Let's Talk about Fitness, the BMI and White Supremacy with Simone Samuels.

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Simone Samuels, B.A. (Hons.), J.D., B.C.L. is a consultant in equity, diversity and inclusion and a weight-neutral personal trainer/group fitness instructor. A lawyer by training and a fitness professional, she has consulted for fitness organizations in Canada, US and the UK and has delivered courses on weight stigma, fatphobia, anti-racism, allyship and anti-oppression.
Simone is a tireless advocate for making the fitness and wider world a more inclusive place.
I was SO excited to chat with Simone and knew it would be a confronting and very important conversation. She was incredibly generous with her time and I know you will very much enjoy this meaty conversation.
We chatted about:

• How white female Fitpros can actually be inclusive in the fitness space?
• The racist roots of the BMI and diet culture. Simone recommends some must-read books for those serious about doing the work.
• According to the BMI the ROCK (Dwayne Johnson) is morbidly ob*se. It was never meant to be used at a population level.
• Overcoming fatphobia in fitness spaces. How we can get informed.
• Finding real joy in movement in this hustle culture and untangling weight loss and exercise.
• We chat about Aqua Zumba and ask why aqua is always associated with an older demographic.

What a chat! I was truly buzzing afterwards and cannot wait to get Simone back for part 2.
Recommended Reading for Fitpros or anyone engaged in the fitness industry:
Sabrina Strings - Fearing the Black Body. The Racist Origins of Fatphobia
Da'Shaun L. Harrison - The Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness
Ibram X Kendi: Stamped From The Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America
If you'd like to know more about Simone, find her on Instagram or have a look at her website, where she has lots of different options to work with her.
* Simone was the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion reviewer of the canfitpro Personal Training Specialist textbook, helping to create an inclusive curriculum for future personal trainers in Canada. She has won multiple awards and commendations in the fitness industry, the most notable one being

Please reach out if you would like some support with your relationship to food OR movement. Ela currently has limited spaces for Intuitive Eating coaching and if you'd like to reconnect with movement, contact Christine.
AND if you enjoyed this episode, please share and follow the 'Find Your Strong podcast' and if you have time, write us a short review. It would honestly mean the world. Love to you all, Ela & Christine x