Is The Secret To Fitness...Mall Walking?? with Krista Catwood

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Ok, so you know how most people think of mall walking as the thing your grandma does in her pastel tracksuit, swinging her arms while passing Sears for the 18th time? Well, my guest today, Krista Katwood, has taken that concept, cranked it to 11, and turned it into a full-on community movement that’s now making headlines everywhere from People Magazine to The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Krista absolutely hated exercise; like, the idea of a treadmill gave her panic attacks (same, girl). But she also wanted to move her body in a way that didn’t feel like torture. Enter: mall walking. Except Krista doesn’t just shuffle quietly down the corridors. She’s rocking a neon windbreaker onesie, blasting 80s jams, and leading a literal mischief of mall rats (yes, that’s the collective noun for rats and it’s glorious) through Portland’s Lloyd Center mall.

We talk about why making movement fun and ridiculous might actually be the secret to sticking with it, how malls are becoming unlikely hubs for community revival, and yes, why cheering someone on for eating an Auntie Anne’s pretzel mid-walk is exactly the kind of fitness vibe we need more of.

This episode is about joy, community, and finding a way to move your body that you actually look forward to. Krista proves that fitness doesn’t have to be about punishing workouts or chasing some arbitrary number. It can be about connection, silliness, and blasting “Eye of the Tiger” while you ride an escalator like it’s your personal runway show.

What’s Inside:

• How Krista hacked her hatred of exercise into a fitness movement that stuck
• The five hilarious but genius rules of mall walking (spoiler: you must pump your arms)
• Why revitalizing “dead malls” might actually be a public health win
• The surprising community-building magic of silly fitness rituals

So here’s my question for you. What would fitness feel like if you stopped trying to force yourself into something you hate and instead leaned into joy? What would your version of the “ridiculous but sustainable” movement look like? Message me on Instagram and tell me. I want to hear it.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Krista Katwood on Instagram
Food Court 5000
Oonagh Duncan on Instagram
Fit Feels Good
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