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Follow my daily things, and all things BTS on my socials here:

sarahlizking

🤸‍♀️Exercise Physiologist & Health Coach here to:
🚫 Call out diet + fitness BS
🙂 Help you make peace w/ food & your body using science, not trends

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FITNESS WITHOUT OBSESSION IS POSSIBLE! HERE’S HOW:
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Double tap if you’ve ever struggled with overexercising or feeling guilt, shame or worthlessness if you miss a gym session?
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It’s hard to remind ourselves of the many benefits of exercise when the most common message thrown in our face is exercising for weight loss.
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So this training triangle and the slides that follow are a reminder that movement should be enjoyable, with a focus on health, and always come from a place of body respect and self-care.
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Healing your relationship with exercise is not spoken about often enough, but it’s my jam. Having specialised as an exercise physiologist in disordered eating and eating disorder recovery, I regularly get to help people find healthy without obsession again and watch them smash their fitness goals while also enjoying rest days, holidays without exercise, and zero guilt for missing the gym if life gets busy.
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It takes work to get there but it is possible! If this sounds like something you want to work on feel free to send me a DM for more info, otherwise use these slides as a guide next time you hit the gym to make sure you’re moving your body for the right reasons❤️

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New name, who dis? It’s ya girl previously known as @ skactive. Sneaky little name change but rest assured the content will be the same fabulousness you’ve come to know and love.
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So let’s cheers to the freakin weekend and my name actually being available as a handle on Instagram because that in itself is like winning the lottery.
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P.S. if you can actually guess my full name you do win the lottery. I have 4 names which barely fit on my passport, let alone my drivers licence. Fun fact for your Saturday❤️✌️

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Good mental health doesn't just happen, it's something we must work at every day
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Some people are notoriously great at safe-guarding their mental health by looking after themselves, speaking out when they don't feel so great, and having healthy boundaries at work and in relationships
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For others, myself included (#imnotperfect), it's a work in progress.
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Seeing as it's #WorldsMentalHealthDay, I thought it would be timely to highlight a few habits to focus on that can keep us feeling mentally well both today and every day.
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My personal favourites from the infographic above are engaging in regular physical activity🏋️‍♀️, getting out amongst nature🌿 (more specifically #bondibeach) and patting as many dogs as I can at my local cafe🐶☕️
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Having been in a deep dark place before myself, I never take for granted feel mentally well. I still see a psychologist from time to time because #therapyiscool and I'm incredibly transparent with those close to me when I start to feel my mood drop.
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My greatest hope is that collectively as a society we can have more open and honest conversations about how we're really doing, remove the stigma around mental illness, and create a culture of support where the pursuit of mental wellbeing is encouraged just as much as physical wellbeing.
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A culture where "are you ok?" is asked regularly and in a meaningful way, and we tell people how we really feel instead of putting up a facade in-person or online.
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This page is always a safe space where I hope you feel welcomed and empowered to look after yourself both mentally and physically, learn a thing or two, and laugh a little along the way.
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So today instead of just mindlessly double tapping this post - I'd love to know a little bit more about you❤️
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Let me know in the comments below who you are, where you're from, and what habits help boost your mood!

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If I ever did write a children's book I'd title it "Everybody's Tummy Rolls" and it would be filled with illustrations of the cutest animals sitting in awkward positions with those naturally occurring folds of skin we all get and how none of it defines who we are.
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Because you’re never too young to learn you are more than just a body
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According to an evidence-based review by the NEDC, more than 55% of Australian girls and 57% of Australian boys are dissatisfied with their body between the ages of 8 and 9, and 56% of girls and 61% of boys are trying to control their weight at the ages of 10 and 11.
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Furthermore a review by Commonsense Media on body image studies found that
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🔺 Children as young as 5 express dissatisfaction with their bodies
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🔺 By age 6, children are aware of dieting and may have tried it;
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🔺 By the time kids reach age 7, one in four has engaged in some kind of dieting behavior; and,
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🔺 Between 1999 and 2006, hospitalisations for eating disorders among children below the age of 12 spiked 112 percent.
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These. Are. Children.
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And although we can't blame social media or media in general as THE causative factor, it does have an influence.
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I'm not a parent right now, but I hope to be one day, and one of my greatest hopes is to be a good role model for them when it comes to their body image.
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Developing a deeper understanding and knowledge of body neutrality has helped me immensely. Acceptance doesn't happen overnight, but healing my own relationship with my body will mean not projecting onto small impressionable minds.
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This is just one of my many reasons or "why's" for doing and teaching this work on intuitive eating, mindful movement, and lifestyle changes geared towards real health. I not only want a permanent positive relationship with myself and my body. I want it for future generations too.
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What's your why?

