The Fat Doctor Podcast

Send us a textComing out as fat is harder than coming out as transgender, at least in our experience. When performer and cabaret artist Ross Anderson-Doherty refused to pursue weight loss as medical treatment, their healthcare became a weapon of punishment rather than care. In this raw conversation, we explore how medical fatphobia intersects with transphobia, classism, and ableism to create devastating trauma that nearly destroyed one person's will to live. Ross's journey from medical neglect to triumphant revenge reveals the urgent need to recognize healthcare discrimination as the trauma it truly is.  You can catch Ross performing at the Cabaret Supper Club in Belfast. Be sure to follow them on Tik Tok and Instagram - you’d be a fool not to! 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textMedical weight stigma creates dangerous catch-22 situations for patients seeking care. In this episode, I share Cameron's story of developing gallstones after weight loss surgery, only to be denied treatment because their BMI was "still too high." In this episode, I expose how rapid weight loss can trigger gallstone formation and how medical professionals often ignore evidence-based care when treating higher weight patients. I challenge the "lose weight to get treatment" narrative while offering practical advocacy strategies for navigating a biased healthcare system. Today’s journal article was Gregori, Matteo et al. “Day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Safety and feasibility in obese patients.” International journal of surgery (London, England) vol. 49 (2018)For free resources on the management of galbladder disease head to noweigh.org And don't forget to check out my masterclass on gallstones 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textThe obsession with calculating the "cost of ob*sity" to society reflects our troubling tendency to commodify human life and health. In this rather ragey and explosive episode, I expose how a widely-cited figure of £98 billion was manufactured by pharmaceutical interests to sell weight loss drugs. I challenge the notion that we "owe" society a debt of health and explore how weight stigma, not weight itself, drives depression and poor health outcomes. Through a rather provocative thought experiment, I reveal the absurdity of reducing human experience to economic calculations and argue that tackling stigma, not eradicating fatness, is the real path forward. Today's journal article was:  Stevens, Serena D et al. “Adult and childhood weight influence body image and depression through weight stigmatization.” Journal of health psychology vol. 22,8 (2017): 1084-1093. doi:10.1177/1359105315624749 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text Medical trauma is more than an abstract concept—it's a physical reality that impacts millions of people daily. In this episode, I share my transformative experience at a gender identity clinic, contrasting it with previous healthcare encounters that left me hypervigilant, tense, and bracing for judgment. I explore how our bodies physically store medical trauma—in our gut, our muscles, our posture, and even our skin—creating patterns that repeat with each new medical encounter. For fat people and those with other marginalized identities, this trauma compounds exponentially. This episode invites listeners to recognize medical trauma's physical manifestations while questioning a healthcare system that continues to perpetuate harm despite decades of evidence. 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textIn this episode of The Fat Doctor Podcast, I'm joined by Elle Bower Johnston, a  breathworker, rest teacher, and somatic trauma resolution practitioner who describes herself as a "body witch." Our conversation explores the intersection of trauma, embodiment, and healing beyond traditional therapy.Elle explains trauma as "when our body-mind experiences something that it can't digest in the moment - either too much too fast, or not enough over too long." While our protective mechanisms (fight, flight, freeze, and fawn) are natural responses to threats, trauma occurs when these responses get stuck and can't complete.We discuss how systems of oppression create ongoing trauma, particularly for marginalized bodies accessing healthcare. Elle shares how our bodies develop protective mechanisms that may have been necessary for survival, but can become limiting patterns later in life.The conversation moves beyond cognitive understanding to explore embodied healing. As Elle notes, "You can't think your way through" trauma - we need approaches that engage the multifaceted aspects of our bodies: physical, emotional, energetic, and relational.In a world disconnected through capitalism and colonialism, Elle suggests that rest isn't just about lying down or taking a bath - it's about reconnecting with something larger than ourselves. This might be as simple as noticing the seasons changing or feeling gravity's pull on your body. These small moments of connection become pathways to true rest and healing.This episode invites listeners to honor the wisdom in their protective responses while exploring gentle ways to expand beyond them, finding rest and embodiment in a world that often disconnects us from our bodies and each other.You can learn more about Elle through her website. 