Fitness – Beth Burns Fitness

Is more cardio the answer to your fat loss problems?

March 25, 2016/in Fitness /by Beth Burns

“I think I just need to up my cardio.”

I’ve been hearing this a lot lately, usually in the context of someone who’s frustrated with their progress. Honestly, I cringe a little every time I hear someone say this.

As a personal trainer, who loves to be active and to sweat, I get it. Fitness feels more doable, more enjoyable than changing my nutrition habits. Plus, I know how to do it and I know how to teach it. This was my thought process for many years, but eventually, I could deny it no longer. Exercise alone wasn’t helping my people reach their fat loss goals.

In fact, increasing cardio often times increases hunger and cravings! So you eat more, then you feel like you need to exercise more and it becomes a rather unhealthy cycle.

That’s why I cringe every time I hear a client mention it. That’s why I’m writing this blog. Because I spent years on a literal (and metaphorical) hamster wheel and I know how frustrating it is to be putting in the work and not seeing the results.

So here it is friends: if you really want sustainable results, then you need to accept that it’s going to take a different kind of work. Work that starts with getting to know yourself a little better, recognizing your inner dialogue, and figuring out why you think and do the things you do. Work that starts with changing the way you think about yourself, about health, and about food and fitness.

Trust me, I spent years trying to just up my cardio or get myself on a strict eating plan. My body became addicted to adrenalin and cortisol from high intensity workouts six days a week, which sent my hormones into a tailspin, and I was either binging or depriving myself around food. It wasn’t until I stopped making fat loss and my looks my one and only priority that I was able to make real progress and find balance and joy in a healthy lifestyle.

So no, cardio alone will not help you lose fat. However, adding more movement into your daily life absolutely can have all kinds of positive effects that get the ball rolling into more positive changes.

So if cardio does this for you, then by all means, add some more cardio into your life! Do it for the way it makes you feel. Do it because your body is worth treating with kindness and respect.

CHANGE TAKES TIME. Pursue health and wellness in your body and mind and fat loss will eventually ensue.

5 Reasons You’re Not Enjoying the Benefits of Working Out

October 14, 2015/in Fitness, Mindset /by Beth Burns

When I first became a trainer, I really thought that if I could just get people to try working out for a couple of weeks they would be hooked just like I was. Needless to say, I was shocked to find that this was not the case. I still remember the first time a client said to me, “I just don’t get that high. I don’t feel amazing at the end of a workout. I don’t notice all these benefits you guys talk about.”…….

Anyways, if you’re reading this and know exactly what this client is talking about, then this post is for you. Having been in the business a bit longer, here are the most likely reasons I’ve found for why you haven’t fallen in love with it….YET 😉 ……

1)Your workouts are too intense

There’s a good possibility you’re starting too hard or pushing yourself too hard if….

you never feel good or more energized at the end of a workout
you’re always sore
you go back and forth between feeling really strong and awesome in a workout to feeling really lame and weak the next workout

You don’t need to run yourself into the ground to benefit from working out. In fact, you likely won’t if you’re doing too much. Most people only need 2-3 hard workouts in a week. THAT’S IT. I’m not saying you can’t workout more than that, but the other workouts should be less intense. Dare I say, easy to moderate. 🙂

2) You’re not getting enough rest

Being able to balance stress with rest is a critical step towards fat loss and overall health. While working out can be a mental stress reliever, it is also a physical stressor that your body still needs to recover from.

Two of the best ways to balance out stress is by getting adequate quality sleep and restorative movement like walking or yoga, etc.

3) You’re not eating enough to fuel your body

You need to be giving your body enough fuel to actually make it through the workout. If you’re too low in calories, proteins, or carbohydrates, this can cause lethargy, weakness, low energy, and an inability to properly recover. All of which will lead to not feeling so good at the end of the workout and not feeling the benefits of exercise.

4) You’re doing something you don’t enjoy

You had to know this one would be in here! 😀

Life is too short (and consistency is too important) to force yourself to do something you hate, especially when there are so many other options.

Yes, there are certain types of exercise that can probably help you achieve certain goals faster. However, ANY movement is great for your body!!

Before the age of technology, nobody “worked out”. Yet people were generally pretty healthy and there was no such thing as an obesity problem (much less an epidemic). How is this possible?? People simply moved more….a lot more. When you are up and moving, it’s also a lot harder to eat at the same time!

