wanna be there but wanna look good and gym rats who practically live there and have no other life. Just so devoid of any fun that associate with exercise

[@FlyToTheRain]

i went to physical therapy recently for a dislocated shoulder and its actually pretty nice to have some simple exercises that i can do a little bit of every day and slowly build up on as i feel comfortable. its not an intimidating feeling of "oh man i really need to go to the gym" its just a couple of small weights loaned from a family member to help me build up some much needed upper body muscles i've never really had.

[@nicolewin4180]

Also the reason that doctors don't really have great weight loss advice is because they aren't nutritionists or dieticians. If doctors recommend that a patient needs to lose weight that patient should then be referred to dietician or nutritionist.

[@unerevuese]

Weight and BMI is such a terrible way of measuring health tbh. I am so sick of it.

[@kristihaag5172]

I’ve fluctuated a lot with my weight in my adult life and the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in a gym in my life, even at a smaller size, was when I was 5’6 190 something pounds at a bodybuilder and powerlifting gym. My older brother is a bodybuilder and I tagged along with him. Everyone was friendly, jumping over each other to offer spots and encouragement. Everyone there was so secure in their own abilities that they didn’t feel the need to judge other people there.

[@rba4377]

I do believe other body trends can be just as harmful physically and mentally as thinness is. (having stopped weightlifting due to health issues, I didn’t realize how unhealthy my relationship with weights was until I was forced to stop) and that’s REALLY common nowadays, just look at the average fitness influencers, a lot of them are not striving for thinness, weightlifting very frequently leads to an obsession with having a certain body and eating a certain amount of calories. Yes, it felt like freedom going from limiting calories to eating as much as I wanted but it can easily become an obsession as well, its so easy to start obsessing over your lifting goals (numbers or body image). Anyway, move your body for mobility, strength and heart health, eat a balanced diet of mostly whole foods all macros and you are doing good.

[@JP-ve7or]

Honestly, I stopped following a lot of fitness people for this very reason. There's kind of a line where self image turns unhealthy. I'm really trying to stay on this side of it.

[@rba4377]

@@JP-ve7or yes, same! For me it started as "its so much better to feel strong and eat as much as i want" and it became really obssessive to grow muscle and not miss a session and eat more calories than i truly wanted, and i've seen the same habit developing in people around me, I would say is getting more popular than obssesion w being skinny

[@basicallymid]

Legit, the barbell changed my life. Lifting can be challenging, but it's so effing fun. And seeing your progression if just being stronger, being more aware of your muscles, and yes the tightening of your body is so worth it.

[@snooksmcdermott]

When I lived in a nicer neighborhood I used to walk for exercise through some lovely wooded areas, but post-divorce I live in a not-so-great area so I'm reluctant to walk or ride a bike (there have been rapes on the bike path near me 😕). So I have to drive to hike in the (lovely) metroparks on the edges of my large midwestern, car-dependent city. So safety is a consideration to take into account, too. I also have to drive to swim (my favorite exercise) but you kind of expect that. 🐟

[@ifetayodavidson-cade5613]

Concerns of violence are definitely a barrier to exercising outdoors. I worried about encountering stray dogs when cycling in St. Louis.

[@nattygirldred]

This was SUCH A GREAT EPISODE! What a wonderful guest, she hit all the points. The fear of the gym is so intensely real for me, but breaking it down the way that she did really resonated with me. I have paid for gym memberships for years that I had never stepped foot in. I now can afford to pay for Pilates and it’s a great class experience however I do want to start lifting and have YET to step foot in the gym right downstairs in my new apartment building. But I have been very encouraged today!

