Hi there! Frequent user of your video crack here. I'm not one that enjoys the gym that often. I prefer to get grody and red-faced in the privacy of my own home. Cursing is also more acceptable when no one is around to hear it. (You can't yell "Oh f**k you AND that move" in the gym. People stare)

I appreciate the use of a modifier. Truly I do. 

Planting butt on the couch and chowing down on pizza needs no modifier. So that's where I'm at most of the time. 

I have one issue with your modifier. 

They all look like this...

Now, I'm not body shaming. Far from it, in fact. 

I understand that you put the super fit people in the videos for motivation. So we all work harder while thinking "I'm gonna look like THAT!" 

I'm here to tell you that it doesn't always work that way. 

Some of us see these people plowing through the workout and scream, "Well OF COURSE you can do that 500th burpee. Look at you...all fit and sh*t." 

When I, an out of shape person, is struggling to keep with up the freaking modifier? I don't feel motivated by the super fit bodies dancing around the screen. I feel the opposite. I feel stuck and fat and stupid. 

I can't be alone in this.

So how can you help? 

Put US in your videos. 

Put someone that didn't "graduate from the program" in it. Or who DID but still has weight to lose. 

Put in the person that flushes bright red and looks like they want to die by the end of the workout. I relate to that person. 

Put in the person that struggles to do that 5th pushup but powers through. I relate to that person. 

Put in someone that needs that extra sip of water or extra second to breathe. It's hard to see "do it at your own pace" when no one else is taking a break. My "own pace" feels like crap. 

Basically....add a few real people. I know it's not as glamorous. But it's real. 

You're probably thinking:

So anyone that's reading this? Can you just sign a comment "Agree" or something if you could get behind this? If you can respectfully disagree, I invite that as well. 
And give it a share. If it gets enough traction I'll start linking it around to at least one company that I know listens...

Hi. You have no idea who I am and I didn't get a chance to compliment your art. But I appreciated you so much today. 

See, as I got dressed this morning I tried to find something clean, comfortable, and presentable. This is harder than it seems. As I've gained weight recently (and been too lazy to take it off) I've had trouble finding things in my closet that I like. 

The shirt I wore today fits in such a way that I felt my "muffin top" was covered. The color is nice even with my new hair color. 

My main concern was this:

Now, I'm not ashamed of my art. I love my tattoo. It's been nearly a year and it's part of me (to the point that sometimes I forget I have it) 

But I'm new in this church. I'm new in this denomination. I've been judged over little things at church before and watched as others were judged. Call it being gun-shy. 

So I grabbed my leather jacket as I walked out the door. 

A leather jacket...in Arizona. It wasn't cold today. 

As I stood in the sanctuary I started to sweat and feel uncomfortable. I kept covertly (or maybe not as much as I thought) glancing around to see what everyone else was wearing. Lots of cap sleeves, full backs, or more. I was committed to sweating and feeling gross under my jacket when you walked in...

Today you had on a pretty halter top (with just your upper back exposed) and your tattoos decorated your arms and shoulders.

I hope you didn't notice my staring. If you did, I hope you took it as a compliment. 

I leaned over to my husband and said, "I feel better." 

Seeing you walk in with beauty and grace AND covered in art made me feel like I could shed the ridiculous jacket and stop worrying about ME. 

You probably didn't think about it when you got dressed this morning. You probably didn't expect to make a difference (no matter how small) in someone's morning. You probably just got dressed and headed out to worship. 

But I have to thank you. Your strength (even if you don't think of it like that) gave me strength.