By: Manisha Singh

I chatted with BODi Super Trainer Lacee Green about how representation in fitness can make all the difference.

As a child, I would often accompany my mom to our local South Asian CD and DVD store where she would purchase Bollywood workout DVDs to do at home. I remember seeing her exercise in our living room and thinking to myself how cool it was to see people who looked like me on screen. 

That type of representation is so important, not just to the younger version of me who was learning about her identity, but to so many people who long to see themselves in the media and entertainment they consume. 

As I’ve grown up, I’ve learned that it’s not just about seeing people who look like yourself on screen. It’s also about seeing someone who shares your experiences and your struggles, because it reminds you that you are not alone and that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. 

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with fitness maverick and inspiration, BODi Super Trainer Lacee Green, who as the company’s first Black and curvy fitness instructor, is playing an important role in empowering people from all walks of life to prioritize their health and wellbeing. 

“Fitness is for everybody and every body,” she says with a smile stretching from cheek to cheek. “My main objective is to make fitness fun for every age, race, body type, fitness level, and ability.” 

As a woman of color with a different body type than what’s often depicted in fitness media, Green’s work creates a space in the world of fitness that extends beyond the gym and into the hearts of many across the world. 

By showcasing her own journey and advocating for inclusivity, Green is helping other people shift their mindsets and learn that health and fitness are not one-size-fits-all. Instead, it’s about making the “rest of your life the best of your life.”

A study titled Perfect Illusions: Eating Disorders and the Family, shows that over 91% of women have resorted to some form of extreme dieting to obtain an unachievable body type. Yet only a small percentage of women actually have that body type naturally.

As a society, we set these unrealistic expectations, which impact young women especially, who compare themselves to what they see in the media. They end up feeling like they are not good enough, leading to all sorts of insecurities and trouble down the line. That’s why seeing people like yourself reflected in the media you consume, whether it’s a workout video or magazine, can help you feel like you’re less alone. 

For Green, it’s important to her and her program to have that representation. “Being a minority in this space, you look around and you don’t see many women that look like you. And then not only being a Black woman but being a curvy woman and having a larger body type and a different body than everyone else, it can be difficult to feel motivated.”

That’s why she teaches that fitness is not about conforming to a certain standard of beauty or adhering to societal expectations. Instead, it’s about embracing individuality and celebrating the beauty of movement together. 

Because in reality, fitness is less about how you look and more about being strong, healthy and happy. “That’s something we all deserve,” Green continues. “When you are met, right where you are, it makes such a big difference,” she adds. 

She continues;. “Filming the For Beginners Only program, we had all body types, ages, races, fitness levels and abilities join us,” she says. “It was all represented. You could look up there and see yourself and say, okay, you know what? This is for me. I can really make fitness work for me. I’m included in this, and I’m represented.”

“From what we’ve been shown and especially with social media now, you often see people on there doing backflips and box jumps and you go, ‘that’s not for me.’ So changing the conversation as to what fitness looks like is so important,” says Green.

Green’s BODi program breaks fitness down to five 30 minute workouts per week for three weeks. “When it’s done like that, a lot of people go, ‘I can do that. And all I need is some dumbbells and to be in my living room. Let’s go!’ And the trainer looks like me? Even better.”

But Green’s program is more than just a fitness regimen. It’s a movement towards self-acceptance and empowerment. By fostering a supportive community that embraces diversity and individuality, she’s reshaping the narrative around health and fitness. 

She says, “As we continue to have programs and trainers that look like me and educate people that fitness is not a pant size or number on scale but how you feel in your body and the ability to do things independently for as long as you can, that’s how we can ensure fitness is inclusive.”

For more information, visit Lacee Green’s Instagram or bodi.com. 

BODi, formerly known as Beachbody on Demand, is where you’ll find 125+ fitness programs that suit your lifestyle and goals.

Published by: Khy Talara