Anyways, the point is that if you’re looking to be healthier and feel better and you know you need to move more, forget what you think you should be doing and just do something (anything!!) you enjoy and do it daily. Most importantly…. Just move.

5) Your mindset

Instead of focusing on how hard it’s gonna be or how much you don’t want to be there, write out all the benefits you get from working out. Instead of focusing solely on the changes you want in your body, list of all the other reasons you’re working out.

Read through it before going into a workout. Focus on them when it gets tough. Remind yourself what a gift it is to be able to move and of all the things that it allows you to do.

Just like we have to maintain our homes and cars so that they don’t fall apart on us, our bodies require the same thing. The cool thing is, unlike the house or car, we get to maintain our body through fun things like playing or exploring or dancing or lifting (that’s right, some of us actually find that kinda fun. 😉 ). God made it in such a way that movement actually gives back to us on so many different levels.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be crossfit or biggest loser. It doesn’t even have to look like exercise!! Just be kind to your body. Show it a little bit of respect and gratitude by making it a priority and putting in a little daily effort. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for all that it does for you.

Which one of these most applies to you? What’s one thing you can do this week to change that?

Monday Motivation #1

October 5, 2015/in Fitness, Mindset /by Beth Burns

What a gift movement is!

Don’t let it become another burden that you have to fit into your schedule somewhere. Don’t let it become something just to balance out whatever you ate this weekend. Don’t let it become punishment for not having the perfect body shape or size.

You get to thank your body for all it does for you by giving back to it in this small way. And when you give, it gives back to you 100 times over! 😀

What a blessing to have such an ability and freedom as being able to move and exercise! It is a blessing that not everybody has. Don’t take it for granted.

Finding Time for Fitness

September 30, 2015/in Fitness /by Beth Burns

At this point, I think we all know the benefits of moving and exercising. It helps us sleep better, reduces the risk of many diseases, and improves mood and mental clarity (think things like concentration, creativity, and memory). When we exercise, we have more energy, strength, and endurance. It just makes us feel better! We KNOW this.

But sometimes the distance between knowing what you need (and even wanting it!) and actually doing it just feels too far away – separated by a sea of busy schedules, kids, work commitments, chores, not to mention time for actual rest, rejuvenation, and connection with loved ones.

One of the struggles I most consistently hear about is just finding the time. So I wanted to show you that there are ways to fit fitness into a hectic schedule, even if you’re in a season of life where carving out a specific time to get to the gym every day is just not an option.

First thing in the morning –One of the easiest ways to ensure that it gets done is to do it first thing in the morning. No time to make excuses or for plans to change, plus, it’s a great way to start the day!
Make your playdate a partner workout – While the kids are playing, get in a workout with the other parents. Or instead of coffee, throw the kids in the stroller and meet up for a walking date. You still get to connect with a friend, but you’ll save yourself some money and do something good for your body.
Break it up – Maybe you just honestly don’t feel like the schedule allows for 30 solid minutes. So break it up into smaller chunks. Pick a few exercises and pair it with something that is a habit. For example, before each meal do quick circuit like this: 20 squats, 10 push ups, 20 lunges, plank for 30 seconds. It doesn’t have to be a meal. It could be during nap time or breaks at the office.
After dinner walk – Take the whole family as a way to de-stress from the day, wind-down before bed, and catch some awesome sunsets…

Workout while you watch TV – Instead of snacking when you’re not hungry or browsing social media only halfway paying attention, get up and workout! You still get to catch up on your favorite shows, but also do something that your body will thank you for later! Plus, many people find that working out before bed helps them sleep better. 😉
Weekends – You also have the weekend to fit 1-2 workouts in. Get the whole family involved or have your spouse take the kids while you get your workout on. Then you can take some rest days on those really hectic weekdays.

All you need is 30 minutes

Yes, you really can get a good workout in that time. When you are short on time, bump up the intensity a bit and only rest as necessary (i.e. when you feel you can’t continue with the same intensity or proper form) and try to hit at least one upper and one lower body muscle group….actually just try to hit as many muscle groups as you can. 🙂 A few dumbbells or bands are nice to have, but you can do it with just your bodyweight too. Give yourself 5 minutes for warming up, then pick 3-5 exercises and set a timer for 20 minutes. See how many times you can get through in 20 minutes. Here are two examples:

Example A (bodyweight)
1. Single-leg squat – 10-12 each
2. Push Ups – 10-12 (you can add a side plank in between each if you’re feeling feisty 😉 )
3. Hip Bridges – 12-15
4. Body Saw – 10-12

Example B (weights)
1. Squat with Shoulder Press – 8
2. Deadlift – 8
3. Inverted (or Bent-over) Rows – 6-8
4. Russian Twists – 12 ea

Take 5 minutes to cool down, foam roll, and stretch tight muscles. And you’re done!!

