Who We Are

At The Fat Girl Hiking, we believe anything is possible. Maybe you’re just learning about hiking, or maybe you’ve gone on a few hikes and fell in love with it. Maybe you’re even a seasoned hiker looking for a new perspective, or tips you’ve never tried before. The Fat Girl Hiking is for all hiking levels! You’re in the right place to learn everything you need to know to begin your hiking journey, from staying safe to choosing the right gear to picking the right trails. Oh, and did I mention having fun? Getting started is always the hardest part, and I’m here to help you over that hurdle so that you can experience the peace, enjoyment, and health benefits that hiking has to offer. 

We’ve all been beginners, myself included, and through stories of my own hikes you’ll learn you are definitely not alone. So, come with me and laugh along at my humorous situations – life is better when you learn to laugh at yourself, right? So, let’s take a hike together!

Welcome! My name is Jodi, and I am The Fat Girl Hiking. I am Registered Maine Guide and an avid hiker. Together with my dog Theo, we explore everything from short 1 mile nature walks to strenuous 8 miles hikes. After discovering my passion for hiking as a way to stay active I decided to become a registered guide.

With a vast knowledge of trails and safety precautions, I hope to inspire others to get outdoors and surround themselves with nature. I was once a novice hiker who did not have a clue where to begin. Through lots of trial and error I became confident hiking on any terrain.

Theo (The Dog)

Joining me on my adventures is my dog Theo. Theo is a shelter dog that I adopted in September 2024. Theo enjoys going new places and sniffing everything! He is always ready to take on the trails and keep me safe, from sticks!

Eileen aka The Momster

My name is Eileen. I am the mom! After working at a desk job for the last 25 years, I really do need to get more exercise. I used to walk 4 miles a day, 5 days a week. I used to be in good shape, not just round. That is a shape, by the way…round. So now I sit at a computer for 10 hours a day or ride several hours in a car a day for work. When I am not working I like to read and watch movies. More sitting. The only exercise I get is mowing the lawn once a week during the summer months. Not very good for keeping the old bod in any kind of working order.

Shoveling snow, now that’s an exercise worth it’s weight in umm, snow? Rocks? Gold? Why is it always so heavy? Anyway, the hour and a half it takes me to shovel makes me hurt for 2-3 days. I feel better just in time to shovel all over again, then hurt some more. I need to do something. Briefly thought about a plow for the truck, but that isn’t helping me get healthier or stronger. Same thoughts with a ride on lawn mower. I would get no exercise if I went in that direction. So, what to do? Walking was the only option as far as I was concerned.

My daughter Jodi, decided I needed to do some hikes with her. Now, I’m all for a nice walk in the woods (I love that book by the way) but hiking sounded a bit much for this older, fat woman. Hiking is up hill, right? I like nice, even trails. I call these Grandma trails. Just my speed. Slow and even. Well, not all trails lead me on a nice, level, easy route. But more on that in the story section of this site! Adventures and sometimes misadventures, await!

Above is Scrappy, the original hiking dog. He blazed the trails with me for years until his arthritis became to bad. He is alway in my heart.

Life is better when you hike!