I'm Monte. I grew up in the “thin is in” era of the late 90s and early 2000s, and being heavier during that time was brutal. I also grew up in a religious environment where, especially as a woman, extra weight was considered a sin. I was taught my body wasn’t really mine. It was supposed to be for my future husband, for other people’s opinions, for fitting into a standard I could never seem to reach.

After losing 90 pounds, I thought maybe confidence would finally show up, but instead I fell into an eating disorder and still hated what I saw in the mirror. I realized changing my body didn’t fix the way I thought about myself.

Fitness became the thing that helped me heal that relationship. It stopped being about punishment and started being about seeing what my body was capable of. Movement became play. Strength became freedom. Joy replaced constant self-criticism. I finally learned that MY BODY IS MINE.

Now I’m watching the “skinny trend” come back and seeing young girls hold themselves to the same impossible standards I did, and I know the irreparable damage that does to mental health. NOT HERE.

This is about reclaiming our bodies, moving for ourselves, and becoming the best version of ourselves for us. Progress and play will always be greater than perfection.

That’s why I’m proud to work with To Write Love on Her Arms for Mental Health Awareness Month. So join me, and MOVE FOR YOU.

You can join the challenge at give.twloha.com/MonteMader