Hi all,
I thought I would share with you what I am actually trying to do with HealthyPostNatalBody.com.
The philosophy behind it can pretty much be summed up in the phrase “You create the society you want”. Now don’t get me wrong; as anyone who knows me will testify, I’m not some woo-ey hippie-radical-lefty. But I do believe in a sense of fairness and that’s what HPNB comes in.
If you’ll allow me to blabber on a bit 🙂
Those of you who watch the excellent “The Good Place” will be somewhat familiar with T.M. Scanlon‘s “What we owe to each other”. Basically he argues, and I agree, that for society to function well and for as many people to be happy and content with the society they live in we all need to accept we have a “social contract”.
Just as an example, when I got my drivers license I agreed to be a responsible and safe road-user. I agreed a “contract” and said I wouldn’t break any rules. We enforce this contract by having things like speed cameras and parking fines but, essentially, I agreed that I would stick by the rules when I got my license. More importantly I also agreed that I would be a courteous towards other road users as that’s part of the contract we kind of have with the rest of society.
I feel it is our joint responsibility to make sure that as many people as possible are doing OK. That doesn’t mean everybody should have the exact same amount of everything, I haven’t gone all Karl Marx, but those lucky enough to be able to help others and do something useful probably should.
Yes he’s a creep but he wasn’t wrong when he said this.
And that’s what HPNB is all about; when I saw the state of Post-Natal exercise advice I was not impressed. Yes there are plenty of 12-week programs out there but I feel most of them are simply too expensive for what they actually offer. Unfortunately the NHS in the UK is unwilling/unable to do something and make it available for free, or fund Personal Training for everyone who has just given birth. And I also didn’t see anyone else stepping up.
This meant that I had to start looking at my own situation and see what I could do. I’m a reasonably successful Personal Trainer. I have a full book of fantastic clients, I make enough money to pay all the bills and am very lucky to have a great life. I’m not rich by any stretch of the imagination but I find that I am comfortable and content.
How could I not be content when this is my couch as I’m writing this?
So I don’t need to make much more money really. I also find I get a lot of emails with questions from women, looking for advice, who tell me that they don’t have easy access to good Post-Natal exercise information. And, as per Scanlon, I have a responsibility, a contract, to make a positive contribution to society.
That’s what HPNB is all about. We all owe it to each other to be kind and to help others wherever possible. Unlike other postnatal programs, HPNB is never going to be a money-spinner. And, if by some miracle, loads of people sign up then we’ll just start donating to charity.
In the mean time I hope everybody gets something from it. So please, let me know what you’d like to see from HPNB and we’ll try to make it happen. If you could spread the word about what we’re trying to do here that would be greatly appreciated.
Take care,
Peter
3 Comments
I want you to know I appreciate your program more than words can say. I have been doing the program now for about a month and I am noticing a huge difference in my stomach. I was giving up hope that my stomach would ever look somewhat normal again and that surgery was the only fix. I had no intention of getting surgery so I thought i just had to live with it forever. I have been doing the strength programs 4 times a week and the home about 5 days a week. I still have a way to go but i now feel like my stomach will improve. My goal isnt to look like a Olympic athlete but to be healthy and to heal. I feel my overall strength increasing and I feel better about myself as a whole. Thank you so much for what you are doing
Thanks Concetta, delighted to hear that 🙂 Keep up the good work!
[…] If I focus on the wants and needs of those around me that need a bit of help, and I’m able to give them it, then it’s my duty to do so. I have written before about “What we owe to eachother”. […]