Fitness instructor Maria Ellis, who teaches “Curves and Cardio” classes in Brooklyn, explains the shift in her students’ faces. “When they walk in, many are afraid. They’ve been told their bodies don’t belong in a gym. But when we remove the goal of ‘shrinking’ and replace it with ‘feeling,’ something clicks. They start smiling. They push harder, not out of shame, but out of joy.”
If you’d like, I can help with a safe, appropriate alternative—examples: Fitness instructor Maria Ellis, who teaches “Curves and