This episode includes discussions of body image, disordered eating, and recovery.

In today’s episode, Jess sits down with Christine, a Toronto-based product designer, pole-fitness instructor, and now SHINE coach. For years, Christine’s relationship with fitness was shaped by toxic beauty standards and disordered eating. Even after a hospital stay for over-exercising and restrictive eating, she struggled to separate working out from changing how she looked.

Everything shifted when a knee injury forced her to pause—and a SHINE ad appeared in her Instagram feed. One free class later, Christine found a supportive community that helped her rebuild her relationship with movement and with herself.

In this episode, Christine shares:
– Growing up under intense beauty and weight pressures
– How she turned fitness from punishment into a source of joy and energy
– The mindset work that helped her handle body comments from family and friends
– Why she became a SHINE instructor to help other women feel strong and confident

“I was so fixated on how I looked that I forgot how to live. Movement should be a joy — not a punishment.”

If you’ve ever felt trapped by fitness rules or body-image expectations, Christine’s journey will inspire you to move for joy and reclaim your confidence.