A shout out to some of the amazing and strong women I get the privileged of working with each week.   These ladies are not afraid of a little sweat, heavy weights and hard work.  An inspiration to me and each other.

I was recently at the National Strength and Conditioning Conference in Washington DC where I had the chance to listen to Molly Galbraith the founder of Girls Gone Strong.  She shared her story, struggles and triumphs with finding happiness with her body.  The message she shared really hit home with me as I have struggled with many of the same issues.  It is something I feel very passionate about and I want to continue to improve on in order to help other females and also be the best role model for my two girls. I am taking about self acceptance. 

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said "man I look so fat today" or "I wish my arms were just a bit smaller"???  I am sure 99% of the population have done this.   What I want for every women out there is to be comfortable in her own skin; to love her body at every stage of life.   To be able to wear what she wants, to feel strong, fit and healthy.   It is okay to want to change, you can love your body while still wanting it to look differently.   

We need to stop criticizing our bodies and others.  We are our own worst critic and when we body shame ourselves or feel insecure about our own bodies we often start to project that onto others.  Comparing ourselves to others who are build completely different then us, or commenting on how someone else looks: "man that girls should not be wearing those shorts".  This needs to stop. 
I am guilty of this in the past, commenting on how good someone looks after losing  weight.   Instead I should have acknowledged the hard work and commitment that person made to reaching that goal.  That is the real accomplishment.   Completing an exercise you couldn't do before, having a faster time in a race, making the time for yourself while managing work and kids.   These are the things we should acknowledge. 

So lets make the change together.  

If you have a chance to read Molly's Story I highly recommend it.  http://bit.ly/2KIAFJB  

If not here are her seven tips to help you towards self-acceptance:

1. Don't listen to critics (yourself included)
2. Take care of your body, mind and spirit
3. See food as fuel and nourishment's, but don't be afraid to enjoy it
4. Embrace your Uniqueness  - "today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." - Dr. Seuss​​​​.  Find your sweet spot where health, performance, aesthetics and an enjoyable lifestyle work.
5. Don't be afraid to Experiment -  you have your goals  now try different things until you find the formula that works for you
6. Set performance and strength goals

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And my favorite

     7.  Train because you love your body, not because you hate your body.

He has been my number one recruiter for the past year and after some time off in July he is back at it and ready to make this his fittest year ever!! I am super excited to see what he can achieve with his positive and determined mind and regular training.