I Heart Fitness Models

There are a few reasons why I think fitness models are so fantastic. In comparison to fitness models, fashion models, for the most part, all have similar attributes. They're usually tall, slim, and have a striking feature of some sort; large eyes, voluptuous lips, high cheekbones. The build and appearance of a fashion model is usually something that they are born with, something that comes quite naturally to them. For models who aren't naturally slim, sometimes drastic, unhealthy, and dangerous eating and lifestyle habits are practiced in order to achieve that 'Twiggy' look. The girls in fashion mags are typically very young, sometimes under age, and have immature figures to prove it. What I'm trying to say is that fashion models seem to have a type, and girls who aren't born that way will go to the extreme to achieve that look.

What's so refreshing about fitness models is that no one, not a single one, was born with that figure. There isn't a person on the planet that is naturally shredded. People can be predisposed to build muscle easier than others, sure, but they still have to work their asses off to get the muscular definition that fitness models exhibit. As opposed to fashion models, the lifestyle of a fitness model is practically incompatible with unhealthy habits. I'm sure there's an exception out there, possibly a fitness model who manages to work out and maintain an amazing physique that also binge drinks or uses drugs, but I'd be willing to bet there aren't many, if any exist at all. The simple fact is that you can't build muscle and achieve a figure like that by treating your body with any disrespect. You need to be incredibly disciplined, focused, motivated, and positive to put in the kind of hours it takes to build a physique that's worthy of a fitness magazine cover.

Fitness models can be tall or short, and vary from the incredibly muscular to the fit and toned, but they all have one thing in common. They have all EARNED that body. When I see a fitness model wearing lingerie or rocking a skimpy bathing suit, I don't shake my head or question their integrity, I appreciate. I appreciate the amount of hard work and discipline that woman has, I appreciate her power and confidence. She has earned the right to show off her physique, similar to the way a painter showcases a piece of art. Fitness models have bodies that are carefully sculpted and nourished to maximize results and minimize weaknesses. The figure of a fitness model is as inspiring as it is beautiful, a benchmark of what the human body is capable of.

If fitness models were showcased in magazines other than fitness publications, imagine what an impression that might make on a young girl. I think it's a pretty safe bet to say that a girl who aspires to be a fitness model would have a difficult time finding an unhealthy way to do it. Regardless of what you were born with, becoming highly involved in your physical health can override many genetic predispositions to unfavorable features. You'll often hear many models make remarks like 'I wasn't born with this body', and the reality of that is evident everywhere in the fitness industry.

Something that I have come to love about fitness models is the use of the word 'physique'. I can't even begin to tell you how refreshing it is to read comments on a photograph that say things like 'wow, beautiful physique' or 'incredible definition'. There is a level of appreciation versus objectification that you feel emanating from those pictures. These women are powerful representations of the female figure and they're not afraid to show it! Men seem to stare in awe instead of leering suggestively. It's an interesting dynamic to observe.

I'm not saying that every fashion model is unhealthy or that every fitness model is perfectly healthy, all I'm trying to say is that if we put a little more emphasis on what can be achieved individually instead of what someone is naturally born with it would go a long way for the dreams and ideas of young women everywhere. A girl who might not have a chance in the fashion model world might exceed her own expectations in the fitness industry. I am really thrilled to have stumbled upon this lovely little niche of society on my own journey to health, and I hope to bring some of what fitness is all about to the lives of the people around me. It is definitely not for everyone, and it's certainly too early to tell if it's something I'll be able to do with much success, but I sincerely hope to spread a little fitness love around to women and girls everywhere.  It's an industry that's steadily gaining popularity around the globe, and rightfully so. The fitness revolution has begun, and we all stand to gain from it.

Meg
xoxo