Cultivating a Body Neutral Approach to Fitness w/Rachel Lavin
04/05/2023
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For decades the fitness industry has focused on narrative largely based around body composition. Simply put, the message has been; you exercise to get your “beach bod.” No matter how you look at it, this narrative has proliferated through much of the industry’s marketing. Large organizations and individual professionals alike have been very body composition-centric in their approach to messaging fitness and exercise, and in doing so alienated a large portion of consumers that might otherwise engage with the industry.
Our guest in episode 93, Rachel Lavin, is on a crusade to change that. Rachel is a Published author of The Doughnut Diaries, Professional Speaker, Body Love Coach, Certified Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer. Her mission is to create a safe space for all women to feel whole in their own body.
In this conversation will discuss what organizations and individual fitness professionals can do to cultivate a body neutral approach to fitness and exercise. Not only will we discuss the actionable steps necessary to make this a reality, but we will also talk through the important business and public health implications of doing so. This is a crucial topic, coming at a very important time for industry and our nation, and Rachel has a lot to teach us!
Our Guest: Rachel Lavin
Rachel is a Published author of The Doughnut Diaries, Professional Speaker and Body Love Educator, Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Health Coach. She grew up in Northern California and has lived in Hawaii, Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon and New York City. She currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her Partner.
In 2000 Rachel began her career as an ACE certified group fitness instructor teaching a plethora of classes such as Aqua Aerobics, Bootcamp, Jazzercise, Dance Aerobics, Stretch and Chair classes. In 2007 she was certified as an ACE Personal Trainer working at big box gyms in NYC and becoming an independent trainer in 2012. Rachel wanted to take her passion for helping people to the next level and became an ACE certified Health Coach in 2018.
In 2020 Rachel wrote her first book "The Doughnut Diaries" about her own struggles with her weight and restrictive diets which lasted for over thirty years. As Rachel turned forty the expression I got sick and tired of being sick and tired hit home and she made a decision to take her power back and heal from decades of negative thinking and self sabotage. Rachel began to do the work on my mind, body and soul. Writing her book was her way of sharing my message to women and men alike that you are not alone! Now using her book Rachel wants to help people who have had or a still experiencing negative body image. By using what she now refers to as my three pillars of fitness; Nourishment for both the mind and body, Movement & Rest.