Fat Body Pilates with Lindsey Strobel

Fat Girl Finds Love

Lindsey, the brains and bod behind Fat Body Pilates, was introduced to the concept of fat acceptance on Livejournal in the late 90s. Discovering a movement that didn’t view her body as something to apologize for was incredibly affirming, and she has remained connected to the cause across a variety of social media platforms and in her local Minneapolis/St. Paul community.

Lindsey began practicing Pilates in 2016 at the suggestion of a physical therapist and quickly recognized the benefits of the method, despite a culture that struck her as exclusive of individuals in larger bodies. In 2017 she began her Pilates teacher training through Balanced Body. Her Fat Body Pilates Instagram account was created in 2019 in response to the lack of body diversity in Pilates imagery.

In her free time, when she’s not on her reformer forgetting to count her repetitions, Lindsey can be found curled up with her cats, a cup of tea, and a good book, gardening, or traveling with her partner. Follow her on Instagram: @fatbodypilates.

In this episode we talk about: - How she found her fat identity

- Fatshionistas on Livejournal

- How she got started in pilates

- She and her husband doing pilates

- How pilates is set up for thin people

- How lineage contributes to thin gaze and the idea that this is only for thin people

- Lindsey being an example of a fat person who is doing the work

- Financial privilege in being able to go to classes regularly and working to change access for more bodies in pilates

- Using her body to show people that more is possible with pilates, and fatness!