As some of you may know, I've been in the personal training industry since 2008, helping countless individuals achieve their fitness goals. However, with the passing of family members and the COVID-19 pandemic, I was repeatedly reminded that life is too short and anything can happen. Before becoming a trainer, I worked as a financial advisor for Washington Mutual, which famously went bankrupt. Anything can happen!
Exercise shouldn't be about judgment or self-hate. It's not about punishing and abusing ourselves—at least, it shouldn't be. Instead, it should be about nourishing our bodies through diverse movements.
Judgment, shame, and fear are not just ineffective motivators; they can be damaging. For fitness professionals, these are also unethical methods of motivation that border on or sometimes are abuse. Goals themselves can be harmful because they're often built on anti-self-acceptance.
Shame, fear, and judgment don't ensure consistency; in fact, they do the opposite. Why would anyone want to stick with something that makes them feel bad? Consistency comes from a place of enjoyment and fun. It's about loving what you do and the people you do it with.
It's unbelievably simple: if you like it, you'll keep going. If it reminds you of everything you dislike about yourself, you won't. Most people don't like public speaking because it makes them feel self-conscious and publicly judged. The fitness and wellness space makes people feel the same way. So it stands to reason why many avoid it or can't stick with it.
The fitness and wellness industry judges people and then blames them for feeling judged. The irony is, fitness professionals talk about toxins and toxic foods when they're the ones that are toxic.
People do what they like and avoid what they don't. If you learn to enjoy movement and see its value, you'll keep moving. It's extremely practical. If you like something, you'll keep doing it; if you keep doing it, you're consistent.
At All Out Effort, we believe the body can be a source of joy and that you should never apologize for your body. We believe in the power of diverse movements and the joy that comes from them. Adopting this approach takes unlearning the old ways you've been taught. We'll support you through it. When you liberate yourself from old judgments and expectations, you can find joy again in movement and life. Life's too short to wait to accept yourself.
Love yourself now, find fun things, find meaningful things, and stick with them—not because you hate who you are but because you don't.
– Sam
