Kelsey Wells: “Changing My Relationship With My Body Changed Everything”

No matter where you are, what life stage you’re at or where you’re at in your health and fitness journey, the relationship you have with your body can help to set the stage for your overall wellbeing and have ripple effects on your confidence, outlook and relationships. 

Of course, getting into a regular exercise routine, fueling your body with nourishing food and making sure you’re getting enough quality sleep can all go a long way to improving how you feel each day - both within yourself and about your body. But for Kelsey Wells, she has learned it’s essential to START your wellbeing journey by improving your relationship with your body. 

Start how you mean to go on

With a strong foundation of love and self-care already in place, not only do exercising and healthy eating become much more enjoyable, but you may also find you are much more resilient, calm and accepting when things don’t go to plan. 

Too exhausted to workout or healing from an injury? You’ll know rest and recovery is exactly what your body needs and won’t feel guilty about taking a step back from training. Not making progress or experiencing a setback? You know every journey has ups and downs and won’t beat yourself up. Seeing your body change throughout pregnancy and motherhood? You’ll appreciate your body for the miracle it is. Indulged big time at a social event? You’ll simply feel grateful for the memories and the fun. 

“I am so passionate about this topic because I know how it feels to live on the other side of that. I know how the relationship with your body impacts every aspect of your life, your confidence, your mental health and your relationships,” Kelsey says, reflecting on when she used to see exercise as a chore, punishment or way to change herself. 

“As a fitness professional, I now feel a responsibility to call out those negative dialogues and try to help people make sure their motive to exercise is coming from a place that is beneficial, rather than detrimental, to their mental health. I believe I have a responsibility to do what I can to spread these messages and make a positive difference.”

Creating positive intent

She explains that cultivating a positive relationship with yourself isn’t about completely avoiding any athletic, strength-based or aesthetic goals - they aren’t inherently bad and can provide a great source of motivation. What’s important is to put your emotional wellbeing FIRST and make sure your motive for movement is healthy and positive. 

Kelsey’s new 4-week program, Redefine Fitness, is a blend of mindfulness and strength training designed to support you in building that positive intent and appreciation for your body, while also building your physical strength. Kelsey will guide you through all four weekly workouts, and arm you with the tools she believes helped her the most on her own journey, such as affirmations, breathwork and gratitude. In a follow-along format, it’s like a one-on-one session with just you and Kelsey, wherever you are.

“If you’re in a negative place like I was, this program is your chance to rewrite that story - your chance to reclaim fitness and exercise as the incredible tools for self-empowerment that they can be.”

Rediscover your love of movement

Kelsey realised that she wasn’t born hating her body or feeling like she didn’t measure up. As a child, she felt confident and free and movement was innate, but that feeling was something she had lost along the way. 

“Choosing to reclaim movement has been such a powerful thing. When I began to move my body from a positive place and with positive intent, it impacted every part of my life. I had more confidence, and not from being stronger or fitter or looking a certain way, but from building trust with myself, respecting myself and realising what I’m capable of,” she says. 

That newfound confidence doesn’t just impact how you workout  - it’s something that can positively affect your home environment, workplace, hobbies, relationships and the lens through which you view the world. 

“Mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health are so intertwined, and I learned that firsthand. Going through my own struggles was a huge reminder that you can have your physical health taken care of, but if you don’t take care of those other aspects, you’re not going to be healthy. How are any of us supposed to feel happy, confident or at peace, or step into our true purpose, if we are shaming our physical self? Having a healthier relationship with your body and exercise can impact everything.”

Ready to Redefine Fitness for yourself? Start your journey with Kelsey’s new program in the Sweat app today!