Hey,

I hate to break it to you, but you’ve been lied to.

Your whole life you’ve been told that the most important thing about you is your size. That if you’re the wrong size you’ll never be loved, successful, or have friends. It’s called diet-culture and it’s fucking everywhere.

Chances are if you’ve found yourself here, you’re already onto this scheme, you see through that bullshit. But there’s another, sneakier, part of to lie: working out is a punishment, for weight-loss only.

If you could go through your life and count how many instances you were taught movement is a punishment I bet you’d lose count. Not to mention the number of different methods you learned it.

Gym teachers taught you that you that dodge-ball, or running laps was the only viable exercise and worse than that. You’d run the stupid beep test, or whatever other hurdles for your fitness level in front of your entire. fucking. class.

(or maybe you don’t relate and you had an amazing teacher.)

Movement After Diet-Culture

Gyms and yoga studios made you feel like the before picture just because of the body you’re in. They took one look at you and thought they could tell anything about you because they believe the lie that you can tell someones fitness level, capabilities, or health by looking at them.

Movies and books taught you with a groan that movement is something you should do to earn food. Hell, maybe doctors did the same thing.

Have you ever heard the phrase “stop should-ing all over yourself”? Maybe “shut the fuck up, diet-culture” is more apt.

Yes, starting a movement (exercise, but a nicer word) practice
is the best way to feel better in your body for longer. However
that doesn’t have a specified curriculum. There is no rule saying you
need to start running, and going to the gym.

If movement isn’t punishment, what is it?

Whatever the hell you want it to be.

A tool to deal with stress? Check.
The thing that helps you feel more grounded, less angry cry-ey..
(aka supporting your mental health) Check.
Something that stops you from feeling like the tin-man when you get out of bed each morning? Check.
Something that you do with friends and community? Yeah!
Something that supports lung, nervous system, heart health etc? It’s that too.

It’s all of that. and it’s more.

Beyond that, it can look like whatever the hell you want. It does not and should not look like you feeling left out, and full of shame each time you leave the class. It shouldn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth, or make you feel like a burden or a problem.

So what’s the missing piece? How do you get from where you are now, to the point where you look forward to movement?

By finding a safe, diet-culture free space.

Doors to the Anti-Diet Workout/Yoga Club open on September 9th for only one week!

Join me September 9th for a free workshop: Moving After Diet-Culture