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Tough Cookie Talks

Jenna Jozefowski
Diet Culture
Anti-Diet Culture
Eating Disorders
No Kings
Fitness
Chicago, United States
Strength Training
Mental Health
Fascism
Kettlebell Social
Aging
Body Image
Movement
Dance
Social Media
Advocacy
Illinois
Motherhood
Epstein Files
Beauty Standards

Tough Cookie Talks is a podcast we'll explore the intersection of fitness & anti-diet culture and all the gray areas in between. We'll let go of "shoulds" and judgment and dig into tough conversations with curiosity.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes193Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Health & Fitness

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Artwork for Tough Cookie Talks

Latest Episodes

Today's episode is taking the whole Ozempic conversation to another level! I am back today, talking to Paige F., who I was lucky enough to meet in person a few months ago at a local organizing event. We started talking about what we do for a living a... more

Today I'm celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the day I moved to Chicago solo, as a newly single, 22 year old aspiring dancer with a lot of audacity. I was casually talking about this on Instagram the other day and many of you said you were intere... more

Remember that time when a bunch of body positivity activists debated Jillian Michaels on Surrounded? Today we are talking to one who lived to tell the tale.

Paula D. Atkinson is a queer, woo-woo desert witch and a liberation-focused psychotherapist... more

Today I am sharing some much needed life & career updates!

On this episode we talk about:

* The journey I've been on as an online business owner for the past (10!) years.

* What I thought I wanted vs. what I got--and how it actually felt to ac... more

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Recent Guests

Paula D. Atkinson
Body liberation psychotherapist and educator
Paula D. Atkinson, All Things on Instagram
Episode: What We Get Wrong About Body Positivity: Debating Jillian Michaels with Paula D. Atkinson
Jen Hosler
Physical therapist and strength coach
Episode: Everything Hurts & I'm Dying: Why Your Body Feels So High Maintenance with Dr. Jen Hosler
Christina Montalvo
Business mentor and fellow fitness professional
Self-employed / fitness industry
Episode: Loving Your Kids Through the Patriarchal Bullsh!t of Motherhood with Christina Montalvo
Anna Rollins
Author of Famished, On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl
Author
Episode: Our Rights Are Shrinking and So Are Our Bodies--The Rhyming Scripts of Diet Culture and Purity Culture with Anna Rollins
Ishaan Srivastava
Gen Z political activist, host of The Ishaan Show
Indivisible Elk Grove Township; Illinois politics
Episode: What Is No Kings? Building Strength in Community & Peaceful Resistance with Ishaan Srivastava *Bonus Replay!*
Chelsea Laliberté Barnes
Advocate, clinician, and community activist
Liberal Moms of the Northwest Suburbs
Episode: We Have To Save Ourselves (But We Don't Have To Do It Alone!) with Chelsea Laliberté Barnes
Dr. Melissa Cioffi
Pelvic floor physical therapist, women's fitness coach, and owner of New Quest Physical Therapy
New Quest Physical Therapy
Episode: Laughing So We Don't Cry: Beauty Standards, Millennial Youth, and the Aftermath of the Epstein Files with Dr. Melissa Cioffi
Liz Brinkmoeller
Trainer and fitness instructor who took a year off social media
Independent fitness professional
Episode: She Quit Social Media For a Year! Real Life Off the Internet with Liz Brinkmoeller
Tia Levings
New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife; writer on religious trauma and fundamentalism
Author and educator
Episode: Fundamentalism in Fitness and Escaping the Christian Patriarchy with Tia Levings (Best of Season 3 Replay!)

Host

Jenna Josephowski
Host of Tough Cookie Talks

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 68 ratings
  • Real healing!

    There is nothing like a chat to make me feel better - even when the chat includes dark topics. Jenna is real, friendly and spontaneous and brings this out in her eclectic array of guests. Listening to her refreshing show is a wake up for the brain and heart and makes me feel better about what exercise I am (or am not) doing. Learned something too!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kanganic
    United States2 months ago
  • Smart, nuanced, real

    I love this podcast and its frank, thoughtful deep dives into wellness culture

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Annajrollins
    United States4 months ago
  • Tough cookie/Kitchen Floor talks