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textIn this episode, I explore the journey of Robin, a 45-year-old art teacher navigating a high cholesterol diagnosis and the frustrating world of weight-centric healthcare. Through their story, I break down the actual science of heart disease risk factors (spoiler: weight is the least of your concerns), explain the difference between primary and secondary prevention, and reveal how the medical establishment's obsession with numbers obscures more important social determinants of health. I also dissect the evidence (or lack thereof) for dietary and lifestyle interventions, highlighting how medication decisions should be based on informed consent, not fear.This episode asks: What if doctors treated us as whole people instead of just collections of numbers?This week's journal article is:  Ras, Rouyanne T et al. “LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies.” The British journal of nutrition vol. 112,2 (2014): 214-9. doi:10.1017/S0007114514000750 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textOur worth as human beings is not determined by our health status. In this powerful episode, I challenge the pervasive narrative that ties personal value to health metrics and physical ability. I explore how healthism is deeply rooted in capitalism, racism, ableism, and colonialism, creating harmful hierarchies even within marginalized communities.Drawing from my own personal experience with chronic illness and analyzing problematic media representations of 'fat but fit' bodies, I make the case that every person is equally valuable, regardless of their health or ability to contribute through productivity.This episode asks: What if we collectively rejected the notion that health determines our worth?The Guardian Article is “‘Plot twist - I’m still a fat person!’: meet the people proving you can be fit at any size” by Sarah Phillips, Sun 29th March https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/mar/29/im-still-a-fat-person-meet-the-people-proving-you-can-be-fit-at-any-sizeThe journal article is: Metabolically Healthy Obese and Incident Cardiovascular Disease Events Among 3.5 Million Men and WomenGot 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The podcast dives into the concept of medical moralism, revealing how it labels cholesterol and health behaviors in a judgmental way. It critiques the financial interests behind the 'lose weight or die' narrative, emphasizing the need to understand health beyond simple metrics. The discussion also highlights the impact of social determinants, like income and childhood experiences, on long-term cardiovascular health. Lastly, it sheds light on binge eating disorder, encouraging emotional wellness and self-acceptance in the journey toward health.

Send us a text We’re doing things slightly different this week (it is episode 13, after all). As a 44-year-old doctor who recently discovered I'm autistic, I'm sharing my personal journey of self-discovery for Autism Awareness Day. In yet another deeply personal episode, I walk through the signs I missed in myself while recognizing them in my kids, how I've been masking my whole life, and why I'm now embracing a more authentic way of living and working. I also explain why I'm done trying to build a business the neurotypical way and how I'm restructuring my work to avoid burnout while still continuing to create content I love. If you've ever wondered about late-diagnosed autism or are feeling burnt out trying to follow other people's rules, this one's for you! 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Asher Larmie speaks with fellow weight inclusive GP Dr. Molly Moffat about creating safe feeding environments for neurodivergent children that goes beyond conventional nutrition rules. They explore how diet culture and neurotypical expectations harm autistic individuals, while sharing personal stories of parenting neurodivergent children and navigating healthcare as autistic doctors themselves. Dr. Moffat offers transformative insights on helping children develop healthy relationships with food by prioritizing emotional safety over nutritional perfectionism. Molly works as an NHS GP and Doctor in Community Paediatrics, as well as a workshop facilitator for the social enterprise Body Happy Org.  She is both neurodivergent herself and a parent to neurodivergent children. Molly offers support to families whose children experience feeding differences, and to adults who want to improve their relationship with food. She practices through a neurodiversity-affirming, weight inclusive lens celebrating both diversity of bodies and diversity of minds. 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: A community where authenticity thrives and every voice matters The CONSULTING ROOM: Get answers to all your medical questions via DM or Voice Note PLUS access to my entire library of paid resources CONSULTATION: For the ultimate transformation in your healthcare journe THE WEIGH FORWARD: For people who are being denied surgery because of their weight FREE GUIDES:Evidence-based, not diet nonsense Find me on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.