Let's talk body positivity

I'm the owner and head coach at Styrka, a small barbell club in south Tulsa. I've been training/ coaching since 2004. I've coached people from all walks of life, and currently my clientele is a mixture of "lifestyle clients" -- basically just everyday people who want help getting fit -- and competitive powerlifters, including two women who can squat over 400lbs.⠀
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I've trained clients who would be classified as "morbidly obese." I've seen the health effects first hand -- sleep apnea, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, edema, diabetes, severe joint degradation (especially the knees), and more. ⠀
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I want people to take care of their bodies. I want people to strive to be the healthiest they can be. We should all make an effort to eat healthily and exercise vigorously, and some people need quite a bit more help than others -- literally to the point of behavioral counseling for many.⠀
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So how do I square that with my message as both a trainer and as a boudoir photographer that I want people to love their bodies, no matter what?⠀
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Because without question, body positivity is crucial for successfully establishing healthy habits. Every client I've had who constantly talks down about their body struggles exponentially more to achieve their fitness goals. They idealize their "younger" body: "I used to be a size extra tiny and hot!" Inevitably, they become frustrated with the process. Their habits are driven by guilt and they self-sabotage. It's okay to want to be healthier, and it's okay to aspire to a certain aesthetic, like a hard-earned athletic physique. But it takes years of dedication.⠀
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When I photograph you, I am not judging where you are in your journey. Where you are is the culmination of all your past experiences, and it is perfect. I want you to come as you are and celebrate yourself. Be comfortable in your own skin. Appreciate that this body is the only one you have, and that you have nothing to prove to anyone. Caring for your body is something you do for your own empowerment, not for anyone else. ⠀
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Don't try to "drop ten pounds" or lose a size before your shoot. Just show up. Be you. Embrace your body and feel how amazing it is to love yourself.