Feeling good in your own skin is everyone’s dream. Unfortunately, society has trained our brains to relate physical appearance with health and wellbeing. Even as we become more aware of the dangers of photoshopping and idolizing these unobtainable body shapes - this message has already sunk deep into our subconscious. The word wellness has become synonymous with becoming ripped or as skinny and small as possible, and it has actually led to worsening overall health. There is no industry that is more affected by this toxicity than the fitness world. Molly Day, a professional dancer turned certified fitness instructor, is redefining fitness with her 3 pillars of coaching: inclusivity, body neutrality, and building self-esteem. She believes the way we overcome this toxic mindset is by embracing the difficult and vulnerable feelings that arise during exercise head on, in a safe environment, and with a community you can trust. That way we all come out stronger and happier on the other side.
Inclusivity is the first pillar in Molly’s coaching philosophy. We all know that feeling of starting a workout and not being able to keep up, confused on what to do next, and a coach yelling at you that you’re not working hard enough. Molly believes you can’t reach your goals or get to the end of your comfort zone if you already feel not welcomed. Classes with Molly will always have a range of modifications and options, you will often hear her say, “Taking a modification is just setting a boundary, and we LOVE boundaries here!” Inclusivity to Molly is not about making classes so easy that no one enjoys them or doesn’t gain anything from them, fitness classes are meant to be challenging and hard. But it is about giving people the autonomy to advocate for themselves, and find ways to get through the tough moments in a class that works for them individually. “There is a lot of power in choosing what your body needs at that moment.” Molly shares, “In my classes, I will always give many options and encourage people to take a regression or change a move slightly. We are not aiming for perfectly replicated movement, we are aiming to move our bodies and sweat, so that will look differently for each person. Creating a safe space where people have the opportunity to push themselves and are encouraged to honor their bodies' cues, is the most important part of group classes.”
Body neutrality is Molly’s second pillar of coaching. “I have lived in many different sized bodies” Molly says, “I have been a professional dancer with a six pack, and I have been someone who’s tummy jiggles as they walk. In both of those bodies, I have had days where I hated the way I looked.” That moment Molly realized it doesn’t matter what your body looks like, we are all going to still pick ourselves apart, was the time she took her coaching from encouraging people to love themselves, into respecting themselves. “On the days you don’t love your body, you still have to respect it." To Molly, respecting your body is showing up for some movement, fueling it with food, hydration, and not talking negatively about yourself or anyone else's shape. The idea of loving yourself everyday can feel unrealistic, so if you take that goal and change it to just being respectful of the skin you’re in, it’s a much more achievable goal.
The third, and arguably the most important pillar, is self-esteem. Exercise is a deeply vulnerable activity. You are taking time for yourself, which can be hard for many busy people, you are putting your body in stressful situations, like a burpee or a heavy deadlift, and many of us relate our physical abilities with our self worth. “I teach a dance class, which can have quite a bit of choreography to it. I remember one time, a new woman came to my class, and afterwards she said to me, ‘Oh I'm sorry, I'm just so bad at this!’ and it broke my heart.” Molly recalls telling her, “You’re new to this, you’re not bad at this. I know that you have the ability to learn it". Self esteem when it comes to fitness is so rarely discussed, the norm is to be critical of ourselves before even giving ourselves a chance. Molly’s classes are all about embracing the mistakes, and having the confidence that with time, our practice will become easier. “There is no morality in fitness, someone is not better than someone else because they did a grapevine well. We don’t have to take ourselves so seriously; just be proud that you showed up.”
As a fitness instructor, Molly Day is not just helping people on their journey to fitness, but also helping them live fulfilling lives. She wants to continue challenging the fitness trends to prove that "gentleness, compassion, and understanding, will take someone much further than a before and after photo or "no pain no gain" mentality."
Molly Day is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor (AFAA) and Certified Functional Stretch Coach (CFSC). She has also obtained certification in Pre and Post Natal (Pro-Natal Fitness) and is currently pursuing a Behavior Change Specialist certificate (NASM). You can find her classes on the EQX+ App, the FITURE Fitness Mirror, and to stay up to date on where she ends up next, check out her website.
Photography by: Courtesy of Molly Day
