Drop it like a squat. Girls who lift. Swolemate. When bae lifts. So many expressions have come forth recently that highlight the strength within the female body. Muscle, strength and confidence are now desired qualities, rather than having the skinniest legs or flattest stomach. Girls are going strong and I witness things every day that prove it. 

I work at the gym on campus and am here for hours a day working out, answering questions or monitoring classes. The biggest thing I have noticed in the weight room is more girls gravitating away from the cardio area and toward the squat rack. I see pages on Instagram and Pinterest filled with sweaty, toned women working hard and eating well, and these women are coming together to form what I like to think of as a fitness revolution. 

My life used to be about being skinny. Little food and lightheadedness were a daily occurrence. Diet soda replaced food, and cardio was prioritized over weights. I did not care if I couldn't pickup a heavy box or do a pull-up as long as my weight was low. I, by no means, had an eating disorder. I looked healthy and performed well as a three-sport athlete. But my mindset was not healthy. Life revolved around food, not happiness, and this is nothing to strive for. 

When I got to college, I discovered lifting. For the past year and a half, I have focused on my strength, mood and level of energy as opposed to my weight. I surround myself with people who are are peppy, happy and have a zest for life that I once craved so badly. Too many girls have had my past mindset, or still do. Stop it. Stop starving yourself and stop being okay with being unhappy. I have been a Crossfit-er, I have done ju jitsu and kick boxing, and I have been a runner. And I still do all of these things. 

It is awesome when you pull yourself away from deprivation and begin to thrive. You glow, you become humble and you discover your body is unique. You have your own individual relationship with your physical self, and it is up to you to shape it. Treat yourself right and you can do amazing things. Fuel yourself and treat your body like a Porsche: put good, wholesome things in at the right amounts and push yourself daily. 

Think about what you want to do. Lift something heavy. Hit a punching bag. Build yourself, don't break yourself down. You have one life and one body. Wake up tomorrow and do something that makes you better. Be strong.