It must be a priority

No matter how busy you are, there are ways to fit fitness into your life. It doesn’t have to to be your #1 priority, but it does have to be a priority.

Like it or not, health demands our attention. If we choose to ignore it, it will eventually force us to pay attention to it and that’s not so pleasant. When you prioritize your health, you are prioritizing your family, work, spiritual health, etc. So commit yourself to finding the time and make it happen!

Stuff I’m loving right now (and I think you will too)

September 3, 2015/in Fitness, Food /by Beth Burns

So today I thought I’d try something fun and new by just sharing some of things I’m really digging on right now. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

Favorite Quote:

I love to read and I love coming upon a really good quote. I actually wanted to be a writer when I was younger, but then I decided I couldn’t do it (that’s a story for another day). Anyways, since starting my blog it’s been challenging for me to keep up with it regularly, but I’ve also experienced an even deeper love for words. That’s why when I read this quote the other day it really connected with me, both as blogger but also just thinking about how I talk…

“Child, to say the very thing you really mean, the whole of it, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that’s the whole art and joy of words.” ~C. S. Lewis

Food: Taco Salad

I love taco salad because it’s easy to make and a tasty way to get a good amount of protein and veggies.

A trick I’ve learned that I think really ups my taco meat game is to add a can of diced tomatoes instead of water to the taco seasoning. So I brown a pound of ground beef (with garlic and onion if I have them). Add the taco seasoning, but instead of adding water (which it calls for), I add an 8 ounce can of diced tomatoes.

Follow the directions on the seasoning packet and boom. It really adds that extra kick of flavor and moisture to the meat! Then I like to do a bit of a deconstructed taco salad with some iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, cheddar cheese, and plain greek yogurt (or sour cream).

Add some chips on the side (I’m love the Simply Balanced blue corn tortilla chips at Target. So good. :)) and you’ve got yourself a tasty meal.

Fitness: Animal Movements

Whenever my body feels tight or achy, I’ve found that combining Z-Health with animal movements makes it feel so much better. It’s fantastic for waking up the nervous system, loosening up commonly tight areas like the hips and back, and working on better movement and mobility in a fun and playful way. Plus, you don’t need any equipment. I’ve been loving this so much that I’ve actually been using them as warm ups in my classes.

If you’ve seen my 5 minute flow videos, I’ve been playing around with it in there too, but here’s a video at regular speed of me practicing the basics.

If you’re interested in learning more about this, here and here are a few resources.

Book: Lean Habits For Lifelong Weight Loss by Georgie Fear

I honestly haven’t even read the whole book yet, but the 4 core habits alone are worth the price of the book. After going through a huge mindset shift concerning nutrition over the last few years, this book was really helpful in healing my own relationship with food, learning how to master hunger (I’m still practicing 😉 ), and knowing how to better help my own clients. One of the biggest light bulb moments for me was this quote:

“Engaging in hunger prevention on a regular basis ends up becoming weight-loss prevention, so you want to avoid it when possible.

It’s certainly no problem to keep eating when hunger is nowhere in the picture- but that absence of hunger is a signal itself. It’s one that we can hear and translate into a useful message. When we don’t feel any hunger for long stretches of time (and we are perfectly healthy), we are likely eating above our energy needs. We don’t need caloires-tracking software, we don’t need to wait until our pants are too tight….We can hear our body’s language and know what it means to get the “silent treatment” from our hunger. Even in it’s silence, it’s looking out for us…

Preventing hunger prevents weight loss.…Eating only when you’re hungry is the number one lifelong skill you can learn for leanness, and in forming a healthy relationship with food.“

It won’t get you lean in 21 days, but it’s some of the most sound and sustainable nutrition advice I’ve read in a long time. If you struggle with nutrition, if you want to be free from calorie tracking, if you don’t love the way you eat, then don’t settle. Check this book out.

