Comparing Female Bodies – is there one perfect shape?
Comparing Female Bodies – is there one perfect shape?
Hey guys!
Yesterday on Facebook when I posted this photo of female athlete body types, you guys had such a passionate response that I wanted to expand on it here today on the blog. The photos were taken by photographer Howard Schutz who interviewed hundreds of professional athletes at their physical peak. He was interested in seeing their musculoskeletal differences.
As you can see every woman here is shaped differently based on the sport she is involved in. All are fit and excel at their profession, but there is no perfect structure or perfect body type. The body type achieved is a result of her practice. The focus is to win the game and be better, faster, and stronger than your competitor. And to beat your personal record from last year.
The fitness world, or the commercial fitness world differs in that we are all so focused on looks, looks, LOOKS! How to get a six pack. How to get an inner thigh gap. How to get rid of muffintops. And you know what, there’s nothing wrong with that initially. If vanity is what first drives you to pay attention to your health, so be it. But it is important to note that vanity will not stay with you in the long haul. It is also not enough to make you stick to your goals. It is too superficial. Dig deeper and find the fire that fuels your drive. Is it to get more energy? Is it live happier? Become more confident? Be a role model?
If you are on a fitness journey to lose 20 lbs, take the focus away from losing that 1 or 2 lbs a week. Instead, put the focus into becoming the best dancer in your cardio dance class or improving speed and stamina on your run. You know what will happen? Your pounds will shed anyway. They always say that the moment you stop searching for something, it appears. This is the same. Stop waiting for the numbers to drop. Put the energy into improving yourself!
I always related this to finding a job you love vs. making money. If you slave away at your job just for the purpose of making money to buy things, what has happened to your life? Your job is at least 8 hrs of you day, you will HATE a majority of your life! If you find a job you LOVE and work at it for 10-12 hrs a day or more and make menial amounts of money, then you are happy for a majority of the day…so a majority of your life. But guess what? It doesn’t stop there. When you put your heart out there and do what you truly were meant to do, and are passionate, it all comes back to you. Your talent will be noticed. You’ll get a promotion. You’ll start your own business. The money will pour in.
So same with working out. Stop focusing on shedding pounds. Focus on loving your workout. The more you love it, the less it feels like work, and the more you look forward to it! MEANING the easier it will be to get fit. Make sense? I hope you find POP Pilates to be enjoyable! I love seeing you guys kill your calendars every month. It makes me so happy to see you getting stronger!
Now back to the athletes. As you can see, each competitor looks different but that does not mean that a rhythmic gymnast is a better than a long distance runner or a weightlifter. What do you mean by better anyway? They each have a different skill set and their focus is to be the best at their sport. Their body structure is simply a result of their training. It is definitely not the goal. The goal is to be strong, to be confident, and to win.
So what is the perfect body shape?
The one that makes you feel confident. The one that was sculpted from your desire to find happiness and health in doing what you love.
POPsters, today I ask you, why do you work out? Go ahead. Take a moment to dig deep and pull out your answer. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Love you,
Cassey
PS – I’m going to see Hunger Games tonight. I am really scared. I think my eyes will be closed for 3/4 of the movie. Eek!!!
164 thoughts on “Comparing Female Bodies – is there one perfect shape?”
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This image was both heartening and saddening. I wonder how the numbers were verified because I have a very hard time believing some of them. Being 5’1″ and weighing 85 pounds is a BMI of barely over 16…which is starvation level thin. That’s not a healthy thing to be putting out there, if it’s true. And if it’s not true, it’s just another thing that makes women feel badly about their weights. What’s wrong with an athlete owning her weight, honestly?
This reminds me of when I race in xc, I see all the runners on the starting line and you see the stick thin runners, then you see runners like me (5′ 5”, 135 lbs), and many other different body shapes.
I absolutely love reading all the comments on here. They’re all so motivating and I love “connecting” with other Popsters, even if I’ve never spoken a word to them!
I began working out due to my eating disorder. I mean, I think we’ve all heard the saying “less calories in, more calories out” at some point and that was exactly what exercising was for me: to get the calories out. Now, of course, working out just isn’t to burn calories (and it’s a whole lot more fun when you’re not focusing on that anyways!), but I’ve noticed that whenever I workout consistently, I don’t really mind how I look. I used to be super self conscious about my arms and thighs but after working out, I’m not afraid to wear short sleeves, tank tops, or shorts. I actually look forward to it to show off all the muscle I’ve gained! Besides, I barely even notice these flaws and have started to see all the good in me instead!
Why do I work out? Well, while keeping a nice, toned body is one reason, I absolutely love pilates. I swear, it was like love at first sight… er, work out. I enjoy doing it, I feel good doing it, and it gives me a sort of confidence, plus it keeps me healthy. That’s probably why I could stick with it for so long, so easily.
Cassey this was so inspiring to read, and it opened my eyes to realize that there isn’t “a perfect body” and that I should be happy with what results I get. This is helping me love my own body and appreciate it’s looks, not for what society thinks I should look like. You inspire me every day and I love your Pilates!
Lots of love and thanks,
Dakota xx
It may be weird to say, but when I enlarged the picture, I realized something very important. I thought I was going to be jealous of all their bodies, nitpicking of my own as well as theirs. I came to learn that at the end of it that there are always aspects of our bodies that we criticize, but I threw that notion away found that their talent and determination that was clear on their faces is so much more important to me. If I am jealous of anything, it is their astounding work ethic and success.
