Oh, the wild world of podcasts. There's a lot of great content out there, but when it comes to fitness podcasts, there are a lot of series that emphasize pain over pleasure, with a "no excuses" mentality that can do a lot more harm than good. Finding body-positive workout podcasts can be difficult, but they're well worth searching for.
A lot of people are, indeed, searching for these elusive podcasts. According to Spotify's Health and Wellness Predictions for 2020, there are more than 54 million workout playlists on their streaming service alone. In 2019, there was a 145% increase in the popularity of fitness and wellness podcasts to go along with these playlists. These series can help prepare you for the things you need to do before you actually start exercising.
Building your confidence is one of these crucial aspects of creating a positive and unique relationship with your body and fitness. Diving into new fitness goals can be overwhelming, and sometimes you need that literal voice in your ear to remind you that you've got this.
That's where these podcasts come into play. These seven podcasts are great for preparing yourself for whatever 2020 might bring to your body, mind, and fitness journeys.
1Decolonizing Fitness
The Decolonizing Fitness podcast is co-hosted by Ilya Parker, a self-identified fat trans personal trainer and founder of Decolonizing Fitness, and Candace Liger, founder of Felyne Fitness and Project Blackbird. Parker and Liger have covered vital topics from toxic fitness culture to gender nonconformity and transness is sports, and they're set to bring you even more radical fitness podcast episodes in 2020.
2Affirmation Pod
If you're trying to get into or maintain a fitness routine but your mental health is creating obstacles for you, I definitely feel you. That's why I like Affirmation Pod, a mental health podcast from Josie Ong. This podcast is full of soothing mental health reminders to get you through your day, whether you need affirmations before working out or a pep talk before work.
3Love, Curvy Yoga
Complete with lessons learned from body-affirming yoga practices, the Love, Curvy Yoga podcast is all about connecting with yourself through your yoga practice. Whether they discuss how yoga can help hone your intuition or the ways that yoga teaches you that you are always good enough, these relatively short episodes will help guide you in cultivating your own home yoga practice to increase your overall sense of self-love.
4Fit Bottomed Girls
Focusing on fitness, meditation, nutrition, mind-body wellness, Fit Bottomed Girls podcast host Margo Donohue interviews fitness experts each week on topics as delightfully widespread as adventures with kettlebell training and bringing joy to your unique yoga practice. And with discussions about body-affirming fitness fashion and athleisure sprinkled into the mix, you really can't go wrong.
5No Body Asked For This
This podcast might be exactly what your body's been asking for — or, uh, not asking. From chatting about enjoying the gym without focusing on calories and the body-shaming of nonbinary people to the white-washing of body-positive activism, your No Body Asked For This hosts Kendra Crabtree and Megan Moss are sure to give your relationship to your body and wellness a much-needed boost.
6Project Body Love
Don't have a lot of time, but want a dose of affirmations about your body and the ways you move in the world? Body confidence advocate and Project Body Love host Jada Sezer gives you 30 days of positive body talk, ranging from compassionate body scans to the potential power of sports in boosting your self-esteem. Even if you're the type to hit the gym hard (like me), this podcast can help you re-center yourself in appreciation for who you already are, as well as who you're becoming.
7Yes& Body Politics
If you need a little extra boost of confidence to both make you laugh and get you out the door in the morning, the Yes& Body Politics podcast can help you out. With episodes on grappling with insecurity and navigating medical stigma at the doctor's office, your hosts Tresla Friedrick and GuruShabd Khalsa will help you feel good in your own body and mind, which is really what all this is about.
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If you've been searching for a fitness-oriented podcast that won't make you feel like you need to change your body to be valid and amazing, these podcasts will hopefully do the trick. You deserve to have affirmative fitness and wellness experiences, and you might be able to start with your next podcast-listening session.
