Race in Wellness: How to be a Part of the Solution

Photo by Emmy Shanley, founder of Cold Press Creative. Click here to shop the full print collection.

This might be uncomfortable to read. It was uncomfortable to write. But the thoughts and facts written in this post have been on the tip of my tongue for years. I just didn’t have the education or the complete understanding to articulate them. Until now. 

I first joined Instagram looking for new friends and a community to be a part of. I immediately discovered and fell into various communities that often focus on fitness challenges and building a “bikini body.” The founders of these communities model what a “bikini body” looks like, and are often very thin, very lean women. The community members displayed on their social media accounts and email blasts, along with the “winners” of their fitness challenges often are equally thin, lean, and mostly white. And they are chosen because they, too, model a “bikini body” (I can’t stop putting that term in quotes). 

In order to be a part of these communities, I needed to purchase their programs, which include a series of fitness challenges and meal plans. I began to eat less and workout more, but suddenly, my purpose shifted. Instead of trying to meet new friends, I was now completely focused on achieving my own “bikini body.” I thought that by looking like the trainers, by looking like past “winners,” that I could prove to myself and to others that I was “healthy” enough to feel confident sporting a bikini.

I soon learned that the plan options in these programs did not work for me. They didn’t allot enough calories for me. They required me to omit foods that I love. They didn’t include workouts that helped me to progress in strength. 

Instead, they encouraged me to try to make my body look a way that it wasn’t meant to be. 

“What’s the point of this?” I thought. 

As I said, I’ve always understood that something was off, but after reading and listening to the works of Lestraundra Alfred, Chrissy King, and Shanna Taylor, I’m learning enough to be able to explain. 

In short, I now understand that the point of those programs was to sell an image of health -- very thin, tanned, and lean (and let’s be honest, not always but usually, white) -- along with a one size fits all plan to achieve that image. And I understand that the wellness industry as a whole is filled with this very same image of “health,” an image that so many people will never be able to, and shouldn’t have to, achieve. 

This becomes problematic. 

This might keep people of different colors or sizes from getting certified to be a personal trainer, a yoga instructor, or a pilates instructor. Or keep a variety of people from stepping foot into a gym, a boutique studio, or a yoga/pilates class. Or explain why a significant number of people conclude that wellness isn’t meant for them. 

Now, I can hear so many valid arguments coming from members (some of whom I love and consider dear friends) of these communities, communities of which I’m, for a lack of a better term, calling out: “But I really just love this community!” “These trainers have always been so inspiring for me!” “I had no idea this was happening, but by doing these programs, I really do feel like my best self!” “I can’t help the way that I look!” “I am nice to everyone and don’t try to put down people who look differently than me!” 

And I believe you. I know you mean well. I know your favorite trainers mean well. But we’re all learning that having good intentions isn’t enough. And now that we know better, we have to do better. As personal trainers, studio owners, and consumers whose demographic makes up the majority of the wellness industry, it’s our responsibility to speak up, to act, and to be a part of the solution to this problem. Here’s how we can begin: 

Broaden your understanding of what “health” and “fitness” look like

We have been conditioned by the media to consider the image of a tall, thin, lean, white woman to be “healthy.” As a result, we have also been unknowingly conditioned to consider any body that doesn’t fit this image as “unhealthy.” We need to train our minds to know and understand that thin doesn’t always mean healthy, and fat doesn’t always mean unhealthy. “Health” and “wellness” can come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. 

Identify the difference between diversity and inclusion

Yes, hiring people from a variety of backgrounds will make the space more diverse. However, it’s not enough for a space, both physical and online, to have a few Black or larger trainers and instructors on board. Take a look around the rest of the room: are the class participants still mostly thin or white? 

Having a diverse personal training team just scratches the surface and only begins to promote inclusion. An inclusive space draws a variety of people to it and makes every single person feel comfortable in who they are. It requires businesses to market and program with a diverse group of people in mind. To make people of color or of larger sizes a priority, not an afterthought. 

Advocate

This is the most important step, but also the most challenging. It requires us to have uncomfortable conversations, to ask for more representation, to question brands and businesses that have none. It relies on us to shop with a well-informed intention, knowing that where we spend our dollars has a significant impact. When struggling with apprehension and worry about what others will think of us, remember that people of color or of larger sizes struggle with this every day and consequently choose not to enter the space we are afraid of upsetting. 

And as always, remember: you are exactly the shade or size you need to be to take your place in history. 

Let’s grow.