The Power of Showing Up: You Can Remove the Asterisk!
By Angel Austin
The Invisible Asterisk Many Fat People Carry
I recently read a Threads post that stuck with me. The writer talked about turning 40 this year and realizing they had spent 30+ years feeling like every accomplishment in their life came with an invisible asterisk.
They had lived their whole life in a body larger than everyone else around them. No matter what they achieved in life, they felt like it never quite measured up to the achievements of others. Success as a fat person always seemed to come with a quiet qualifier attached to it.
A Simple Decision That Almost Didn't Happen
Last September they joined a weightlifting class. They attended class once a week. It was simple and not much of a challenge.
Then one day after a routine doctor’s appointment to check in about ADHD medication, they got an unplanned tetanus booster. A few hours later they were sore and tired. Skipping their weekly class would have made total sense.
But something inside them flickered.
“Just go. Just show up. Do the warm-up and leave.”
Showing Up Changes the Story
So they did just that. They went to class and stayed through the warm-up, but then they also did most of their sets. The next day they felt sore, but it was a manageable soreness. It felt good because it was the kind that reminded them they had done something for themselves. They wrote that they felt proud, but the asterisk was still there. It was that familiar voice saying, “Who cares? You’re still fat.”
The Voice Many of Us Know Too Well
That part of the post hit hard because I know that voice. So many of you know that voice. Those of us who have lived in larger bodies for years or even our whole lives, often learn that our achievements are always filtered through our body size. It could be a promotion, a degree, a creative project, or a leadership role. There is always someone ready to remind you that none of it matters as much unless you lose weight.
Movement Is Not Only Valuable If It Shrinks You
Most movement spaces can make that worse. Society says “exercise” only matters if it changes your body size. Things like strength training, walking, dancing, and swimming aren’t considered meaningful unless they lead to weight loss. This is not true, and I've shared my thoughts about this here in our blog and encourage you to peruse our website to learn more about our weight inclusive approach to movement here at PowerUp.
Permission Instead of Pressure
What stood out in that Threads post wasn’t the weightlifting itself. It was the decision to show up without demanding perfection. They gave themselves permission to leave after the warm-up without putting pressure on themselves and without forcing performance. Because the expectation was low, they stayed.
That approach to movement isn’t about punishment or discipline. It’s about attunement and listening to the helpful internal voice that says movement might help today, even when everything else says it won't.
Diet culture teaches people to override their bodies. I have pushed through pain to the point of injury. I've lifted so hard and heavy that my menstrual cycle stopped. It was more punishment than affirming movement. That wasn’t what was happening here. This was someone making space for possibility. They showed up and moved a little and in the process, they discovered they could do more than they expected.
The result wasn’t weight loss or even transformation. It was something much simpler. They just felt strong.
The Power of Feeling Grounded
At the end of the post they wrote that they could feel strength in their glutes and feet, and that it made them feel grounded for the first time.
“Grounded” is a powerful word. It can mean finally being present in your body instead of at war with it, or feeling your muscles engage and your breath move in and out without judgment. For many fat people, especially those of us who have been taught for decades that our bodies are problems to solve, that sense of grounding can feel revolutionary and life-affirming.
The Asterisk Doesn't Have to Stay
The asterisk may still whisper sometimes. Harmful messaging doesn't become less impactful overnight, but embracing moments like this person shared when they showed up, moved on their terms, and felt strength rather than shame, are when these messages start to loosen their grip.
Movement doesn’t have to be dramatic to matter. You can attend just one class a week. You can do it at home in your pajamas or at a gym. You can make the decision to go even when you’re tired. You might stop at the warm-up or stay through the end. You can do the hard thing or you can just stretch or even rest (it should be a major part of your movement practice, anyway).
This is all up to you. Just know that no matter when or how you show up, you're worth the time and energy investment when you do. You are amazing and your body is a marvel. It never needed an asterisk.