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.