Jen Benton shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jen, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
London fogs and brisk fall morning walks with my dog taking in the changing colors of the leaves and embracing the morning sunlight.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
HI! I’m Trainer Jen. ◡̈ I am the founder, owner of Frolick Fitness, LLC a therapy centered movement brand. I help humans powerfully and joyfully connect to their bodies through movement, mindfulness, and therapy. I am a certified personal trainer and licensed masters social worker. I love fusing my two passions together in helping others find joy through movement outside of the diet culture norms. I provide an inclusive, body neutral approach to movement where we are not focused on numbers or aesthetics, but rather healing from previous unhealthy relationships with movement and moving towards feeling empowered and strong no matter what body or phase of life we are in.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a carefree little kid that frolicked and played without worrying what others around me thought or cared. I was passionate and knew exactly who I was and what I wanted. I also was not afraid to ask for help and didn’t care about style or failure. If i fell, i just jumped up and kept going. Then I grew up and realized the world of diet culture expected differently of me. I began to fall prey to diets, to obsession of my weight and looks. I became worried about what others thought of me. I cared about fitting in with the new styles. I constantly judged my body. I became obsessed with “health” and at the same time began to become mentally anxious and unhealthy. The world is always going to have an opinion of who we should be, but I am passionate about flipping that script and helping others take back their autonomy, take back their life, take back their confidence in a way that diet culture doesn’t have a hold on them.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self to keep believing in yourself even when you can’t see the full picture. That I am worthy and my big dreams are possible. I would tell her to stay aligned with her beliefs, values, and purpose even when it feels hard because the right people will show up to be there through the failures and challenges. I would remind her that it will always be okay in the end, if it is not okay, it’s not the end.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Unfortunately in the world of fitness, the biggest lie we are told is that our body size and shape dictates our worth and health. So we spend countless dollars, hours, and tears chasing something that often times isn’t even achievable for our genetics, minds, and bodies. Then we feel like a failure, leaving us feeling hopeless and unworthy because we spent all this time obsessing over something unattainable for us when there was nothing wrong in the first place. The world is not made for anyone not in a small body to fit in. So it already sets our minds up for failure. The fitness industry wants us to believe that smaller is healthier, resulting in yo-yo dieting, which ultimately is scientifically proven to be detrimental for our health. Our worth and our value is NOT based upon our size, it isn’t even based upon how healthy or unhealthy we are. We have autonomy over our bodies and health and what we chose is not the business of others.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
My hope is that people remember me as being someone who always led with her faith and kindness. Someone who had empathy regardless of what others looked like, how much money they had, or if they lived the way I lived. I want to be remembered as the person who made movement FUN, who took away the rules and stress of moving for punishment, but rather moving for LIFE. I hope to have changed the world of fitness and movement. Where others around me can continue to spread joyful movement, laughter, and kindness, staying true to who they are, and not changing because the world told them to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://frolickfitness.com/
- Instagram: frolickfitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frolickfitnessTX
Image Credits
Janelle Whitehead Photo