I work out because it helps me manage stress and feel better about myself. I have low self esteem and working out makes me feel like I did something right, even if everything went wrong that day. A lot of people in my family are overweight, so I am motivated to stay fit because I’ve seen the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
Has anyone received the body makeover diet? I purchased the book and i was under the impression that an email was being sent on the 26th with the information?
You loved the movie and hardly took your eyes off of it. Admit it. XD
I workout because I love learning what my body can accomplish, it gives me such a thrill to watch myself become stronger and do things that used to be impossible. I love working out because people naturally underestimate me because I’m small and it feels good to know that my height won’t stop me from doing things people think are impossible for me. 🙂
I work out because I am anxious. After a stressful period in my life, I knew I needed to do something to stay sane. I started to exercise first doing yoga and then experimenting with other types of exercises which is when I discovered you Cassey. I never realized how being physically strong could change my attitude and outlook on life. I am in my 40s and I am the strongest, healthiest, and happiest I have ever been in my life!
Hey fellow Popsters! PLEASE HELP
I’m just wondering if you receive the passwords (for the body make over) if you haven’t purchased the book? I’m signed up to blogilates, and I don’t have a youtube, twitter or Facebook account. Any solutions? Or have I misunderstood something? Please help?!
P.s I haven’t recieved anything yet and it’s the 27th in Aus.
I started my journey b/c of vanity and lack of confidence in my body. I will be the first to admit, my looks are a big motivator for me, but as time goes on, and my confidence is beginning to lift, I am seeing improvement in many other areas of my life b/c of my fitness level. I have always been obsessed with being strong, and for a large portion of my life I was. I was a fierce competitor in a variety of sports, but my main drive was my passion for horses. I am an avid equestrian, and for a few years, due to circumstances in life, I was away from my horses, and as a result, my fitness level dwindled. Now I have a horse again, and now it is winter again, and this is the time of the year when I notice my fitness level the most. Most people are the opposite, complaining of gaining weight an lacking ambition. While I also find that lack of ambition can be a problem, that is b/c winter is the toughest time of year for me. I live in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada. North of the 55th parallel, which means temperatures below -30 Celsius from November to April, and upwards of 6 feet of snow throughout the season. This means that every day when I go out to the stable, I have to fight with these conditions, and let me tell you, hauling a wheelbarrow through 4 feet of snow in November feels a lot like cross fit training. So needless to say, when it is a matter of needing to do it, not choosing to do it, it can be a little difficult to get motivated on some days. But when I come here, and I see all the support of this community, it makes my challenge seem a lot easier to conquer, and makes me want to strive to do more as well. I hope that by summer I am back to being fit and strong, and that my equitation sees a huge improvement b/c of it! I have been trying hard to set new goals that are healthy and attainable and I want to take the time to thank Cassey for all the work she has done for us, and for everyone else here who are all such an inspiration to me and others 🙂
I started working out because I love the way I feel after I do. I feel confident, like I can do anyhing. I feel like I have accomplished something. I don’t do it to be skinny, but to be healthy. Based on genetics, I will never be “skinny”, but I can be happy and healthy, so I work out, and I am. Exercise is an amazing thing! 🙂
I started working out because I felt at my age at the time, I was run down, out of energy and just not happy with how I was feeling. Then my focus was on keeping me healthy so I would be around to take care of my family who has a variety of health problems. My mom passed at the end of June this year and my focus changed again. I needed to do this for me. I’m not a selfish person by any means but I needed to do this one thing for me. My mom was so giving and always put herself last at everything. I wished she had more time to enjoy things she liked to do instead of doing what she felt she had to. I seen myself going down that same road and in my heart I know that’s not what she would have wanted for me. So with that said, I’m doing this for me! =)
i started working out with blogilates because it seemed like a fun different way of compared to the time i spent in the gym. after that i saw how i became more and more strong and decided to stick with it although i have had some pauses along the way because of time issues i come back to it because i am so inspired with everything cassey says i workout not to feel or be skinny but more because i like getting stronger getting to do those excercises that i didnt use to be able to do . before i worked out in a gym because i thought it was healthy but most of the time it was boring. Now i workout because its fun i feel better and i see myself become a better me
I started working out because being overwheight was a huge factor during my adolescene and high school years. I lacked so much confidence and it made me have very low self esteem. I had a hard time. When I grew up I started working in a call center taking calls for Beachbody. I earned a turbofire thanks to my productivity and started working out. My motivation started there. I wont make this a publicity post or anything so I will just say that I noticed I was loosing weight excersising. I had lost weight previously and this helped me to keep going. I stopped working there some time ago but I kept my rutine. I have to say I still struggle and I sometimes flip when I see the scale go up 2 pounds. I’ve learned to love my self and I love being able to buy clothes that fit me well. I’m inside of the wight for my height now but I want to loose 5 more pounds. I know I can do it and I know I will do it in a healthy way. Thanks Cassie for such delicious food recipes and for such fun hip workouts!
wow, this post really got to me. over years i have been in the constant battle against myself to try to lose weight. I have always sought it out for vanity and because i hated what i saw in the mirror every morning. but i never really asked myself why is it that i work out and try my best to eat clean. I really needed time to digest this post and really think about why i do what i do.
After much time, i think im ready. I want to work out to increase my confidence and self esteem and not only concentrate on losing weight. I have my self esteem to the floor and I have noticed that everytime I finish a workout, the feeling of accomplishment is what makes me feel good about myself and even sexy. I want to work out to please myself and be beautiful in my own eyes instead of aspiring to reach the perceptions of beauty in society. I want to be the STRONG AND CONFIDENT LATINA that I have always aspired to be.
