Hi all! Welcome to our sixth episode! (Un-be-lieve-a-ble!) Keeping in line with our theme of non-diet January, this week’s episode takes a critical look at how exercise fits into our lives.
Today’s guest, Helen Phelan, is an intuitive pilates instructor with an anti-diet approach to exercise. Since most of us have—or once had—a complicated relationship with eating and/or movement (thanks celeb culture, ugh), this episode will help expose SO MANY of those old beliefs and get us excited about the true purpose (and JOY!) of moving our bodies.
So want to kick ass, feel strong but also ditch the toxicity of diet culture? There’s a lot to unpack so let’s get to it!
About Helen Phelan:
Helen Phelan is an intuitive pilates instructor with an anti-diet approach to exercise. Growing up in the dance world, Helen found her love of movement and her distaste for diet culture were always at odds with one another, so she created an online pilates platform to make space for people who enjoy challenging workouts but have no time for body shaming.
On this episode we chat about:

How leaving the dance world changed Helen’s view on movement and eating.
Why movement or choosing healthy foods should NEVER be treated as “punishment.”
How to find yourself on the path of body acceptance despite what others are selling.
How to incorporate mindfulness into your movement practice, regardless of the intensity
A brief outline and history of Pilates: what it is, and the benefits of such a well-rounded practice.
The non-weight benefits of moving on a more consistent basis (hello mood + energy!)
How to avoid the coupling of feeling like a “better” or “worse” person because you worked out or didn't work out. Pssst that’s not what movement is about!
How to land at feeling worthy in your current body, even if you know there are changes you want to make. Those changes will NOT make you more worthy, even if there’s benefits to them.

A huge thank you to our amazing sponsor, Botanica Health!
We’ve been fans of Botanica Health’s Perfect Protein for a loooong time. It’s organic, made from simple ingredients and their new Perfect Protein Elevated contains full doses of functional ingredients such as cordyceps for energy and passionflower for sleep. Check out www.botanicahealth.com to learn more or look for Perfect Protein elevated at your local health food store!
Connect with Helen Phelan:
Instagram: @helenvphelan
Website: helenphelanstudio.com
Helen Phelan’s Recommendations:
The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal
Cultish by Amanda Montell