What would happen if women started getting stronger and stopped worrying about the size of their thighs?

This is exactly the question Cara Turnquist and Jill McLean, owners of PUSH Fitness, are hoping to discover. These two personal trainers are working to change the way the fitness industry sells “fitness” to women. Your workouts should make your life bigger, they posit. And they argue that most of the fitness industry sells thinness through shame tactics. Undoing centuries of misinformation and misogyny is hard. 

“The truth is that health comes in any size.” says Turnquist. “This idea can really anger some people because we have believed for so long that thinness equals health. But the science just doesn’t back that up. Movement is good for you even if you don’t lose weight when you do it.”

Recently the team decided to change the name of their business from Movement Duets to PUSH Fitness. “We really wanted something that better reflected our community.” says McLean. 

Most PUSH clients are pregnant or postpartum as Turnquist and McLean specialize in fitness during that transitional time. “We were finding that many women feel the worst about their bodies during a time when their bodies have just done something incredibly amazing! It shouldn’t be that way.” 

PUSH Stands for Powerfully, Unapologetic Strength and Health. Turnquist and McLean believe that it’s time for women to stop apologizing for how their bodies naturally change throughout their lives. They have seen firsthand how as their clients get stronger on the outside, they also begin building an inner strength and esteem. They begin to find confidence and joy in their bodies instead of seeing their bodies as a constant, disappointing project. And that is pretty powerful! 

Community and camaraderie in fitness does not have to be based on aesthetic goals. When it comes to their bodies, women don’t need to compete and compare, they can support and uplift one another. Not everyone loves working out the first time they do it. So the trainers have made it their mission to create a community that is fun and uplifting. “You’re less likely to skip the gym if your best friends are meeting you there.” Says Turnquist. 

Cara and Jill teach classes and see clients individually at their gym Mondays through Fridays. To attend a class email info@thepushfitness.com or check out their schedule at www.thepushfitness.com.