This transition was and is far from easy.

When marginalized people and their communities are amplified by the public, we oftentimes forget that it will come with some pushback if we’re not accustomed to hearing stories differing from our norm. In 2019, she faced backlash about speaking up about hardships, showcasing failures and encouraging others to reframe their relationship to food, fitness and the wellness industry. This is oftentimes welcomed but typically discouraged when society expects people drenched in otherness to look, perform, think or behave.

Sometimes, our unapologetic presence disrupts the status quo. This intimidates a system that doesn’t celebrate people who aren’t viewed as the industry standard.

As a slower-paced, plus-size, back-of-the-pack athlete with multiple invisible illnesses. Accompanied with her love for F-words, good and a few naughty ones, sharing these experiences drew in the positive and negative commentary she wanted to escape. When the world hit a collective pause to our former normal, she placed her focus on advocacy work for marginalized communities.

In 2020, Snell lost 10+ friends and family members during the covid-19 pandemic and her contributions reduced. she placed the website on hold in 2021 after one season of the Running Fat Chef Podcast and slowing down in her athletic efforts when her chronic illnesses reached an all-time high. 

During the height of her depression, she created a collection of funny and informative viral videos documenting her progress while building back her endurance in the running and powerlifting communities. This series drew in a new set of followers who stumbled across her blog with some inquiring about future entries. This sparked a flame in her to expand the community beyond sharing her adventures in the culinary, fitness and wellness community.

In 2024, Latoya is transitioning Running Fat Chef into a community platform amplifying other people's stories, businesses and groups in the fitness, wellness, travel and culinary community. It is our goal to create workshops, become a resource to building better communities, providing basic culinary education, and advocacy in the wellness space. Through this reboot, the Running Fat Chef platform aspires to birth a new generation of storytellers, dreamers, athletes and food enthusiasts - let’s get it!