Every January, some of us make resolutions to eat healthy, start exercising and get fit in general. Healthy eating is something I am passionate about and I started exercising regularly last year, but... I wouldn't consider myself fit. If I had to run a couple of miles today, I would probably cry, because I never run during the colder months... I would love to be able to run a marathon one day and it is definitely something I will consider in the future, but at the moment, I just want to be as fit and as healthy as possible.
I am guilty of browsing tumblr and pinterest for some fitspiration, but they are usually full of unrealistic images and focus on 'thigh gaps', perfect abs or ways to get a 'Kim K bum'. Let's just say, that my body type will never allow me to have a perfect hourglass figure without surgery, but as an adult - I am fine with that. My teenage years were ruined, because I had unrealistic expectations and I developed an eating disorder, trying to get a tiny waist and perfect legs. It wasn't fun... it was horrible. I wish I could give my teenage self some advice and reassurance. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my body, but the society was telling me something totally different. If you think that UK is bad for 'body shaming' and 'fat shaming', you would be shocked to see the way people act about it in Poland (where I grew up). It is absolutely horrendous, especially at school, on social media and in everyday life.
When bwin asked me, if I would like to take part in their 'Women in Sport' campaign, I knew exactly what I was going to write. After watching all the amazing female athletes compete in London Olympics in 2012, I changed my mindset and focused on getting fit and healthy, not on achieving the unrealistic body shape and size I have been dreaming about... I can thank Jessica Ennis for this :) She is absolutely incredible and I am pretty sure that she inspired many of us to become more active. Winning the heptathlon with a series of personal bests, hundreds of points ahead of her rivals, she left everyone speechless. I can't even imagine how hard she had to train to become such an amazing athlete and win the gold medal. That's the kind of role model we should be looking up to, not celebrities in glossy magazines, with no real achievements. I really hope, that girls in UK and across the world are inspired to be fit and healthy, instead of trying to be 'perfect'. No matter what body shape or height we are, we should accept it and live a happy, active life and set a good example for our children etc.
If you were thinking about taking up a new sport - go for it! A couple of hours a week, could make a big difference to your health and you might actually enjoy it. It can be dancing, zumba, a long walk, kickboxing, running, yoga, swimming, gym etc. Looking after my little boy 24/7 means that I very rarely have 'me time', but it doesn't stop me from being active. When I have spare time, I use my stationary bike, a simple aerobic step and I also do Blogilates and Tone It Up workouts- you can find them on youtube and they are free!
If you were thinking about taking up a new sport - go for it! A couple of hours a week, could make a big difference to your health and you might actually enjoy it. It can be dancing, zumba, a long walk, kickboxing, running, yoga, swimming, gym etc. Looking after my little boy 24/7 means that I very rarely have 'me time', but it doesn't stop me from being active. When I have spare time, I use my stationary bike, a simple aerobic step and I also do Blogilates and Tone It Up workouts- you can find them on youtube and they are free!
Have you been inspired to get fit and healthy by someone? Let me know in the comments below. My fitspiration is definitely Jessica Ennis. I also admire the amazing Cassey Ho and her youtube channel Blogilates.
*post in association with bwin.com - all opinions are my own