Why Plus Size Women Should Be Your Fitness Goals
Do plus size women work out? Umm, not only do they work out, they look damn good while doing it. Cough (checkout our cute workout selections here).
There’s a misconception that plus size women are not active and just sit around eating snow crabs while chasing them down with bottomless mimosas---- not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, let’s dispel the myth that plus-size women don’t prioritize fitness.
Do you remember how Oscar winner and comedian Monique had everyone on their feet at the 2007 BET Awards Show as she performed to Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”? Or how about how Missy Elliot used to physically flip it and reverse it in all her music videos?! Both women were considered plus size in their prime and could move with ease and agility.
And let’s not forget rapper and singer Lizzo who dominates the stage, going from energetic and electrifying dance routines to playing her beloved flute without missing a beat.
Ladies and gents, truth hurt (yes pun). Don’t let people sitting in the bleachers tell you that plus size women don’t get it in at the gym or on the dance floor.
Take plus-size dancer and dance company owner, Akira Armstrong, from the Pretty Big Movement who gained popularity a few years back when she shook up the dance world. After years of facing rejections from dance companies that doubted her ability to perform as seamlessly as more slender dancers, she took matters into her own hands. She created a space where women who looked like her could live out their dreams of becoming professional dancers.
Photo rights belong to PrettyBigMovement.com.
If you’ve been slacking on your workouts or just new to the fitness lifestyle, take it slow. Your fitness goals might look different from your friends or colleagues. Not everyone who frequents the gym aims to be ripped and shredded. Different people have different goals and you’re no exception.
Some women like their curves and choose exercise as a form of therapy, as a hobby, and as a means of staying healthy. By exercising, you can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Below, we explore ways you can approach health & wellness on your own terms.
Visit your doctor to get a baseline of your overall health. Knowing your physical health status is crucial when exploring what type of health and wellness goals you want to achieve. People gain weight or may experience trouble shedding pounds due to a myriad of reasons. Take, for instance, an underperforming thyroid gland, also known as hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroxine hormone, which can lead to weight gain. Some people who take steroids for inflammatory conditions may experience weight gain. Also, certain psych meds may cause weight gain. This is why there's more than meets the eye when you see a plus size person. If your goal is to lose weight, perhaps you and your doctor can address your barriers and devise a plan to help you reach your goal.
Invest in home workouts. Just as a reminder, we’re still in a pandemic. And depending on where you live, restrictions might be more relaxed than in other regions. If you’re opting to stay inside until the coast is completely clear, make home workouts an experience. We’re not talking about just having your dumbbells, rope, and a yoga mat. Get super cute as if you were actually going to the gym. Don't just throw on your house clothes. Throw on your plus size leggings, waist trainer, your cute sneakers, and shoot - put on a little bit of lip gloss. Make a Tik Tok video or Instagram Reel to break up the monotony of home workouts. Need workout suggestions? Stay tuned for our free virtual workout classes that you can follow to get your 35 minutes of movement in per day.
Mind your business and stay hydrated. The benefits of drinking water (and minding your business) are countless. Water helps you to lose weight, detox impurities out of your body, promotes healthier-looking skin, etc. Most importantly, water helps you stay hydrated during mid-to-strenuous physical activity. How can you go hard in the paint if you’re not hydrated?
Purchase food and supplements that promote a healthy lifestyle. Even if you’ve modified your workouts to fit your stamina and endurance level, you still need a diet that complements your workout. Healthline.com lists 27 foods that can give you more energy, a big component when you’re working out. The list includes water, brown rice, eggs, bananas, all aimed at helping you power through your day and workout. Take pre-workout and post-workout supplements. You don't have to be benching 350 at the gym to take workout supplements. A pre-workout promotes energy and increased stamina. A post-workout supplement helps with muscle recovery and refuels your body after a workout. You can find these supplements at The Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, or Amazon.
Find the right workout for you. When it comes to fitness workouts, the options are endless. You can choose to be an avid runner, a Zumba Queen, a Spartan Warrior, or a Gym Rat. But what you should consider is, your workouts may have to be modified to fit your current fitness level. Also, it might not be wise to do a Spartan race if you can’t last 10 minutes on the treadmill.
The goal is to get moving, even if you’re 150 pounds or 350 pounds. Thanks to a new shift in the plus size community, where everything from finding cute plus size workout clothes to a body positivity movement, plus size women are showing that they’re not monolithic. We’re running marathons, participating in dance battles, and showing up at the gym.
As you can see, being plus size and trying to be fit faces its own unique challenges. The biases and stereotypes would cause anyone to give up. Yet, plus size women keep going and remain true to their own personal health & wellness journey. Fit plus size women should be your fitness goals because their tenacity and commitment transcends all body types.