Join me.
Last week someone brought to my attention the fact that an acquaintance in my social circle had just began attending a health and wellness coach training program. This person is female (like me!), in the bay area (like me!), punk (like me!), vegan (like me!), and had a strong interest in body image issues (like me!).
That is fucking awesome I thought. Someone new to talk self-employment with.
Of course, the person relaying the information asked if I was concerned or somehow angered by this acquaintance’s new venture and I just smiled and shook my head.
I want more body image health and wellness coaches.
Not only that, I want more queer personal trainers. More eating disorder survivors helping others to heal.
I want more radical women in spandex, teaching people how to properly handle a barbell.
I want there to be so many vegan health and wellness coaches that any one ever, with any single question about how to make veganism work, has an immediate and relatable resource.
I want as many people as possible doing positive self-esteem advocacy work, because FUCK DUDES, we need it. There are so many messages telling us all constantly that we are not good enough, that our bodies and minds are simply something to fix.
I, myself, have worked with a health and wellness coach. I currently work with a personal trainer. I have my own wellness practice, sure, but I very much enjoy both supporting other women and also love the new perspective these women give me. I don’t want to be the only health and wellness coach or personal trainer because I want the people who aren’t into my approach (or my cussing, or even my personality) to get the leaders that they need. Period. There is no shortage of people looking to feel more awesome. I want there to be someone for everyone.
I am not only NOT upset that this person in my community is going to be doing some similar work to mine, I am excited. I am excited to watch her business grow and for her clients to transform and for her to be working a job that every single day feels like a gift. I am excited to promote her and support her however I can. I am excited to be her peer, because put simply, there is enough success for everyone.
Witnessing success is not a threat to our own success.
Wishing someone success is not wishing our own failure.
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Addendum: If you are thinking of being a body positive focused health and wellness coach or trainer, DO IT. Let’s build an army. I will support you. I will tell you the things I learned starting my business. I will promote you and send you clients.
I will never consider you my competition, especially when circumstances tell us we should compete.
I’m with you.
We got this.
Sunday Reading #14
Good Morning!
It has been a good, good week over at Super Strength Health. Before I could even sneeze, my first month of Summer vacation has gone by, and my brain is going a million miles an hour. This has been quite a productive season so far! I am putting the finishing touches on a few very cool projects (think book proposal and a gluten-free challenge program) and am in the baby stages of planning some big stuff for the future that I can’t quite talk about yet.
I really like being a health and wellness coach, have I mentioned that?
Yeah, probably.
Moving on!
Why the Number Don’t Mean a Thing & The Method to my Madness by Christy Morgan of The Blissful Chef
Christy Morgan is the powerhouse behind Definition Magazine. She is vegan, a cookbook author, a personal trainer, and just an all around powerful babe who I want to be around.
This article is about the dreaded numbers. She says: “The new “Fitspiration” movement is not helping women be any less obsessive. It’s a big pet-peeve when personal trainers and physique competitors talk about their numbers or their clients numbers all the time like they mean something. For the average person we do not need to dwell on the numbers. And they can be triggers for those who have disordered eating patterns or an obsessive nature. It’s important that trainers and coaches steer their clients into how they feel rather than how they look and use other methods to track progress than just the number on the scale. I wish physique competitors would stop telling average people what they do while getting ready for a competition because that isn’t what the average person should be doing.”
AAAAAA-men. There are a ton of beautifully sculpted amazing competitors out there, and I find the whole process of how they get that way to be, I dunno, triggering. Not like for me personally, but for the universe. I get it. You have to do crazy things to get those muscles to pop out. Probably the masses don’t need to know every excruciating detail. It can make a girl feel crazy to hear that someone measured their broccoli and avoided water for a couple of days, ya know?
10 Things No One Tells You About Being a Female Strength Athlete by Gabby at Gabby’s Gluten Free
It takes a lot of guts to get out there and be a lady lifting decidedly unladylike amounts of weight. Some people applaud you, sure, but others say all sorts of asinine and ridiculous bullshit. Read all about that in this article, and don’t be surprised if you laugh, then cry, then feel a little proud.
Modern Women Etsy Shop- by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener
I would own every single item in this etsy shop. Feminist Art was instrumental to my upbringing, a sort of theoretical mom to guide and shape my brain. Basically, feminist art is about the best thing ever. These posters (T-shirts, totebags, post cards) say so, in no uncertain terms.
Vegan Doctor Weighs In on Paleo Diet Claims- by Holly Wilson, MD
I understand why people eat Paleo. I understand that aspects of it are healthy (lots of plants, zero processed foods and no sugar? I am all about that). I also think that it is unsustainable, and that a lot of the theory is rooted in speculation. (I’m not saying my diet is perfect in comparison, it’s simply an observation.) Please go read this article to read a ton of detail about why.
