Did anyone watch the Oscars last Sunday?
Was it just me or are the women getting smaller and skinnier?!
Where are the muscles?
What I saw was little bitty arms encased in sparkly prisons (and I like sparkles, don’t get me wrong!). But I don’t get it.
What is this ideal image of beauty that demands that women shrink? Why is being smaller so damn important???? Being skinny does not make you happier.
I can guarantee that being STRONGER will.
Where is the focus on strength and vitality and health and fitness? I don’t want to look like the wind could knock me over. I saw a meme the other day that said:
“I don’t want to be strong like man who look pretty. I want to be strong like b*tch who fights bears in forest!” 🐻
I’m not judging anyone’s body size. There is no room for shame when it comes to what someone’s health goals are or how they look.
What I do call BS on is an ideal of beauty that encourages (forces?) women to be so focused on getting smaller.
This getting skinny usually comes at the expense of muscle!! And when you lose muscle, you’re losing a lot more than just “weight.”
You lose one of the body’s ways to keep your blood sugar stable.
You lose the ability to get up off the floor.
You lose the ease of rolling over in bed.
Losing muscles means increased risk of broken bones, weakened immune system and a slower metabolism.
Muscle is NOT just for lifting weights or looking good or being able to do things in the gym. We need them for every day activities and for our day-to-day health.
“I don’t want to be strong.” said nobody. Ever.
The path to being and staying strong is building and keeping muscles.
I desire to BE powerful!! I don’t want to be small. I want to permanently get rid of getting smaller as the ideal and the focus. Nope, the goal for me is to have energy and strength; that every day I am excited by my body’s muscles and what I can do.
If you are interested in building up your strength, reach out to me. We’re doing a Summer Shape Up contest at Freedom Fitness Wentzville where I do in-person training that starts in a couple of weeks.
I also have a virtual program, if you don’t live near me, and want to start somewhere.
Or even if you don’t work with me, I encourage you to find a program that will help you with getting stronger, which means resistance training (or lifting/moving things). It might be something you’ve never done before, but now is the time to stop being afraid to do something new.
Now is the time to love your body in a different way… one that means letting go of trying to lose weight to get smaller and instead focus on getting stronger.
May you choose an ideal for yourself that brings you happiness. May you let go of shame. May you see yourself as strong.
Many hugs,
Coach Laura