The Weekly Riff with Louise Green

Louise Green
  • 5.0 (1)
  • FITNESS

The Weekly Riff cuts through fitness culture’s noise with real talk from Louise Green — award-winning coach, author, and size-inclusive fitness trailblazer redefining what strength looks like. In a world where most fitness spaces still exclude, this podcast offers something rare: a space that honours all bodies and holds the belief that your body is fully capable of strength, power, and performance — through every season of life, including midlife and menopause. Each 20-minute episode dives into strength training, body image, mindset, and the deeper layers of showing up for yourself — without the toxic pressure to shrink, conform, or apologize. Louise blends expert insight, lived experience, and raw honesty to explore how we can all train for strength and self-respect, not validation. Expect conversations that challenge stereotypes, dismantle diet culture, and invite you to rise — as you are, right now. 🎧 Tune in weekly for unfiltered, empowering riffs on what it really means to be strong — in body, mind, and culture.

  1. 3D AGO

    Episode 2 - January Isn’t Particularly Motivating. Here’s What Actually Helps You Start

    Send us a text In this episode, Louise Green discusses the challenges of starting a fitness routine, particularly in January, and addresses the issue of gym intimidation. She emphasizes the importance of a weight-inclusive approach to fitness, highlighting the need for supportive environments and competent trainers. Green outlines non-negotiables for effective fitness programs and offers strategies to build confidence in gym spaces, ultimately advocating for a fitness culture that respects individual bodies and promotes self-trust. takeaways Fitness isn't something that magically turns on in January.January is often a challenging time for fitness resolutions.Most fitness advice fails at the starting line.Weight stigma affects participation and adherence in fitness.Consistency is more important than rapid body changes.Progress should be measured in multiple dimensions, not just weight.Rest and recovery are essential components of fitness programs.Finding the right trainer can significantly impact success.Gym intimidation is a real barrier for many individuals.Confidence in fitness is about showing up as you are.If you are looking to get started with all the framework for success, my next fitness challenge starts Jan 18th, 2026.  Right here.  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    24 min

  2. 12/21/2025

    Episode 1 - Why Women Won’t Get Big and Bulky From Lifting Weights, and the Real Reason We Fear It.

    Send us a text In this episode, Louise Green tackles one of the most persistent lies in fitness culture: the fear that women will accidentally get big and bulky from lifting weights. She breaks down where this fear actually comes from, not biology but culture, marketing, and diet culture narratives designed to keep women small, compliant, and focused on shrinking. Louise explains how muscle is actually built, why “toning” is so misunderstood, and why strength training is not a threat to femininity but a direct path to power. This is a conversation about permission. Permission to be strong. Permission to take up space. Permission to stop fearing your own potential. Key Takeaways  Many women are afraid of getting big and bulky from strength training. That fear is cultural, not based on lived experience or physiology. Muscle growth is slow and intentional, especially for women and particularly over 40. “Toning” is mostly about body fat changes, not light weights or endless reps. Diet culture sells the fantasy that bodies are endlessly controllable. Strength training is about capability, confidence, and autonomy, not aesthetics. Women are conditioned to shrink themselves physically and socially. The fear of bulk is often a fear of power. Strength improves health, resilience, bone density, and longevity. We need new cultural stories that support strong women, not smaller ones.Sound Bites “There is no accidental bulk.” “Strength disrupts the narrative.” “Take up the space.” Chapters 00:00 Debunking the myth of getting bulky 06:56 How muscle actually grows and what toning really means 09:23 Diet culture and the lie of body control 11:46 Why strength is a feminist act Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    18 min

  3. 12/14/2025

    Episode 30: The Power of Commitment and Consistency (and How to Build Both)

    Send us a text In this episode of The Weekly Riff, Louise Green is joined by Team Fit n Fab, winners of the Unstoppable Challenge, for a real conversation about what carried them through 12 weeks of consistent exercise. This isn’t a story about motivation or willpower. It’s about commitment, consistency, and learning how to stay when things feel slow, messy, or uncomfortable. Together, they talk about what consistency actually looked like day to day, how showing up one rep at a time built momentum, and why trusting the process mattered more than chasing results. This episode explores how consistency changes not just your strength, but your relationship with exercise, your confidence, and your belief in what you’re capable of when you don’t quit. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of starting over, this conversation offers a grounded reminder that real change happens through staying, not striving. Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    31 min

  4. 12/06/2025

    Episode 29 - Appearance Control: Understanding Diet Culture Through a Recovery Lens

    Send us a text Appearance control, also known as control through diet culture, is one of the most socially celebrated behaviours we engage in, yet it quietly damages our relationship with food, movement, and self trust. In this Weekly Riff, Louise Green explores appearance control through a recovery lens and asks the uncomfortable question we rarely name. What happens when a behaviour is harmful, but fully endorsed by culture. This episode breaks down how diet culture, weight fixation, and “good body” rules mirror patterns we already recognize in other recovery conversations like eating disorders, compulsive behaviours, and burnout, yet are rarely granted the same language or compassion. When something is normalized, profitable, and praised, acknowledging harm becomes infinitely harder. In this episode, Louise covers the parallels she has personally experienced between addiction recovery and diet culture through a recovery lens.  Don't miss this one!  If you are interested in connecting, send me a DM on Instagram!  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    25 min