[@marilamar9899]

Ok, around the 20 minutes mark she said a super important tip - get to know your gym slowly. I was overwhelmed when I started at my gym and ended up not using any equipment for a week! Defeats the purpose of signing up for a gym😅

[@nicolewin4180]

As a former bikini bodybuilder even weight lifting is being taken to the extreme especially within the last 3-5 years. Now because of fitspo bodybuilder influencers being "stage lean" is being pushed as the new norm or healthy. Which is ridiculous bodybuilders get to ridiculously unhealthy and unsustainable levels of leaness in order to be competitive on stage. So many newbies in the fitness world go from "I wanna lift to be healthy" to "yay, I lost some weight now I need to do a bodybuilding show!" Just enjoy a sustainable level of lifting and realize you don't have to take it to the extreme end of competing.

[@jurysdykcja]

I started being into gym culture like...11 years ago? It was just starting for women in my country. It was super fun at the beginning. A lot of body positivity and focus on working within your own limits. Even the shows were fun and generally natural in female categories. And then Instagram came and it became all about fitness models with superior genetics, running on gear, becoming fitness gurus after literally one year of lifting. The change was dramatic. It got kind of boring and annoying, and you have to explain to each newbie on the gym, that their body goals are in the extreme range and not really achievable (and even if, then not sustainable) for average person, naturally. Then few years later there was one more wave of all these fitness influencers crying about their body dysphoria, ED and so on...just to be back into extreme leanness the moment they put their health together. A vicious circle. I completely separated myself from internet weightlifting community after that.

[@wilmaottosson]

This was such an interesting conversation, thank you! My experience with weight lifting and body image is that I was never able to keep a regular gym habit until I completely ditched social media 2 years ago. Even if I rarely posted stuff about training back then, I think I was very affected by the whole social media connection between body/self image/self worth/fitness/diet. I didn't quit social media for this particular reason, but since giving up on it I'm no longer depent on the validation of others to keep going. It WAS a motivating factor, but I think it forced me to find another, more sincere source of motivation. As Casey mentions, I suppose I found that in gaining strength. It is very validating and it honestly feels COOL.

[@mkitten13]

I think when it comes to BMI, it works better as an indicator of when a situation is really bad, rather than when a situation is good/normal/healthy. When I finally got the right motivation and tools to finally lose weight (2 years ago), my BMI at the time put me just across the line for class 2 obesity, so in that situation it was a good indicator of a problem. Especially considering my very sedentary lifestyle. Now that I have a "normal" BMI, I take it with a grain of salt, because many different body situations can generate that same number and my level of health depends on those situations and not so much the number itself. But it was useful to pinpoint how bad the situation used to be, and the health risks I was subjecting myself to.

[@k.h.6991]

This. Most people who are overweight by BMI should sit up and pay attention. Their health is at risk. Individually: sure, some people who lift weights have so much muscle that their BMI is high. But for most people: a high BMI should be a wake up call.

[@amandazplace5663]

I have a family member who competes in physique competitions. What people dont realize is that almost ALL female competitors have breast implants. We also dont realize that AS SOON as a competition is over, while they are at their esthetic BEST, they take a gazillion photos in a gazillion outfits to use for all future marketing (until they have to train for the next competition). As soon as they are done with the photos, they are eating like crazy ALL the foods, just like the rest of us. ♥️🇨🇦

[@friday8370]

I just had a baby less than 5 months ago and my wrist is horribly messed up, common in postpartum but I’ll likely need surgery. After getting a referral after being in the emergency room I’m given a referral for weightloss surgery. I just had a C section, I’m here about my wrist. I need doctors to take my issues with my heart/wrist etc first and maybe heal a bit more. It’s so disheartening

[@thecrapinpandas]

That is awful, sorry they’ve treated you this way ❤

[@Nico5890]

Hope you are healing up and staying strong sis

[@lanzinator4734]

I go to water aerobics with a bunch of women in their 50s and 60s and that class completely transformed my relationship to my body.

