Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon: Dream Body, Nightmare Gym Bill
Release Date: July 10, 2025
Host: Adam Rippon
Podcast: PodcastOne
1. Introduction to Adam’s Fitness Journey
Adam Rippon opens the episode by sharing his emotional and nerve-wracking decision to overhaul his fitness routine. At [00:08], he expresses a shift from his usual positive and light-hearted tone to a more serious discussion about his personal fitness goals and challenges.
“I start tearing up a little bit, I'm getting nervous, my hands are clammy. So I want to talk about fitness.”
— Adam Rippon [00:08]
2. Revisiting the Gym After a Hiatus
Adam details his return to the gym after a two-year break due to the flu, emphasizing his desire to shed excess weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle as he approaches his 36th birthday.
“I'm going to the gym and I'm going to take it kind of seriously because I'm going to be 36 years old this year.”
— Adam Rippon [04:30]
He humorously mentions his goal to take a “hot, slutty picture” of himself as a motivation to stay committed.
3. Weight Management and Body Composition
Adam discusses his current weight of 172.8 pounds, referencing a past DEXA scan from 2015 when he weighed 148 pounds during his competitive athletic days. He reflects on his body fat percentage and the changes over the years.
“This fat is here to stay. So I did the little pincher.”
— Adam Rippon [10:15]
He expresses a realistic approach to weight loss, acknowledging that he still has some fat to lose but emphasizing the importance of honest self-assessment.
4. Critique of Various Gym Chains
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Adam’s candid critique of different gyms. He shares his frustrations with Planet Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and Equinox, highlighting issues such as cleanliness, overcrowding, and the overall gym environment.
Planet Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness
Adam criticizes Planet Fitness for being overcrowded and unclean, comparing it unfavorably to his ideal gym experience.
“If we had the same option of Planet Fitness, I'd be going there now.”
— Adam Rippon [15:19]
He dismisses 24 Hour Fitness, arguing that the need for constant cleaning renders the 24-hour model impractical.
Equinox and LA Fitness
His disdain for Equinox centers on its high cost and crowdedness, despite its cleanliness. Similarly, he finds LA Fitness lacking due to unwanted interactions and general chaos.
“I go to an Equinox and I'll tell you, it's not worth a dollar of the money I pay.”
— Adam Rippon [25:30]
Adam shares anecdotes about interactions in gyms, such as uncomfortable encounters with other gym-goers, which further discourage him from these establishments.
5. Vision for a Personal Gym
Adam articulates his dream of building a personal gym in a future home, detailing specific equipment and amenities he desires. This vision stems from his dissatisfaction with public gyms and his quest for an ideal fitness environment.
“My dream is that I want to get a big beautiful house. And in that house, one of my priorities is to build a beautiful gym inside that house.”
— Adam Rippon [35:10]
He outlines the essential features of his dream gym, including weight racks, barbells, treadmills, and state-of-the-art machines, emphasizing safety and functionality.
6. Listener Voicemails and Personal Stories
Voicemail 1: Preparing for a Proposal
A listener named "Hi Adam" seeks advice on dealing with the anxiety of an impending marriage proposal. Adam shares his own non-traditional proposal story, highlighting the importance of mutual engagement and spontaneity.
“So we actually, once we had the rings, we asked each other at the same time. We did like, a 3, 2, 1. Will you marry me?”
— Adam Rippon [39:39]
He advises the listener to relax, enjoy the moment, and trust in the authenticity of the proposal, regardless of the setting or attire.
Voicemail 2: Olympic Legacy
Luke from Orlando asks Adam about his feelings regarding public perception of his Olympic background. Adam reflects on his transition from a celebrated athlete to a podcast host and entertainer, expressing pride in his athletic achievements while embracing his current identity.
“I spent a long time walking away and pushing it to the side, but I am embracing it more now.”
— Adam Rippon [56:45]
He discusses overcoming the desire to be seen solely as an Olympian, instead integrating his athletic past with his current role, and finding peace in his multifaceted identity.
7. Embracing Multiple Identities
In response to Luke’s voicemail, Adam delves deeper into his journey of balancing his Olympic past with his present endeavors. He explains how distancing himself from competitive sports allowed him to explore new career paths, but gradually found value in embracing his athletic achievements as part of his multifaceted persona.
“Once an athlete, always an athlete, always complaining about the gym membership.”
— Adam Rippon [56:45]
He highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing all aspects of his identity, finding harmony between his past and present.
8. Conclusion and Call to Action
Adam wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to leave more voicemails and engage with the podcast. He expresses gratitude for the feedback and reinforces his commitment to sharing genuine and unfiltered thoughts.
“Make sure that you leave us a 5 star review because this really is 5 star quality content and it would help us a lot.”
— Adam Rippon [69:41]
He reiterates his passion for connecting with the audience and promises more engaging content in future episodes.
Notable Exclusions
The transcript includes several advertisement segments featuring Richard Karn promoting various products. As per the summary guidelines, these non-content sections have been omitted to maintain focus on the core discussions and insights presented by Adam Rippon.
Tune in next week for more of Adam Rippon’s unfiltered and engaging insights on “Intrusive Thoughts.”