Some personal news, and an ask for help
Big changes; big plans.
This week, for the first time in almost four years, I only have one email address.
I only have one computer.
I have one less Slack workspace on my phone.
My big, messy, multi-section to-do list has one less section.
It feels strange…but calm.
A key part of my life as a freelancer for the past several years has been having an “anchor client” — for almost two years, Nike, and for the last almost-three years until this week, Hinge Health. And for the first time in a very long time, as of yesterday, I don’t have one.
The fact that contracts end is a very normal reality of being a contractor. (The fact that full-time jobs end, often abruptly and traumatically, is also a reality of having a full-time job and one of the main reasons I don’t have one anymore! Too many eggs in one basket, if you ask me.)
But the contract ending is often disappointing and stressful. It can rustle up your scarcity mindset and make you wonder how much longer you’re going to be able to make this all work.
Right now, I’ll admit that I’m a little sad — I loved my work and my colleagues at Hinge Health.
But I’m not disappointed, and I’m not stressed. I’d actually been waffling back and forth over potentially leaving for a few months before my contract expired.
That’s because I’m so blown away by you, and your response to How to Move. And I believe in this project.
I started this thing on a bit of a lark. I was between contracts last summer and had a little too much free time (and, admittedly, anxiety about getting that contract renewal!), and a lot of ideas. I threw some stuff out into the world, and — so much faster than I ever could have expected — you noticed it. You subscribed, you clicked “heart,” you shared comments and DMs, some of you even paid! (Fun story I can’t remember if I’ve shared before: My friend Anne was my first paid subscriber, well before I put a paywall on anything. I was so sure she’d made a mistake that I texted her and asked if she’d like me to Venmo her a refund. She said no!)
Over the past almost-year, you’ve told me, among many other things:
That you felt empowered about building strength for the first time ever.
That you always feel better after moving with me.
That your weekly workout with me has kept you from the Sunday scaries.
That you had to buy bigger dumbbells. (My fave!)
That I got you moving after several years of chronic illness.
That you’ve learned to love push-ups. (What!)
That the newsletter removed so many intimidation barriers to the strength and mobility work that you know you should be doing but haven’t been able to make yourself before.
That I’ve helped you “reclaim exercise.” (Gah!)
You’ve also shared, time and time again, what a fantastic deal this newsletter is. Instead of $150/session or $40/class, you have a personal trainer in your pocket for just $5/month. You have a rich library of workouts to choose from, tons of helpful guidance, and inspiring interviews to help you get and stay moving. You have a community of like-minded people who can support you on your journey, but in, like, a chill and non-competitive way. All without talk of restricting or shrinking or punishing yourself. It’s a steal. (Your words, not mine! But I agree!)
So now, instead of four jobs, I just have three: teaching and training clients, doing freelance journalism work, and this. And honestly, I really, really want to keep it that way. I love this work, and it all intersects with each other so beautifully. Without an anchor client, I have so much more empty space to come up with even more helpful stuff for you and to find new ways to keep our community growing. I want you to be my anchor client.
And, real talk? I do need this community to grow: I need to at least double, and preferably triple, my current amount of paid subscribers, to justify the labor I’m putting into this project. It’s been a hard few months here on Substack. IDK if the recommendations algorithm has just imploded or what, but I’ve had a ton of churn: so, so many expired credit cards and other issues that have meant for every step forward I take, I seem to take a step-and-a-quarter back (I literally lost one paid subscriber while writing this post). It’s been hard and discouraging, but I’m not giving up my strong belief in this project and this community, and that we have a real shot at making this thing work.
Okay: Here’s the big ask. For this to work — for me to be able to keep doing this newsletter and stick with these three great jobs — I need your support, both to help this project continue to grow and to reach financial viability. There are many ways that you can help, and here are just a few (don’t limit yourself to just one!):
Upgrade your subscription. Sign up for a paid subscription, or upgrade to a founding membership.
