A good chunk of the human population is far removed from the days where physical labour shaped every hour. Now we’re desk-bound, screen-bound, stuck in chairs for eight, ten, twelve hours. Our bodies become these afterthoughts we drag around, only really noticing them when they ache, when our wrists hurt from typing, when our backs remind us we’ve been slouched like a wilted houseplant for half a decade. Maybe all that typing gives us dextrous fingers, a silver lining, I guess. But the truth is, most of us aren’t taught to actually care for our bodies until something goes wrong.
Everyone talks about work-life balance like it’s this magical formula, like you can just rearrange your planner and suddenly your muscles stop screaming, and you find inner peace. But prioritizing health in a world that demands constant productivity… and that’s harder. Because we’re overwhelmed or exhausted or juggling too much, we start neglecting the same body that carries us through absolutely everything. This isn’t about “discipline” or “grind mindset.” It’s just reality. If you’re human, you’ve probably let yourself fall to the bottom of the priority list at some point.
So, everyone gives the usual advice: go to the gym, take a walk, join a sports club. All great suggestions in theory. But not everybody can do these things. Taking a stroll can be unsafe depending on the neighbourhood. Joining a sports club can feel miserable if you’re not naturally athletic or if you’re intimidated by the culture. And trying to squeeze a class into an already overloaded schedule? Good luck. Even signing up for a gym isn’t always the solution. Not when you walk into a place where no one wipes the equipment, machines are half broken, weights are scattered everywhere, and the vibe is basically: “Figure it out on your own.”
Finding the right gym matters. A gym isn’t just a room with dumbbells. It’s an environment. And if the environment is hostile, chaotic, unregulated, or unsafe, people stop going. Especially women and gender non-confirming people, who are navigating a whole separate set of pressures the moment they step into a fitness space. Social media already floods us with propaganda about what a “fit body” should look like, what exercises you absolutely must do, which ones are “pointless,” and how if your goal isn’t maximum muscle growth then you don’t belong. That rhetoric is toxic, narrow, and honestly exhausting.
The obvious yet quiet truth is that there is no single “fit body.” There is no moral superiority in one shape over another. Building a strong body shouldn’t be about chasing some idealized form, it should be about creating a body that can hold you through your actual life. One that carries groceries without pain. One that lifts your kid. One that lets you walk without feeling winded. One that supports you as you age. A strong body can look like a hundred different things. It can be soft, big, small, mobile, flexible, muscular, lean, slim, athletic, curvy. Strength is measured by capacity.
That’s why the right gym culture matters so much. Spaces created by women, for women, with the explicit intention of making all bodies welcome. These spaces change how people relate to themselves; how people approach fitness. When a gym focuses on building strong bodies in whatever capacity strength exists for you, it shifts the entire framework. It stops being about comparison and starts being about connection. It’s where you’re supported, guided, and encouraged without being shoved into a mold. In a world that is constantly pushing a narrow definition of fitness, spaces like these matter.
I’m lucky enough to have found this type of gym, unfortunately it’s nowhere near me. They even do in-home personal training, but they’re in Victoria BC. The owner is a women, Sarah-Jane and it’s safe space for any fem-leaning type of person. What I love about this gym is that they are focused on serving the older population, not that 40+ is old mind you. But it’s another example of creating a safe space for those of us who would feel self conscious in a gym surrounded by beautiful 20 somethings. So, if you’re in the area, check them out. I wish I could.