My Body is Strong.

March 2011 - I’ve stumbled on this website called stumptuous.com and admittedly, I have no idea what the name means, but it’s a website about getting in shape FOR WOMEN, BY REAL WOMEN. And I mean, no holds barred women. So their mission is to discredit all of the fluff publications like Shape and Fitness that perpetuate soft stereotypes about the potential of women.

These women on this site are strong, in the natural way, and they embrace the strength they know they have instead of being told by the media that they have limits. It’s a truly empowering site to be honest with you, and if I hadn’t read some of the myths they debunked (e.g. women will get super huge if they lift weights), I would still be politely lifting my weights.

Some of these notions go past the point of consciousness, that when I read these debunked myths, my jaw dropped at all of these fallacies I was accepting: hook, line, and sinker. One of the most powerful game changers was reading that a lot of women don’t know their full potential because they don’t push themselves as hard as they can fearing inability or ginormous muscles. So the author of the website said, “Okay, if that’s your fear then TRY. Really. Try to get as big as you can, naturally. You won’t get very far, in terms of becoming the behemoth you imagine you’ll be. You will however, build a lot of muscle and cut fat, but your worst fears will NOT be realized.” It’s a huge… relief to hear this. I admit to believing this train of thought, and to have these women pave the way and accept the strength of their bodies is beautiful.

Women are not much different than men, and especially if one trains harder than one, they can be much stronger. It’s been nearly a month since I’ve adopted better eating habits and started working out in some capacity at least every day. I’ve noticed my body is recomposing itself and although I look similar, there’s a huge difference in muscle versus the fat I used to have, which makes a whole lot of difference. My stomach is tighter. My thighs are also a lot tighter and there’s muscles I can feel now. When I flex my arms there’s something to show for it at least. :) My back feels more powerful and all around, I’m STRONGER. It’s a beautiful thing, and I know this is a lifestyle, not a fad. Maintenance is one of the most difficult parts of having the proper diet and exercise.

After working so hard for the body I have, I don’t want to lose it; I want to keep it! And someone with the genetics is not going to beat me when I have more determination. I need to stop comparing myself, and understand that my body is a machine that will respond exactly how it’s supposed to, by the book. I can’t rely on my ‘genes’ or my ‘youth’ to eat just like the guys do or to eat everything in sight at a family party. My body will certainly reflect it. And I fully accept personal responsibility for my body and health from here on out.