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There’s more to recovery than what you eat
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Don’t get me wrong, the nutrition side of recovery IS FUNDAMENTAL to getting better. But if it’s the ONLY focus then recovery can feel just as narrow minded and closed off as being active in the eating disorder.
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In yesterday’s podcast I gave my definition of recovery and recovered and it had more to do with having a beautiful life and less to do specifically with food.
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But to get to a stage where you can be chill AF around food also requires conscious effort to overcome whatever hang ups are keeping you stuck. And thats hard to do in a world where there’s so much misinformation, mixed messages and fear mongering around food.
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It’s a huge reason why I create these graphics and meaningful posts. To be the 1% against the 99% who promote quick fixes, cutting out carbs, and demonising food.
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But don’t for a second think that’s what it’s all about.
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Feeding your soul is just as important as feeding your body in recovery. Exploring the different sides of yourself and making life big and meaningful again is where the magic happens.
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If you need more convincing then go listen to this week’s podcast of Holistic Health Radio on “What Recovery From an Eating Disorder Actually Means”. Link is in my bio❤️
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P.S. this graphic is not a true representation of all the things every single person needs to work on. We’re all unique and your pie chart may look different to this😘

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Dear Sarah,
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Who knew that you’d be standing where you are right now 10 years ago.
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Recovered, happy and full of life.
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All those times you wanted to give up, but you kept going. Your stubbornness not giving in to the competing voices in your head.
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Recovery didn’t just magically happen one day, you worked for it. You knew the only way out would be to go through all the challenges and face them head on. And you did.
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Being recovered has given you your spark back. That smile and tenacity that has served you so well to build this thriving community of people also working on their wellbeing.
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And here you are being a beam of light to guide them. I’m so proud of you. You never gave up and can now proudly say recovery is possible.
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NEW PODCAST UP ON WHAT IT MEANS TO ACHIEVE FULL RECOVERY FROM AN EATING DISORDER.
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In this episode I share:
✔️ How research defines full recovery
✔️ My own journey to becoming recovered
✔️ How you know you’re “there”
✔️ Some of YOUR definitions of recovery from yesterday’s poll, as well as
✔️ Answers to some commonly asked questions such as “are you ever afraid of relapse”
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Link is in my bio. Be sure to subscribe and leave a 5⭐️ rating if you enjoy the episode❤️

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If you think the grass is greener on the other side, it’s because it’s fertilised with bullshit💩
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A smaller body doesn’t guarantee happiness
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Depriving yourself of the abundance of fresh and fun foods to attain the thin ideal is a life only half lived.
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Your relationship with food, exercise and your body is something that impacts more aspects of your life than you think and if you need a reminder then this quote is for you:
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“Those extra 5 to 10 pounds, that place where your body naturally wants to be - that’s your life.
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That’s your late night pizza🍕 with your man, that Sunday morning bottomless brunch🥂, your favourite cupcake in the whole entire world because you wanted to treat yourself🧁
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Those 5 - 10 pounds are your favourite memories, your unforgettable trips, your celebrations of life.
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Those 5 - 10 extra pounds are your spontaneity, your freedom, your love”
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I hope you always remember that❤️

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Feeling Fridaylicious😜 I’m so excited for the long weekend and feel like going on an adventure...
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But I kinda want to have it in my pyjamas😂
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Confession: Your girl is a little bit tired😴
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The kind of tired that comes from pouring your heart into things that set your soul on fire, helping out friends you love, and trying to keep up with those healthy lifestyle things in between, but nonetheless tired.
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I think sometimes we as humans wear busy like a badge of honour. I know personally I’m such a giver that sometimes it gets to the end of the week and I feel about as useless as the “g” in lasagna😂
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This is when I’m reminded of the importance of boundaries and self-care which I’m definitely going to be prioritising this weekend. Giving to myself first before others, scheduling in activities to recharge my soul, and sleeping past 4am.
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And I hope you all do the same! Get off your phone and focus on more living and less scrolling because that’s where the magic happens✨
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Peace out and have the best weekend✌️❤️
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📸 @___thelatest