Paid subscribers get full access to all posts (including weekly workout videos, and occasional posts where I go into some TMI and feel shy and put up a paywall), and the Substack chat. This is a great time to upgrade, because my prices will be increasing later this month! Sign up now at $5/month or $50/year, and you’ll stay at that level even as the price for new subscriptions goes up.
Founding members get all that plus an “office hours” chat with me where we can troubleshoot exercises that aren’t working for you, talk about your routine and habits, and help you get on track to reach your goals. It’s very fun!
Share this newsletter! You can do this by…
Talking about it with your friends and family.
Sharing it with loved ones who might be interested. (Hint: You can just forward the emails!) (Other hint: Moms and aunts love me!)
If Substack gives you an offer of gift subscriptions to give away, use them!
Link to it in your own newsletter, if you’re so inclined.
Follow me on Instagram and share my posts there on your IG Stories. You guys, I frankly have no interest at all in being a big Instagrammer, but it’s an important way for this project to grow, so help me out and give those posts a like and, even better, a share.
If you or someone you know has a company that might be interested in sponsoring my work here, please reach out. I haven’t dipped a toe into sponsorships yet — and you can imagine that in the ~wellness world~ this kind of stuff can be a real landmine — but I’m very open to considering it with the right partners that are aligned with my approach. (No diets, no quackery.)
Finally, if you have a newsletter, podcast, or community that might be interested in hearing from me about building a sustainable relationship with exercise, working out in a body-neutral way, WTF Pilates is for (and not for), things you should know about your pelvic floor, how to actually start strength training, or anything else, let’s talk! I’d love to explore interviews and content swaps. DM me or comment here!
This is hard for me to do and I’m cringing a lot putting this out there: I’d really prefer that the content speak for itself and that the project just grow organically. And there’s part of me that wants to go back in time, to when I could have a really great full-time job as a magazine editor, or make a totally reasonable living as a freelance writer. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we’re living in — the big media bosses made idiotic decisions that permanently damaged their companies and business models, and then private equity and god-knows-who-else came in and destroyed what little was left. And when I create work here, I get to fully call the shots — I own it all! — and don’t have to answer to shareholders or advertisers or board members or anyone else but you.
And truthfully, when folks I follow have put out an earnest plea for increased support, I have felt so much respect and appreciation for that (I hope you do, too!). I wanted to give my friend
a standing ovation when she sent this out on her excellent newsletter :
It isn’t easy to ask for money or to feel like a big, braggy salesperson. But we have something really special here, and I know that together, we can help it continue. And as Lindsey wrote, “I feel very strongly that people should be paid fairly for the work they do…I spend hours every week working on this newsletter that is a labor of love. But nearly a year in, it also needs to be a source of income.” (She also said, “Think of this as an NPR fund drive, but I’m not a nonprofit and you won’t get a tote bag for your pledge.” Ha!)
BTW, In case you’re seeing this and you’re like, “Wait, who are you? What is this?” just a quick reminder: I’m a longtime health journalist and certified personal trainer and mat Pilates instructor. I spent several years as part of the Diet Magazine Industrial Complex (ugh) and adopted an anti-diet approach a decade ago. Now, my work is focused on helping people get and stay active in a way that actually supports their wellbeing — no gimmicks, no guilt, no punishment. How to Move is where all of that comes together, and I’m so, so grateful to be doing it.
You can learn more about me in these fun episodes of
’s incredible podcast:
Okay, that’s it! I love you all. If you can’t or really just don’t want to pay for this work, I understand! But if you decide to (or already do), I’m so, so grateful. Thank you so much for being part of this. I’m going to go lie down now.
Talk soon,
Anna
I paid big bucks for a personal trainer last year and I’m thrilled to have found you and your clever workout combos and beyond reasonable pricing. I’ve sent free months to my mom and to a friend and will be conscious of sharing more of your work here and on IG!! Good luck I hope this vulnerable post pays off well!!
I'm excited for your next step! You offer so much here on Substack, and I hope this piece of your work continues to flourish. Also, I've been noticing more churn for the past 2ish months, too. I'm bummed that you're experiencing the same - it's been so frustrating!