Thank You, Body

It can often feel counterintuitive, but pausing and accepting the present is a vital part of growth. If you’re part of our community, there’s a 3000% chance you are goal driven— you have goals for your body, your mind, and your life. We're incredibly lucky to hold space for a community like this—one that values healing, wholeness, and transformation.

But if you’ve ever attended one of our classes, you’ve probably also noticed our firm intention behind rest, reset, and restoration. To truly grow, you must sometimes be still. It's a strange dichotomy.

If you caught Jen’s June blog post, you know now that living in a constant state of hustle works against your body—not for it. This is true of our workouts, yes, but it’s also true of our thoughts. At In Bloom, we’re dedicated to helping you connect your body and your mind, so they can work together in harmony.

You’re showing up to class. You’re doing the work. You’re reading the blogs. You’re paying attention to all the muscles moving in unison. So now, let’s do a little work on your inner dialogue.

The Thought Loop No One Talks About

Right now, it’s pretty trendy to be self-deprecating and cynical. So much so, it can feel like background noise—just filler conversation when you don’t know what else to say. But the truth is, cynicism and self-deprecation almost always stem from shame. These are defense mechanisms—ways to "beat others to the punch" by assuming they already think what you might already believe about yourself. And sometimes, it’s not cynicism at all. It’s just… defeat.

All of it traces back to shame.

My Story

I’ve been plus-size my whole life, and that does something to a person. It changes how you see yourself and how you expect the world to treat you. When you're growing up and clothes in your size don’t actually fit your body type… when cute clothes don't exist in your size… when “fat” is made out to be the meanest thing you call a person… when you can’t keep up in gym class… when every plus-size person in movies and on TV is portrayed as gluttonous or loud or lazy—it builds layers of narrative. I think about the scene from the cinematic masterpiece The Devil Wears Prada when Miranda Priestly calls Andy "fat" for being a size 6. Sure, we could write this off as “oh that’s just the fashion industry” but to assume ANY girl or woman watched that and didn’t immediately compare it to themselves is a stretch.

It took a lot of work to heal my relationship with my body. And once I did, I have been determined to help share the joy of truly loving myself.

As soon as I got certified to teach barre, I knew I wanted my class to be a safe space- that no matter what your body looks like or what it has gone through, if nowhere else in the world, my class is a space where you can feel safe inside of your body. I'm proud to know that this is a shared objective at In Bloom across all instructors and class formats.

Change the Loop

So, if you’re ready to start challenging the way you think and feel about your body, here are a few steps to begin:

1. Mind Your Inner Dialogue

Your thoughts impact your results. Seriously. When you're working out, mind your thoughts.

Is it, "I want to feel strong" or "I want to feel healthy"?

Or is it, "I want to look good" or "I want to prove something"?

Can you gently shift the focus back to yourself—and away from how others might be perceiving you?

Even a seemingly positive and self-driven thought like “I want to feel good in my body” can mean very different things depending on the person. For one person, it could mean easing chronic pain. For another, it might mean fitting into pre-pregnancy clothes or reclaiming energy from a past version of themselves. All of these thoughts are  understandable... But if you want to challenge your thoughts, try this...

If you feel safe doing so, try asking yourself: what emotion is connected to this thought?

Is it disappointment? Regret? Embarrassment? Or maybe it’s excitement and hope. Maybe it’s all of the above. Identifying the emotion(s) might help you better understand what’s driving your motivation. Your motivation shapes how you move— and how you feel after.

2. Start Reframing

If you realize your motivation is being fueled by someone else’s voice or some negative thoughts—try this:

Instead of saying: “I look gross"

Ask yourself:

Who taught me this?

Who benefits from me believing this?

What parts of me shrink to make others comfortable?

What would I do differently if I didn’t care about looking 'ideal'?

Then affirm yourself:

My body is not a problem to fix. It is a gift to take care of.

Start eliminating certain language from your vocabulary. The fitness industry is overflowing with content about “getting rid of” "love handles", "double chins", “bat wings,” and so on—as if parts of your body are problems.

When you catch yourself critiquing a part of your body, pause your thought and affirm this:

There are no bad parts of my body. All parts of my body are me, and I treat them all with the same love and intention.

3. Curate Your Feed (Media Detox)

Unfollow voices that invite shame and follow people who are actively dismantling it. Start diversifying your feed to reflect the beauty of all bodies—not just one standard, to challenge your ideas about what “pretty” or “beautiful” is.

These are a few creators who have personally helped me reframe my thinking around wellness, nutrition, beauty, and self-worth— but feel free to find creators that speak to your own story and values.

Health & wellness creators:

@heal.with.fifi

@glucosegoddess

@mikkazon

@hope_zuckerbrow

@strugglecare

@ilohnamaher

Plus-size fashion and beauty creators:

@caihaun

@howdyedna

@brontemarie

@luenagamaa

@_christianawebster

Disabled creators:

@lyllistapper

@erinnovakowski

@ca8ty

@crutches_and_spice

@chronicallyjenni

POC creators in beauty & fashion:

@quannah.rose

@minxyalexa

@golloria

@jnaydaily

@yaralnamlah

Women over 50

@msorrig

@bagandaberet

@frannyfyne

@akissvintage

4. Air It Out

“Shame dies when stories are shared in safe spaces.” – Ann Voskamp

Shame thrives in silence. So talk. Share. With your friends, your mentors, or perhaps a therapist. Let someone in. Odds are, they’ve felt the same way. You might be carrying stories, beliefs, or lies that are 20, 30, even 50 years old—or older. Sometimes, they’re generational. You were never meant to carry them alone.

5. Recognize the Pressure

The beauty industry—and our culture at large— profits off of women's shame. Knowing that doesn’t make the pressure disappear, but it helps loosen its grip.

Your body has never been the problem. The problem has always been how society often uses shame and misinformation to shape our perceptions of health, beauty, and worth.

6. Thank Your Body

If you've been to my classes before, this part is very familiar to you. Thank You, Body.  

We've addressed the mental work. Now here's the mental rest. Your body is already AMAZING. All your organs are sending messages to each other all day and all night. Your body self-heals. Your body's performing millions of microscopic events when you're not even paying attention. Yes, we have goals for our bodies and where we want them to go. But take a minute to be present in your body, and thank your body for all the things it has already done, and all the things it is already doing for you every day.

Here are some examples to get you started.

Thank you, body, for being strong.

Thank you, body, for telling me when I’m hungry and when I need rest.

Thank you, body, for healing wounds, even the ones I didn't notice

Thank you, body, for all the microscopic things you're doing when I'm not even paying attention

Thank you, body, for all the signals you give reminding me that I'm important too

Thank you, body, for giving good hugs and sweet kisses.

Thank you, body, for housing my soul.

Ask yourself what you can thank your body for.

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Your body is not your enemy. Your thoughts aren’t either—they just need to be challenged sometimes. Growth isn’t always about pushing harder or doing more. Sometimes, it’s about resting. Listening. Reconnecting. And letting go of the shame that was never yours to carry.

We’re honored to walk with you on that journey.

– With love and strength

Liz