Dhruv Sharma
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, or in other words, you see what you choose to see! The concept of beauty has evolved over centuries and our epoch is dominated by an omnipresent fitness industry. Our insecurities are widely bought and sold. Now working out to look good is okay, but this obsession to look a certain way has nothing to do with attracting someone or just looking good in general. This obsession goes down to something much deeper, our self-worth. Ideal body images are constantly thrust upon us by magazines, TV shows and of course social media. So is it okay if you just want to look better? Is it okay to work out only to improve yourself physically? Is it okay to compare ourselves to someone else?
Walk down the aisle of any grocery store and you’ll be greeted with shiny magazine covers that say “get a 6 pack now this summer,” “lose weight with slim tea” and the most common one, “the secret to getting bigger arms.” Clearly, mainstream media is teaching us to place the needs of other people, mostly the opposite sex, as our own and to judge our own bodies through a hypercritical lens. But instead of doing that, we should look up to better influences. Such sources spread a positive message instead of thrusting products down our throats. Fortunately, for you, we have made a list of a few such internet figures who are trying to make our world a better place through their fitness and health podcasts. You can listen to several of these best health and fitness podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or even YouTube for free.
16. The Ross Edgley Podcast (2018 – )
Ross Edgley is the best selling author of the World’s Fittest Book and is also known for his epic feats of endurance such as a marathon pulling car, a 100 km swim from St. Lucia to Martinique and his recent world record attempt of swimming around the whole of Great Britain!
Through his podcasts, he uses his expert knowledge in sports and nutrition to debunk the common myths of the fitness and nutrition industry. Instead of just preaching, he shares experiences from his own life that will help you reach your own personal fitness goals anywhere and anytime. And if you’re a big Steve Cook fan, then you should definitely check out his recent podcast with him where they discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of today’s fitness industry. You can find all of his podcasts on Apple Podcasts.
Read More: Best Sports Podcasts
15. The Bodybuilding.com Podcast (2016 – )
Over the years, Bodybuilding.com has established itself as one of the most renowned and credible fitness brands of all time. Nick Collias and Heather Eastman, who are the hosts of this show, invite guests from all different facets of fitness world including professional bodybuilders, powerlifters, veterans, athletes, and even YouTube sensations. The Bodybuilding.com team cover a broad spectrum of fitness-related content that has something for everyone aspiring to have a healthier lifestyle. You can listen to all of these under the podcasts tab of the official website, Bodybuilding.com, where you can also check out written transcripts of all of their interviews.
14. The Time Ferris Show (2014 – )
Tim Ferris is the well-known author of the Five Hour Body and the Four Hour Workweek which was ranked as a number one New York Times bestseller. He is more of a metaphysics expert who tries to find hacks and shortcuts to lose fat, gain muscle, increase performance, and also dwells deep into the impact of psychedelic drugs in curing depression.
Ferris interviews experts from various fields which include strength coaches like Charles Poliquin, “ketogenic” experts such as Dom D’Agostino and even navy seals like Jocko Willink who have tested their own bodies to the limit. Through these interviews, he not only covers the secrets of hacking fitness but also dives deep into other topics such as mastering intrinsic motivation, building businesses and the importance of establishing better habits for a better life.
Read More: Best Motivational Podcasts
13. Ted Talks Health (2012 – )
Ted Talks are typically known for encapsulating big and vast ideas in a nutshell. The Ted Talks Health Podcast brings in some of the best health-related talks from diverse events and compiles them all on one singular platform. Each episode curates a simple yet innovative idea that could completely transform the way you have been looking at fitness all this while.
One of the episodes deeply explains how cancer cells communicate with one another and then there’s another one that talks about how elderly women in Zimbabwe are dealing with their depression through specific training programs. You can find other similar podcasts on iTunes that are brimming with facts and solutions that will blow your mind.
12. Shredded by Science (2014 – )
Fitness can be a lot more interesting if it is backed up by pure logic flavored with a good sense of humor. In a world full of “Bro science” fads, Noah Kagan believes in seeking out applicable solutions for day-to-day fitness issues nagging many people. There is a lot of bad information out there but ‘Shredded by Science’ creates a credible community where its a bunching of professionals discussing solid number based facts with other professionals. If you’re looking for some trustworthy fitness-related content, then you just can’t go wrong with this one here.
Read More: Best Comedy Podcasts
11. Found My Fitness (2014 – )
With Ph.D. in Biomedical Science, Rhonda Patrick uses her own scientific knowledge to dive deep into infinite health related issues in search of links between health and nutrition. The motive of her podcast is to promote health awareness using an evidence-based approach that is backed up by science.
In every episode, she interviews a new expert in the industry and tries to breakdown health-based research in such a way that it becomes a cakewalk for pretty much everyone. From the importance of sleep to other fascinating topics like the reversal of Alzheimer’s, her podcasts and even her YouTube videos are simply ingenious.
Read More: Best Science Podcasts
10. Nutrition Diva (2014 – )
If your time is too precious and watching hour-long podcasts is too much of tedious task for you, you should definitely tune into ‘The Nutrition Diva.’ Monica Reinagel, who is a certified nutritionist and also a culinary school graduate with a Masters degree in human nutrition, takes a minimalist approach towards addressing the latest fitness trends. The podcast offers simple yet extremely effective tips that help you prevent common illnesses. And, the best part is that she does all of this in a short span of 10 minutes making the content in each of her episodes bite-sized and yet quite significant.
