#REALwomenmove

Recently I saw someone ranting about "what is a real woman" in response to someone's "real women do xyz" slogan.

It made me think twice about Skirt Sports #REALwomenmove campaign.  And I decided I love it :).  It's funny how the same three words can be interpreted in as many ways.  But RWM is not about "you're only a real woman if...", it's about "a lot of these people do... including these very REAL (looking/living) women!"  How important is that message??

I was following a self proclaimed "fitness model" on instagram, and it didn't take me long to realize I could follow no longer.  What she was promoting was not fitness, but rather an unrealistic standard of how a woman could(?) and should(?) look.  I believe her intentions were good.  She often talked about how hard she worked for her body, and that others could achieve it if they just worked.  But parts of her body weren't even hers.  And the parts that were were photographed and posted so often... I just... couldn't.  Because fitness isn't (all) about how you look.  It was honestly irritating to look at everyday.  I knew that with every post, SO many women (self included) were watching and thinking I want to look more like that.  But the truth is, we shouldn't compare, and that's inevitably what we do when we are bombarded with barbie doll images each day.  We begin to see that as the bar, the standard.  But we shouldn't.  We should aim to be THE BEST VERSION OF OUR OWN SELVES.  So I opted to focus my attention on fitness ROLE models instead.  Women who post about the weight they are lifting, the PRs they're attempting (and even failing at!), the races they are running.  Right?? Because fitness is a JOURNEY not a DESTINATION and the goal is to make the JOURNEY as meaningful as possible.  To TRY, and to get stronger with every attempt.

So RWM.  You don't have to look like these "fitness models" to get out there and move.  When I walk into a running store, the clerk never guesses that I run distance, but guess what? I do!  Me and both of my ginormous thighs have run EIGHT marathons and NINE halves!  Little old me.  Because its not just fitness models that run!  It's REAL people, REAL women like me, who have (non fitness) careers and who carve out time for Crossfit and love love love wine, that move!  Professional Kenyan athletes run, but real women, women in your world, run too.  And if they can, so can you :)  You can do anything if you try.