[@carolinah.1794]

Woo-hoo So excited to catch this one! I've legit been contemplating all these things myself!!! I just shared the toddler husband video with my mom and sisters bc that one was so great and true! 😄

[@kaw8473]

Start by re allocating the money you spend on the gym to therapy. You won't lose weight if you have an eating disorder due to an abusive childhood. I've gained and lost over 100 lbs 3 times in my life before I realized I needed therapy. I was emotionally neglected as a child so my only source of endorphins, in place of validation, was delicious foods. Even now when I'm stressed, I think about steak, noodles and chocolate all day long.

[@MichiruEll]

That's my plan for this year. Get therapy, manage anxiety, sleep more. To feel better in my head, and also with a vague hope that it will help with managing my emotional eating.

[@paulinemoira8442]

this is so true. I have the knowledge of what's the right food for me, how to cook healthy and tasty and how to train to achieve my goals. And yet I sabotage myself by randomly eating a tub of ice cream or a full chocolate bar because I'm stressed/anxious or depressed. And you're not gonna have any progress by eating a perfectly balanced dinner, if you down 800 kcal of snacks right after.

[@yunglynda1326]

same

[@juliamurphy5943]

Soooooooooo true

[@kw9801]

What a great episode. 😍 I've been dabbling into weight lifting ever since the gyms were closed due to the pandemic and I got myself some weights to workout at home since I had always been to embarrassed to do it at the gym and usually only ever did cardio there. I didn't see a lot of progress in the first 1.5 year's since I was doing it wrong (no progressive overload and no protein tracking). Since I've been progressively overloading and roughly tracking just my protein (I'm also vegan) and also now lifting twice a week as opposed to once I've been seeing SO MUCH progress in the last 6 months. It's a miracle. 😍 I'm 37 and I've never been so fit and toned my entire life. Also am able to do pushups now for the first time in my life. SO MUCH better than cardio! I also cycle to work for an hour every day and go for a swim once a week, that's cardio that I actually enjoy and that relaxes me. :) I encourage other women to try out a strength based workout. 😊

[@jungwhat]

"Living, laughing, loving out here" this made me lol harder than it should have 😂😅

[@JulJube85]

You might be interested in the podcast Maintenance Phase. Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes talk about about the scams that are some of these diets. I'd love to hear you interview them at some point!

[@ameliaryczek8433]

I am absolutely loving the diet culture rejection on this channel. Bravo. It's a financial issue as much as it is a physical and mental health one.

[@lillianmarie9469]

The point on doctors defaulting to “lose weight first” instead of-a) digging into other possible issues and b) providing high-quality preventative/rehabilitation care-could be a whole video in itself. It’s something that’s been touched upon in other TFD/TFC videos before, particularly in terms of medical care access and expenses disproportionately impacting at-risk populations. Would love to see something possibly with a health care expert shedding more light on the lack of trained medical professionals and the factors that feed into having way fewer highly-trained medical professionals than we need, and of course the extensive medical costs associated with that lacking preventive care. I wish I had a particular guest in mind, maybe others can think of someone?

[@jbblue48089]

The way I think about influencers and how they warp people’s self-image, it makes me even more stubborn about liking my own body. My mom has had eating disorders for much of her life and I had to constantly battle her demons, because she’s beautiful regardless. I love looking like my mom and how dare anyone try to convince me otherwise. The people who make money from convincing people to not look like their parents are wrong and sometimes cruel, if not just parasites.

[@orikes13]

Any time a medical professional brings up BMI to me in a clinical setting, I immediately distrust their ability to provide me the medical care I need. I have a friend who was exercising a lot and in the best shape of his life. His doctor told him he was obese because his BMI was too high. Six months later, my friend started having major gastric issues where he could not eat and was in a great deal of pain. He lost a lot of weight due to his body trying to kill him. The first thing out of his doctor's mouth was congratulation him on getting his weight under control because now his BMI was where it was supposed to be.

[@zahiramalakh6352]

This is exactly what I needed to listen to right after I got back from the gym!

[@ntrier]

Chelsea ur hair is simply gorg!! Loved this topic - THANK YOU!