Music: 10,000 Emerald Pools by Borns

This has nothing to do with health or fitness, but who doesn’t love finding good new music?!?! I heard this on a tv show and I’m kinda addicted…

September theme: Live in TODAY

I often miss out on a lot of good things because I’m too worried about looking ahead at what’s to come. So this is my “theme” for the month. Surrendering all my tomorrows to God and living fully and joyfully in today. 🙂

25 Ways to Exercise Without “Working Out”

August 5, 2015/in Fitness /by Beth Burns

I want to get in shape, but I hate all exercise!

To be honest, the first time I heard this it baffled me….until I realized that you didn’t actually mean it. Oh, I know you think you mean it, buuuut you don’t. For now, just trust me and keep reading….

I really believe this all has to do with a misunderstanding of what exercise is and what it’s for. So let’s talk about that.

What exercise is: You might think you hate exercise, but I think you actually just dislike the current idea of what exercise is and I can’t say that I blame you.

In Western culture we think of exercise as a necessary evil to achieve a certain look or as punishment for allowing ourselves to get out of shape. We think of it in strict and structured terms, with things like gyms, time frames, expensive equipment, intensity, sweating, pain, and soreness. If you don’t like this form of exercise, that’s perfectly OK. That’s just one form of exercise. The simple fact is that any kind of movement IS exercise.

Now if you don’t like to move then we have a problem because movement is life. Without it, you’re just sitting on your couch….all day…doing nothing…and that’s not living.

Movement is life. Movement is exercise. Your body was made to move.

What exercise is for: Most think of exercise as a necessary evil for getting to the size or weight that we desire, so we run ourselves into the ground only to find that we feel worse than we did before. The brutal truth is that exercise alone will not get you the physique you desire. I could sight all sorts of studies or just talk about my professional experience, but most of you already know this because you’ve tried it and it hasn’t worked.

Some of you may be reading this and thinking, well if exercise doesn’t make me lose weight, then why would I exercise at all?!

How about because it feels good. Because it’ll keep you strong and able to do the things you love to do. Because it boosts the immune system and decreases the risk of many common diseases. Because it reduces stress and anxiety and improves cognitive abilities like attention span, memory, problem solving, and creativity (to name a few). Because it makes you happy. Because it’s fun.

While exercise alone might not be the best for weight loss, it will enhance your overall health and wellbeing and I would hope that that is enough reason to get up and move a bit more.

So in order to help you think outside of the box (gym), here are 25 fun ways to exercise without even noticing that you’re doing so…..

Picnic – Instead of meeting for coffee or a at restaurant, meet up with friends at a park. Bring something fun to do after the meal, like frisbee or bocce ball.

Take a Trip to the Zoo – Walking is the most underrated exercise of the last few decades. There are so many benefits we get from walking. Our bodies were made to walk. It absolutely counts as exercise. This is just a fun way to get lots of walking in.

Parkour/Free Running – The tricks are cool, but even more than that is the idea of making the world your playground and teaching your body to move with fluidity and grace in any circumstance. This is next on my list of new things to try.

Martial Arts – Who doesn’t want to learn exactly where to karate chop a guy to render him immediately unconscious….or just let off some steam by kicking and punching stuff.

Join a Rec League – For those who miss the competition and camaraderie that comes from sports, it doesn’t have to end after college!

Hiking – What’s not to love? Fresh air, sunshine, great views, quality time with friends, and your dogs love it too! Plus, it’s been shown that being in natural environments decreases stress and increases mood.

House Work – OK, fun might not be the best describing word for this, but it’s at least a 2-for-1 deal. And I know there are more people out than we would care to admit that have a little bit of Monica in them!

If you don’t know what’s happening here, then I can’t help you

While the process might not be all that enjoyable, I think most of us would agree that the end product is. Crank up your favorite tunes and check off exercise and house work from the to-do list. 😀

Yard Work/Gardening – See the above reasons, plus you get some vitamin D. Pull weeds, mow the lawn, plant some pretty flowers, or grow your own herbs or veggies!

Biking – Ride to work or to the red box or to get ice cream! Anything counts!

Get a dog – Not only do they provide tons of laughs and companionship, they are a great way to hold you accountable to getting out for a walk a few times a week….or at least, getting up to the let them out every once in a while. 😉

Rock climbing – Whether it’s natural rock or a climbing gym, rock climbing is an amazing upper body workout and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of reaching the top.

Play with your kids – “Auntie Beth, chase me!” My nephew LOVES chasing and being chased right now. I know I know, kids always want to play, but even just a 15 minute break in the afternoon to chase, wrestle, roll around in the grass, walk to a playground, help them build a fort….this is time well spent.

