Diet culture as religion: Faith and Fatness with Amanda Martinez Beck

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Ninna is joined by author, activist, and future priest Amanda Martinez Beck to explore the powerful idea of diet culture as a religion. Together, they unpack how societal norms around body size, food, and morality mirror religious structures—and how we can begin to unlearn these harmful beliefs.From shared experiences of Catholicism and fat liberation to reflections on disability, theology, and representation, this conversation is rich with insight, vulnerability, and hope. Amanda and Ninna challenge the cultural narratives that equate thinness with virtue and fatness with failure, offering instead a vision of radical self-acceptance, spiritual abundance, and embodied joy.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Amanda’s books:
  • Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me
  • More of You: The Fat Girl’s Field Guide to the Modern World
• Amanda’s Substack: The Fat Dispatch
• Fat and Faithful by Nicole Morgan
• Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings
• Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
• Poodle Science by Stacy Bias (animated video)

Connect with Amanda

• Website: thefatdispatch.com
• Instagram & Threads: @thefatdispatch

Connect with Ninna

• Website: thefatpsychologist.com
• Instagram, Threads, Facebook, BlueSky: @thefatpsychologist

Links on shownotes

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• Want to be a guest? Reach out via the website or socials.
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00:00 Intro to The Fat Psychologist Podcast
01:31 Today's Episode: Diet Culture as a Religion 
08:55 Amanda's Background and Fat Liberation Work
14:35 Diet Culture and Body Positivity 
22:49 Diet Culture as Religion  
31:18 Fat Representation in Religion
34:35 Embracing Fatness and Disability
37:31 Finding Happiness and Acceptance
40:41 Outro