Choosing Strength Over Skinny

Whenever I pass the magazine racks in the grocery store or bookstore, there’s at least one women’s magazine with some scantily-dressed woman (usually very young, white and blonde) on the cover. The pose is…hmm, how shall I describe it? “Sexy”? “Slutty”? Well, definitely “Skinny”! I could easily launch into a long tirade about how sexism, body shaming, “photoshopping” and other techniques are used to convince us to buy products and services that often don’t work to enhance our sense of well-being.

My reaction is even worse when it comes to how we maturing women are depicted in ads, entertainment, and pop culture. But I won’t go down that bumpy road in this post.

The bottom line is this: Is it any wonder why the majority of American women suffer from poor self-esteem and low self-confidence when it comes to our bodies and looks?

Choose Strength Over Skinny!

Let’s celebrate the moments when strong, fit women are showcased…like this one from STRONG Fitness Magazine’s cover of Shawn Towne. The November 2016 cover athlete started her journey to improved fitness and a healthier lifestyle in her mid-forties. In 2014, at age 47, she stepped onto the stage in her first bikini fitness competition, a type of judged bodybuilding event. She was 49 when she was featured in the magazine.

• EXCERPT from the article: “Learning how to weight train and eat properly, her body, strength, and confidence changed dramatically.“

I am not a fan of appearance-based contests (i.e. bodybuilding, beauty) because of their subjective nature (judging).

But what I AM A FAN OF is when women like Shawn make the decision for themselves to improve their fitness, embrace their achievements, and become more confident women. Isn’t that what we want for ourselves?! I encourage you to read her story!

You can see more of Slowpoke Divas’ “Favorite Magazine Covers” board over on Pinterest. Check it out and the other boards too (feel free to follow Slowpoke Divas!).

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