Denise M. Martz, PhD, is a psychology professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where she runs a research lab studying fat talk using scientific methods. She has published a number of articles on the subject and coauthored a chapter entitled “Body Image and ‘Fat Talk’” in the Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance. Dr. Martz also maintains a private practice in Boone, where she treats individuals struggling with eating disorders or obesity.
In the locker room after spin class, a friend groaned, “Ugh, no matter how much I exercise, my butt gets…
