What #LikeAGirl Means to Me
I've always been an advocate for women in sports. Obviously, I am a woman and would have a personal connection with this. In response to the recent #LikeAGirl campaign and commercial, I thought it only fitting that I jump on the band wagon and share what it means for me to do something #LikeAGirl. This blog chronicles my adventures as a female in sports, running and training. I have been a personal advocate for working hard and challenging myself and have been blessed with the opportunity to share my story. I know that doing something "like a girl" often has inappropriate connotations, however, I have honestly never really felt put down for my gender and for that I am lucky. There have been people who say inappropriate things and make offhanded comments, but in my own mind, I know I am capable of doing what I want.
Can I do a pull-up? Yes. Will I ever be able to do as many as a man, probably not, simply because of our biological differences. Testosterone being a huge factor. This doesn't mean I can't still do a pull-up, I just have to practice more and that, in fact, makes it even more special.
I also run. I had a physical therapist tell me that women shouldn't run, I also had a relative say that. Their reasoning, because I am a woman. They are entitled to their beliefs, but I will continue to run and I have seen huge health benefits and opportunities that I never would have had without running. I will always run #LikeAGirl. Running not only keeps your heart and lungs healthy and blood pressure low, it also is a huge mental relief for me. It's a time I can let go of my fears or solve problems. It can also be meditative. Some days I run fast, some days slow, but I always run proud to be a female runner. Women compete with the best and are running sub 2:20 marathons. I am proud to run #LikeAGirl.
One of the brands that represents how honored you should be to do anything #LikeAGirl, is Nike Women. As a brand, Nike Women has been very active in promoting female fitness and running in the past 10 years. They have been at the forefront of bringing the average female into a training program to challenge them and make them stronger. I have followed their journey and campaigns for quite a while and run six of their races in Washington, DC and San Francisco. Everything they do is positive. From providing a global women's race series, to global training events like the NTC Tour, Nike Women is at the top of their game. They have even created an app, Nike Training Club, focused on women's fitness downloaded around 15 million times! All of these women are training and fighting for themselves, #LikeAGirl.
Women should never be afraid to try new things, train harder, or lift weights in the gym. As a personal trainer, women often come to me and are afraid of lifting at the gym because they feel uncomfortable lifting with men. They feel inadequate. I do my best to explain to them that they should not be afraid or embarrassed because of their gender. Weights are integral to a healthy fitness routine and should not be avoided because we may lift "like a girl." There is no shame in embracing our gender. There would be no world without men and women working together, so train, lift, run, laugh and love, LIKE A GIRL! It actually is a pretty amazing thing for a woman to embrace their strengths and be proud of who they are. Don't let anyone take away what you love. Whether it's fitness, song, dance, running, designing, etc, do it all with all your heart and show the world that #LikeAGirl is something to be desired in an employee, executive, business owner and a friend.
Live #LIKEAGIRL