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

The Fat Doctor Podcast

The Fat Doctor Podcast
Wellness Influencers: A 400-Year History of the Same Old BS
Feb 18, 2026 Season 6 Episode 6
Dr Asher Larmie

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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. 

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