The podcast universe is making health and fitness knowledge more accessible than ever before – but in an industry that makes millions convincing people of the best way to lose weight, finding helpful, non-diet content can be a challenge. If you’re looking for a podcast to support a different kind of fitness goal, here are four awesome and uplifting shows to try.
TRAINED
Hosted by Nike senior director of performance Ryan Flaherty, TRAINED brings you practical tips for holistic health from the mouths of world-class athletes, top trainers, researchers, and psychologists. Tune in to hear from Olympic athletes Allyson Felix and Alex Morgan, NBA champion Jrue Holiday, and respected scholars like grit researcher Angela Duckworth. The focus on athletic achievement, breaking through mental barriers to hit fitness and life goals, and adopting the mindset of a champion takes the emphasis away from weight and body image in our own fitness journeys. Pick up helpful nutrition and sleep tips, and find your competitive advantage when you get TRAINED.
Embrace Your Real
The women’s fitness world needs more voices like Julie Ledbetter, host of the Embrace Your Real podcast. Joining in for one of her episodes feels like meeting up with an old friend, and the thoughts she offers are heartfelt and hopeful. Speaking from experience – she was once admittedly obsessed with being skinny no matter the cost – Ledbetter talks guests through her experience of learning to love her body and overcoming her unhealthy desire to lose weight. Get tips on how to embrace gaining muscle and curves, how to get out of “weight loss mode,” and how to show up in the world as the best version of yourself. You don’t owe the world a skinny body – so go after healthy habits and a healthy mindset instead!
The Model Health Show
While the name sounds like it’s pointing to an unreachable ideal, The Model Health Show is actually working to reclaim the word model: “It’s about creating a model, your own model, that inspires you to live your best life and also inspires the world around you.” Host Shawn Stevenson, a fitness and nutrition expert with a silky smooth voice, covers a range of topics from sleep and stress to nutritional health, financial health, and of course, body performance. Unafraid to dive into the science and research behind our health, Stevenson coaches listeners on how to build self-confidence and self-worth and how to reach goals, emphasizing our ability to create change in our lives through the power of mindset. You won’t hear or think much about losing weight during this podcast. Instead, you’ll have much loftier ideas to consider.
Listen to Your Body Podcast
Ready for some raw, unfiltered takes on the mess that is diet culture? The Listen to Your Body Podcast packs a punch, tackling common and unhelpful opinions in the fitness world and suggesting whole-body health alternatives. Host Steph Gaudreau calls it like she sees it, and while she doesn’t mince words when she disagrees with an idea, it’s clear she wants to encourage and uplift. Listen to Your Body is about focusing our attention on what our bodies can do, rather than what they look like. Learn why weight loss is often a misguided goal and hear thoughtful, refreshing views on why fitness looks different for people living in different bodies and training toward different goals. Gaudreau is here to remind us that weight doesn’t equal health – and maybe we just need a more exciting alternative to train for instead.
Happy whole-body fitness! In between episodes of your favorite fitness podcast, make sure to check out the Olympus Las Colinas blog for health and wellness tips, plus fun ways to stay active in and around Irving.