Thank You so much Cassey! You are such a great inspiration to me!
I am not overweight particularly, i just felt sometimes like i had wobbly bits in all the wrong places. So i started doing the pop pilates videos and i feel so much better about myself! Although all my wobbly bits are not gone, i still feel a billion times better about myself and now i just do the videos because they make me happy!
I work out to become healthy and live my life to the fullest 🙂
Cassey I need some advice im a vegetarian or pescatarian cuz I eat fish any who I wanna gain more muscle and weight I lift alot of weight I do your workouts for legs arms and abs and ill also do p90x and that’s when I use my weights and I use about 30 to 50 lbs im 5’5 weigh 107 I take vega one for my protein idk what else to do 🙁
I started working out as most people I think because I wanted to have a great body and I didn’t like mine, I have never being actually fat nor overweighted but I was obsessed with weight before, after I got over the obsession I noticed how good working out made me feel, I feel confident when I workout and the best part is notizing the results when you are not waiting for them, actually Cassey’s videos showed me results way sooner than I expected to see them which motivated me soooo much to keep going, but I work out because it just makes me feel soooo good! I feel more confident and I feel beautiful, and most important energetic, helps think better and clear my mind…. you need to do it because you enjoy it! Eventually you learn to love it and that is a great feeling …the results will come and you wont even notice….
Teenagers today, specifically girls, are often obsessed with their weight and their looks, but assume starving themselves will lead them to a perfect “model” body they see in the movies and in advertisements.
I work out because I want to feel strong and confident. I don’t aim for the “stick and bones” image many of my friends crave, but instead I focus on a toned and muscular image. I enjoy being in shape and knowing I can push my body and see and feel the results.
i work out because i’ve been overweight for 7 years (i’m 14) a lot of girls seem to not eat & i tried to do it but thankfully failed, i also heard my cousin did this & she stopped growing & now as a 25 year old girl, she’s 4 ft 8. Instead of trying to take a ‘shortcut’ i’m putting a lot of effort in trying to reach my goal to become the right weight, even though my parents say “why do you bother, just eat healthy & you’ll get there in no time”, easier said then done.
You go girly! Keep on that right track!
Well done. That’s a really good attitude to have! Remember it’s not just weight – it’s measurements. I freaked out when I first started doing weight exercises because my weight increased. It took me a moment to cotton on to the fact that muscle weighs more than fat, so while I’d lost some fat, I’d gained a lot of muscle. Keep going Jesika! You’ll get there. 🙂
Heey Cassey
I started working out because I wanted to loose weight. I set myself (too) high goals and started to loose my motivation. But then I discovered you and all the POPsters and I set my goals lower. Now today I work out because it makes fun, still to eventually loose weight but much more to feel more confident and to see my personal progress.
Love xoxo
first, I started working out to loose weight, looking pretty for that one guy, looking as good as the other
girls in my class. Just because of these silly things, I started to eat less and working out more…
but now I LOVE working out, I feel a lot better, AND guess what? a lot prettier!
Thanks for posting this, I really needed it, because I started to compare myself to others again.
love you! (Sorry for my english, greets from Switzerlang! :D)
Love Andreanne’s comment about working out for the hunger games! Brilliant idea haha – although let’s hope it doesn’t ever come to that 😛
Each and every woman in the picture is gorgeous in her own unique way, and this is a brilliant post – so thanks Cassey!
I workout to get stronger and then get better when I climb cliffs 😀
I workout because I’m in my forties and I would like to gain some self confidence and sex appeal. After having babies, be a mom-wife 24×7, always taking care of my loving ones, therefore I just stop paying attention to myself.
Now, I see myself a little bit fat, nothing fits on me, and sometimes I don’t feel pretty and I don’t see anymore that sparkling look in the eyes of my husband when he looks at me.
So I decided to start making changes, little by little. What kind of changes?: First, I wanted to glow from inside to outside so I am developing my spiritual being, my soul, filling myself with positive thoughts. Second, taking natural care of my body, using everything I have at home to take care of my sking, my hair, my face… with ingredients that we all have at home without spending money and time in a beauty center. Third, enjoying everytime I workout, thinking that this exercises are making me stronger inside and outside, are helping me getting confidence in myself and feeling beautiful the way I am right now because it is taking me step by step to my goal, which is… light up my personal life and my relationship with myself and my love ones.
Hugs and kisses!!
its like i wrote it myself, *hugs and kisses* back from this 40 something gal doing the same thing 😉
I’m like a serial beginner. It’s been a semester of trying to get skinnier and it hasn’t worked. In the past, when I stop trying to lose weight, I usually just lose weight. I find that when I start trying to *lose weight* I just can’t do it. I decide to eat less and buy a tub of ice cream two hours later.
I have to focus on eating healthy one meal at a time and getting better at exercising (being able to do pilates at the next level of difficulty, running for an extra couple minutes, or you know, making it through a Poppilates workout without cursing).
I have completely the same issue! When I decide I want to lose weight and eat less, the next day or in the evening in the same day I found myself hypnotising the chocolate bar or eating too much pastery…
It is like I want to do it for myself, for enjoy, because I really love it, but when I think about it in that way suddenly comes the thought of losing weight or ,,I am too fat” and ,,I can´t just do it” or ,, I´ve been trying it for almost two years and nothing changed. It is hopeless.”
