Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Spring slogans and surface-level messages

Every spring, fitness marketing for clients with obesity often misses the mark with slogans like: “Bikini Body Season!” “Shred for Summer!” “Get Beach Ready!” And every year, I find myself wanting to pull the fire alarm.

To stay objective: that kind of marketing absolutely has its place, and it works for the right audience. There are people out there dreaming about that summer reveal, and yes, getting excited about a bikini moment. For them, that message lands exactly where it should. I simply want to point out: make sure your messaging is addressing the right people.

Knowing who you’re speaking to

If your aiming to reach a different crowd, like those living with severe obesity you have to speak to a much different battle.

I once asked a coach who he liked to market to. He said, “People with morbid obesity.” I nodded, waiting to hear more. And then he proudly said, “You know, like helping people feel confident enough to walk on the beach without feeling ashamed this summer.”

Cue the slow blink and existential sigh.

What they’re really thinking about

If you are truly trying to reach clients with obesity, I promise you this: bikinis are not the first thing on their mind.

They are wondering how they will fit into a booth when they meet their family for dinner or are wondering how they will tie their shoes without feeling like it might break them in half. They are wondering if they will be able to click the seat belt on the flight this summer, traveling to a graduation they can’t bear to miss. They are thinking about having enough energy to keep up with their children and grandchildren instead of sitting on the sidelines, watching life pass by.

And even more

They are thinking about walking into a coffee shop and not panicking about whether the chairs will have arms. They are thinking about whether they can climb the bleachers at their nephew’s baseball game without needing to pretend they “forgot something in the car.” They are thinking about navigating stairs, and breathing deeply without feeling like their lungs are on fire. They are thinking about whether today will be the day they break; physically or emotionally or shoot,…… both.

They’re not thinking about bikinis in June. They’re thinking about surviving May.

And let me tell you something else they’re thinking about, though they might not say it out loud: They’re wondering if anyone actually sees them. Not just their weight or struggle; them!

The daily battles that no one sees

If you’re serious about coaching this population, they need someone who will stand beside them in the quiet daily battles; the ones nobody celebrates, the ones nobody photographs for an Instagram post.

Speak to their strength and their bravery today. Speak to the everyday miracles that happen in the aisles of grocery stores, in the hallways at work.

Because not every transformation is measured in inches lost. Some are measured in courage gained. Some are measured in showing up when every voice in their head says, “I’m scared.”

The deeper struggle we miss

I remember once standing in a fitting room, staring at the mirror, trying to find something, anything, that fit for a family wedding. It wasn’t about looking good for summer and it wasn’t about a bikini. It was about feeling human and not wanting to have to laugh it off again.

That moment wasn’t about “getting summer ready.” It was about getting life ready.

Be the coach they deserve

Your future clients, the ones you say you want to serve? They’re out there praying for someone who speaks to that part of them. The real part. The scared part. The fiercely stubborn part that hasn’t given up yet.

Coaches: you have the power to be the voice that finally makes them feel seen. You have the power to make your gym the first safe space they’ve ever known and build a life they don’t have to hide from.

If you are not willing to meet them where they are, if you are not willing to honor the weight they carry, not just on their bodies, but in their hearts, then you may not be ready yet to serve them the way they deserve.

Learn more about supporting clients with obesity through resources like the Obesity Action Coalition.