One stubborn conception in our culture (that is happily gradually shifting) is that plus size women don't go to the gym or work out, and can't have a passion for fitness. I'm sure I'm not alone in experiencing condescension from total strangers, who presume that plus sized women have never heard of the concept of exercise.

And even among people where this assumption has shifted, there still hasn't been a complete acceptance of the needs of plus sized people in fitness spaces. So often, even trainers who are trying to be inclusive don't acknowledge that workouts need to be adjusted for people with bigger bodies. Even plus sized people who are very active still can't necessarily move in the same ways that smaller individuals can.

So I was gratified and excited to stumble across a few fitness influencers that have challenged this narrative. Recently, I found a few trainers (shoutout to Matt Jeffreys and Damionh Jones) that actually acknowledged, in a positive way, that a workout for a size 4 for simply isn't the same for a size 14. Modifications can and should be made for plus size people to ensure safe and productive workouts.

It's important to reframe how we talk about fitness to plus sized women and get away from a weight-loss obsessed narrative. Fitness can be a passion of ours too, and we can reap the mental and physical health benefits of moving in ways that feel safe, empowering, and fulfilling. It's encouraging to see that trainers are out there who can meet us where we are, acknowledge the modifications that need to be made for us, and allow us to fully and enthusiastically participate in spaces that have been alienating for our community.

-Ashley