I know I should try to find another aim for working out, but when I do, there is something why I can´t do it right know (sickness, university issues etc.). It is like a magic circle that will never ends.
I work out for the Hunger Games!
Hey you never know! What if someday the Government takes over and start to think it’s a good idea? I realised couple of months ago that I would be the very first one to die because I couldn’t run!
Also realised that if I ever get to Hogwart (it can still happen… as a teacher or something) I wouldn’t be able to climb up all the frickin strairs!
Also realised that I would probably fail the Dauntless initiation because I’m not a fast enough runner, also not strong enough for hand to hand combat….
Also realised that I couldn’t be a companion because the Doctor is always running and stuff…
Yep, I started my fitness journey because I’m a huge nerd….
But now my goal is to do a mud race next summer! Spartan race, here I come!
Here’s to still hoping that we’ll be a companion some day! 😉
Andreanne–You just absolutely made my day with this post. I was just thinking about the Hunger Games as motivation the other day. Cheers for the laughs and keep working hard!
Hi,
Pls can someone reply…
I really want to do the body make over that’s starting soon but I was wondering if I’ll receive the passwords if I have not purchased the book? And I don’t have a youtube account either so I can’t subscribe there. I gave subscribed to blogilates though, through the main website. But it sounds like you on,y get passwords after purchasing the book… Have I read something wrong! Please help! :-/
Hey send me an email I might have a solution
Sweetpeadarbs@gmail.com
I initially work out to lose a couple pounds, but now it’s more like for fun and being happy. I remembered couple months ago when I just started doing your workout videos, I couldn’t get through some of them without stopping. But now, with practice and determination, I could pull through the whole workout. Now, if I don’t workout at all, I feel like something’s missing. Even in my resting days, I would have to do some of your stretching workouts so that I feel like I’ve completed my day.
I just wish that I can be as committed and consistent on eating clean. I find it hard to eat clean, especially ever since the holiday season started.
Definitely looking forward for your next videos and also, the 90-day challenge!
It’s funny that you wrote this post, Cassey, because recently I have become emotionally affected by my weight. I’ve been attempting to lose weight for years now, and while I have been successful I’ve come to a stand still. I started to feel less confident in my skin, even around my boyfriend who I am the most comfortable with. I decided to stop weighing myself for a while and focus on working out. I love to run, I love to push myself and run farther and run faster. Recently running became about weight loss, but this post has inspired me to get back to running because it makes me feel good about myself and allows me to challenge myself to be better. Everything falls into place when I run consistently, I swap out junk food for clean food so my runs will improve. Thank you for this, Cassey! I love that you’re not just about workouts and health plans, but improving ones life and outlook. Please, if you have time, check out my blog http://hippotohot.blogspot.com
This is amazing! It all boils down to “what makes you feel good and keeps you happy”. I have alway had a body shape to die for. I have an hourglass body shape and have always loved it. Lately, I’ve had a problem of polycystic ovaries (PCODs) which resulted on insulin intolerance and made me put on 12 kgs. Although I’m still insanely in love with my body, I know what it should ideally look like. So my motive to workout is to be fit and overcome the health issues which I see happening soon! Yayy! Love. xoxo
I love this article. I have really struggled with my figure for as long as I can remember. My mum and sister are both teeny , but I a really overaccentuated hour glass and soft around the edges. I have fought with myself for years trying to be skinny, flat stomached and long legged with a thigh gap… until I realised that I actually can’t acheive that.
Pop pilates has really helped me with my confidence. I haven’t shed the kilos… I’ve just come to appreciate my body more. I find it easier to love the curves when I put in an effort to put them there. Their size is indicitive of my strength now, rather than the number of chocolates I nommed that week. I’m happier and more confident now than I have ever been, and it feels amazing.
Thank you Cassey. You’ve helped me a lot x
I work out because it makes me feel good
I also love that they included Sport Aerobics in the pic 😉
I love this post because it speaks to my reason to work out.
I work out to rock climb. Climbing is my passion and as weird as it sounds it’s almost religious. I get on a wall and up in the air and it’s me and the rock, nothing else matters. But in order to be able to do this I have to be strong flexible and light all at once! Pop Pilates is perfect for that and it helps me keep my mind under control just like I have to do on the wall. Thanks for the training that lets me get vertical and stay sane.
XO
Hey Cassey! I’m so happy to see a pic like this… Because I have 3 reasons to work out.
My biggest dream is to play tennis, but I can’t do it because of my weight (because it can hurt my knees).
So my other reason is to lose weight.
But the last (and not least) reason is to win my body one battle: Hypothyroidism. I don’t know how much you know about this. Basicaly my body is a mess in a hormonal point of view. But my doctor is very positive and encouraging… the thing is my blood test is not, so I want to win that, I want to make one blood test and be in the best my body can be!!
When I achieve it, I’ll write you a tweet and I’d really want to be a part of trasformation
tuesday (that’s other goal!). I’m in a good path, so I’m hoping that on Sep 14 I can write to you to thank you and to show you my progress!!
XOXO!
I work out to keep myself healthy. I have a thyroid condition and I really struggle with my energy levels when I am eating the wrong things and not working out. I always notice when I am taking care of myself how much better I feel and how much confidence I gain from it. I’ve always struggled with finding a way of exercising as I am just not a runner and I am totally uncoordinated. But I always love doing Cassey’s videos. I enjoy pilates workouts and I think that is one of the most important things when trying to get fit.
