Plus-Size Pilates Instructor Hits Back at Critics Who Say She Shouldn't Teach: 'They Treat You Poorly in Every Facet of Life' (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Emily Phillips is a mother of three, a former attorney and now a Pilates instructor from New York

• In November 2025, the 32-year-old influencer started posting about her life and work online, which led to criticism about her appearance

• She now speaks to PEOPLE about the importance of inclusion in all fitness spaces

In a world where fitness culture is often defined by a narrow visual standard, one woman is challenging expectations simply by showing up.

As a mother of three, a former attorney and a newly certified Pilates instructor, Emily Phillips never set out to become a symbol of body inclusivity — but her presence online has made her one.

After giving birth to her youngest child in July 2025 and stepping away from her legal career just three months later, Phillips began documenting her life online in November 2025, sharing an unfiltered look at movement, motherhood and self-discovery.

What started as a personal outlet quickly gained traction, drawing both praise and criticism, much of which is centered not on her qualifications, but on her physical appearance. Still, the 32-year-old remains firm in her belief that “every body is a pilates body.”

In 2025, Pilates became more than just exercise for Phillips — it was a lifeline during one of the most vulnerable periods of her life. Just weeks after giving birth, she decided to return to movement with intention.

“I started pilates the day I was cleared to work out at six weeks postpartum,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It provided me with a space to focus on myself and be present in my body while I was on my mat.”

At a time when she was quietly battling postpartum depression, the practice offered something few other things could.

“It required concentration, awareness of breath and body and focus, which were difficult to achieve in other areas of my life at the time,” Phillips explains. “It was transformative, it was healing and it was exactly what I needed.”

That transformation soon evolved into purpose. Despite a lifelong athletic background, ranging from varsity lacrosse and swimming to competing in equestrian events, Phillips describes Pilates as something entirely different.

“It healed my relationship with my body and ultimately my relationship with myself,” she reveals. “That was the moment I knew I wanted to gift that to other people.”

By March 2026, Phillips had become a certified instructor, stepping fully into a new identity that blended her passion for helping others with her lived experience.

Yet, as her videos began circulating online, Phillips quickly realized the growing attention wasn't about her skills.

“My first reaction was, 'Oh, this is about my body,'” she recalls thinking. In a digital landscape where Pilates instructors often fit a specific mold, her lessons were gaining traction for all the wrong reasons.

“I knew it was because I was doing something that hadn't been done before,” Phillips emphasizes. “I was starting to let people know that they can exist in their bodies, no matter what, and take up space on a mat.”

Still, the comments flooded in, many of which were framed as concern. “They call me fat and tell me to work out. So then I work out. But then they say, ‘Oh no, not like that,'” Phillips says. “The concern for health then becomes criticism about my appearance — because let's face it, you cannot tell the status of a person's health solely by their external appearance.”

Phillips, however, didn't shy away from naming this behavior. “I have used the terms ‘fat shaming' and ‘fat bias.' Unfortunately, this is a real thing,” she explains.

“Being overweight causes people to make assumptions about you, and in turn, they treat you poorly in every facet of life,” Phillips adds.

Nevertheless, by speaking openly, she hopes to foster empathy. “You truly never know what someone is going through.”

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As an instructor, Phillips emphasizes that appearance has nothing to do with capability. “My ability to teach pilates has absolutely nothing to do with my appearance,” she tells PEOPLE. Instead, she focuses on creating an experience that empowers others.

“It is transformation in action — the ability to meet people where they are and to empower others to heal their own relationship with their bodies,” she adds. “That's where the magic happens.”

That message resonates deeply with those who feel excluded from traditional fitness spaces, a feeling Phillips has experienced firsthand.

“I used to show up to pilates in the baggiest clothes... I was so scared that people would be judging the way that I looked or the way that I moved,” she recalls. But consistency changed everything. “I kept showing up... It's not necessarily that my body changed… But what really changed was my mindset. I switched from fear to confidence.”

Today, Phillips hopes her videos and visibility encourage other women to show up in the fitness space.

“You have the right to exist in a bigger body. You also have the right to go to a pilates class,” she says. “There is no mold in the fitness world, that's the beauty of it.”

As her platform continues to grow, so does her impact. What was once just a coping mechanism has become a source of inspiration for people across all body types and backgrounds.

And while she continues to navigate her own evolving relationship with her body, Phillips remains grounded in one guiding principle: “My advice to anyone would be to focus on how you feel rather than how you look. And just keep showing up for yourself. The rest will fall into place.”

Read the original article on People