….. They say “real women” don’t lift weights and have muscles…. i’m sorry what and when did we feel the need to define a “real woman” …. WE are not an object with a set in stone definition. There lies the 1st of many problems on how this society makes women feel as though there is a cookie cutter definition to fall into at all times and we don’t then something MUST be wrong with us. My lovely ladies there is NOTHING wrong with picking up some weights! The stigma that you will get “buff” or “bulky” is such a misunderstood notion…I know almost matter of factually that women want to be TONED , or they want to “tone up” don’t even tell me you’ve never heard or thought that! Well i’m here to break the news to you that just like Beyonce claimed “A little sweat never hurt ‘no body” neither did a little weight lifting! The ONLY way to burn more fat is to build more muscle, cardio can only do so much the mixture of the two are a recipe for success! I’m not gonna go into all the technicalities of it but i will let you know that when it comes to becoming “muscular” so to speak it takes a whole lot more then throwing around some iron in a gym and coming out looking like MS.OLYMPIA. Now let me state that in NO WAY, shape or form am i shaming those who want to achieve that physique because that is one of the HARDEST and most DISCIPLINED lifestyles, i’m so proud of the ladies that take that road and achieve their goals ’cause, that S*** is no joke! Anyways back to how i feel about this situation i have NEVER seen my body change and comply to what i want to do more then when i started sculpting my body with weight lifting. NOT TO MENTION the MAGNITUDE of mental and physical growth that i have managed to gain along the way!
For starters i cant begin to explain the deep respect i have developed for how powerful and strong my female body truly is!
-When i lift weights and overcome a particularly hard hurdle it not only proves to me how strong my body is physically but it symbolizes that i can and will overcome mental hurdles as well! Not only that it has taught me dedication i cant tell you the power that comes with practicing something over and over again to FINALLY see improvements and knowing no one but YOU could have done that! That’s what fitness in GENERAL is all about to me. Finding untold jewels in your self you never even knew were there!
Lifting and exercise in general shows me that i am in fact in FULL control of changing my body!
-Alright guys this one is REALLY important to me because throughout our days and hours of life there will be challenging times there will be a MILLION obstacles we are faced with that we simply cannot control , but your HEALTH ((for the most part)) can be controlled! You can decide weather you want to take your health into your own hands, while you still can! Every time i’m not sure about heading for that work out i ask my self “what if you weren’t ABLE to go workout?” i sure as hell bet i’d want to… SO i get up and get it done & honestly have NEVER regret a good workout!
Treating your exercise as a way to be MORE instead of a way to be LESS is SO powerful!
-Alright let me explain here … as women we are always working out to LOSE weight to get “skinnier” or at the very least maintain our physical status. But for me Lifting has taught me to look at fitness in a different perspective i am always wanting to become MORE powerful i’m never looking to LOWER the weight i lifted from the week before or become less in any way. Treating exercise as a means to be more, as opposed to viewing it as a never-ending struggle to be less, is an absolute game changer!
Symbolically becoming STRONGER then your emotions
– For me lifting is a way to show my self that the number on the scale cant determine my self worth , my STRENGTH both inside and out determines my self worth! if I’ve pushed my body past the limits that I thought I once had then i can remind my self on days that i become unsure of my self that i am MUCH stronger then my negative emotions! oh ya and also that we ALL in fact have negative emotions on certain days and its not weather we get them its HOW WE HANDLE them when they do come! 🙂
I’m not 100 percent sure where this rant is going but i will end it with the simple fact that next time you want to go SHAMING a woman for lifting or how muscles just aren’t for “real women” remember that a “REAL WOMAN” cannot be defined in any one way shape or form and maybe just maybe we aren’t doing this for YOU we aren’t doing this for any body but our selves 🙂
SAVSMILES 