[@jamkwasowski5207]

I wish I'd known of Casey sooner! What a magnificent and timely interview. Wonderful choice, TFD!

[@mack_cheesy]

Dream collab! Casey's work inspired me to start lifting a few years ago. It has done wonders for my confidence and body image.

[@thefinancialdiet]

Love this!!!

[@daniellewert6864]

Every woman should know how it feels to have a barbell in her hands. The best part of my job as a fitness professional is showing women of any age how empowering picking up heavy stuff can be.

[@rba4377]

I do believe other body trends can be just as harmful physically and mentally as thinness is. (having stopped weightlifting due to health issues, I didn’t realize how unhealthy my relationship with weights was until I was forced to stop) and that’s REALLY common nowadays, just look at the average fitness influencers, a lot of them are not striving for thinness, weightlifting very frequently leads to an obsession with having a certain body and eating a certain amount of calories. Yes, it felt like freedom going from limiting calories to eating as much as I wanted but it can easily become an obsession as well, its so easy to start obsessing over your lifting goals (numbers or body image). Anyway, move your body for mobility, strength and heart health, eat a balanced diet of mostly whole foods all macros and you are doing good.

[@Pomagranite167]

I got big muscles after starting to pole sance and i remmebr my sister said "ew" when she saw them lol. I didnt care bc honestly I loved having the strength and muscle to LIFT shit it was awesome 😭 and dealing with a double shoulder injury the last year has really affectes my self esteem simlly for the fact that i had to wait to atart doing that again. There is so much confidence and power in being a strong woman and my muscles werent even that big but they felt strong

[@daniellewert6864]

@@Pomagranite167 I have always wanted to try pole dancing it looks so fun but so tough! The amount of strength some of those moves takes is wild!

[@jenniferlancaster7040]

That totally happened to me. I went in to an ortho doc for hip joint pain and he told me to lose weight. Dude, I'm not having joint pain because I'm fat, I'm fat because I have joint pain. I went to a diff doc and had hip replacement surgery.

[@BelleChanson0717]

Not me IMMEDIATELY following her on everything. I'm a pole dancer and aerialist and I've been wanting to add lifting into my routine for cross-training. What an incredible resource!!

[@smallstepsdaily]

Same - I’m checking it all out now. 😅

[@thedolcetto81]

I do pole dance too and my physic has given me a weightlifting program to prehab my shoulders and my whole body for pole dancing. I now pump iron at the gym alongside going to pole dance classes and I highly recommend it. It is also helping me with mobility!

[@mellomallowy]

OK I am a Peloton convert, but I fell in love with cycle class when I first tried it. For me being on that bike is my zen zone. That being said, I am slowly learning to incorporate more strength training/weight lifting because I was misled my whole life. Grew up in the 90s, was always told not to lift because then you'll look like a man. So thank you for this video, it is difficult to recognize this mind-set and to unlearn these ideas.

[@minefallen]

I've become more sensitive about my body weight now compared to when I was a teenager. I was really thin growing up so I never really took fitness seriously. But as I'm getting older, I'm putting on weight + health conditions has pushed me to workout. I'm still not use to my weight now, but I exercise for a number of reasons. Yes I would like to look good but it's not my main goal. Right now I do a bit of strength training as I have a back injury and it helps remove my constant back pain, and I do cardio which I love, but not for physical health but for my mental health as it helps me deal with anxiety and anger. My number 1 goal is to keep exercising consistently to make it a lifestyle rather then with an end goal, and that's by not over exerting myself at the gym even though I can feel I can push myself further I'm more focused on coming back the next day.

[@christopherbroucek5052]

That BLAZER though. This Winona Ryder twin is faboosh

[@CanKaffyCook]

This was a really useful conversation for me. Thank you!

[@smallstepsdaily]

Same!!