9. The Dumbbells (2017 – )
If like me, you’ve got a very short attention span, the ‘The Dumbells’ is the perfect fitness podcast for you. The two hosts, Eugene Cordero and Ryan Stranger not only deliver useful fitness-based content, that revolves around eating clean and balancing it out with appropriate training, but they also manage to blend the whole experience with an element of fun through their amazing sense of humor. And while they take this refreshingly new lighthearted approach towards health, they make sure that their content is both motivating and useful for all listeners.
8. Bulletproof Radio (2013 – )
If your interest in health and wellness goes far beyond than just eating and training, then tech entrepreneur and biohacker Dave Asprey’s ‘Bulletproof Radio’ has something really interesting in store. Dave Asprey interviews several CEOs and scientists to explore what the future of the fitness industry looks like and how the human body can be upgraded with various forms of technology just to make health awareness a bit easier. He takes us on a journey that explores ideas revolving around increasing one’s life span through simple changes and from time to time, he also preaches about his very own cyclic ketogenic diet that is now commonly referred to as the Bulletproof Diet.
Read More: Best Technology Podcasts
7. Marathon Training Academy (2010)
‘Marathon Training Academy,’ hosted by coach Angie Spencer, not only allows you to unlock your true potential as a long-distance runner but also transforms the way you experience life. Angie, who is a professional marathon runner and a registered nurse shares her expertise that helps you train safer and run much further than your own expectations.
Her advise on healthy diets and the importance of maintaining one’s mental health while scaling miles, not only impacts your running but also changes the way you take on the stark realities of life. If you’re aspiring to be a marathon runner in the future, then ‘Marathon Training Academy’ can completely drive you to a whole new level through its productive and motivating methodologies.
6. Food Psyche (2014 – )
Fitness and health were relatively simpler and easier to follow when they were all about “eating (intuitively) and training,” and not about “dieting and exercising.” Food Psyche Host Christy Harrison shares her own personal experiences about how she suffered from an eating disorder and managed to overcome it by accepting her own body image.
She questions the modern diet culture that heavily relies on restricting yourself to certain nutrition. Christy offers tips on how one can overcome body dysmorphia while learning to enjoy the delicacies again through acceptance and healing. Launched in 2013, ‘Food Psyche’ is one of the best fitness podcasts out there and the world’s leading anti-diet podcast. You should definitely check it out on Stitcher.
Read More: Best Female Centric Podcasts
5. True Transformation Podcast (2018 – )
Through his podcast called ‘True Transformation,’ Josiah Novak genuinely aspires to change lives in a radical manner. His ideas of creating a balance in life, unlike many other fitness influencers, oppose restricted eating habits such as the ketogenic diet and even intermittent fast. Instead, he believes that enjoying the whole process of transforming one’s body by taking a simpler yet effective approach towards health and fitness. If you’re looking for a down to earth, straight forward podcast that is motivational and educational at the same time, you should definitely check this one out on iTunes.
4. The Fat Burning Man Podcast (2012 – )
Winner of four awards and ranked number one in more than 8 countries, ‘Fat Burning Man’ is one of the oldest podcasts in the fitness industry. It mostly revolves around provoking discussions on what it truly means to be “healthy.” The experts who are being interviewed in this podcast are credible icons with the information they share is easily accessible in a simplistic form.
Abel James, as host, tries to breakdown even the most complex ideas for an average person to easily incorporate these in real life. If you want to become the healthiest version of yourself without compromising too much on enjoying what you eat, you should definitely listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
3. Women Seeking Wellness (2016 – )
Hosted by Dr. Maj, ‘Women Seeking Wellness’ is an inspirational health podcast gives you a unique perspective towards building a life and a shape that you desire. A highly recommended podcast for all women who want to gain personal success, health and most of all, a fulfilling life. ‘Woman Seeking Wellness’ should be your go-to podcast every time you need a little shot at motivation as it never fails to uplift you with its incredible stories of integrity, courage and wisdom.
Read More: Best Educational Podcasts
2. Move Your DNA (2014 – )
The very meaning of our existence relies on movement as immobility, in one way or the other, always associated with mortality. ‘Move Your DNA,’ hosted by Katy Bowman, discusses a combination of practical steps that you can apply to your life just to move more of you. The best thing about this podcast is that it creates a very interactive experience which makes you feel like you’re an actual part of the conversation between the guest and the host.
Katy invites guests from many different facets of life to represent the idea that movement can be extremely complex and needs to looked at from diverse perspectives of many experienced individuals in the field. ‘Move Your DNA’ is one of the leading podcasts about movement ecology that will inspire you to take action and bring necessary changes to live a harmonious life.
1. The CreateU Experience (2019 – )
Well-known fitness influencer and former college athlete, Brendan Meyers is fairly new to the game, but his overall well-rounded approach towards physical and mental health makes it a worthy mention on this list. Being a physiology graduate, Brendan shares his past experiences and all the ups and downs that he has gone through in the past to reach where he is today.
He also shares his own opinion about the state of the present fitness industry and whether or not he supports the idea of using “enhancing” drugs. ‘CreateU experience’ is not just a podcast about health in general but it’s also a lot about ones personal growth. Brendan reminds us the importance of having a clearer vision about everything in life. (Cover Image Courtesy: Ryan McGuire from Pixabay)
Read More: Best Meditation Podcasts
