Working Out Does Not Belong To Skinny People

Beauty standards shape the way people perceive plus-size individuals. It is a misconception that plus-size people are lazy, constantly overeat and don’t care about themselves. I have made it a personal goal to change the narrative. I am a plus-size woman who enjoys being physically active, eats tons of salads (because I enjoy them), participates in fasts and can do a split.

I find it extremely unfortunate that a large amount of society places negative stigmas on people due to their outward appearance. As an outspoken body positivity activist, I realize the importance of women sharing their stories, using their voices and ending body shaming. That is why I want to share a few of my favorite ways of staying active.

Walking 

Walking is a great way to stay active. It gives me the opportunity to get outside, clear my head and burn calories. Working inside can have its disadvantages. Taking the time to go outside even for ten minutes, to simply walk in the parking lot or down the street has many perks. Smelling fresh air, getting a little sun and changing your surroundings are just a few benefits of walking. That is why walking is my number one favorite way to stay active.

Dancing

Tearing my ACL may have ended my dancing career, but it did not prevent me from loving the activity. There is nothing I rather do than dance. Dancing increases circulation, increases your heart rate and makes me smile. Did I mention self expression? I love to express myself by turning on my favorite song and just letting my body do what it wants. Coming in at number two, dancing is definitely top of my list of ways I stay active.

 Stretching

When life gets busy and there are not enough hours in a day, I love to take five minutes and just stretch. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I know I can stretch. I don’t need any weights nor special equipment, all required is myself and a little room.  It only takes a few moments and at the end, I feel good about myself. No matter your fitness level, stretching is something anyone can do at any point of their fitness journey. That is what makes stretching so great.

 Swimming

As a plus-size woman, I am always looking for ways to burn calories, have fun and relieve stress from the joints in my knees and ankles. Swimming is the perfect way to do all the above. Being in the water is just as freeing for me as dancing. While swimming I feel connected with the water, I am virtually weightless and I have the opportunity to focus on me.  While in the water I can choose to push myself really hard and do laps or use the resistance of the water to build strength.

Climbing Steps  

I love the challenge of a good flight of steps. All too often, I make the excuse of not having access to a gym as my reason for not being active. That is why I like to find creative ways such as climbing steps, to move my body.  Climbing steps is a good way to stay active, burn calories, save electricity and workout in or outdoors. The only reason this activity is not closer to the top of my list is because finding steps takes a little bit of effort if you don’t live in a building or near a stadium. I prefer wooden steps such as ones that can be found at a park or beach due to the fact that concrete steps don’t absorb impact and can be painful.

I hope you enjoyed reading my favorite ways of staying active. Please tell me which was your favorite and why!

xoxo

Izzy