[@the.masked.one.studio4899]

It’s so true! I had to start carrying my disabled daughter a lot! At first I was getting dizzy all the time and I began “overeating”, I felt SO much better in general and actually was happier with how my body looked than I ever was when I was running often and eating much much less. It’s sad how twisted diet culture has formed feminine presenting people’s relationships to their bodies. 💖

[@alejandramoreno6625]

I started to diet with a sports nutritionist after many misgivings, because of past experiences dieting. I'm on 1600 kcals a day and my goal is to loose 10 kg of fat. This was necessary for me because I gained 6kg in the past year alone and it was affecting my joints. I don't think I can make it to the 1600kcal some days because there is soooo much food I would need to consume. There are also carbs in my diet, including bread and pasta. I just have to watch the portions. So far It's working well without making me feel miserable. On the flip side, my partner is one of those people who can pig out and struggle to gain weight. He's got 7% body fat and is extremely thin. He's trying to increase both his body fat and his muscle mass and needs to gain 12 kg of muscle. He used to have ice-cream as dinner, and now he's eating a mix of vegetables, carbs and protein 5 times a day. It is impressive how much your diet affects your weight, not just calories. In my previous diets, like the paleo diet, I would be full of fat and protein but still crave sugar so bad that I could not sustain it, and at the same time, I would have eaten 1600 cal of just refined carbs, and I would still feel I had not eaten anything of value.

[@sunflowervibes3041]

The protein thing is so true - when I started eating enough protein I felt **ALIVE**

[@lmshanyfelt]

In my 40's, I exercise for many reasons, the least of which is weight loss. I've simply reached a point in my life, with a very sedentary job, where if I do not put intent into prioritizing movement, I simply do not feel well. I take martial arts classes with my kids as a way to engage in an activity with them. I lift in the gym to increase my strength and mobility. I ruck with a heavy pack to work on my cardio and endurance. When I can fit it in, I do yoga to help with my balance and natural inflexibility. I've started running with my kids to help encourage them with their own goals. Since I started prioritizing exercise for health rather than appearance, I've had so many improvements on my overall health. I in no way look like a gym rat with an influencer body, but I've made great improvement in my body composition and strength. My posture is better. My circulation is better. My blood sugar control is better. I don't worry if I'm invited to do an activity I have never tried before. I hope I'm being a positive role model for my children and motivating them to want to find joy in movement.

[@kaleyhobbs]

Please do a video on Ozempic or the common weight loss shots people are using to lose weight but having major side effects

[@doomedwit1010]

As someone whose diabetic father (who also happens to be badly overweight) needs it and can't get it... don't remind me..

[@victoriagillerlain]

Are these no longer being uploaded on Spotify? This episode and the last one are not on there.

[@EshiJay]

So off topic, but damn the glow on Casey's skin 🤩

[@fabssin]

Really great conversation but I'm surprised that it didn't touch on the benefits of working out at home/building a home gym over time if you have the room. It makes sense financially as a gym alternative and you can really get the same results. No need to deal with the pressures of being at the gym and feeling uncomfortable.

[@breebartkowiakova]

i hate gyms, but love working out and, haven't set foot in a gym in ages. 12 years ago i invested around $2500 in exercise equipment and turned my guest bedroom into a home gym. it's the best investment i have ever made.

[@katerinaschenke819]

Listened to this as a podcast but wanted to jump in to say there are a lot of parts of LA that are walkable! Yes, our bike lanes could be better, but many little neighborhoods in LA are extremely walkable like Culver city.

[@itsthedeek234]

Fighting the "low calorie" messaging is so important. On Maintenance Phase, they go into how the 2,000 calorie-a-day norm was a) a marketing number, not a scientific one, b) based on incredibly shoddy science, and c) rounded down anyway to make it an even number. So 1200 calories isn't just over half of what your body needs, it might be as little as a third of it! And we know that that kind of dieting runs the risk of destroying your metabolism such that it's even more impossible to lose weight (which shouldn't be the goal anyway!) Thank you for promoting strength training; for me once I started doing strength-based pilates my whole frame has felt a thousand times better than when I was just trying to will myself to do cardio (which I hated anyway).

