An open letter to the fitness industry

Dear Fitness Industry,

I heard a stat recently that stopped me cold.

Over 50% of women choose not to participate in physical activity because of low body confidence.

Shocking? Absolutely.
Surprising? Sadly, not at all.

Because if we’re honest with ourselves, the fitness industry did this.
It's been an industry that celebrates aesthetics over ability.
That praises transformation photos over transformation stories.
That measures progress in centimetres and kilos instead of confidence and joy.
It's been selling beauty instead of belonging and the fallout has been enormous.

Women have been told they need to look a certain way to be fit, to be seen, to be celebrated. And in doing so, movement has felt unsafe for too many of them.
Yes, men feel this too. And believe me, I’ve got big views there.
But right now, we need to talk about the women.

Because the truth is, the industry hasn't made it easy for them to feel supported, safe, or seen.
It's been dressed up as “motivation”, but what it really became was pressure.
Pressure to shrink. Pressure to fit. Pressure to be “enough.”
And I’ve had enough.

At Hawthorn BFT, we’ve always tried to create an inclusive space. One where everyone feels welcome the second they walk in the door. But even now, I still hear the stories.
The quiet ones.
The ones shaped by impossible beauty standards that told too many people they weren’t enough.

If it's not apparent, I really don't like the fitness industry. But I want to.
So here’s my message to the industry I want to love:
We need to do better.
We need to stop equating fitness with thinness.
We need to stop marketing shame as inspiration.
We need to stop pretending that confidence only comes with abs.
Because change doesn’t happen quietly.

We have the power to redefine what strength means, for this generation, and the next.
To show young people that their worth isn’t measured in body fat percentages or clothing sizes.
It’s measured in how they show up for themselves and the people around them.

So this is my promise. At Hawthorn BFT, we’re not just going to be inclusive anymore.
We’re going to be louder about it.
Bolder.
More disruptive.

Because the fitness industry has been exclusive for too long and it’s going to take all of us to change it.
If you’re reading this and you work in fitness or participate in fitness; gym owners, coaches, trainers, marketers, athletes, members.
This is your invitation to join in.
To help rebuild an industry that values belonging over body image.

Let’s make belonging the new standard.

With conviction,
Jakey
Owner
Hawthorn BFT