Stop what you’re doing.
Watch this:
http://youtu.be/XjJQBjWYDTs
When I saw this video this weekend, I stopped in my tracks. How many times in your life that you heard someone refer to “running like a girl” or “throwing like a girl”? How many times have you SAID it? I’m know I’m guilty.
To quote the commercial: “Why can’t ‘run like a girl’ also mean win the race?”
We grow up thinking we can succeed… but not to the point that a man can. I won’t ever play for the Braves or lift as much as the guy next to me (maybe 😉 ), but that doesn’t diminish what I CAN do. We don’t have to do things like a boy. Doing them like a girl is just fine!
That’s one more reason I’m loving the #MoveHappy month Heather and I are partnering on. Fitness doesn’t have to look any certain way. It should be something that keeps you moving, that challenges you, and – most importantly – that you enjoy. Fitness should be fun, not a chore.
Ready For the Week 1 Prizes?
Like I mentioned last week, we have some awesome prizes to keep you motivated all month! These are from brands we personally love, and I think you’ll find they are some of your favorite too (or maybe new favorites?). The challenge starts July 1st and ends August 2nd.
Fabletics (an outfit from current lookbook, a gym bag and water bottle) & Variety Box of 12 Quest Bars! That’s right. Workout schwag and the holy grail of protein bars. Life is good, my friends.
How to Participate
To be eligible for each week’s prizes, you simply record at least 3 #MoveHappy workouts on the official #MoveHappy post of the week. This first week is hosted by Heather (the second week will be by me). Heather is also announcing her NEW website and blog name this week, so go holla at her!
You can also earn BONUS ENTRIES by sharing your progress on Instagram. After you’ve recorded your 3 workouts on the official blog post, you will receive extra entries each time you share a #MoveHappy photo on Instagram, including the hashtag and tagging @sprint2thetable and @betterwithveg. We’ll randomly select a winner from the entries.
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I got my #MoveHappy on this weekend lifting some heavy shoulder weights and playing softball #LikeAGirl.
What do you do like a girl?
How will you #MoveHappy this week? Don’t forget to enter by recording it in the comments on Heather’s blog!
Lucie@FitSwissChick says
OMG I love this video SO much. I definitely used the term myself – guilty. And I won’t anymore!!
Yay so excited for the challenge! Heading to Heathers blog now!
anoushe says
I love this video so so so much – especially when they asked the little girls what running, hitting etc like a girl mean to them – it’s such an eye opener. “Like a girl” at our age is used in a “not good” way – women often don’t get treated the same way men do, especially when it comes to sports, and often we are told to “man up” if we want to accomplish things. Why can’t we “woman up” – women are strong and we can be just as amazing at anything that men can be (even better because we can do that all and have the ability to have children, ha!).
I will definitely try and be more aware of my use of “doing something like a girl” and will support being the best each and every individual can be even more 🙂
Laura says
I know! I’ve been showing it to everyone. So important to stop the cycle.
Linda @ Fit Fed and Happy says
Horray! It’s starting! When we post on instagram, should we share the post URL on the official #movehappy post of the week?
Laura says
No need! We’re collecting it via the tags. 🙂
Jennifer F says
I’m going to #movehappy today by working out with my 17 year old son — gonna show him some moves 😉
Laura says
That’s awesome! I love “schooling” kids. 😉
lindsay says
i so loved that video! ROCK ON GIRLS!
Laura says
\m/
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says
I definitely love the video! I’m a little weary of the fact that it’s sponsored by a company whose ultimate goal is to sell women’s products, but I think that the message is great.
Laura says
I know… I thought of that too. I really appreciated that it wasn’t sales-focused though.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Isn’t that video SO powerful? It really made me sad at first to see what society does to the minds of people. But it is also inspirational to be proud to be a girl and to do great things AS A GIRL!
Laura says
Cheers to that!!
Dietitian Jess says
Will definitely be participating in this, and really loved the video. I just registered for an Oympic Distance Triathlon so I will be moving #likeagirl a ton for the next couple months, swim, bike, run, and of course can’t forgetting about lifting!
Laura says
Whoa… you’re a beast!!! Good luck with the training. I so admire people who do those!