  5. 12/01/2025

    Episode 28 - Breaking Free From the Fitness Stories That Hold Us Back

    Send us a text In this episode Louise Green discusses how so many of us are living inside a fitness story that was never ours to begin with. From family labels like “she’s not the athletic one” to the cultural pressure to shrink, hustle, or earn our worthiness through exercise, Louise reveals how these inherited narratives quietly shape our confidence, our choices, and our long term relationship with movement. She breaks down the research on self beliefs and behaviour, explores how identity drives consistency, and shows listeners how to rewrite a fitness story that feels powerful, authentic, and fully aligned with who they are today. It's time to take back your power and rewrite your story.  Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    16 min

  6. 11/23/2025

    Episode 27 - How to Measure Progress When Our Culture is Obsessed with Body Size

    Send us a text In this episode, Louise Green breaks down one of the most important shifts we can make in fitness. For decades, the industry has trained us to believe that progress is measured through shrinking our bodies. But when you remove weight, measurements, and body size as the metric, you unlock a completely different world of success. Louise shares a powerful moment from a client who celebrated a “mental PR” where she chose not to skip her workout even though she felt exhausted. That one decision sparked an entire conversation inside her coaching group about the different kinds of progress that matter.  Physical. Mental. Emotional. Behavioural. This episode explores how we can redefine success, honour the full spectrum of progress, and finally see the growth that has been overlooked for far too long. Takeaways• There are many ways to measure progress that have nothing to do with body size. • Mental PRs are real and often more important than physical ones. • Consistency, resilience, and showing up on low energy days are meaningful wins. • Skill development, strength increases, and better technique are clear indicators of progress. • Mental and emotional growth is part of fitness, not separate from it. • Self trust is a form of progress. • Improved mood, energy, and daily life function matter as much as any gym metric. • Letting go of body size as a measure of success opens the door to real change. • Fitness belongs to every body, not only smaller bodies. • When you celebrate all types of progress, you stay engaged and empowered long term. Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    23 min

  7. 11/15/2025

    Episode 26 - The Truth About Burnout and How to Recover (or Avoid it All Together)

    Send us a text This conversation, Louise delves into her personal experiences with burnout and the complexities, emphasizing that it is not merely a personal flaw where you just aren't equipped for life, but a significant cultural and biological issue, particularly affecting women. Louise also references the book, “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski. The discussion highlights the need for awareness, acknowledgment, and systemic changes to address burnout effectively. Strategies for prevention and self-care are also explored, underscoring the importance of support systems and workplace culture in mitigating burnout. Takeaways Burnout isn't a personal flaw.It's a biological and cultural reality, particularly for women.Acknowledging burnout is essential for addressing it.Women experience burnout differently than men.Self-care practices are crucial in combating burnout.Workplace culture significantly impacts burnout levels.Recognizing burnout signs is vital for prevention.Support systems can alleviate burnout effects.Systemic changes are necessary to prevent burnout.Prioritizing mental health is essential for overall wellness.Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    20 min

  8. 11/09/2025

    Episode 25 - The Secret to True Wellness; Honouring Every Version of Yourself

    Send us a text In this conversation, Louise Green reads the poem by Emory Hall, I have been a Thousand Different Woman. She discusses the challenges of overcoming internal criticism and the impact it has on our ability to reach our highest potential in various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and health. She emphasizes the importance of addressing negative self-talk and fostering a more positive mindset to achieve personal growth. takeaways We can't show up for our best in any capacity in life if our thoughts are in the lack, not enough, never honouring the now. Internal criticism can hinder our potential.Negative self-talk often resembles a 'peanut gallery' in our minds and doesn't always speak the truth.Focusing on our wishes can lead to disappointment.Overcoming negativity is essential for personal growth.Our mindset affects our relationships and health.We must challenge the 'mean girl' voice in our heads.Reaching our highest potential requires self-compassion.Addressing internal dialogue is crucial for success.Personal growth is a journey that involves self-reflection.Starting the day with intentional work to raise our vibration is a practice. Louise Green is an award-winning coach with 20 years invested in working with women of all body sizes. She has coached thousands of women from all over the world, if you're ready take the next step in your strength, check out her coaching program: https://www.louisegreeninc.com/size-strong

    11 min
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The Weekly Riff cuts through fitness culture’s noise with real talk from Louise Green — award-winning coach, author, and size-inclusive fitness trailblazer redefining what strength looks like. In a world where most fitness spaces still exclude, this podcast offers something rare: a space that honours all bodies and holds the belief that your body is fully capable of strength, power, and performance — through every season of life, including midlife and menopause. Each 20-minute episode dives into strength training, body image, mindset, and the deeper layers of showing up for yourself — without the toxic pressure to shrink, conform, or apologize. Louise blends expert insight, lived experience, and raw honesty to explore how we can all train for strength and self-respect, not validation. Expect conversations that challenge stereotypes, dismantle diet culture, and invite you to rise — as you are, right now. 🎧 Tune in weekly for unfiltered, empowering riffs on what it really means to be strong — in body, mind, and culture.

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