Strong powerful women!
II'm sitting in the airport right now, waiting for my delayed flight to Prince George. If you know where PG is, there are not many reasons that you would choose to go there in the middle of February. Right now, a ton of athletes are going there for canada winter games... But not I. I am using vacation days to go for the workshop portion of a rural nursing course. My only hope is to come back with awesome nursing knowledge, and successfully get at least a good handful of workouts in, now that I am past my flu slump. I'm not in the clear with my knee as of yet, but... Fingers crossed for continual ability to train.
Yesterday, My friend and former coach, Mary Eggers, posted an incredible pic on Facebook. Now, many is pretty much a social media queen, and her photo garnered dozens (way over 100!) likes and comments. Other people posted photos. It was a frenzy. What was the photo she posted that garnered such a response? It was a photo of her abs and stomach. Complete with an umbilical hernia. Complete with low tone and some stretch marks. Complete with her layer of healthy fat.
This woman has competed in numerous iron and, coached athletes, bore a son, swam in collegiate athletics. and she has no six pack.... Nor did the dozens of other women who posted ab selfies as a response.
This whole thing touched a deep deep tone with me. As an athlete, it is frequently on my mind: how can I be better? Faster? ... Errr... Leaner? Gulp... Skinnier? As a "quiet feminist," it is frequently on my mind: how can I empower women (and myself) to be stronger? More confident? More secure? Happy with their body? And it's tough. We see athletes... Actually, we see magazines or online images of people... With these incredible, likely unattainable, bodies. And we think "I need to be that way. I want to be that way. If I look like that, I will surely be faster, stronger, better looking, better liked, more successful..." Have you ever bought into that? I know I do.
No longer. It is not ok to objectify (Mary used a much stronger word... Pornify) athletic bodies. Stong, fit, healthy bodies come from consistency and dedication. Sure, be inspired by fitness and health. But don't be discouraged by it, in attempting to obtain the (likely) unattainable. Your body has done amazing things, and it should be celebrated. My body has done amazing things, and it should be celebrated.
So, with that it mind, I introduce you to my six-pack-less core. It's hard for me to post this... Because I wish it looked different... Because I'm self conscious... Because it's easy to objectify athleticism...
I train many hours a week. I do my core strengthening. I eat predominately clean. This core has gotten me through division 1 rowing, two ironman 70.3 world championships and more than 10 half irons. It has not bore babies, but it will one day. It's not perfect. But it's me. And it's beautiful. And it should be celebrated.
#badassisbeautiful #fuelanathlete #amodoesIMC
Sent from some sort of handheld electronic device
Yesterday, My friend and former coach, Mary Eggers, posted an incredible pic on Facebook. Now, many is pretty much a social media queen, and her photo garnered dozens (way over 100!) likes and comments. Other people posted photos. It was a frenzy. What was the photo she posted that garnered such a response? It was a photo of her abs and stomach. Complete with an umbilical hernia. Complete with low tone and some stretch marks. Complete with her layer of healthy fat.
This woman has competed in numerous iron and, coached athletes, bore a son, swam in collegiate athletics. and she has no six pack.... Nor did the dozens of other women who posted ab selfies as a response.
This whole thing touched a deep deep tone with me. As an athlete, it is frequently on my mind: how can I be better? Faster? ... Errr... Leaner? Gulp... Skinnier? As a "quiet feminist," it is frequently on my mind: how can I empower women (and myself) to be stronger? More confident? More secure? Happy with their body? And it's tough. We see athletes... Actually, we see magazines or online images of people... With these incredible, likely unattainable, bodies. And we think "I need to be that way. I want to be that way. If I look like that, I will surely be faster, stronger, better looking, better liked, more successful..." Have you ever bought into that? I know I do.
No longer. It is not ok to objectify (Mary used a much stronger word... Pornify) athletic bodies. Stong, fit, healthy bodies come from consistency and dedication. Sure, be inspired by fitness and health. But don't be discouraged by it, in attempting to obtain the (likely) unattainable. Your body has done amazing things, and it should be celebrated. My body has done amazing things, and it should be celebrated.
So, with that it mind, I introduce you to my six-pack-less core. It's hard for me to post this... Because I wish it looked different... Because I'm self conscious... Because it's easy to objectify athleticism...
I train many hours a week. I do my core strengthening. I eat predominately clean. This core has gotten me through division 1 rowing, two ironman 70.3 world championships and more than 10 half irons. It has not bore babies, but it will one day. It's not perfect. But it's me. And it's beautiful. And it should be celebrated.
#badassisbeautiful #fuelanathlete #amodoesIMC
Sent from some sort of handheld electronic device
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