    Listening to Jenna makes me feel like I’m sitting on my kitchen floor having a chat with that friend who makes you laugh and also knows the difference between when you need to vent and when you need to brainstorm. She’s curious, thoughtful, and a great listener. I appreciate her perspective and she asks the questions I would ask if I was in the room! Love her and love the topics she’s digging into.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KatieCakes97
    United States7 months ago
  • a needed voice in the fitness space

    Jenna is a force in the non-diet, kettlebell training, and dance space. She uses her voice and platform to speak up and have tough conversations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    erinlingle
    United Statesa year ago
  • Appreciate the nuance

    Jenna always does a great job speaking to nuance and complicated considerations around movement, health and wellness. I appreciate her making space for these kinds of thoughts and dialogues in such a black and white world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ECC727
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate nuanced discussions that tackle difficult topics without shaming.
Listeners describe the show as refreshingly honest and compassionate.
The host's candid, friendly style makes tough conversations feel like a chat with a friend.
Guests are seen as credible and varied, contributing practical insights for real life.
The positivity and practicality keep listeners engaged and coming back for more.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What We Get Wrong About Body Positivity: Debating Jillian Michaels with Paula D. Atkinson
Q: You seem to care about fat people's health, but what do you say about the body positivity movement when fat people tell you it helps their mental health?
If that is the case, you are still participating in fat bias, and you should acknowledge that, while also recognizing the need to focus on health-promoting behaviors rather than weight as the sole metric; the aim is to support mental and physical well-being without endorsing harmful weight-centric narratives.
Fundamentalism in Fitness and Escaping the Christian Patriarchy with Tia Levings
Q: What parallels do you see between religious fundamentalism and wellness or fitness spaces?
Fundamentalism in any domain tends to favor top-down rules and 'one right way' thinking, creating a cycle of perfectionism and self-blame. In fitness and wellness, this shows up as rigid diet rules or workout dogma, which can parallel how religious trauma trains people to equate moral worth with adherence to a creed.
Are We Ever Fully Recovered? Embracing the In-Between In Eating Disorder Recovery with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
Q: Do you want to tell us a little bit more about you and what led you to doing the work you're doing today?
Mallory shares that the book blends her personal experience with anorexia nervosa, plus other voices and research; it explores what it means to be better from an eating disorder while living with its imprints, and her professional transition from journalist to author addressing solutions journalism and nonprofit journalism.
Are We Ever Fully Recovered? Embracing the In-Between In Eating Disorder Recovery with Mallary Tenore Tarpley
Q: Was there anything in particular that was the most interesting or surprising facts you discovered while researching for your book?
Mallory explains the global survey of 724 people with lived experience, showing 85% resonate with the middle place between illness and full recovery, and discusses how this feedback shaped the narrative and emphasized recovery as an ongoing process rather than a final destination.
How To Reject Diet Culture, Fight Fascists, and NOT Repeat the Worst Parts of History with Jen Borruso
Q: Can fascism be left-wing or is it exclusively right-wing extremism?
Fascism is defined as an authoritarian, far-right political ideology that emphasizes nationalism, suppression of dissent, and racial or cultural superiority; the discussion notes that it is generally associated with right-wing extremism, though the concept of fascist-like thinking can appear in various contexts.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Tough Cookie Talks

What is Tough Cookie Talks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on health, movement, and wellness through an anti-diet, body-positive lens, often blending practical fitness advice with cultural critique. Episodes frequently feature experts and practitioners who tackle topics like body image, dieting culture, accessibility in healthcare, and empowerment through sustainable movement. This program stands out for its candid, nuanced conversations that acknowledge gray areas in fitness, gender dynamics, and social justice, while keeping a relatable, conversational tone. Listeners can expect thoughtful guests and actionable takeaways that apply to everyday life, not just the gym, making it appealing to those who want movement guidance without morality plays.

What makes it notable is the cons... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Tough Cookie Talks has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Tough Cookie Talks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Tough Cookie Talks:

1. Good Hang with Amy Poehler

How many episodes of Tough Cookie Talks are there?

Tough Cookie Talks launched 5 years ago and published 193 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Tough Cookie Talks?

Recent guests on Tough Cookie Talks include:

1. Paula D. Atkinson
2. Jen Hosler
3. Christina Montalvo
4. Anna Rollins
5. Ishaan Srivastava
6. Chelsea Laliberté Barnes
7. Dr. Melissa Cioffi
8. Liz Brinkmoeller

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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