Can I Talk Yet? Written by Rhiannon Flowers
Rhiannon is hilarious. I met her many years ago in Portland, OR and have been a huge fan of her writing ever since. This is her brand new blog, and it is full of the stuff that makes me laugh my butt off.
In this story:
The characters: Rhiannon, an angsty Riot Grrl, and her oh-so-serene hippie lady mom
The scene: Family vacation at a nude hot spring
The result: Hilarity ensues.
Saturday Reading #5
Has it already been five weeks of this Saturday Reading series? I can hardly believe it.
Once again , I am incredibly honored to bring you the inspiring blog work of women and queers of the Internet. This week’s round up includes topics of social and romantic health, nutritional health, community health, and mental health. All of these have been wonderful and inspiring reads for me this week, and I hope you’ll enjoy them too!
1. How to Cohabitate With A Loved One by Michelle Tea
First of all, do you know the work of Michelle Tea? You should! She’s a great writer, a down-to-earth writer, a hilarious writer, a smutty writer, a damn power house of a writer. She runs the Sister Spit tour (ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT) and has written multiple books that I would call my favorites. (Her latest, The Mermaid of Chelsea Creek, is just wonderful.) ANYWAY, this article is a slight departure from her fiction and creative non-fiction. Instead, it is a how-to on the topic of the live-in partner. I live with my current partner and it truly is a special sort of wonderful that can turn into a special sort of terrible if mischief isn’t managed.
Michelle’s article is succinct, to the point, and just straight up helpful. A quote: “There is a saying, and I think it might be Buddhist in origin, which is something like: When you have a problem, you have a problem. Knowing that my darling beloved is sensitive to disorderly spaces and open drawers (an OCD-prone friend calls such things “a hair across my heart”), I do my best to try to keep them closed, with all bra straps tucked neatly inside. But when I forget – and I will, because I am human and/or an Aquarius and the little details can escape me – she doesn’t make a thing about it. She has the problem, and she does something about it. I think this is a good tactic, generally. Like, if you want something done in the house, just do it yourself. It’s faster, it’s easier, there is less disturbance. Of course, you have to be really okay with it and not all resentful.”
There you go. TRUE, right? Do your relationship (romantic or otherwise!) a favor and read the whole thing. It’s lovely.
2. Web Edition of Chickpea Magazine Summer 2013 – Design and content by Cara Livermore
I knew this all-vegan magazine existed, but had never picked it up. I somehow stumbled across this web sneak preview (I’m talking 85 pages worth of sneak preview!) this week and was totally blown away. Not only are the recipes inside very Lacy-friendly (meaning vegan, gluten free, whole foods based and not sugary) they are also photographed BEAUTIFULLY. Healthy food can be so inviting and appealing, and as I delve deeper into the work of Super Strength Health I find myself really geeking out on the lush look of fruits and vegetables. This magazine totally touches on the part of me that wants to look at pretty stuff in good lighting while sipping a green smoothie all. damn. day. Check it out!
3. What is Femme, Anyway? by Bossy Femme
First of all, let’s talk about the term bossy, just briefly. YES, as an assertive woman I am called bossy all the time. YES, I think if I were male it would be referred to as “Powerful”. YES, I think that is total bullshit. I also identify as “femme”, which you can read all about in this article.
Bossy Femme just SPEAKS to me. This article lists just some of the things that make up a femme identity. An example:
“Femme is defiance. Femme ignores the male gaze & tells patriarchy to fuck off. Femme is a refusal of the pressure to be thinner, whiter, pimple-free, wrinkle-free, smaller, quieter. Femme says that we’ll take the short skirts but you can keep the catcalls to yourself.”
YES feminine, NO perfectionism, YES dressing with flair, NO to jerks taking that as invitation to make their thoughts heard. (News flash: you are a random man on the street who likes what they see of my outfit? NO FUCKS GIVEN. You are another woman who wants to tell me I look great? WELL SHOOT. I’ll take it. SORRY NOT SORRY.)
4. Affirmationz and Gratitude List- started by Me, cause I can include my own projects, right?
I started an affirmation and gratitude group this month, and I love it. Basically, members write in with their intentions and appreciations for the day and we share it with one another via Google Groups. The act of writing these lists daily has helped me get super clear on what I’m doing with my time and energy. It has helped me grow a keen awareness of the things that happen (even on the bad days!) that have been sweet, helpful, or nice. Reading other member’s lists has helped me to feel like I am a part of someone’s community and like I have a gaggle of people I can root and cheer for. It’s amazing! Some days I am lonely, exhausted, overworked, or discontent and my daily digest will pop into my inbox and I feel refreshed. You should give this practice a shot! (and if you want to join our group, as long as you’re not a creep, get in contact!)
Laci Green is simply awesome. The video speaks for itself!
Have a wonderful weekend!
