Big Fit Girl. Louise Green

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       TWO

       Unleashing Your Inner Athlete

      I AM AN ATHLETE. When I run the streets of my neighborhood with my running tribe around me, pushing my body to its limits, sweat dripping from my forehead, I am an athlete. When I race across the finish line, swim my final lap, or finish a particularly challenging fitness class, I am an athlete. And you can become an athlete too.

      In the past I tried many times to find my way to an active life. Maybe you can relate: I would start an activity only to get discouraged and end up back on the couch, feeling guilty and defeated. I would be overly enthusiastic and join a new gym, commit myself to a two-year contract, and vow that this time I would finally get my shit together. I would shift excessively into “all” mode and then in fairly short order slip back into “nothing” mode, then add up more failure and disappointment.

      I was convinced, and maybe you are too, that athletics and the healthful life I desired were reserved for a group of thin elites. Why was I convinced that I could only be an athlete if I fit a particular body type?

      “Athlete,” as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, means a person who is proficient in fitness or sport. Proficient. Oxford does not mention age, gender, race, or physical size. Today, by society’s standards, the word “athlete” means being ripped and muscular. When men or women fit the dictionary definition of “athlete” but do not have the body type dictated by our culture, they may be subject to ridicule.

      You may remember what the reaction was to baseball player Prince Fielder when his fat, naked body graced the cover of ESPN The Magazine in 2014. The Internet exploded with body-shaming comments that ridiculed Fielder for his strong, muscular—but apparently not ripped enough—physique. We are guilty, collectively, of associating “athlete” with thin, muscular frames but not bodies that fall outside of that narrow range.

      At a press conference Fielder spoke his truth about the reaction from society. “A lot of people probably think I’m not athletic or don’t even try to work out or whatever, but I do,” Fielder said. “Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you can’t be an athlete. And, just because you work out doesn’t mean you’re going to have a twelve-pack. I work out to make sure I can do my job to the best of my ability. Other than that, I’m not going up there trying to be a fitness model.”

      It’s time to restore the true meaning of the word “athlete.” Everyone has the ability to become athletically proficient, to achieve and often exceed their expectations of themselves, and everyone has the right to bring their bad-ass powerhouse self into the forum of sports and physical activity. If you buy into the idea that an athlete’s body must fit society’s narrow ideal—chiseled, youthful, probably Caucasian—you are cheating the rest of us who are athletes but do not have the “right” body type. We need you in this fight to prove that we all have a place in the arena, at the starting line, on the field. For the sake of the next generation we must challenge cultural stereotypes and raise kids who see sports and health as all-inclusive.

       Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike:

      “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

      What will it take for most people to believe that an athlete is someone proficient at sports, no matter their BMI? Seeing is believing and there is a whole tribe of women of size unleashing their inner athletes on the Internet. The images they post online have become highly influential because they help people recognize their own potential to become athletes. Plus-size yogis, runners, Olympians, and triathletes all exist and are helping to redefine what athleticism is. Here is a list of popular Instagrammers who are influencing others to embrace a new style of athleticism.

      •Roz the Diva: @rozthediva

      •Leah Gilbert: @leebee2321

      •Jill Angie: @notyouraveragerunner

      •Jessamyn Stanley: @mynameisjessamyn

      •Athena Multi Sport Magazine: @athenamultisportmag

      •Fat Girls’ Guide to Running: @thefatgirlsguidetorunning

      •Dana Falsetti: @nolatrees

      •Mirna Valerio: @themirnavator

      •Glitter and Lazers: @glitterandlazers

      •Valerie Sagun: @biggalyoga

      •Fat Girls Hiking: @fatgirlshiking

      •Louise Green (me!): @Louisegreen_bigfitgirl

      FOR MANY YEARS, I saw no athletes who looked like me and did not have the confidence to pursue my dreams but I finally took the leap and realized that in doing so, I could be an example myself.

       Whitney Way Thore, star of TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life:

      “Remember that confidence is a product of action. I rarely have the innate confidence to do something challenging; it is through my commitment to do uncomfortable things that I realize no obstacle is insurmountable, and then confidence is gained as a result. No one is born with a finite amount of confidence—it must be worked for, and it must be earned, and therefore it is an unexpected joy every time it arrives (and it will arrive over and over again, each time you force yourself outside of your comfort zone).”

      On my journey, I discovered that I needed to replace my negative thoughts with positive ones; my “can’t”s needed to turn into “can”s. This meant first acknowledging the negative thoughts and fears that were holding me back. I always thought that athletes were somehow different from me, that they had special powers that I didn’t possess. I would always compare my life to theirs and focus on ways they had an advantage over me. I would make excuses, cancel my commitments to physical activity, and come up with elaborate lists of reasons why it wasn’t possible for me to exercise. I now know that my fear was fueling self-sabotage.

      Think about any fears you might have. Remember, fear can often show up in the form of making excuses, blaming others, being angry, and sabotaging yourself.

      When I really think about what my fear was, it was ultimately fear of failure. I didn’t want to put myself out there in case people found out I was a fraud and I couldn’t do it. I think many of us have a fear of failure, but unless we try, we will never get to experience the victory of reaching our fitness goals. Is fear stopping you? СКАЧАТЬ