This is going to get juicy.
[An opinion piece]
When I first began spreading the #irockthesportsbra movement, I identified myself as being a part of the body positive community until one day…. I was not. Because I didn’t look like “her” - curvy or round.
#irockthesportsbra is about celebrating the body as is, letting go of judgments and fear around wearing a sportsbra in public, and feeling & performing as a “badass”, strong, confident, powerful female athlete.
For years I felt shame and never fit in within the fitness industry. I was not skinny. But I was not fat. I was not muscular or long & lean. I was just me, chubby & slightly overweight!
And it’s true, I was treated that way for a phase in my career life trying to make it in the fitness industry. I was told I’d be perfect if I “just lost this fat role” and I was told the reason my pay rate wasn’t high because “I didn’t have the following” which really meant “you don’t look fit enough for the paygrade”.
I wanted to be skinny so bad - so skinny I did what I thought any body image dysmorphic woman would to look the part of a fitness “celebrity-type” trainer. Pills, cleanses, detoxes, under eating & over training with cardio. I was desperate.
As I founded #irockthesportsba, embarking on new-found courage and enlisting others to share the message, I developed workout programming (which is what is now RIP then ROCK) that made me feel powerful. I shared these workouts and inspired so many to rock their sportsbras regardless of their body shape and workout like the strong women I knew they were.
Two years in, something I never thought would happen, actually happened. My body transformed. I began looking “the part”. I achieved the physique I had envisioned those years I hated my body . I lost fat, gained muscle, and slimmed down. And the hashtag campaign that got me to this point, somehow, kicked me out of the body positive “club” no longer belonging to the community that made me feel included.
Am I a fraud? Was I not supposed to have my body change to participate in the body positive movement? But it did, without focus or intention. My only intention was to feel & be strong.
Then I realized, who makes these rules up anyway?
Well, I dug deep and did research. The body positive movement began with the Fat Rights Movement in the late 60’s & 70s. The founders were angry, rightly so, with how fat people were treated because of their bodies. They were mad at diet culture! They DEMANDED equal rights for fat people in all areas of life.
By 2000s, the Body Positive influencer space blew up and continues to grow on main social media. And I joined that train.
Many influencers with different body types began using hashtags like #loveyourbody #perfectlyimperfect #bodylove #selflove etc.
Because of this, I finally felt like I belonged….until I didn’t.
So now what? Where does #irockthesportsba belong? And are we even allowed to talk about fat loss or weight loss if those who felt supported by the body positive movements desire to change how they look?
I honestly don’t have the answer.
Whether it falls under body positive, body neutral, body acceptance...categories, doesn’t matter at the end of the day anyway.
If you love your body right now as is, I support you.
If you want to change your body (including wanting to lose weight), I support you.
If you rock your sportsbra regardless of where you stand with this topic, I will cheer you on! ALWAYS!
#irockthesportsbra has evolved, just as I have evolved.
Regardless of your goal, know that you have workouts waiting for you to feel empowered and strong. Get your free RIP then ROCK workouts, head on over to my YouTube Channel, subscribe and turn on the bell notification.
Looking to belong to a community and be supported by me personally, then you check out our programs. #irockthesportsbra
Go rock your sportsba...in public...for good! BECAUSE YOU CAN!!!!!
Ever felt like you don’t belong? Tell me your thoughts about the body positive movement & weight loss. Let’s get juicy with this conversation in the comments.