Why can’t I ever see the pictures in this site!!! it drives me nutty even the calendars don’t show up for me (I use updated firefox) what do i do?!
MY perfect ideal body is just a tiny bit chubby ^=^ I want to be small, but with rounded edges and cute and just a little bit chubby ^=^ This girl is the perfect example of the level of chubbiness I want, heee ^=^
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49330244@N04/4780326489/
PLUS, she kind of looks like me if I were a cute arab girl and it’s really good inspiration for me, hee ^=^
I have 2 motivations for working out:
1) to loose weight so my old nice clothes fit
2) to be a healthy happy person it is essential
I like my body type. I am an hourglass and like hips and a waist that curves in. I’m not into muscle tone, I actually don’t mind fat (in moderation). Skinny and boney or box gaps have never appealed to me.
In the beginning I started to exercise because I wanted to lose weight as I think most people do. I used to weigh and measure myself everyday, that lead on to being very hard on myself because I could not see the changes that I wanted immediately. Then one day by chance I came across the call me maybe squat challenge, that was when all changed for me.
I really enjoy exercise now and I love how much you make me laugh. I now the reason I exercise is to improve my body and make it fitter. My main goal now is to be able to perform more push ups, squats, or any other exercise you throw our way, losing the weight is just a good side effect.
So thank you very much Casey for bringing your excitement, commitment and motivation to thousands of us. <3
Wow, this post is really inspiring 🙂 My major motivation for working out has always been my looks. But there was a moment when I began belly dancing and everything changed. I stopped caring about the extra fat and I just embraced the amazing feeling of self-confidence I got when I was dancing. And, just like Cassey said, the pounds started fading by themselves. And then I went through a lot of things, I gave up on dancing, struggled with an eating disorder and ended up as a crazy cardio maniac in order to get rid of belly fat and I stopped noticing the changes in my body. I felt like I never looked good enough and I hated the feeling (even though I love working out, I felt like I was working out for wrong reasons).
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about going back to dance practise and I was trying to find the right motivation for it. Thanks for reminding me that fitness is not supposed to be a struggle, but instead a passionate goal in order to live a happy life and stay healthy 🙂
I love how the human body is shaped differently depending on what our focus in life is (and naturally different, as well!), I’m always finding something to admire, especially the stamina and focus that any sport requires. For me, I workout because I want that stamina. Sure, I’d love to see my muscles pop, but what I really want is to be able to take Bug Spring Trail on Mt Lemmon out here and do it in 45 minutes. I’m at a full hour, and it’s a 1k foot climb in that hour…and that’s not even all the way to the highest point of the trail! I can run down in 30 minutes, but that’s the easy part haha! I’ll have all winter to get better, faster, build up my stamina, etc. and as soon as the trails are open again in March (darn snow), I’m hitting that one first!
i just want to say – if I were to answer who had the perfect body in these images…I guess it’s good that I might actually say no one – and maybe even contest to my own. I’m not being negative, just stating, all of these women look like rulers to me and have no hour glass shape (which i know oftentimes is a birth-gift, not something you can reeeaalllly work to achieve, if its not already in your build) buuuut I’d rather have my bit of flab than look all muscular like hulk hogan. I find that really gross. 😛
good post thought cassie 🙂
I love to workout because it just really makes me happy. It relieves stress from school and work. I never really worked out at all until my sister showed Cassey to me and I am obsessed with it. Working out gives me a more positive outlook on everything. I am 5 foot tall and 105 lbs. I know that sounds like a loew weight, but with me being so short I do have a little lower belly pooch. Which has been almost blasted off thanks to Cassey. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put in for us, Cassey, you really have changed my life.
I think all the body types were great for one thing. Why I work out…simple, relieves stress,helps me focus on future goals, keeps me motivated…looking for ways of achieving stronger and better results not just weight and because it just makes me happy <3 enjoy your day posters,!
NOW CAN ALL YOUR GIRLS NOTICE THAT NOT A SINGLE ATHLETE HAS A THIGH GAP?!?! MUSCLES REPLACE THE GAP!!!!
I think this is really inspirational. I work out because I want to look good. And I think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Seeing these women from every part of the fitness spectrum really made me feel good, because it doesn’t matter how big or small you are or what shape you happen to be, you can live healthy.
I work out because of my job. I am a student worker at a film school. My main happiness before getting hired was editing. I always though,t “Oh, I don’t need to work out. I’m at a computer all day. I’m naturally small. The rest of my family never works out.” Excuses, excuses, excuses. Once I was hired as a student worker, I was required to haul lots of heavy equipment to different locations. My small form didn’t really help with that. That was around the same time I started working out with POP Pilates. I guess my main goal at the time was to be stronger for work and look more beautiful because I felt that I had too much belly fat. My whole body was unpleasing to me at the time. But the more I listened to Cassey and the more I did Pilates, the better I felt about myself. I grew more positive. My whole family has started eating clean! I love my stronger arms and calves. My anxiety has gone away. What started as a goal to get stronger for my job, turned into a whole new experience of positive thinking, better eating and happier living. Thank you, Cassey!
