As I write this post, I'm sitting at my daughter's softball practice -- again. Watching her field ground balls, I'm struck by the ease with which she moves. She's fit and confident, and the physical effort involved is just part of a game she loves.
She's found her power on that ball field. And it's a beautiful thing to watch.
There was a time I allowed myself to believe that exercise was about nothing more than burning calories and getting smaller -- penance for something I'd eaten or a license to eat whatever I wanted later. I was a certified fitness instructor in my 20s, teaching step aerobics at gyms across the state. In my early 30s, with two young kids in tow, the key part of fitness for me was "fit" -- as in, could I "fit" a workout into my day? More often than not, the answer was no.
Right around the time I turned 40, though, I rediscovered exercise and it took on a whole new meaning for me. Now, moving is a natural part of every day. It's not about punishment or an end goal anymore; it's purely about the way exercise makes me feel: Stronger, saner...better.
As I was flipping through the July 2009 issue of Self magazine, I came across an interview with Jillian Michaels, one of the trainers on NBC's "The Biggest Loser." She recounted her days as an overweight teenager and her transition -- via martial arts training -- into the fit adult she is today. She said, "Fitness makes you carry yourself differently. You're empowered."
Watching my daughter last night and thinking about Michaels' words, I realized: That's it.
As a mom, encouraging my daughter in a sport she loves -- driving her to practices and games, cheering her on -- is one of the greatest body image gifts I can give her. Because a fit body (and please note that I didn't say skinny) is an empowered body. It's hard to feel bad about yourself when you've just slid into home to score the winning run.
But it doesn't stop with supporting her in her efforts. It's also my job to show her that you can feel "empowered" by fitness at any age. Every time I lace up my sneakers, hop on my bike or put on my dance shoes, I'm showing her that being fit is also a gift I give to myself...and that my body is worth the time it takes to care for it.
