Your body is not your business card - and being in fitness does not give everyone the right to comment on your body. This incident reminded me that there are still so many who view fitness as one-dimensional: fitness = aesthetics. I’m aware that this is opening the can of the worms to the never-ending debate of: Should trainers “look the part”? Actually, I believe you have every right to support or hire someone or not based on their body size - that’s technically your prerogative. Some people may choose to work with a trainer who has their “dream body”, while others may strongly prefer someone who looks more like them. But I also think it’s important to remember that your body shape and size alone does not say anything about how fit you are, how knowledgeable you are, or your ability to effectively coach and help others. Further, there are SO many fitness influencers out there who look the way they do in large part due to genetics or even in spite of, not because of, what they’re doing. Some of the best coaches and the most knowledgeable experts in the industry do not fit the mold of your stereotypical muscular and super lean body, yet they are excellent at what they do. Fit does not have one look. Fitness is not synonymous with “jacked and shredded”. And looking a certain way says nothing about your actual skills.

It’s funny how people who think they’re disagreeing with something I say actually turn out to share many of my views when it comes to nutrition. “There are no good and bad foods” does not mean “eat nothing but greasy, deep-fried food” all day long. And just because a food is less nutrient dense doesn’t mean you have to label it as “bad” and forbid it from your diet completely - especially if it’s something you truly enjoy. And even MORE SO because research shows again and again that this kind of black-and-white thinking towards foods backfires and is linked to higher, not lower, consumption of food over time as well as increased anxiety. Ultimately, the dose makes the poison. One serving of broccoli is not going to move the needle, but a few servings of veggies consumed on most days will. One slice of birthday cake is not going have a negative impact on your overall physical health, but a diet filled with ONLY cake most certainly will. There is no need to resort to extremes with food. Context is everything. #NutritionTips

“Only shop the perimeter of the grocery store!” I’ve been seen this nutrition advice being spread for the past couple of decades (maybe longer), and yet I’ve never done this, nor do I recommend it. Not to mention, relying solely on fresh produce and proteins actually creates MORE of a barrier to healthy eating. Restricting many shelf-stable foods that keep for longer and make nutritious meals more convenient is a huge asset for those of us with time and access limitations. Our pantry is filled with lots of canned beans and vegetables, rice, couscous, quinoa, tortillas, and lots of yummy snacks that we regularly rely on - all of which are found in the middle aisles of food shops! While it’s true that many of us could benefit from consuming MORE fruits veggies, we don’t have to restrict it to fresh produce only, nor do we have to demonize other foods along the way. #HealthyEating #NutritionTips

While eating past your physical fullness cues and emotional eating are not inherently bad, many individuals find themselves continually overeating at night when they don’t want to. Despite what you may have been told, simply “trying harder” not to overeat or exerting more willpower to white-knuckle your way through is not the solution. Here are some reasons why this might be happening as well as some ideas for stopping this behavior. Which points resonated with you? Collab with @emiliathompsonphd #Overeating #NutritionTips #EmotionalEating

You might think that eating the pizza is “anti-health”… until you remember that it’s still providing much-needed sustenance and someone might be working on overcoming their food fears. You might think that taking a rest day is “anti-fitness”… until you remember that rest is productive, and you can’t go hard 365 days of the year. I wish there were more people talking about the many different ways health can look back when I first started my own fitness journey many years ago. What’s healthy for you might not be the case for the next person, and vice versa. There is no ONE specific way to “do” health. 🫶 #HealthTips #NutritionTips #FitnessTips