Honestly Cassey if i don’t work out I feel like I lack energy, I’m not happy. I always notice it when I don’t work out for about two days.. I just get miserable and it really projects into my relations with other people. I like working out, sometimes I find it really hard but once you start and once you warm up you just want more and more.You really inspire me. You are always so full of energy and it shows how much you LOVE what you do and this passion of yours really makes your work even more wonderful than it already is. Seriously you’re my insipiration and the fact that you are willing to share your knowledge and your thoughts with us popsters is just precious.
xo
I love this post because it’s so important. I started working out regularly at the beginning of this year and eating clean (or at least cleaner than I have before) because I wanted to lose weight. At the start of this year I weighed 190 lbs and now I weigh 135 lbs!! And I do still want to lose another 10 or so pounds (I have a small body frame). Lately though I’ve been really stressed because of school and because of that I haven’t been losing anymore which has made me even more stressed. I really want to shift my focus away from losing that last 10 pounds, like you said, and focus more on building muscle and eating to fuel my body. My diet is still quite healthy, but I’ve been slacking. Not eating as much veggies and fruits as I could. I think that once I’m done with classes I’m going to really work on honing my diet and fueling my body so that I can lift heavy. Over the summer I actually tried weightlifting as my main workout, but I burnt out so fast. I think because I wasn’t eating enough and I wasn’t eating the right foods, so I just didn’t have the energy to keep lifting heavy.
I love how athletes focus on making their body work for them. For a long time I was so worried that if I didn’t workout for x amount of time or if I didn’t do exactly the right exercises then my body would look bad. But the truth is I should just be focusing on building up my body so that it will support me when I do the things I love — running, pilates, and weight lifting — instead of worrying about whether my waist is still bigger than I want it or my thighs are still too jiggly. That will all work itself out as long as I put my focus on working out and eating well.
I’m going to start working out because I miss how healthy and in shape I used to feel. I was always a student athlete, until OCD interrupted my life. Now, my urge to run around and be fit has started to return. I just hope I can overcome my gym anxiety, and get back to the happy & fit person that I used to be!
♥emma
itsemmaelise.com
Hi Cassey – omg this is so motivating and inspirational!
I work out so I can be more confident about my body. When I was younger I was a bit overweight, but I lost it. I began riding(still doing it) and I stopped eating all the time. But I’ve always had a little bit more fat on my body than all the other girls in my class, I dont think they had ever thought about it, like I did. So I choose to start working out. I want a flat stomach, no muffintops, a nice back, toned arms and trained legs. I want to feel good about looking in the mirror. I want to say “you’re beautiful” to myself and mean it. I want to be confident in any clothes. And I want to be fit. I want to lift harder, run longer and have a stronger mind than the other.
In the start I hated working out, it was something that had to be done fast. But now, I cant stop. When its rest day i’m always like “what am I supposed to do today?”
And I am beginning to see results. A flatter stomach, stronger legs, a nicer bag and my arms are beginning to be toned. I still dont think i’m beautiful, but i’m working on it.
And Cassey, I want to say that i’m sorry. I have been writing two very rude comments on two of your videoes saying something like: Once again you’ve made me feel bad about my self” I dont know if you’ve seen them, but i’m really sorry. It was two videoes I could not complete and I got really mad at my self. I’m really sorry. You make me believe that I can do the impossible – look beautiful all by my self. With no makeup or anything else, just me. And i’m looking forward for that day.
So thank you for everything Cassey, i love you.
P.s. I watched Catching Fire today and it was so good, I might have to read all of the books now haha.
I work out primarily because I want to be healhy, bodies are meant to move and built strenght and I want to give that gift to myself, BUT diving deeper into this question I must admit there is vanity in there too, being a spiritual seeker, where it’s all about loving everything as it is, including yourself and letting go of your ego, to make room for real love, this is a tiny bit embarrassing 🙂 but seeking spiritually is also about being true. And a small part of my motivation for working out comes from the idea of being healthy and strong and living life to the fullest, but the biggest kick comes from seeing myself in the mirror and seeing the stomach flattening and notice the muscles coming out and really realizing that eating that bag of chips shows immediately.
There is a lot of talk about losings pounds but to me this vanity works in the other direction as well, I’m a naturally skinny vegetarian, everytime I start an intense workout-period I lose too much weight, My cheeks become hollow and my ribs are coming out, and please notice this, this is not a sign of health, nor of beauty. Luckily I have very pointy features and it shows immediately in my face (nose becomes very big and mouth becomes sharp. not very pretty :)) So the vanity again makes me realize I have to eat more (clean of course) and really make sure I get the proteins. Skinny isn’t the same as beautiful. But healthy amost always is. Embarrassing as it is to admit my vanity keeps me healthy, a goal even my superego can be proud to follow and hopefully some day the motivation will come from loving myself.
The reason I workout is because I hate the way I feel when I don’t workout! I need those endorphins!
I don’t always enjoy working out, but I always feel amazing afterwards.
If I can’t workout, my whole life just seems off. I can’t sleep well, I’m always in a crappy mood, I get a ton of anxiety about things that normally wouldn’t bother me. But give me 45 minutes on the treadmill, or some dumbbells, or some pop pilates videos, and everything is right again 🙂
Thanks Cassey! I’ve been struggling with having the motivation to work out and eat clean (the hardest!) and I first did it so that I could look like all the other Korean girls who are skinny and just gorgeous, but now I love feeling sore.. yet I still struggle, especially after I hurt my knee (after 5 months I’m still unable to do leg exercises like squats without feeling like my knee will buckle at any moment). I’m still struggling since my legs and butt are my complex (I’m bottom heavy)… Between all of my AP/IB and college courses it’s so difficult to find any time to work out… I’ll try and take this to heart! Love love love you so much, and I can’t wait to start on Dec.1!!
