My
name is Louise Green and I opened my own business Body Exchange, in 2008 on a
quest to carve out a space for the plus-size community. My goal was to create a
place where people would feel welcome and safe to sweat with a tribe of their
own. In 1999 I had hit rock bottom with an alcohol and drug addiction and
decided if I wanted to stay above ground it was probably a good idea to seek
out some help. I did. For many years and as part of my recovery I
returned to the athletic roots that I had enjoyed so much prior to the party
years.
In
2007 I became a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Heading down
this career path required me to face my terrorizing fears and overcome them,
all so I could give back to aspiring athletes and those transitioning from one
lifestyle to another. My fears began when I decided, 3 months after
having my son, at my all time heaviest weight that I was going to become a
certified trainer. I had decided on maternity leave that I was going to
make a full career swing and finally do something meaningful with my life. The
anxiety and feelings of unworthiness began as soon as I signed up for the
certification. My inner peanut gallery began with fearful banter that I would
be different than everyone else, fat and out of shape and that I would be
judged and rejected. Although I had done a lot of work through recovery,
I still suffered from low self-esteem and imposture syndrome and feelings of isolation.
Deep down I had a purpose that was burning inside of me that kept telling my
negative self to do it anyway. I had a dream to inspire women, at any size, to
elevate their lives through fearless fitness and adventure. I put one foot in
front of the other and finalized the certifications and eventually became a fully
certified personal trainer, all of this at 245lbs. And I was right, I
didn’t look like anyone in the room, my body was much larger but I had
something that no one else had; an understanding of what my demographic goes
through and what its like to be a fat woman and to feel that on a day to day
basis; I knew her, spoke her language, I am her. For what I was
about to embark on, this was invaluable and no trainer in the room had an
advantage on me. I am empowered by this today.
With
my dreams in check, I persevered and mustered up the courage to open a fitness
business exclusive to plus size women. I had no idea what I was doing but did
it anyway. Today Body Exchange offers boot camps, learn to run programs,
adventures and destination retreats all dedicated to a plus size market.
I see these initiatives as tools to empower women to live to their full
potential regardless of their size. When I work out I feel like a warrior
and all the negative messages dissipate. It is my power hour, my gospel and it is
all mine. I see my business as a place where I can give back and share the
positivity I experience. Where I help women defy the norm and pulverize the
stereotypes and preconceived notations placed on overweight people, especially
in a fitness arena. To me this feels like familiar territory - I
see it as another form of recovery. After-all recovery means to return to a
normal condition; the condition we were in before all our injected ideals,
instilled judgments and the stories we are told. We were all at one point,
happy active children.
The
fitness industry can be a pretty harsh place for people like me and perhaps you
too; it has been difficult to call it “my” industry and truly feel apart of it.
I persevere regardless. Nothing will stop me in fact it only fuels my fire for
building my business.
Overtime
our concept of plus size fitness found its way into the media spotlight - as you know the media likes to cover
obesity, the epidemic and the health crisis. The Body Exchange concept was new
and the media had a hard time with me because Body Exchange does not focus on
weight loss. We focus on empowerment and mind expansion to unlimited
possibility. To many people this is confusing. I designed our groups to
be exclusive, ironically, to be inclusive of the plus size community; a group I
feel have been overlooked and sidelined.
Our
clients shared horrific stories of their experiences of being bullied as far
back as elementary school gym class. Countless clients tell me they have
felt like losers their entire school life because they were fat and couldn’t
keep up with the other kids, this feeling stayed with them into their adult
life and often kept them from trying anything fitness related. I listen
to their stories of self-hatred and body loathing and my heart sinks but I see
it as another opportunity for recovery and a revolution.
In
2012, I was asked take part in a major newspaper front-page feature – as a
small business owner of course I was thrilled.
I got up early that Sunday morning to go down to the corner store to buy
the paper only to find that some how our feature had turned into the headline
“GYM BANS SKINNY PEOPLE”. My labor of love was now a scandalous "skinny
ban" and for three weeks media hounded me. People wanted to know why
I discriminate against skinny people. The story spread internationally, I was
bewildered, confused and scared. I felt misunderstood and some of the worst
hate mail came from my own industry professionals. I heard everything from “how
could I possibly inspire anyone when I am fat” to hate mail sent to my inbox
saying “shut this fucking disgrace down”. Why such resistance? Aren't we
doing a good thing and addressing some serious needs? I began to doubt,
hide, and stew then revolt.
I will not tolerate haters, so I continued
on.
My
personal fitness program keeps evolving; I started running half marathons and
in June I rode 240km from Vancouver BC across the border to Seattle WA for
Cancer research including two seven hour days on a bike, Oye! I know
firsthand that my body is capable of doing anything I train it to do,
100%. I am living proof, as are the many women I work with. My
accomplishments, challenges and triumphs build me up and I am now a fighter for
something I so fucking strongly believe in.
I
have learned a lot along the way and one thing I do know for sure, if you
provide the right environment, women thrive and they are capable of anything.
My
business continues to grow and we started training women by the hundreds. We
train them for 5k and 10k runs then half marathons. We climb to the top of
mountains, we take women surfing and join obstacle mud runs.
We
empower women to love their bodies at any size - the expectation to lose weight
is never part of the conversation. Body Exchange has built an amazing community
full of life lasting friendships. The thing I am most proud of is that we
instill a no limits attitude in a group of women who have been left out of the
fitness arena, made to feel like they didn’t belong and that the good life was
not theirs to have. Fuck. That. We
have no ban, its not that complex, we just want people to feel comfortable and
thrive.
I
am not saying my journey has been easy or yours will be either but I am saying
it will be worth it. I can feel the
movement changing in society, slowly but surely. When I look back on my life
from the day I walked into my first AA meeting emotionally broken and
spiritually bankrupt to now, I have a hard time reconciling I am the same
person. Walking through fear, recovery
and resilience will take you places.
I
will leave you with this: search high and low, search around every corner
but search for YOUR TRIBE. Every “body” deserves an epic life and when
you find your tribe it changes everything.
Best
wishes to you all,
Louise
Green
Founder,
Body Exchange Lifestyles INC
----------------------------------------------------
Louise is a light in my life, and I'm so grateful for the work that she does. Dibs on her being in my tribe. You can visit her
Body Exchange page or her
Body Love Movement (TSHIRT!) page. Or you could just go visit her in Canada. That's what I want to do.
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