[@oxfordstyle5807]

Is there a reason the last episode isn't showing up in the podcast? I always prefer to listen there.

[@PSNGuyWithHair102]

Sorry to ask but will this and the last episode be on Spotify soon? Love listening to the show on repeat but don’t always have the bandwidth to play the video.

[@jellyrcw12]

I'm a woman in my mid 20s. I love weightlifting. I really recommend 5x5 program. Super easy and quick

[@TheFinancialDiet349]

Thanks for the comment... contact me for information and profitable investment strategies.

[@candiandpopcorn4864]

What is the paired down/easy lifting resource she mentioned at the beginning of the vid (that sparked her love of lifting)?

[@2FINE4YOUBABYGIRL]

Weight lifting is super important especially as you get older, a lot of seniors end up having broken hips or fall down stairs and consistent weight training to build muscle and bone health would offset that.

[@missfl0werstar]

I've been doing Body Pump for a decade and it's been the greatest investment ever, in terms of money and energy. I'd had eating disorders as a teen and tween and I too had dieted my muscles away. Which led to a knee injury while skiing, simply because I was so frail! My doctor gave me 6 months to build the muscle necessary for recovery before he'd do the surgery and after 6 months of lifting, my muscles basically just took over and I never needed surgery! Lifting, when done in a healthy way, can truly be magic and I wish more women knew about its benefits.

[@Pursuitofhealthwealthhappiness]

oooooo LOVE LOVE LOVE the title can't wait to watch this!

[@annabeinglazy5580]

Also i would say If you really dont Like the Gym... Dont swear it. Find alternatives. I started doing bodyweight exercises at Home specifically to get stronger so i can do my real Hobby - climbing. I have Always Had Body Image issues, so decoupling working Out from what my Body Looks Like is really important for me. Hence climbing. I Love it. I absolutely suck at it because i have No muscle. And i cant afford to pay for a Gym AND my climbing Sessions. So instead i found a simple bodyweight exercise App. I can fit it into my schedule, i dont have to Drive anywhere and i can feel myself getting stronger little by little. If the Gym isnt for you or you dont have the time/resources to commit to it, find an alternative that makes you Happy. Theres all Kinds of activities, and theyre all better for your physical and mental health than doing nothing or forcing yourself to do sth you dont enjoy

[@dg2517]

Its true, some people have to lose weight first because exersizing crazily puts risk on you if you are overweight. If you want rapid weightloss then there are surgeries or medicines that help with this if a person cannot change their dietary habits on their own. Unfortunately poor diets habitually have you gain weight just like habitual investing helps you become rich.

[@aryanadavin8135]

Natacha Oceane is a great fitness influencer that actually tried to look at the science behind working out and losing weight and other health aspects of the fitness world

[@corajohnson9802]

Even if you do need to lose weight a doctor should still be giving you options for health improving interventions and investigating symptoms..a LOT of doctors prefer to brush everything off on your weight and it has killed so many people. I've heard of someone who died from lung cancer because multiple doctors ignored her shortness of breath and chest pain by telling her to "just exercise more and eat less".

[@livefreediepretty]

Anyone no longer able to find these episode of Spotify?

[@elenikyritsi478]

Amazing interview. So many things I literally want to scream at people's faces.

[@Mmmaaarrr86]

Thanks!

[@user-wn2vl8lz8j]

Great convo. It's also very common for fitness trainers to have a background of eating disorders so you just don't know what's going on behind the scenes that results in people looking the way they do. Which is why it's prob not a great idea to compare ourselves to anyone else. Easier said than done I know.

[@redheadwitharake8569]

Who's workout did she do to start? What's her name?

[@lanzinator4734]

OMG Can you please interview Stephanie Buttermore? Her all in journey is so inspring.