In the beginning it was vanity for me. It’s kind of hard for me to hear now, but at the same time I am proud I had a reason to start and that I did start. When I found blogilates soon into my weight loss journey, everything changed for me. It was not about being skinny and having a good body anymore. It was about so much more! SO many doors of opportunity opened for me at that point and now eating healthy and exercising is something I love to do. It makes me happy, I feel good about myself, I am more confident (if that was even possible), I am healthy, and I don’t get sick so much. It is amazing to feel good after you eat and to smile through the pain of workouts. Fitness is so much a part of me now and I am proud to say so.
I first started exercising to get my shape back anger a pregnancy that took a toll of me
Now I exercise, eat healthy and take good care of myself because I want to feel different
I want to feel like I’m doing something positive in my young years so I get to live a long a healthy
Life by the side of my beautiful Sauternes my loving husband and the rest of my family 😉
I work out because I want to be strong and have a healthy heart. I want to avoid heart disease and reduce my chances of cancer. Also it helps me sleep better. It’s really fun too!
I workout for two reasons;
1) vanity. I know it’s a little bit shallow, but hey Im a teen in high school, who DOESN’T want to be yold they’re pretty? Besides, I want to be able to pull off a bikini at pool parties; pull off a crop top in the summer, without feeling an urge to cross my arms over my stomach.
2) I want to be better at kickboxing. I want to be as strong as the others in my class, because honestly they can all pretty much knock my teeth in at any given moment, and while this is discouraging, I use it to motivate myself because I want to be as great and maybe some day better (who knows!) as them. Plus I love the sport — fun, intellectual, doesnt involve a ball, and comes in handy if someone tries to hurt me! 🙂
I think there’s nothing wrong with working out to look better. Because when you feel like you look better, you feel better about yourself. Just so long as you can accept yourself both at your best and worse, is my motto.
In the past couple of years I lost a lot of weight, and I was so proud of that achievement. But I completely lost motivation to work out this year. So, thanks to Blogilates, I’m now on the beginners calendar and I haven’t had this much enthusiasm towards exercise in such a long time!
Why do I work out?
I now work out, not to see a number drop, but to feel more confident and healthier, and maybe while I search for happiness through exercise I can eventually see the number on the scales drop.
I now exercise because I have the motivation that I previously couldn’t find within myself.
🙂
Hi Cassey!,
Well when i first started working out i did it because i wanted to lose some weight, but when i started doing your calendars i really enjoyed doing the workouts and i felt like i had more energy, my body was becoming stronger and i loved how i became determined for it. Now i see how my body has progressed so much but also how i changed -in a good way- because before this i never did any sports in school, and jogging seemed hard enough for me. I didn’t really have much confidence in myself and i feel like i was pathetic for not being good at anything. I never though i would be the kind of person to be able to do these kinds of workouts and now i feel like i am more connected to my body and like i am getting better! i am doing these workouts now to be more confident with myself, to give myself more energy and to improve each workout. I am very proud of everyone who is doing the workouts 🙂
I work out because it makes me feel just plain good about myself. I can say that I accomplished something any day I work out and push myself. I know that I’m getting stronger and being healthy and doing something good for my body. Plus when I do blogilates it’s fun to hear Cassey talk :).
It really isn’t a “chore” for me. Sometimes I might say “ugh now I have to work out/do blogilates/go for a run” but in the longrun of things I really love exercise and if I didn’t exercise on a regular basis, I would go insane!
Casey, I am so so thankful for this post. Emphasizing that it’s entirely possible to be healthy and not be a size 0 is a message that is so often lost in fitness circles, but it’s important for people to hear. Thank you so much.
Hi Casey ! Such a good post..as usual !
So today and for the past few days at ONE meal i’ve been eating soooo bad, actually i wasn’t eating bad things, i was eating good things but i was eating too much at the end i was bloated and wasn’t feeling good at all. Moreover, lately workouts have seemed to be a torture for me like i wasn’t enjoying them i was doing them because i “have to” because my goal this month is to finish the november calendar. But what happens actually is that i started to eat bad because i think i was stressed because i needed to do my workouts otherwise it would mean i wasn’t good enough etc. But this is not healthy actually, because i’m eating worse than before i started to do the calendar because i’m stressed and diet is much more important than sport for health even if sport is still important !
So yeah, I think next month i’m not gonna do the calendar it’s not for me, i’ll still look at it to have some workouts’ ideas but i’ll not see it as a “must-do” it’s just not for me..and i’ll also indulge myself a little more rest days because i found out one rest day aa week is not enough for my body and soul…
And i’ll have a better diet because i’ll be less stressed, because i need to enjoy the journey of health and happiness so it has to be enjoyable and not a torture ! 🙂
So yeah i just needed to share this with you Casey and all the Popster family because i love you sooo much and each one of you is an inspiration to me <3
And by the way, if i'm working out it's to prove myself i can accomplish things that are important for me, moreover i'm focusing of other things that my life when i'm working out so it make me feel better . And i'd like to become a role model of health to my friends aand others, to show them the amazing benefits of eating clean and working out. Actually why i TRULY love that is because when i'm in a sad mood i can tell myself "at least you're doing that, and you know it's good for your health and confidence, you've accomplished so much and all of this just thanks to your willpower, you're amazing" and that's just making me feel awesome !
Xxx Manon from France
I agree with you for the reasons you work out!
