#ThisIsActive Q&A with Vida Bratton, founder of Healthy Curves Rock

Our #ThisIsActive Q+As are part of an ongoing series to show how plus size women live their active lives. Share your active life with us on social media by using #ThisIsActive on Instagram or send your story to social @ junoactive.com for a chance to be featured.

Vida Bratton, the Curvy FITstructor, is the founder of Healthy Curves Rock: a Faith, Fitness and FUN national movement of curvy and plus size women who are ready to live their best life now. 

1. What sparked your desire to start the healthycurvesrock.com community and become a fitness instructor?

I’ve been a fitness instructor for 10 years. I’ve always been active and curvy. Because I LOVE dancing and cardio, I thought it would be good to explore fitness—and it was a great complement to my recent accomplishment as a Certified Nutritional Counselor two years prior. At that time, Step classes were the hottest class and my choreography skills were on fire. I was slightly reluctant because of my curves, but after experiencing one of the best classes ever with a plus size instructor, I knew that was my confirmation to get certified. So at 6 months pregnant, I became a certified Group Exercise instructor.

What prompted me to start the Healthy Curves Rock community was the surge in body confidence movements, plus-size models, and curvy athleticwear and athleisure. I would see these beautiful confident women strutting their stuff, but could find no community that inspired, supported and educated these curvy queens to live holistic, healthy lives. Healthy Curves Rock comes alongside women and partner with them to live their best life NOW. This is a ministry for me…my purpose.

2. What is your best piece of advice for anyone reluctant or nervous about starting their own path to health at every size?

Simply put. GO FOR IT!  Really! JUST DO IT! In fact, the world is waiting for you to show up authentically. Connect with others in the fitness, health, and wellness space, and begin working. When you begin moving in your direction, people and opportunities find you. People say this field is saturated—I say find your niche/lane and get digging. I feel like I have tapped into a niche that is very shallow, and I can’t do it alone.

3. If you had to choose one workout to do for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

The one workout I would do for the rest of my life is some sort of dance. I love it! I have danced in church, college and just because. And the good thing about dancing is you can just move—that’s why I became a Zumba instructor. It’s a free space where you can just let things go.

4. Name 3 of the best songs to pump up a fitness class.

a.Go Get It – Mary Mary

b. She’s a Bad Mama Jama – Carl Carlton

c. Move – FLAME