Wellness Influencers: A 400-Year History of the Same Old BS

Send us Fan Mail Wellness culture didn't start with Instagram. From George Cheyne's 1724 bestseller to Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters redefining fat bodies as "the enemy within," the methods and ideology haven't changed in four centuries—even as the evidence proves they've never worked. In this episode, I trace wellness influencers back to the 17th century, exposing how former fat people turned their weight cycling into moral crusades, transforming fat bodies from "friendly jokes" into threats deserving punishment. These aren't just historical curiosities—they're the architects of today's war on ob*sity, and understanding their playbook helps us see modern wellness influencers for what they really are: unoriginal copycats parroting 400-year-old nonsense. Got a question for the next podcast? Let me know ! Connect With Me WEEKLY NEWSLETTER : Get a free script when you sign up THE WEIGHTING ROOM : Community with a neurodivergent flavour. **BOOK CLUB** exclusive to Weighting Room members. CONSULTATION : For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journey MASTERCLASS LIBRARY : Become an expert in your condition and the weight inclusive ways to manage it FREE GUIDES :Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram , YouTube , and LinkedIn .

You can listen to Wellness Influencers: A 400-Year History of the Same Old BS online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Wellness Influencers: A 400-Year History of the Same Old BS is an episode from The Fat Doctor Podcast by Dr Asher Larmie.

This episode is 40:51 long.

This episode was published on Feb 18, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Fat Doctor Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.