(throw)Back to Body Love

This photo was taken 6 years ago for this feature on Philly’s Hottest Trainers. Today, it makes me cringe, not only because I subjected myself to a contest with the superlative “hottest,” but also because of the negative comments total strangers made about my body.

I still remember reading things like “she’s too fat to be a trainer!,” and “where is her six pack?!”. Those words stuck. I felt beautiful that day taking the photos, but the aftermath left me feeling insecure and imperfect. I ended up doing whatever I could to lose weight and try to look like what those commenters said a trainer “should” be. I fought my body’s natural shape, and ended up getting that six pack ... but, in the process, I lost muscle, strength, and happiness.

Flash forward to today. I am a trainer, a great one. No six pack required. I’m learning to love my natural shape and focus on strength, skill, and happiness. Life Lesson: do NOT let anyone else tell you who you are and what your body “should” or “should not” look like!

xo, Melissa
originally posted here @motionmelissa