Last month, there was a campaign launched which caused a great deal of controversy. You must know the one… Gorgeous blond, skimpy bikini, “Are you beach body ready?”
Needless to say, you don’t need to look like a model to go to the beach. Real women have imperfections, stretch marks, and perhaps even a baby belly which has never gone away. Every body is “beach body ready” and we should be supporting women who are confident enough to wear whatever they like to the beach.
Now, I will admit to stepping up the exercise when I am about to go on holiday. Yes, I strive to be fit and healthy and I would rather be toned than wobbly but my aim is to be strong not skinny. Being beach body ready for me just requires a bit of confidence and perhaps a little spraytan beforehand!
When I was growing up, the trend on the catwalks was ‘waif-like’ and models were super-skinny – something that no real woman could relate to. Thankfully this look is well and truly a thing of the past. Nowadays, we are far more focussed on being healthy with good nutrition and regular exercise, and as a result we’re building our body confidence.
I have at times suffered with my own body confidence over the years. People assume that because I work in the media that I have to focus on staying slim and I am always asked about “the pressure of looking good for TV” but my body confidence has nothing to do with my profession. In television, presenters and actresses come in all shapes and sizes and this really does not affect your success or hinder your career.
Quite simply, I suffer from lack of body confidence when I am feeling neither fit nor healthy or when my enthusiasm is low. For me, body confidence is all about how I feel and less about what I see in the mirror. A simple run around the block or a quick 20 minutes in the gym in the morning can change my entire outlook. It can make me feel energised and happy. That’s when I’m beach body ready!
I want to be a positive role model to my daughter and ensure that she does not have issues with the way she looks. I would much rather celebrate her being strong, smart and successful than wearing a skimpy bikini!
Before I go, I just want to tell you about a fitness challenge I’ve signed up for and am looking for people to join me! How do you fancy Trekking Beyond the Grand Canyon to raise money for Global’s Make Some Noise? It will be incredible and you’ll burn a ton of calories!
You’ve got till next spring to get fit for it but it will be worth it as you’ll be trekking over a week from Phoenix to Vegas, through Arizona, Utah and into Nevada, heading away from the well-worn pathways of the usual tourist trails, passing beautiful cascading falls and pools of clear blue water, wading across creek beds and following steep winding switchbacks into canyons of towering redbuttes. I cannot wait and if you fancy coming along too, take a look at heart.co.uk for more info.
