Female personal trainer, Becky, is based in Horsham and regularly participates in professional development events. She reviews the latest here…
Something that I do in an effort to continually improve my work is attend a variety of events. Lately, this has included academic ones, some parts of which are a good stretch for my intellect! In September, I attended the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine’s annual conference in Brighton.
A personal trainer being present at a conference chiefly aimed at medics might not be what most people expect. But, for me, it seems like a strong fit – lifestyle medicine is built on six “pillars”, one of which is physical activity, and that’s what I do. The conference was also taking place in my back garden, which made it more accessible to me, and felt like an opportunity not to turn down.
Talks I attended at BSLM 2025
It ended up being a heavy week for me – the conference started the day after the Royal Marsden’s annual exercise oncology study day, so I already felt like I was swimming in information. It also meant that I’d heard some very up to date work within my exact field and, as a result, when I attended a talk about cancer and exercise on the first day of BSLM, I came away disappointed. I felt that some of the information presented was a little outdated, and I was also frustrated that the speaker continually used the term “chemical castration” when referring to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).
One of the other main draws for me was that a number of talks about obesity were scheduled. Obesity is always a hot topic within the fitness world, and we aren’t given many practical strategies as personal trainers to help, so I’m always keen to learn about different approaches. One of the talks that gave me pause for thought argued that food addiction should be classified as such. The speaker pointed out that some behaviours around food very much mimic other substance addictions – the compulsive nature, how other activities get left behind, and the damage of the issue being ignored in favour of perpetuating the behaviour being just a few.
I remembered that I’ve heard similar framing before – Shahroo Izadi has worked within addiction therapy, and points out that one of the key issues with behaving the same way around food is that we can’t abstain from food. We need it to live, whereas when we’re addicted to other harmful substances, cessation is technically possible. Those who struggle with food must continue to face that struggle daily in order to continue living.
Obesity and lifestyle behaviours
A conversation that cropped up – as it regularly does – was that our society apparently facilitates obesity. It’s not just about access to calorie-dense foods, but also the fact that many of us are highly sedentary, walking isn’t part of our lives as it is for other cultures. And the argument of whose responsibility this is wasn’t solved. Some seemed to believe it’s a medical issue, others thought it’s a public health problem, and some argued that it’s down to our government. For me, this is the crux: no true responsibility is being taken, and so we remain stuck.
Favourite talks from BSLM
Two of my favourite talks were by those with lived experience of the issues being discussed. One was a person who talked about their struggle with obesity, and another had recovered from chronic pain. What I found so powerful about these talks was that, rather than leaning on masses of data from which conclusions had been drawn, they just shared their real-life experience.
I think that the survivor voice is often ignored and discredited due to being only one person’s example and opinion, but for me every voice is valid. I work with individuals, so individual accounts are highly relevant and appropriate for me. I don’t need to know what the “average” obese person experiences, I need to know what the one in front of me asking for my help wants to do. Whilst we can’t draw broader conclusions on human bodies based on one person, we can learn how to help each individual, and I think that’s just as beneficial.
The other talk I enjoyed was by Scarlett McNally, a surgeon based in Eastbourne. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Scarlett speak previously, and I love her approach – she’s a little rebellious, crams a huge amount into her presentations, and loudly bangs the drum in support of prehab. Scarlett shared some compelling data that gripped the attention of the doctor sat next to me regarding recovery from surgery, and when someone else sits up and pays attention, I know that something worthwhile has been said.
Final thought on BSLM 2025
Throughout the conference sessions, it struck me that there was a serious lack of diversity among the speakers. Of the sessions I attended and read about, the vast majority of speakers were White, and there also seemed to be significantly fewer women than men. This was reflected in some of the further materials recommended by speakers too – at one session I attended, the speaker suggested six books on the topic she presented on, all of which were authored by White men.
I find this incredibly disappointing in 2025, a year in which women and people from marginalised groups are increasingly under attack internationally, and at a conference which had a delegate profile which was far broader than was represented at the mic.
Looking back, it was slightly predictable from the organisers: there was a session devoted to men’s health, whereas women and children were lumped together – something else that I think sends the wrong message in 2025. I applaud the fact that the men’s session focused on mental health – something that’s vital as this demographic tends to suffer in silence – but it still felt unfair in terms of representation.
I learned some interesting facts at BSLM, and met some engaging people, yet there was a lot lacking in the overall experience.