Society and social media tell women that in order to be accepted and loved, we must look a certain way. Small, but not too small. Curvy, but without other fat on our bodies (especially on our stomachs). Fit, but not too muscular. We are taught that women who lift weights will look bulky and non-feminine. In the age of Instagram, it’s almost impossible not to compare yourself to the photoshopped, filtered, and glammed-up bodies we see on our feed. As someone who was obsessed with Instagram by the age of 10, the idea of praise from others as a method of self-acceptance was all I knew. It’s all a bunch of crap.

It wasn’t until I picked up a barbell and put down the weight of never being enough, that I truly found self-acceptance. I started to develop a healthy relationship with food and exercise and now see them as glorious opportunities to get stronger, build my muscles, improve my mood, release my stress, and create the life I desire… and I WANT TO HELP YOU DO THE SAME.