Summer is right around the corner, and with that comes everyone rushing to get their ideal summer body. We all know the standard societal expectations. It seems as though every woman is expected to have a flat stomach, a thin waistline and an overall slim figure. So many women have constantly felt defined by a number on a scale. However, society's standards are changing. While many still believe that the number on a scale is the most important thing, more and more women are starting to realize something so much more important: strong is the new skinny.

I don't want to be thin; I want to be strong. The world is scary and I'm tired of being seen as fragile and incapable of defending myself solely because I am female. I'm not looking for a number on a scale to go down, but rather up. I don't want to lose weight - I want to gain muscle. This doesn't mean I want to be a bodybuilder or get rid of my feminine traits, but I am not interested in being a damsel in distress.

For some reason it has become a stigma that girls who have muscle are not sexy, but rather masculine. But how is it that having muscle makes me any less feminine? Sure, a flat stomach is sexy, but a flat stomach due to abs is sexier. A girl who actually has some definition when she flexes her arms is sexy. A defined calf muscle is sexy; especially in heels.

What's even sexier? A woman who isn't afraid to go against the stereotype of being "skinny" and instead wants to be strong and healthy. I no longer look at Victoria's Secret models and get envious, but rather get afraid at the fact that their legs look as though they could break any second. To me, there is nothing sexy about being breakable.

The new "goals" for women have changed from being twigs to having shape and strength. There is nothing more reassuring than knowing that future generations won't have to grow up wishing they were a size 0, but rather wanting to be fit.

As more women start to realize that strong is the new skinny, there will be no more comments that insult our capabilities. No more "you run like a girl" or "hit like a girl" being a shot at the female gender. Because I hit like a girl and that's something to be proud of.

Strong is healthy. Strong is confident. Strong is sexy. Strong is beautiful.