As the creator behind BodyKind Fitness, a YouTube channel dedicated to low-impact, joint-friendly workouts, Hayley Bartlett is on a mission to prove that being gentle with your body doesn't mean sacrificing results—it means building a sustainable relationship with movement that lasts a lifetime.

In a fitness world often dominated by "no pain, no gain" mantras and punishing workout routines, Hayley has a different approach. 

What makes Hayley's philosophy so compelling is its radical simplicity: fitness doesn't have to be a punishment. It can be joyful, it can be gentle, and most importantly, it can fit into real life with all its beautiful messiness. 

We sat down with Hayley to talk about body kindness, the effectiveness of low-impact exercise, how to build habits that actually stick, and why the fitness industry might finally be heading in the right direction.

About the Body-Kind Approach

What does it actually mean to be kind to your body?

Hayley: I think that's the goal for all of us, really. 

Being kind to your body means shifting away from the idea that fitness requires punishing yourself or chasing unrealistic goals. 

It’s about asking, “What can my body do today?” and recognizing that the answer will change from day to day, week to week, month to month. 

It's about giving yourself that grace and having that kindness to go, "Okay, if I can't do that today, maybe there's something else that I can do." You adapt, and you move, because fitness isn't linear.

It also means staying aware of your mental state—focusing on what you have accomplished rather than what you haven’t. When you align your mindset with your body’s real needs and abilities, and treat yourself with compassion, that’s true body kindness.

How did you land on the body-kind philosophy? Did it happen before or after you started your YouTube channel?

Hayley: The whole philosophy definitely began earlier. I’ve always been active — I danced for a local theater company for years, and I used to put a lot of pressure on myself with long-distance running and being really meticulous in the gym. 

I also grew up in that era of really intense programs — those big insanity-style workouts where you followed a strict plan for weeks and pushed yourself hard for the sake of the final “result.” 

Not long after, I became pregnant with my first son — a very humbling experience — and I realized I just couldn’t move the way I used to. And then, becoming a new mom — again, very humbling — I suddenly had no time for myself. 

My husband worked away, so I was home with a newborn, and I had all these dreams and aspirations, but nowhere near the time or flexibility I had before. I thought, “I have to be kind to myself. I can only do what I can do today. If that’s a five-minute workout, great. If I don’t manage anything, that’s okay too.”

That mindset is what led me to start my own channel. I knew I couldn’t be the only person who couldn’t do an uninterrupted hour-long workout anymore. I needed fitness in manageable chunks, with less pressure, and I figured other people did too. 

So I created low-impact workouts that are short, achievable, and simple — something anyone can do and feel good about.

High-Impact vs. Low-Impact

Interviewer: You started with high intensity, high impact—running, lifting weights, really pushing your limits. Now you're cultivating something gentle, low-impact, very adaptable. 

Are these approaches against each other? Should we choose one, or can they be combined in a single routine?

Hayley: It's a really interesting question. I don't see that they have to be against each other. I think it's a personal preference, and again, it's where you are in your life, physically or mentally.

You can still burn calories. You can still really improve your heart health and cardiovascular health; this can all happen with low impact.

High impact has its place too, especially if you’re at times in your life when you really enjoy running, jumping, or getting that extra push. 

Maybe you weave the two together. Maybe you're going, "Actually, I just want to keep it low impact. I want to rest my joints."

From my perspective, low-impact activities can often be more sustainable in the long term because they lower the chance of injury and joint stress. But I don’t think we need to put them in a boxing ring and say one is good and one is bad. They both have benefits. 

That's the key thing—knowing your own body and how you want to push yourself and where you're happy. 

What's your personal favorite low-impact activity?

One of my favorite things is dancing with my boys in the kitchen — it’s such an everyday thing for us.  

This morning we had Christmas songs on because my son said, “It’s not long till Christmas,” so on went the music and off we went dancing.

I’ve also been really enjoying strength training lately. I’m working on bringing more of it back into my routine because it’s so important. A lot of us grew up thinking fitness had to be all cardio and calorie burning, but now there’s more focus on bone health, muscle health, and lifting a bit to support our bodies as we age.

It doesn’t have to be big weights or intense competitions — just functional strength that helps you move through everyday life. I love that feeling of, “If I can deadlift this, I’m better at picking up all the stuff off the floor.” That’s the stage I’m in right now, and I’m really enjoying it.

Where Should A Complete Beginner Start

Interviewer: Let's imagine you're talking to what we call a "very, very beginner"—someone who is intimidated by exercise. 

Where would you suggest they start so the habit actually sticks?

Hayley: It all comes down to building consistency. For a complete beginner, I always suggest starting small with something you can actually stick to. 

Just press play, do your five minutes, and then check in with yourself: “How do I feel? Could I do a bit more — maybe seven or ten minutes?” And if the answer is no, that’s completely fine. 

Going from nothing to five minutes is an amazing achievement.

If you keep showing up like that, your brain eventually catches on and thinks, “I like this — this makes me feel good.” Your mind and body start supporting the habit, and it naturally becomes easier to keep going.

What often stops people is going too hard too fast — suddenly trying to find 45 minutes five days a week because a program says so. You might manage it for a short time, but life gets in the way and then you’re back to square one. Starting with five or ten minutes and building from there is far more sustainable. 

Over time, it just becomes part of your day-to-day life.

