246. What If You Just Try? Jessamyn Stanley on Yoga and Body Acceptance

"Yoga is a place where I can let go of who I decided that I'm supposed to be and see myself from a different perspective."

Do you ever feel like movement is just another box to check off instead of something that actually feels good? In this episode, I’m joined by yoga teacher, author, and entrepreneur Jessamyn Stanley to talk about how diet culture and anti-fat bias shape our relationship with exercise and why so many people experience movement as punishing or shameful. Jessamyn shares her journey from a less-than-inspiring first yoga class to developing a more compassionate relationship with her body by simply giving herself permission to try. Together, we unpack how to untangle movement from pressure to change your body, navigate fitness spaces that don’t always feel inclusive, and rebuild trust, presence, and self-respect through practices like yoga...even on days when body love feels out of reach.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How diet culture shapes our relationships with exercise, making movement feel forced, punishing, or like a chore
2. Why shame shows up so often in fitness spaces, and how to approach body image with compassion and respect instead of pressure to “love” your body
3. Practical ways to rebuild trust with your body and make movement genuinely enjoyable
4. The ways yoga and intuitive eating both teach you to check in with your body’s cues and respond with care instead of control
5. How to begin separating wellness practices (like yoga) from diet culture narratives and reclaim movement for yourself
6. The power of advocacy, showing up shamelessly, and why seeing real, diverse bodies in movement spaces matters for everyone

Connect with Jessamyn:

1. Instagram: @theunderbellyyoga
2. Instagram: @mynameisjessamyn
3. Website
4. Join The Underbelly for free

Struggling to know when to eat or when to stop isn’t a failure… it could be a byproduct of following diet rules instead of your body’s cues. The free Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide helps you ditch the noise and tune back into the cues your body is sending to build trust with your body and food. Get it at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale.

Come back next week for another episode and connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel.

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.