[@RikkeIJ]

Hi why is the episode not on apple podcast? :)

[@tauIrrydah]

I just watched Caroline Winkler's anti-What I eat in a day vid, such a great take.

[@GotItAtGoodwill]

Any KZbin videos on lifting for beginners who want to work out at home?

[@D_Winds]

Fantastic guest speaker today.

[@catandbirdlover06]

Do you still upload podcasts to Spotify?

[@taylorthompson7438]

Loved this

[@CaraMarie13]

My brother was very overweight when he was younger. The only movement he does is for his fingers while playing video games. He lost the weight by changing what was fed to him. Boy barely walks but he looks very slim. My maternal family naturally looks tone so we all look like we do yoga for an hour a day every single day.

[@anothersatellite2001]

I still go to the gym like once a week and group exercises classes 1-2 times a week, but I have to remind myself an at home work out is just as good, if not more because a lot of the times it's that or nothing at all for me. She came for peloton for a second but I love doing their at home workouts (I don't own any of their machines just use the platform). I kind of shamed them myself for a bit thinking they weren't as "good" as lifting at the gym, but then I remind myself what I love doing doesn't have to be what everyone else loves.

[@breebartkowiakova]

i hate gyms, but love working out and, haven't set foot in a gym in ages. 12 years ago i invested around $2500 in exercise equipment and turned my guest bedroom into a home gym. it's the best investment i have ever made.

[@anothersatellite2001]

@@breebartkowiakova that's the dream!! I currently live on the third floor so I feel for my downstairs neighbors when I work out but some day I would love to do that in my home. It's all about finding what works for you.

[@Sonoragrove4]

Lifting weights at home for me is way better than gym. No travel, free, wear whatever, hair a mess. No sweaty gym, smells and having to clean after people who don’t wipe down machines, etc.. Try getting thru a Caroline Girvan workout and Tana yoga on KZbin, all free.Never been so strong at 57! Once you are consistent you crave it. So important for menopausal women.

[@breebartkowiakova]

i hate gyms, but love working out and, haven't set foot in a gym in ages. 12 years ago i invested around $2500 in exercise equipment and turned my guest bedroom into a home gym. it's the best investment i have ever made.

[@kirstensmith5865]

Are you going to upload to Spotify/podcast apps?

[@gordonwallin2368]

Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@maryopop83]

Hello dear TFD team! I don't know if this happens to everybody but I'm feeling that the volumen of some of your videos are too low. I had the volume to the maximun and had some trouble listening the conversation. All the best! greetings from Argentina

[@thisisyourfinalwarning]

I love Casey!!!

[@rentedthriftedreal]

Love love love this 👏👏👏

[@quiteclarified]

Love Casey!

[@capucnechaussonpassion14]

I have no interest in sports at all, i don't like it as a social thing to talk about or watch together and i don't like doing it because it was very traumatizing in school and i have no interest in surpassing myself physically when i want to do it intellectually and aesthetically sometimes. I never bought into this lie of doing sports to obtain anything but weight loss. I thought it was way many too efforts for such little results and i don't have this kind of time to loose to other's expectations of my body. That being said i think it's a very good thing to be reminded that sports are important for our health (like not as sneaky way to mean weight) and that if you don't treat it like that or some kind of competition against the Jones it might be enjoyable. I'll never go to a fitness club or something (idk if it's a word) but i love yoga (you get to kind of meditate), biking when it's not going up (you get to discover the city ot the place you're travelling to), walking (again : exploration+ it's useful to get where you have to be in walkable cities at least) and self defense classes (wich could turn useful outside the class + is very empowering and not because now you have a but of something). This i could try to make more time for because it's actually enjoyable. Finding some kind of physical activities that is actually enjoyable to us instead of bullying ourselves into doing another one because of pear pressure is very good advice.

[@Nelle4ever]

Chelsea, you sound so naive when you talk about walking and biking around LA. It's a Very large metropolitan area. Oh, shit, the guest is from New York originally, too?????