How To Deal With Setbacks & All-Or-Nothing Thinking

Interviewer: Consistency itself becomes the problem when a person just misses a workout. Then this mentality turns on where they think, "I missed this workout. I failed. So now I just drop everything and don't do anything because I failed." 

How do you help yourself get back tomorrow after you "failed" today?

Hayley: It happens to me all the time. Honestly, it’s happened to me this week — I had plans, but one of my boys was unwell, the other had a hospital appointment, and everything got thrown off. Life gets in the way, and sometimes your exercise plans slip.

No one is watching or judging you — the pressure usually comes from ourselves.

That's where body kindness comes in. You can say, “Okay, today didn’t go as planned. What did I manage? And if nothing else happened, that’s fine. I’ll try again tomorrow.” Around this time of year, people often think, “I’ll start in the new year,” but there’s still so much time to take small steps for yourself.

It’s really about giving yourself grace and remembering you’re human. Life is busy, things happen, and you can always try again the next day. You don’t need to wait weeks to begin again.

Enjoyment vs. Discipline

Interviewer: Another prominent thing about your channel and your personality is this positivity and enjoyment that come with exercise. On the one hand, we have this enjoyment and doing something that really feels good in the moment for your body. On the other hand, we have discipline. 

What's the balance between enjoyment and discipline? 

Hayley: I think the balance starts with finding movement you genuinely enjoy. 

Enjoyment can also come from simple daily movement that feels enjoyable—dancing in the kitchen, taking the stairs, getting outside for a walk. Those little bits of activity help your body get used to moving, so longer workouts feel like less of a leap.

But yes, there’s still a bit of discipline involved. Sometimes you have to give yourself that gentle push: “If I sit here and scroll for 20 minutes, I won’t feel better. If I move a little, I will.” 

That small nudge can make a huge difference.

And the best motivation usually comes afterward. Your brain releases endorphins, you feel that little high, and suddenly you want to make more positive choices throughout your day. 

It can snowball in a really nice way. You think, "I've done some exercise today. I feel really good. Oh, do you know what? I will make a healthier, balanced choice about what I'm going to eat," or “I will call my mom instead of sitting on the phone.”

At the same time, some days really are hard.

We’re wired to notice the negative, and getting off the sofa isn’t always easy. It's about tuning into your own body and going, "Today is a rest day, and that's okay, and I'm going to honor that." And then it's knowing the other days where you go, "Actually, I'm just going to gently push myself to do something." 

So definitely always check in with yourself.

Getting Started After the Holidays

What's your advice for actually getting started again after the holidays and making it stick this time—to finally make it a routine, not just a New Year's resolution?

Hayley: I think a lot of us hit January saying, “This is the year I’m changing everything.” But the problem is we try to overhaul our whole lives overnight, when yesterday was still December. 

After the holidays, life gets busy again, the weather’s miserable, there’s still Christmas food around—it’s normal to feel a bit off-track. So instead of chasing perfection, focus on small choices you can actually manage each day.

If routines help, set simple goals like exercising on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or hitting a step target. Just keep the bar low enough that you can meet it. Overachieving feels great; underachieving shouldn’t feel like failure.

And definitely don’t go into January trying to do hours of exercise or completely overhaul your diet. That’s not sustainable. Think of it as easing into a lifestyle shift, not a New Year’s resolution sprint.

You also have to trust the process. Consistent movement and balanced eating will give you results—maybe not dramatic “before and after” changes, but real improvements in your body and mind over time. Even when progress feels slow, keep going. It’s working.

When do you usually have your first workout of the new year?

Hayley: As for me, my first workout of the year varies. Sometimes it’s right after Christmas, sometimes later. Often it’s just a walk—getting outside, grabbing a coffee, enjoying some fresh air. Little moments of movement count.

And honestly, the lead-up to Christmas is magical but stressful, and we tend to put ourselves last. So even during the busy season, try to protect your sleep, get some movement in where you can, eat fairly balanced when possible—and don’t beat yourself up when you can’t. It’s all about balance.

Bottom Line

What do you hope changes in fitness culture?

Hayley: I actually think we’re already seeing a positive shift. For a long time, fitness culture pushed punishing workouts and restrictive diets, but now there’s more focus on strength training, sustainable movement, and accepting yourself as you are. I really hope that continues.

A big part of that is learning to tune out the toxic messages we’re bombarded with and focusing instead on achievable everyday wins. Sometimes the win is simply getting your errands done, moving a bit, feeding your family—that’s real life, and it counts.

I also hope we keep encouraging movement that protects our joints, supports heart health, and builds strength as we age. It doesn’t have to be extreme. It’s about choosing habits that last—not punishing ourselves for quick results that won’t stick.

If the industry keeps moving toward long-term health, balance, and kindness, that would be amazing. And it really does feel like people are driving that change by saying, “I don’t want the toxic stuff anymore—I just want to live a happy, healthy life.” And that’s exactly the direction I hope we keep going.

The Welltech Editorial Team would like to give a heartfelt thank-you to Hayley for everything she brings to the fitness and wellness space. Her gentle, uplifting approach reminds us that movement can be joyful, sustainable, and deeply personal. We’re truly grateful for her openness, her energy, and the way she is helping reshape the conversation around what “healthy” really looks like. It’s leaders like her who make this community brighter and more supportive for all of us.