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THE ONLY THING NEGATIVE ABOUT CALORIES IS THE NEGATIVE LABEL SOCIETY GIVES THEM
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I want to set the record straight here guys: there's no such thing as negative calorie foods.
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Even when you struggle for 5 minutes opening up that pistachio nut, it still provides your body with more energy than the frustration you experienced cracking it open.
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While it is true that some foods provide less overall energy, and are higher in water and fibre to keep you fuller for longer, there is no evidence to support the notion that they require more energy to eat, digest and process than what they provide.
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And that's a good thing because FOOD IS MEANT TO FUEL YOU!
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Calories are not a bad thing, except we as a society have demonised them to be.
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Something to be feared or avoided, when in actual fact they are really fucking awesome!
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By definition a calorie is really just a unit of measurement, and gives us an indication of how much energy is in the food and drinks we consume. Which is super important because EVERYTHING we do relies on energy from what we eat and drink.
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Solely focusing on foods that are naturally lower in energy is silly as you'll miss out on the balance of macronutrients your body needs to thrive which is a mix of protein, fats, carbs and donuts🍩
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Ok maybe not the last one, but fun foods matter too!
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So please stop being a dick to yourself and learn that all foods fit, and everything has it's place. Remove the labels and realise food and calories are not the enemy. It's there for pleasure, to fuel bodily processes, to share at social gatherings, and to support you being the badass human you are every damn day👊❤️

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Here's a fun fact - I was a late comer to yoga, and when I first started I was all competitive about nailing the poses and progressing to the next level.
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I thought yoga was about being strong, nimble, and aceing all the inversions
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I was one of those superficial yogi's🙄
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But the more I kept going with my practice, the more I realised yoga had nothing to do about the poses themselves, and so much more to do with how I felt
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It was about showing up on the mat and removing the judgement of what I thought I "should" do, and really focusing on what I could do, and what felt good in my body that day.
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I think sometimes we fall into things at the right time, but for the wrong reasons
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When I started learning about intuitive eating it was kind of the same. I only wanted to get over my food fears and learn what hunger felt like. I didn't really care about what else it had to offer.
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I still wanted some control. Letting go of rigidity that lingers after an eating disorder takes time. I was afraid of what would happen if I listened to my body.
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So I took a yoga mindset to intuitive eating. I stop putting pressure on myself that it had to be this all or nothing thing. Maybe if I just approached each day with curiosity and removed judgement it would be enough.
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And slowly but surely, that's what I did.
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Small changes, little mindset shifts, celebrating small wins, and being consistent with tuning in to what I could do that day to take a small step towards building a permanent positive relationship with food, exercise and my body
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Today I'm in a very happy healthy place, but my journey wasn't a linear one either!
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In this week's podcast I share the ups and downs of transitioning from a strict meal plan to a more intuitive eating style, talk through what intuitive eating ACTUALLY is, the associated benefits and also discuss if this approach is that right one for YOU
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Because your body is always worth taking care of and finding the approach that best supports your physical and mental wellbeing is a great place to start.
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Link for Apple Podcasts and Spotify is in my bio. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast or leave us a 5-star if you're loving the content❤️

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Are you ready to listen to your body instead of following some PDF plan or fad diet?
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If you answered HELL YES, then intuitive eating might be for you.
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Which is exciting, because intuitive eating is not a diet at all! Instead of strict rules there are 10 guiding principles you can work through at your own pace to help you get back in touch with the innate internal signals of hunger and fullness so you can learn to trust your body again.
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Getting started doesn't have to be this all or nothing process either. In fact, slow gradual changes can sometimes feel the most sustainable to take on board. So today I'm offering up a few different ways you can get started on your journey of intuitive eating:
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1️⃣ Ditch the diet mentality - all those crazy diets or super restrictive meal plans are not the answer to a happy healthy life! We want to build healthy sustainable habits around food and exercise, but the first step is deciding that these diet bandwagons are no longer the way forward.
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2️⃣ Honour and respond to your hunger signals - these might be dulled down if you've had a history of disordered eating or dieting, and may also be more subtle than those stomach rumbles. Look out for a drop in energy or concentration or a change in mood as those can indicate gentle hunger.
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3️⃣ Question your inner food critic - start to challenge your learned thoughts and beliefs around food, exercise and your body. Are they actually true?
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4️⃣ Respect your here and now body - taking care of your body and mind as it is right now will allow you to fully heal your relationship with it as you move through the intuitive eating process
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5️⃣ Experiment with different types of movement - exercise doesn't need to be done in a gym! Try out different activities or sports that feel good to you
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6️⃣ Honour your feelings without using food - there's nothing wrong with emotional eating, but if it's the ONLY coping mechanism you turn to when things go wrong, then it can be problematic. Find different strategies like journalling, meditation, or some gentle yoga poses to help instead.
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Is intuitive eating is right for YOU? Find out in tomorrow’s episode of my podcast Holistic Health Radio

