With fitness myths and fad diets designed to help women lose weight, and perpetuating the age-old belief that being fit means being thin, it is easy to forget that there is no such thing as a “perfect” size. Being physically fit has more to do with athletic capability than with looking a certain way.
To put things into perspective: An Olympic gymnast is probably going to be physically smaller than an Olympic weightlifter – but they’re both fit, as evidenced by the fact that they’ve managed to qualify for the Olympics.
Blasting all unrealistic notions of there being such a thing as a standard “perfect” body, a video by Vitamin Stree, aptly titled “Fit is Not a Body Type”, celebrates active women everywhere – age, shape, and size be damned.
While the peppy music accompanied by the stirring lyrics would have been reason enough to love it – the beat is enough to make you pump up and get going. The video features 46 women engaged in 14 different activities (from yoga to kettlebell and everything in between) and is truly inspiring.
The video features, among others, Dolly Singh, a yoga enthusiast from Mumbai, who has been promoting body positivity by showing how one’s build need not get in the way of difficult yogic postures.
The catchy lyrics urge women to take up whatever they fancy – martial arts or strength training – and to pay no heed to the naysayers. There are always going to be naysayers who point out things as inane as sweat, or who call women out for being too masculine for engaging in activities traditionally associated with men, such as lifting.
Yes, most people take up exercise to look better, but it is important to remember that there is no one definition of what looks good.
Therefore, ladies, aspire to be fit and for an overall well-being, and do not be a slave to body size!
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