When Someone You Admire Loses Weight: Navigating Your Feelings Without Losing Yourself

Hey rebel. In this deeply reflective episode of the Diet Culture Rebel Podcast, we’re talking about something that hits close to home for many: how to cope when someone you admire—whether it’s an influencer, friend, or family member—loses a significant amount of weight while you may be on a journey to body acceptance. Inspired by the recent public conversation surrounding former plus-size model Remi Bader, this episode isn’t about her—it’s about you . Because these moments can stir up a mix of emotions like jealousy, confusion, pressure, even shame. And it’s not a one-time thing. You will encounter this again. In this episode, we're covering: The emotional impact of weight loss announcements How to protect your peace and stay grounded in your values Why intentional weight loss isn’t inherently wrong—but deserves nuance How anti-fat bias and cultural messaging shape our body image and beliefs This episode is a space to reflect, get honest about how these moments affect you, and redirect the blame from yourself (or influencers) to the system that created these pressures in the first place. Links referenced: IG reel referenced: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH82pSkx8fi/?igsh=dWR2bWl5bHRvbjlu https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/ Episode 143: What Weight Loss Research Is and ISN’T Telling You with Ragen Chastain Harvard Implicit Bias Test ----- My team of registered dietitians is now accepting insurance for one-on-one nutrition counseling! Spots are limited, so if you’re ready to start your journey toward food freedom, visit dietculturerebel.com/insurance to learn more! Connect with Bonnie on Instagram: @diet.culture.rebel