The Body Shaming Letter That Went Viral. And What It Taught Me About Health, Healing, and Raising Hell!

Ten years ago, I received a piece of hate mail. I was managing a brand new fitness studio, Barre East, and we were featured in the local newspaper. A proud moment, right? Not exactly. What came next was a wake-up call, a viral storm, and a major mindset shift that eventually led to the creation of Healthyish AF.

This story was featured by SELF Magazine, The Today Show, NBC, ABC News, and even made its way to the Daily Mail UK just to name a few...but the real reason I’m sharing it again is because what happened still happens. Women are still shamed. Bodies are still judged. And there is still so much unlearning and re-educating to do in the fitness and wellness world.

What Actually Happened: After our feature ran in the paper, we received an envelope at the studio. It looked innocent enough. But when I unfolded the article, it had been defaced with handwritten insults. Arrows pointed to our bodies. One line said I was "overweight." Another called my co-founder "borderline obese." She also shared her stat

We were in shock. Sad, angry, confused. But also fired up.

So I did what I knew best: I wrote. I published a blog post calling out the body shaming and declaring that our studio was, and always would be, a judgment-free zone. That post went viral.

The Bigger Issue: The fitness industry has long been obsessed with aesthetics over actual health. As women, we’re expected to "look the part" and if you don’t fit the mold? People make assumptions. The truth is, health isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it certainly can’t be captured in a newspaper photo.

This incident pulled back the curtain on the toxic parts of the wellness world. It also forced us to redefine what strength, wellness, and being fit actually meant. It planted the seed for Healthyish AF.

That Wild Morning at the Studio: The day after the blog post went up, the studio phone rang nonstop. My cell phone blew up. Media outlets were calling from everywhere... New York, LA, London. We had reporters at our door filming our classes by the afternoon.

And then it got weirder. The woman who sent the letter? She showed up. Alone. Early in the morning. She asked me to take down the blog post because her husband couldn’t find out it was her. The full story of that face-to-face moment (and everything that happened after) is now in episode one of the podcast, but let’s just say it involved pill bottles, emotional manipulation, and the kind of wild twist that makes you question reality.

What It Taught Me: That moment didn’t break me. It fueled me. It taught me that health is about more than appearance. That strength is mental and emotional, not just physical. That women deserve to feel safe, seen, and supported in wellness spaces. That you can be lifting heavy, raising kids, running a business, and still be judged for not looking like a Photoshopped version of "fit."

And it taught me that sharing our stories matters. Because the moment I started talking about it? Women started talking back. And I didn’t feel alone anymore.

The Full-Circle Moment: Years later, I saw her again. Sitting next to me at a band performance. And I felt nothing but clarity. The truth always holds. We kept growing. Our studio thrived. And now, years later, I’m here building a platform that continues that mission in an even bigger way.

Because no woman should ever be made to feel less-than for showing up in her body, doing her best, and chasing her own version of healthy.

Want the Full Story? Listen to Episode 3 of Healthyish AF wherever you get your podcasts.