Thanks for bringing in the ableism element too. Even people who are a bit dialled in to gentle fitness are like, if you’re not up for a workout just go for a walk! And I’m like, that’s actually not accessible or gentle for a lot of people!
I’d also like to note that while I’m well over the “weight limit” for Pilates, I’ve recently been taking reformer classes and they have been the thing that’s helped the most with managing my arthritis pain. So ironically pilates might help me get back to more cardio…
This conversation was like a great cup of coffee. I had to pause my Leavell Up membership for a bit and I can’t wait to get back to the classes, which are fun and funny and challenging and soft. After also having many years of “real workouts are punishing workouts,” I still sometimes only want the warm bath. I’m so hungry for rest and ease. Lauren helps me play around in that big middle between pain and bath.
I love moving my body and do both weights and yoga. It’s really important to me that I’m able to meet the challenges in my life, like putting 40 pounds of cat litter on the Costco cart. I’m glad that Lauren’s classes help people meet whatever challenges they face in whatever body they occupy.
I love this conversation so much. 200 pounds is a hilariously arbitrary number!
Also, I recently read a book about the early history of women swimming (because I watched The Young Woman and the Sea about Trudy Ederle who swam the English Channel) and the author was like, some women definitely swam to stay thin but the women who were doing these endurance swims had to EAT and they were strong and stocky. I looked at the pictures and I was like, oh hey, perfect, it's me! (Not that I'm THAT kind of swimmer, but I feel really powerful in the water and sometimes feel a little self-conscious next to like, college swim team kids.)
Was the book Swimming Pretty? Loved that one and even got to see the author at our local book festival in April. Or is there *another* book about women's swimming history?
Oh cool, just requested that from my local library! Swimming Pretty probably covers some of the same ground (the history of swimming generally helped to set the context for the history of synchronized swimming).
I LOVE Leavell Up Fitness! I’ve been doing Lauren’s workouts since October. And I learned about her from Burnt Toast!
Obvs moving our bodies is not a moral obligation but OMG it feels so fucking awesome and empowering to feel stronger than I have ever felt before *AND* fat!
A far cry from 2018, when I was going on runs without enough food in my body and almost passing out 🙄👎.
Also my lower back doesn’t chronically hurt anymore, so that is also awesome.
Thanks for another amazing conversation with Lauren, Virginia!
I loved this! I'm going to check out Lauren's classes. I recently found out that I have disc degeneration that is causing me insane pain along with some other joint pain issues related to thyroid problems, and her workouts seem like they might be a good fit. Her vibe is cool. I am so done with bootcamp drill sergeant type exercise—keep it!
I've gotten back into swimming lately thanks to time, easy pool access, and great recovery from a long-needed shoulder surgery. I just do my thing at my speed (which is slow!).
I sometimes wonder if I should work on swimming faster, and I even have some credit on my account for a couple more private lessons (I paid for 5 but only used 3 earlier this year when I was getting back into it and just needed some coaching on the basics since I hadn't done it in so long). But so far, I just dismiss those thoughts and enjoy the fact that the 45 to 60 minutes I spend in the pool is literally the best I feel in my body on any given day. I'm moving to feel good and it does make me feel better and stronger so what I *should* do doesn't really matter.
Great ep! I’m on that journey of enjoying fitness after hating it since it was always body punishment. I really enjoy in person classes and there is a lovely very size inclusive place about 45 min from me, but finding something closer that doesn’t feel too intense/have that no pain, no gain attitude is a challenge (or maybe doesn’t exist).
Thanks for bringing in the ableism element too. Even people who are a bit dialled in to gentle fitness are like, if you’re not up for a workout just go for a walk! And I’m like, that’s actually not accessible or gentle for a lot of people!
I’d also like to note that while I’m well over the “weight limit” for Pilates, I’ve recently been taking reformer classes and they have been the thing that’s helped the most with managing my arthritis pain. So ironically pilates might help me get back to more cardio…
This conversation was like a great cup of coffee. I had to pause my Leavell Up membership for a bit and I can’t wait to get back to the classes, which are fun and funny and challenging and soft. After also having many years of “real workouts are punishing workouts,” I still sometimes only want the warm bath. I’m so hungry for rest and ease. Lauren helps me play around in that big middle between pain and bath.
Such a perfect way to put it!!
I love moving my body and do both weights and yoga. It’s really important to me that I’m able to meet the challenges in my life, like putting 40 pounds of cat litter on the Costco cart. I’m glad that Lauren’s classes help people meet whatever challenges they face in whatever body they occupy.
I love this conversation so much. 200 pounds is a hilariously arbitrary number!
Also, I recently read a book about the early history of women swimming (because I watched The Young Woman and the Sea about Trudy Ederle who swam the English Channel) and the author was like, some women definitely swam to stay thin but the women who were doing these endurance swims had to EAT and they were strong and stocky. I looked at the pictures and I was like, oh hey, perfect, it's me! (Not that I'm THAT kind of swimmer, but I feel really powerful in the water and sometimes feel a little self-conscious next to like, college swim team kids.)
Was the book Swimming Pretty? Loved that one and even got to see the author at our local book festival in April. Or is there *another* book about women's swimming history?
No, but now I need to read that one as well! It was called Fighting the Current: The Rise of American Women’s Swimming, 1870-1926.
Oh cool, just requested that from my local library! Swimming Pretty probably covers some of the same ground (the history of swimming generally helped to set the context for the history of synchronized swimming).
I put Swimming Pretty on hold at mine! 😊
I LOVE Leavell Up Fitness! I’ve been doing Lauren’s workouts since October. And I learned about her from Burnt Toast!
Obvs moving our bodies is not a moral obligation but OMG it feels so fucking awesome and empowering to feel stronger than I have ever felt before *AND* fat!
A far cry from 2018, when I was going on runs without enough food in my body and almost passing out 🙄👎.
Also my lower back doesn’t chronically hurt anymore, so that is also awesome.
Thanks for another amazing conversation with Lauren, Virginia!
I loved this! I'm going to check out Lauren's classes. I recently found out that I have disc degeneration that is causing me insane pain along with some other joint pain issues related to thyroid problems, and her workouts seem like they might be a good fit. Her vibe is cool. I am so done with bootcamp drill sergeant type exercise—keep it!
We also have one cat who’s terrified of outside and my Lovebug is always trying to go out! And we worry about the coyotes too.
I've gotten back into swimming lately thanks to time, easy pool access, and great recovery from a long-needed shoulder surgery. I just do my thing at my speed (which is slow!).
I sometimes wonder if I should work on swimming faster, and I even have some credit on my account for a couple more private lessons (I paid for 5 but only used 3 earlier this year when I was getting back into it and just needed some coaching on the basics since I hadn't done it in so long). But so far, I just dismiss those thoughts and enjoy the fact that the 45 to 60 minutes I spend in the pool is literally the best I feel in my body on any given day. I'm moving to feel good and it does make me feel better and stronger so what I *should* do doesn't really matter.
Great ep! I’m on that journey of enjoying fitness after hating it since it was always body punishment. I really enjoy in person classes and there is a lovely very size inclusive place about 45 min from me, but finding something closer that doesn’t feel too intense/have that no pain, no gain attitude is a challenge (or maybe doesn’t exist).
Oh wow! I know nothing about this but would totally do a whole episode on cultural representations of the StairMaster...