Yesterday, I showed Sharee's zumba videos to my friend who has been trying to lose weight for a while. She was looking for an at-home workout, so naturally I thought of how she could have a FUNERAL FOR HER FAT! Her first response to the first video was "okay, I could probably do this..." and then she said, "who is that skinny bitch with the perfect, flat stomach?!!" ...naturally, this response gave me all of the feels. I explained to her just who Sharee was--fitblr, superwoman, Psych grad student, etc. I showed her before & afters from Sharee's page, and she went, "OH that's right, I remember you telling me about her. She worked really hard for her hot bod." Instantly, because I provided actual EVIDENCE of Sharee's hard work, her opinion changed. She then seemed incredibly defeated and discouraged...as if to say, "she worked hard for it...there's no way I can work that hard too."
This interaction really got me thinking about our first response to women who are "skinnier" (I fucking hate that word) or smaller or more fit than we are. Most of the time, we are immediately defensive and shoot them negative thoughts because we assume that they were just handed their "perfect" body--that they've put in zero work. I am elated to be in this community for many reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that this immediate response has changed for me. When I see women working hard in the gym, no matter what size they are, I think: "you do work, girlfriend" and then secretly wish that I could high five them and ask them if they maybe have a tumblr dedicated to fitness. I think this for women who are significantly overweight on the elliptical, clearly struggling with a resistance that most would probably find easy--and for women who are hitting gains in the weights that the men next to them are far from. It is necessary that we support each other. The girls that are smaller than you? More fit? Let them drive you to be better and set more goals for yourself. Don't compare their success to yours, but rather look at where they might have started from and know that you can do the same. Maybe some women are born with skinny, small, even athletic bodies...but guess what? They probably don't know what it's like to sweat until you taste salt--or bleed from blisters that are unavoidable with new running shoes. They might not appreciate their petite frames, but if you work for YOU and challenge yourself to be stronger, the love you have for your body will increase & change. There is so much satisfaction in proving people wrong and working hard to see results.
I am in love with this community of badass, independent, beautiful women who defy society's bullshit expectations and who make strong the new sexy. I am so grateful for every single one of you. Remember why you started, and when you feel upset about a plateau or get stuck by the mental barriers that will undoubtedly smack you in the face...think of Sharee's long and endless journey. I will never forget standing in line at my grocery store & finding her edition of People magazine--I did a little dance that was really embarrassing in retrospect...and then turned to the woman behind me, waved the magazine in her face (really, who lets me out in public) and went "I KNOW HER!!!" even though I could only dream of being friends with her in real life. My point is, it was so amazing to see the fitblr world hit the real world through the woman who brought me to this community in the first place. So, Sharee, please know that I am eternally grateful and will never be able to repay you for what you've given me.
That's all for now---I have to go run some miles and then do leg day until failure :)
Love yourselves, love one another. Work hard. Earn it.