Heather (Where's the Beach) says
What a very powerful video. I have a niece who will be 10. I remember being that age and starting to second guess pretty much anything I did, especially if it was athletic – other than ballet. And the funny thing is, my sister and I would get out with our cousins (all boys by the way) and kick their butts at basketball, baseball, heck, swimming. I definitely run like a girl and damn proud of it!
Laura says
I remember the same thing… we’d be out there wrestling or whatever with the guys and holding our own though!
Jess says
I usually hate ‘motivational’ videos about body confidence, love yourself etc etc, but this was truly great. I honestly had tears in my eyes at one point. I had ‘like a girl’ used as an insult against me throughout my childhood because I was overweight and useless at sports. That still haunts me and it tore me down for a long time. Now I try my hardest to beat as many men as I can at any race I run (I’m injured at the moment, but when I’m healthy I target men more than women and you can see it kills their ego to have a girl overtake them), and I can out-lift most of the men in my Body Pump class.
There are so many negative terms relating specifically to associations of being female in today’s culture and society. I’ve never really thought about it that deeply before, but it really does make me sick. I really hope this campaign is successful in terms of awareness, at the very least. I think deep cultural change will take a lot more time, but I do hope that change eventually comes.
Laura says
Good for you!!! I had so many chill bumps watching that – I got told I ran “like a girl” all the time, so being able to get faster as an adult has meant a lot to me as well. We have seen some change – just think about how hard it was for our grandparents! Still a long road… but it’s coming!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
LOVE that video!!!
Larisa @ 0to26point2 says
Love this video, thanks for posting. I will def be checking out the challenge you guys are having.
Laura says
Thanks Larisa! 🙂
Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie says
I LOVE this! I’m so glad times are changing.
Laura says
Like a Bob Dylan song. 😉
Heather @ FITaspire says
I had a running tank that said “Yes, I run like a girl. Try to keep up” years ago that I LOVED!!
Laura says
I see those at expos! I want a “I lift like a girl” tank. 🙂
Megan (The Lyons' Share) says
Wow. When most people share videos, I admit I don’t watch them, but I am so glad I watched this one. I almost took a picture of my legs because I truly got goosebumps, but then I realized I’d already Instagrammed one #MoveHappy picture of my legs today, so a second might be overkill ;). Seriously though, I hope everyone sees that video. I’m sending on to 3 of my nieces (the ones who are old enough to appreciate it) right now. Thank you!
Laura says
I’m so glad you watched this one! I probably would have sent you the link if you hadn’t. 😉 I knew you’d love it!
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta says
I love this video. It was astonishing to me (though it probably shouldn’t have been) the difference that like a girl meant to girls of different ages. As a coach of girls, I hate any use of terms like that. Yeah, running like a girl is winning the race. Or not, it may just be competing in the race. But, yeah, running strong. Like a girl.
Laura says
Isn’t it though? And the ones with the negative impressions of the phrase weren’t that much older!
Tamara says
This video made me angry. I have two sons and a daughter and my boys know never to use the phrase ‘like a girl’ in a derogatory way.
That being said, I’m all for embracing the ‘in your face’ hashtag. Today, I kayaked #likeagirl And yes, I did wear a dress (a running dress, but it was still a dress)!
Laura says
That’s so good to hear your boys know better than to use that phrase negatively! Hopefully more parents will drill that point home with their kids and we can’t put this craziness to bed!
Court Star @ StarSystemzFitness says
That video alarmed me in more ways than one, seriously kids are so smart, we should really sit back and let them show us how we are in society! Thanks for sharing this video Laura!
Laura says
Do you see the same thing abroad? I always wonder if this is an American phrase…
Tara @ Sweat like a Pig says
My favourite response when someone (always, always a man) tells me that I’m “strong for a girl” is: “yeah, and I’m stronger than you too”. Hate the sexism!
Laura says
Haha – at first I thought you were going to say your response was to kick their ass. 😉
Sarah Pie says
I saw that video over the weekend and shared it with everyone I know, it was incredibly well done and the message couldn’t be more important! I’m ready to start #movehappy #likeagirl as soon as my darn hip heals 🙂
Laura says
I’m so glad you shared it! I’ve been doing the same. It blew me away. Hope the hip heals fast!!!
Choc Chip Uru says
Kids are way smarter than credit is given to them, this video proves that! Share that video make it viral 😀
Great message!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru