Want to know what it feels like to just workout in a sports bra without intimidation, fear, or judgments? FREEDOM!
#irockthesportsbra was a mere thought – an instant universal download. I desperately wanted to overcome my body insecurities born out of needing to BE PERFECT during my 13-year (& counting) fitness teaching tenure.
I taught health, wellbeing, & body love but I lived none of these principles. It was a lie.
I had been chubby girl & teen growing up, and while I was never bullied for my weight, I adopted a HATE towards my body. It was self-inflicted. It was traumatic.
I did everything I could to be skinny – ephedra filled diet capsules, double laxative teas, multiple cleanses at once, extreme yo-yo dieting, hours upon hours of calorie burning cardio until I’d faint. The addiction to hating my body manifested symptoms leading to my Lupus diagnosis back in 2012. I vowed never to abuse my body again – quite frankly I was scared to die.
Although I corrected my health behaviors, I still suffered body image dysmorphia.
Now a wife, and mom, I needed to be a role model to my daughter and to the women I teach every day. I was tired of being unhappy. “Screw it!” I said to myself. “I’m working out in a sports bra.” Out of my own personal darkness and into that moment of self- empowerment, #irockthesportsbra became a mission bigger than myself. What came next not only changed my life, but it saved me.
#1 – I FACED THE FEAR
The moment I took off my tank top in a public workout facility felt like a massive lump in my throat I couldn’t quite swallow. After a few minutes, that feeling dissipated. I noticed no one even looked at me. They were so focused on their workouts. Damn, how self-centered was I being?
#2 – I RELEASED THE JUDGEMENTS
I immediately let go of judgments around my body. If no one else cared about what I looked like, why should I spend even one second longer on that negative energy? I started celebrating other women who wore sports bras too. I was no longer envious of them but I was one of them. It was beautiful to belong to this “secret”, confident tribe.
#3 – I DEVELOPED A LOVE FOR MY BODY
The more I worked out in my sports bra, the more attention I paid to my athletic abilities. I noticed muscles, power, agility, … I was able to athletically excel (particularly in amateur boxing). It was a “HELL YES, I’m a BADASS” moment. I was a fit pro, I was an athlete, I was strong and a feminine powerhouse!
#4 – I TOTALLY ROCKED A SPORTS BRA
The more I did, the better I felt and I mustered up the courage to invite other women in my tribe (fitness students and friends alike) to join in on what is now the #irockthesportsbra body positive campaign. Today, women everywhere have accepted the challenge and are sharing their own experiences in their sports bra and helping to spread the good energy! Instagram has flooded with selfies and beautiful women who are empowered and unafraid of being in their skin—and their sportsbras!
Ready to join my #irockthesporstbra tribe and take the challenge? Visit me on IG! @thefitfem.