Remember lining up in the school hall to be weighed in front of everyone? Or being forced to wear those ridiculous PE knickers while attempting gymnastics? The humiliation of childhood PE classes is something many of us carry well into adulthood—often manifesting as a complicated relationship with exercise and our bodies.
In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we unpack what it truly means to grow up as "the fat kid" and how these formative experiences shape our relationship with fitness for decades to come. We share personal stories of family members commenting on our weight, the mortification of communal showers, and the crushing pressure to fit into a body type that simply wasn't ours. What's striking is how differently these experiences affected us—one host recalling being taken to Weight Watchers at just ten years old, while the other's family never made weight an issue despite societal pressures.
We take a critical look at the viral "Box Wave" phenomenon, questioning whether exploiting a child's weight loss journey for social media fame is truly in the boy's best interest. When adults parade a child's transformation across platforms and morning television, what happens when the cameras stop rolling? The pressure to maintain that weight loss could potentially set him up for a lifetime of disordered eating and exercise behaviors.
School physical education comes under particular scrutiny as we suggest radical changes to how movement is taught to children. Why are we still forcing team sports on kids who hate them? Why not introduce weight training, yoga, or modified running programs that allow children to progress at their own pace? The stark gender differences in how overweight boys versus girls are treated reveals society's double standards—while a larger boy might be nicknamed "Big Tom" and find his place on the rugby team, girls face relentless pressure to shrink themselves.
Join us for this thought-provoking episode that will have you reflecting on your own childhood experiences and questioning how we might better support the next generation. Share your own PE trauma stories with us on social media—we're building a community where the messiness of health and fitness is embraced rather than hidden away.