Play kids games – Anyone remember capture the flag? How about dodgeball, pickle, foursquare, or tetherball?! Get a couple of crazy friends together and try not to have too much fun. 😉

Go Ice Blocking – Summer time sledding at it’s best. Buy some big ice blocks from a gas station, find a hill, ride the ice block like a sled. Walk back up the hill and repeat.

Trampoline Park – An hour is more than enough time to get your hear rate up and your sweat on! I also noticed that they actually offer fitness classes as well. Although, most of you probably know someone that would let you jump on their trampoline for free. 😉

Yes, I did take my sister here for her bachelorette party and I think it’s safe to say we had a blast 🙂

Knockout – You don’t even need to be a great shot to enjoy this game (although it helps ;)), but this one is fun for all skill levels and ages.

Spikeball – Super fun for those looking for a new game or challenge.

Alone time with your spouse – Enough said. 😉

Wash Your Car – Not my favorite, but another twofer that I know really gets some people jazzed!

Swimming/Water Sports – Whether it’s good old fashioned swimming or the endless possibilities involving boards or boats or breathing apparatuses of some kind, if you’re in the water you’re sure to be getting a workout and having fun at the same time.

Create Your Own Obstacle Course – You don’t need to go all Ninja Warrior to do this. Just find some things to jump over, crawl under, climb up, and/or spin around and you’ve got yourself a course.

Get a ping-pong table – Or a basketball hoop or pool table or corn hole! It’s just nice to have some fun alternatives to watching TV.

Foam roll or stretch while watching TV – I’m not one who’s going to tell you to stop watching TV, but sitting is hard on your body so any time you can get a little extra movement in, it will benefit your body. I like to throw some yoga moves in there too.

Get a Wii or Kinect – Play games without ever having to leave the house.

Dancing – Music has a such profound effect on us. It has the ability to spur your body into movement and to completely change your mood. Jam out at home or take a class. Hip hop, salsa, swing, breakdancing, ballroom, tap…the possibilities are endless.

You probably noticed that a lot of these things involved playing. As the responsibilities start to pile up, it’s easy to put something like play or learning new skills on the back burner. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many mental and physical benefits to continuing to play and explore as an adult!

You don’t have to go on vacation to be adventurous and you don’t have to be a certain age to play! What’s that one thing that you’ve always wanted to try?? Be brave. Take a friend with you if need be. But go out and try it! Your body will thank you later!

How-to: Turkish Get Up

July 17, 2015/in Fitness /by Beth Burns

I consistently get asked how to do the turkish get up, so for those who have asked, today is your lucky day!

The turkish get up has got to be in the top 5 most awesome kettlebell exercises, but I will caution you, this move is sneakily hard and will show you where your weaknesses are. It is excellent for improving your shoulder stabilization, balance, coordination, whole body stability, posture, and pretty much works all of the major muscle groups as well. The reason I most love the get up is because it works the body in two vital skills: working the upper and lower body together as one unit and getting up off the ground.

It requires a high level of skill, so I almost always put them at the beginning of the workout while the body is still fresh. Plus it’ll get the entire body warm and ready for the rest of the workout.

Before I get into the video, here are a few reminders:

*The get up is not something you can just rush through mindlessly, so take your time and ease yourself into it. (Especially when you are first learning!)

*There are 4 positions in the get up: laying down, sitting, kneeling, and standing. At first it can seem like a lot, so the trick is to take it one at a time and just focus on getting to the next position.

*Since you are going to be holding a weight directly over your head and face the whole time, start with no weight until you feel comfortable with the movement patterns! Try to make the movement as smooth as possible.

*Keep your eyes on the weight, your elbow locked, and your arm pointed at the ceiling at all times. If you can’t keep your elbow locked the whole time, move to lighter bell.

Helpful Tips for getting to each position:

Sitting

This is not a sit up! Use your foot to push yourself over onto your side while at the same time, driving your elbow into the ground and punching your raised hand up toward the ceiling.

Kneeling

The bridge is to create enough space to pull your free leg back through into a kneeling position. One thing that can help is adjusting where your hand is. It helps for it to be a little bit outside and behind your bum. (see video)

**Keep your eyes on the bell during this!**

Standing

Make sure you’re using a weight where you can lunge up without bending your arm. From kneeling, curl the toes of your back foot under and, pushing through both feet, lunge up into standing position.

Now go get it…or shall I say, GET UP! 😀

If you guys enjoyed this tutorial and want more, let me know over on my Facebook page!

