From Restrictive Dieting to Body Neutral Fitness: The Journey of a Personal Trainer
Sohee Carpenter, a 34-year-old strength and conditioning coach based in Orange County, embarked on a fitness journey driven not by societal expectations but by a deep desire to pursue a Regiohealthy lifestyle.
Her journey began in her teens, fueled by cardio and the misconception that leanness equated to health. This approach, while initially successful in shedding pounds, masked a deeper struggle: an unhealthy fixation on being small.
Carpenter’s pursuit of strict weight control evolved with time. Entering the world of strength training in 2008, she learned about macronutrients and protein. Though encouraged by visible progress, her rigid approach to eating, bordering on compulsive, remained unchanged.
"For so many years, my focus was being as lean as possible," Chandler acknowledges.
Unveiling the Pitfalls of Diet Culture
Carpenter’s role as a fitness coach, beginning in 2012, solidified her initial doctrine of strict dieting. “Even in college, I was trying to follow a strict meal plan, which made no sense," she admits. The rigidity she promoted as a trainer mirrored the unrealistic expectations championed by the diet culture of the time.
The mantra "the leaner you are, the healthier and happier you are", permeated her coaching methods.
Pushing her clients toward unrealistic ideals, Carpenter began to grapple with the limitations of this approach. Slowly, she realized that healthy habits can be cultivated independent of size, weight, or body composition.
Discovering flexible dieting opened a new door, allowing her to hit those coveted macronutrient targets. Yet, the focus remained strictly on the numbers.
What she ate didn’t matter as long as the numbers fulfilled the diet plan. Her top priority wasn’t comprehensive nutritional quality.
“I never cared about my fiber intake. All that mattered was whether my body looked good," she confessed.
“
Embracing Wide Body Acceptance
Through introspection, Carpenter began to question societal norms and the harmful messages ingrained in the fitness industry. The hurtful assumptions surrounding obesity and the pressure to achieve a certain body type to be accepted sparked a fundamental shift in her perspective.
“The coaching methods I’d learned earlier in my career were tied to weight stigma," Carpenter explains. She realized that praising clients for weight loss could unintentionally perpetuate harmful cycles of body shaming and reinforce unhealthy relationships with food and exercise.
Instead, she started advocating a holistic approach to fitness and well-being.
“Now, I don’t care what your body looks like. Everybody deserves to have equal access to non-stigmatizing health care and equal opportunity to pursue healthy habits."
Shifting Focus: From Appearance to Functionality
Carpenter’s journey led her to embrace the concept of body neutrality. Rather than striving to achieve idealized beauty standards, she now teaches clients to accept their bodies without judgement and focus on their functionality. "It’s not about loving every part of your body. It’s more about being more neutral towards your body, not fixating on parts you do and don’t like,” she explains.
"It’s about having your body be less of a focus in your life and taking up less of your mental bandwidth,” she advises, stressing the diversity within the fitness space should allow everyone to achieve their goals regardless of body type.
"Trying to love every part of your body is not only unrealistic, but it’s still spending mental energy on your body.
This shift to body neutrality empowers individuals to see their worth beyond physical appearance. “
Carpenter herself continues to push her physical boundaries in her own training. She enjoys fitness for its inherent joy of movement and the challenges it presents. Her focus has transitioned from reaching a certain look to maximizing strength and endurance:
"I’m 35 this December, and feel much healthier than I did in my 20s," she shares. “I started running again 13 months ago and seeing myself getting faster is really cool. I’m incorporating mobility work into my training for the first time, and appreciate the importance of quality time with family and friends to my overall well-being.”
A Newfound Perspective
Today, Carpenter’s perspective on health is well-rounded, prioritizing mental and emotional well-being alongside physical activity. Recognizing the multifaceted elements contributing to lasting health, she encourages everyone to define success on their own terms.
The focus, she believes, should be on overall wellbeing, not achieving an unrealistic beauty standard.
"If you only ever care about aesthetics
and that’s your only motivation for eating and exercising in certain ways, that to me is a very shallow and one-dimensional view," Carpenter declares.
Instead, she champions self-compassion and setting comprehensive goals that include healthy habit development, emotional wellbeing, and physical strength. Her mission is to rewrite the narrative of what it means to be healthy: a journey without obsession and judgement, focused instead on holistic well-being.
## From Restrictive Dieting to Body Neutrality: An interview with Sohee Carpenter
**World-Today-News** sat down with Sohee Carpenter, a 34-year-old strength and conditioning coach based in Orange County, whose fitness journey offers a powerful testament to the evolution of well-being. CarpenterS story transcends the common narrative of weight loss and delves into the deeper understanding of “regiohealthy living”, a concept that prioritizes holistic wellness over achieving a specific body image.
**WTN:** Sohee, your journey started with a focus on cardio and achieving leanness. What prompted that initial approach to fitness?
**Carpenter:** Like many teenagers, I was heavily influenced by societal beauty standards. I equated leanness with health and happiness, which lead me down a path of restrictive dieting and excessive cardio.
**WTN:** You eventually incorporated strength training and learned about macronutrients. Did this shift your viewpoint on fitness?
**Carpenter:** Initially, yes. I was excited about building muscle and saw progress in my physique. However, my relationship with food remained rigid and somewhat compulsive.I was still fixated on being as small as possible.
**WTN:** As a fitness coach, you promoted strict dieting to your clients. Did this align with your evolving understanding of health and well-being?
**Carpenter:** This was a pivotal point in my journey. While I believed in what I was teaching, I started to see its limitations firsthand. Pushing clients towards unrealistic ideals, particularly the “the leaner you are, the healthier you are” mantra, felt increasingly problematic.
**WTN:** what prompted this shift in your thinking?
**Carpenter:** Witnessing the struggles of my clients and my own internal conflict led me to this realization: enduring health shouldn’t be tied to a number on the scale or a specific body composition.
**WTN:** You discovered flexible dieting, which allowed you to meet macronutrient targets without strict food rules. Was this a liberating experience?
**Carpenter:** Flexible dieting was a step in the right direction, but I still focused primarily on hitting numbers without prioritizing the quality of my food choices.
**WTN:** What motivated you to move beyond the numerical aspect of nutrition?
**Carpenter:** Through introspection and challenging societal norms, I began questioning the harmful messages ingrained in the fitness industry.
I realized the importance of body neutrality – accepting and respecting my body irrespective of its size or shape - and focusing on overall well-being rather than striving for a particular aesthetic.
**WTN:** How has this journey transformed your approach to coaching?
**Carpenter:** I now guide my clients towards building a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. I prioritize strength training, functional movement, and nourishing their bodies from the inside out. My goal is to empower them to embrace their individuality and find joy in movement, irrespective of their size or shape.
**WTN:** What advice woudl you give to individuals struggling with body image issues and disordered eating patterns?
**Carpenter:** Remember that you are worthy and deserving of love and acceptance exactly as you are.Seek support from trusted friends, family, or professionals.
Focus on building a positive relationship with food and your body.Embrace movement that brings you joy and empowers you. And remember, health is not a destination, it’s a journey.
**WTN:** Thank you, Sohee, for sharing your inspiring story with us. Your journey is a powerful reminder that true well-being lies in self-acceptance and celebrating the unique beauty of every individual.
