Hello and welcome to another episode of the Queer Magic Podcast!
Our special guest for this episode is Angel Casas, a no-diet personal trainer based in Chicago, Illinois, who will be sharing their experience with religious trauma.
Religious trauma is a complex and often overlooked aspect of many people's lives, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. It can stem from the conflict between one's religious upbringing and their identity, causing emotional distress, shame, and even long-lasting psychological effects. Angel Casas shares his personal story and perspective on this matter. Our goal is to create dialogue and support individuals in their journey toward healing and self-acceptance when experiencing religious trauma.
Throughout the episode, we'll provide our listeners with valuable insights and practical tips for healing and growth. So, let's dive into this important conversation about religious trauma with Angel Casas.
About my guest:
Ángel is a Weight Inclusive, Certified Personal Trainer & DEI activist in the Health and Fitness industry.
Àngel is an immigrant to this country. Born in Mexico and raised in Chicago, he was brought up in a strict Jehovah’s Witness household alongside traditional Mexican values. However, later in life, he left the church after coming out as a gay queer man.
His professional background is in the Real Estate and Insurance Industry but when Covid hit and shut everything down, he decided to make a career change and became a Certified Personal Trainer. He decided to start a fitness business dedicated to helping people lose weight since he himself had lost over 100 pounds.
However, helping people lose weight, brought to light his own disordered relationship with food and fitness. He admitted himself into an Eating Disorder treatment center which was where he learned about Diet Culture, fat phobia, White Supremacy, Religious trauma, and many other systems of oppression.
This eye-opening experience made him realize how harmful and racist Diet Culture is, particularly for Brown, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. He also noticed the lack of diverse representation in the Eating Disorder space, with thin cis white women predominantly leading it. This realization fueled his mission to dismantle Diet Culture and decolonize fitness, empowering others to break free from oppressive chains and reclaim their bodies, especially queer and BIPOC folx.
This gave birth to his now Non-Diet Personal Training business. No more diets, no more counting calories, no more meal plans. No more scales, no more weigh-ins. No more before and after pics. Instead, he teaches his clients about intuitive eating and joyful movement, reclaiming the power that was originally taken from them.
Website: nomorefearcoaching.com