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Ice cream is my love language🍦🍦🍦Double tap if you agree and tell me your favourite flavour below❤️👇

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Weekend workouts sorted🧘‍♀️☕️🏃‍♀️🍺💪
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Happy Saturday everyone! This is your weekend reminder that it's totally ok to have a chill weekend and just enjoy yourself.
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Remember, your body needs time for rest and recovery!
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And this isn't just from physical exercise either. Sometimes a heavy mental load can be just as exhausting. So it's ok to slow down, to stay in bed, and watch some Netflix if you need.
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It's equally ok if a bit more movement will help you bust through some stress, or if time with friends is what you need to laugh your worries away.
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So this weekend take what you need and feel zero guilt about it!
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Tag a friend who needs to hear this👯‍♀️
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Or just needs a good laugh😂

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Ah Friday. My second favourite F word.
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My first one is FUN so get your mind outta the gutter😜
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Just breaking up your feed with a bit of Instagram versus reality.
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A very candid behind the scenes look of what I’m really like on a photo shoot:
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Awkward positions🙋‍♀️
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Eating all the food🍦
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Dancing to the neighbours poor choice of music🤷‍♀️💃
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And ending it all with a @nododonuts boomerang🍩 with @wordfetti for good measure.
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Remember a life filled with fun and a bit of goofiness is just as important for your health and happiness as eating your veggies🥦
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Big thank you to @___thelatest for capturing my good side and my goofy side❤️

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These are some hard pills to swallow💊 But they exist. And not acknowledging them would be ignorant.
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I use my platform to inspire people that recovery is possible. But it’s also important that I acknowledge:
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👉 I’ve never faced weight stigma
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👉 My body type is overly represented in the media
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👉 I see things through my own lens because of my experiences and it’s important to check in and be aware of its impact on myself and my work
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👉 I was privileged enough to have access to services to help me get better. I was financially able to pay for them as well (because let’s face it treatment isn’t cheap)
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👉 I’ve made mistakes in the past both personally and professionally, have never claimed to be perfect, but am committed to learning, owning my shit and being transparent through the process
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A lot of my content is happy and positive and makes people laugh and also think twice. But there’s a whole lotta stuff about this work that keeps me up at night like:
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Those with EDs who aren’t physically underweight not being taken seriously for their suffering
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Weight stigma and fat shaming
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Peoples bodies being scrutinised in general
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Disingenuous dieting products/companies making a profit off of people’s insecurities
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And the list could go on.
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The point of this post is to make you stop and think that maybe you too have some hard pills to swallow.
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Some privilege to recognise or some commonly misheld beliefs to confront.
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Because change starts with awareness, a willingness to be wrong, learn from your mistakes, and a conscious effort to do better in the future.
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The next move is yours✌️

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MY HEART IS SO HAPPY TODAY - HERE'S WHY
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But first a bit of a back story for context, especially for those new around here
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3 years ago a car crash changed my life. I'd never experienced any real lasting injury or pain before then but one person's distracted actions and the resulting trauma made my body spin into a state of chronic pain.
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Up until that point my whole world was exercise. I was fascinated by movement and the human body. I still am. But being in a world of discomfort day-in-day-out and not being able to move my body the same as I could before was a complete blow to my confidence.
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The gym was no longer my happy place. Instead I was filled with fear.
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And my body image was pretty fucking awful, which had more to do with my body simply not working as I wanted it to, than the way it actually looked.
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I couldn't lift heavy, there were more tears than triumphs, and I honestly wanted to call it quits.
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But I didn't.
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A piece of me deep down wanted to feel strong, to show others you can work around whatever it is you're facing.
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Resistance training has always been my favourite. I love feeling strong and knowing that this type of exercise is something that I can sustain for life - and it turns out you guys are pretty keen on it too.
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An overwhelming number of you chimed in with your votes yesterday that you want more educational info on strength training technique and improving your confidence in the gym👏👏👏
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And honestly that makes my heart so happy🥰
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Because I don't want to be another fitness influencer filming swipe workouts for likes or throwing ass shots in your face🙅‍♀️.
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I want you to know your body, how it works, and how to feel strong and empowered within in it
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I want to educate you and have a bit of fun along the way - as an exercise physiologist this is my jam! So thank you - my heart is full and I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel all those years ago.
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Fresh lifting content coming your way🏋️‍♀️

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