Lies that keep us unhealthy and unhappy (part 2)

May 13, 2015/in Fitness, Mindset /by Beth Burns

In part 1, I discussed a few popular misconceptions that I believe have really hindered folks in actually achieving their health and fitness goals. Believe it or not, I thought of a few more 😉 So here are 3 more lies that keep people frustrated and unhealthy.

Lie #5. Eating protein will make you bulk up.

Protein is a macronutrient which means it’s essential for life and growth and it’s needed in larger quantities than most other nutrients. Protein aides in just about every metabolic function in the body and promotes a healthy immune system. It also takes more time and energy to digest, helping you feel full for longer!

Moreover, most weight loss is a combination of losing fat and muscle. Since most people don’t want to be soft and weak, the goal is to lose fat while maintaining as much strength (and muscle) as possible. Protein helps your body hold onto the muscle so that you end up with a tighter, leaner bod. It also helps fuel your muscles during a workout, so if you’re looking for a way to feel more energetic during your workouts, make sure you are getting enough protein.

Protein also happens to be sorely lacking in most American diets.

For all of these reasons, you’re probably used to hearing every fitness pro consistently bring up protein. HOWEVER, protein by itself is not some insta-bodybuilder nutrient. Eating too much protein will not make you bulk up (unless you mean gain fat, in which case, eating too much of any macronutrient can make you gain). For fat loss and a healthy lifestyle, there still needs to be a balance of macronutrients and you will still need to perform muscle-promoting exercise in order to maintain (or increase) strength and definition.

Lie #6. Running is a great way to lose weight

Some people will lose weight while running. However, for the most part, long distance endurance-style running is not great for fat loss. In fact, many runners will actually notice that they tend to get a little softer when focusing solely on endurance running. There are 2 big reasons why this happens:

1) Your body adapts quickly to doing the same things over and over. The only way to vary your running is by changing the speed, which most people don’t do. So over time, even if you’re running longer distances you will burn less calories even while doing more work!!

2) The other reason is too much time in the “fat burning zone”. Sounds like a good thing, right? The only problem with this is that when you make fat a primary source of energy, your body is smart enough to realize that it’s burning through a lot of fat and will start storing it so that it has enough for the next run.

Truth: If you’re looking to lose fat, stay away from a long, slow, steady-state running. You need to be switching up the intensity levels with things like intervals, sprints, and ideally, some strength training. For more ideas on how to do this, go here or here. 😉

Lie #7. Strength training is just for building muscle (and will, therefore, make you bulky)

Here’s the deal, unless you want to look like a skeleton, you will have some combination of muscle and fat on your body. That’s normal and healthy! 😉 So obviously, we want more muscle and less fat….or at least, that’s what I always thought. Let me explain…

Since your body works on a “use it or lose it”-type of system, strength training is meant to improve your strength so that your muscles continue to work for you and you continue to have the ability to do the things you want to do. This makes sense right? We like to be able to go up the stairs without feeling like we’re gonna have a heart attack.

Yes, strength training can help one increase muscle mass. I’ve written about this already here and here and here, so I’m not going to go into why it’s really hard for women to “bulk up” from strength training. But what I’m amazed at is how quickly and how often the term “bulky” still gets thrown around with such disgust and fear. “I don’t want to get bulky,” or “Careful, you don’t want to get too bulky”.

As a culture, we have gotten so far away from what health actually is that I’m not sure we’d recognize it if it came up and smacked us in the face. With the emphasis on size above all else, we are quick to think of “bulk” as the ultimate evil. As if the worst possible thing would be to be a little bit bigger or a little more defined than the media has determined is suitable for women. Forget if I’m strong or healthy, gotta fit into that size 2 if I want to be considered beautiful/healthy/feminine/worthy. What’s sad to me is that we have become so obsessed with size that most women really would rather be skinny and weak than have a little definition and be stronger.

I get that everybody is entitled to their own definition of beauty, (I myself admit that I’ve had a lot of time to work through my own process with this whole idea) but this just does not sit right with me.

The thing is….there is beauty in strength, in training your body and your mind to be strong and resilient, in discipline, in confidence, in taking care of yourself, and in being able & capable of doing the things you want or need to do.

Whether we want to believe it or not, we are all products of our culture. I’m not saying that you have to like the look of women with definition. What I am suggesting is that we all think twice before throwing around the word bulky. There are a lot worse things than being muscular!! And strong is beautiful, too. 😀