Treat Every Body with admiration
Hi everyone, Ash here back from my holiday and feeling amazing!
"I'm treating myself to whatever I want to eat and I'll worry about it when I'm home", "When I'm back I'll be exercising a lot to burn off these excess calories", "I wanted to be beach body ready but I'm not quite sure I succeeded". I heard comments like this while I was on the beach and around the pool and it reminded me why SMASH is so important.
When we created SMASH Mind and Body 4 years ago we did so because we wanted to create a fitness workout that would help strengthen mental health and be inclusive for Every Body. Since then we have learnt so much about Body Confidence and Acceptance, and the ways we have been brainwashed by the media to dislike our bodies so that we are always trying to 'fix' them. We have attracted a community of people who have told us that, finally, it's fantastic to have an exercise space where there is no talk of body shape or size, 'calorie burn' or not working hard enough. Has the fitness industry always made us feel so bad about ourselves? Do we workout to look like the models in their advertising? Do we buy the latest diet fad because social media influencers tell us that we will look better if we do? Do we respond positively to the Instructor that screams at us that we aren't working hard enough? No pain, no gain, right? Wrong, so wrong!
Every well-being workout at SMASH is filled with positivity, motivation and kindness. We give everyone the option of changing moves that don't work for them, never call anybody out and always remind the community that if they want to dance through the whole session then they should listen to their body and move exactly how their body wants to! In fact we have a saying that has become so synonomous with SMASH we now have it on a t-shirt - If In Doubt, Dance It Out! Dance like nobody is watching? We suggest to dance like EVERYBODY is watching... and they've come for a show!
Imagine how incredible the world would be if we learned to love all that our bodies have done for us? If we could look in the mirror and respect the journey we've been on. Imagine admiring every part of us. Every inch, every blemish, every scar. It starts with us saying no to advertising telling us that we are less than. It starts with us moving our bodies in ways that we enjoy and because we know it helps us to feel good. It starts with us not questioning friends/family/colleagues/strangers/celebrities weight. It starts with us supporting companies, people and organisations who treat Every Body with admiration.
It starts with love, care and respect for ourselves and others. Can you celebrate that?
To the beautiful woman on the beach in Malta who thought she hadn't succeeded in being beach body ready - you will ALWAYS be beach body ready, no matter what anyone else tries to tell you. At SMASH we Celebrate Every Body and we hope, one day, the fitness industry and media does the same...
Give your wonderful body a hug today, it deserves it.
Have a great week!
Sam and Ash
(She/Her and He/Him)