Getting Big

“Women need iron, not the vitamin. The barbell…We are taught that the only good direction for the scale to go is down, and to agonize ritualistically when it goes up….We are taught to think that our bodies as decorative, and object to be looked at….We are taught to be gentle and hide our strength or even to cultivate charming physical weakness until we start to believe that our bodies are weak. Iron teaches us how strong we can be” – gamesandtrips.com. (https://www.gamesandtrips.com/2012/05/31/why-women-need-iron/)

When I was in fourth grade, I was about 5’5ish” and I remember crying because I weighed 110 pounds. It was the first time in my life that I ever hit three digits on the scale. Which is OBVIOUSLY normal for a human to weight over 99 pounds. But even as a fourth grader, I noticed the weight on the scale. “Don’t get over 150 pounds.” To me the number on the scale was a constant goal. The weight on the scale meant skinny or fat. And skinny meant beautiful and desirable.

From early on women are taught that being slight, being vulnerable, and being quiet is desirable to men. A man needs to be the hero. And you are who they are going to save, so don’t do anything that would make them feel inferior. And if you do, then you are never going to find a man. And if you don’t find a man and get married, then your life is unfulfilled.

Well, I’m here to say that that is a load of POPPYCOCK. The whole standard of what makes a woman a woman is so flawed and so disgusting. Who set this standard? Who benefits off of the insecurities of women? I often hear from women is “I just need to lose 10 pounds.”  or “I need to get rid of this **grabs stomach or love handles*** Well then what? Will you be fulfilled if you lose 10 pounds? Will your life get better if you have a 6 pack?

When I graduated from college, I weighed 200 pounds. I wasn’t healthy, in any aspect of my life, especially not mentally. Then I started doing CrossFit, and I dropped down to 150. I was MUCH healthier and fitter. Two years later, I weigh 175. I am healthy and fit. At both weights, I was and am healthier and fitter everyday. And I don’t feel bad about my weight. So when you ask me how much I weigh, you don’t need to respond with “well you’re tall,” or “if it makes you feel better my wife weighs 170 too,” or “well you have a lot of muscle.” Never did I once say I feel bad about how much I weigh. You just made that assumption because a women is supposed to be uncomfortable about her weight. I am proud to be 175. I am proud to be, as T-Pain would say, thicker than a snicker.

What if instead of buying into these beliefs, we focused on living a healthy and fulfilled life EVERYDAY? We need to start asking, who benefits off of our insecurities. There are a lot of industries that love to exploit women. They want to make you feel certain way about yourself for THEIR benefit.

I am big. The last two years of my life have been such a transformation that many can attest to. I am no longer constantly worried about saying or doing the wrong thing that might make me “undesirable.” I am big in all aspects of my life.

I dare us all to be our own heroine. Be a force. Be a presence. Make yourself known.  Be loud. Be strong. Be big.

Author: becauseshedared

Just the world's most average 26-year-old daring herself to be more. And to answer your question my last name rhymes with "push-us." Pronounced: GUSH-us. instagram: gussiaaspushus View all posts by becauseshedared