To give some advice, this month I set a goal to try to eat very very healthy and clean, and since I was so stressed about it, if I ate too much or different from what I had set for myself that day, I would get all upset and just end up eating more food. A lot of the time I also will eat so much food and stuff myself with food that is actually healthy to the point it feels unhealthy! I think the best thing to do is to stay calm when you do those things and just say it is a mistake, but I will learn from my mistakes and next time, I will resist the craving (or whatever it is you should have done differently). Remember, mistakes are good as long as you learn from them!
For exercising, I’ve been following the November Calendar as well as I can, but I don’t stress if I don’t do a day or two, as long as I am consistently exercising to my fullest ability. So I would just not worry if you can’t follow it 100% because sometimes there will be a day where you are sick, or weighed down by a big assignment or just plain really exhausted and not feeling it… Hope this helped 🙂 and keep up the good work!
My reason to work out is not losing weight,but make look healthier, feel stronger and more more elastic.I want to do challenges -for example run faster and not to feel exhausted after that .I want to break limits 🙂
Greetings from Bulgaria 🙂
I never worked out, didn’t do any sports in school during my teenage years and never really felt conected to my body. I started working out to your beginners calender in July 2013 cause I was really unhappy with the way I looked and I haven’t stopped doing pilates and other sports since! It gives me convidence not only because my body has changed but also because I feel like I found a new connection with my body and my femininity even with its imperfections.
Thank you for that Cassey!
At first, I work out because I wanted to look pretty physically. I got peer pressure by skinny people around me and that’s why I decided I wanted to be slim as well. It’s been more than a year since I started eating healthy and going to the gym regularly, but at that time, my goal was to impress people, to make the boys stare, to make other girls jealous of my beautiful slim body. Along the way, I realized that another reason for me working out is also to make me live even longer. To be honest, before I got into this healthy lifestyle, I had zero knowledge of nutritions and how your health is truly dependent on what you eat in a regular basis. I learned all of those basics by myself through twitter, instagram, BLOGILATES, and the internet. After that, I got more focused on what I eat and so on because I know all the workouts that I’ve been doing would go to waste if I kept eating like how I did years ago.
Now, I work out mainly because I want to make this body that I live in to be more beautiful so that I could live my life comfortably in it. Not to mention, I want to be as healthy as I can and of course as strong as I can be.
I think it’s great that you’re working out for yourself and not just other people. I’m just starting my blogilates journey and i think your attitude is super inspirational. xxx
Hi Cassey,
My name is Divina. I started doing your workout videos and I have the Novemburn calendar. I am also doing the 90 day meal challenge. I work out because I have VERY VERY low confidence in myself. I’m always thinking that most women at my school are way better than me and much prettier than me. I think nothing of myself. So I thought that maybe I should work out and also join a gym. I don’t have many friends and the friends that I am around, they ignore me most of the time. I’m trying to find new friends but it’s hard when I have no confidence, making me a very shy and quiet person. I thought that if I worked out and be the better person, I could make friends and be more confident in myself. I don’t want to compare myself to other women anymore, I want to admire myself. So this is all why I am working out.
Thank you for your time, I wish the best for all of you.
Divina
Oh I knonw you’re feeling of having no friends i’m going through the same thing in my new highschool ! If we were in the same school we would be friends haha ! I’m sure everything will work out, i believe in yourself so hard and i hope you’ll gain a tooon of confidence and one day go to school and feel AWESOME about yourself because yes, you are truly awesome, i’m sure !
Good luck, i hope you’e fine !
xxx Manon from France
Sorry for the errors, English isn’t my language so…yeah there is some faults on this post haha ! 😉
I feel the same way. I have some people who it is nice to do things with, but I don’t feel like I have a BEST friend. Sometimes they invite me to do things with them; sometimes they don’t. I workout to improve my self-esteem, but I struggled with emotional eating and mood swings, so even if I workout, my body doesn’t change very much. I wish I had a workout buddy.
I can completely relate to what you girls are saying, I used to fee exactly the same in school. I’m sure you’ve heard this before but honestly it gets better. I’m 25 now and i’m not kidding I think my life is awesome! When I went to college (which in the UK is pre university, ages 16-18) I split off from my main group of friends and tried talking to as many different people as possible, I was amazed to find they accepted me! I found that even if I didn’t think I’d have something in common with someone it was fun to chat with them any way and it was fun to be the confident person who made the first move. I also stopped listening to peer pressure so much, as in listening to a certain type of music and dressing a certain way. A year or so later I met my boyfriend and I’ve been with him ever since. I have so many friends now and none of them make me feel small or like they don’t care about me.I also think working out is a great way to gain confidence and do something to make you feel good. It’s often said that the people who are outsiders in high school turn out to be the most interesting and successful and while that’s a very broad stereotype I think there’s some truth in it. Maybe people don’t relate to you now because you’re a little different but you know what when you get to uni and beyond and start to show you’e quirkiness more you’ll become a cool person to know for the same reason.
Sorry this was a really long rambling comment! I hope you all enjoy working out and eating clean and I hope you continue to get stronger, physically and mentally. xxxxxxx
Thank you so much guys! I’m just really going through a rough time and it is really hard to make friends. ESPECIALLY a best friend. Like I have never had a best friend before and whenever I’m in the hallways and I see these girls with their best friend, I get so jealous. Like where is my best friend? I wish I actually had more confidence to go out and talk to people and make friends with them. I’m going to continue my journey in making myself feel confident in my body in order to gain confidence in socializing. Thank you all, I really thought I was the only one who felt this way but I know that I’m not alone! Thank you, love you all <3 !
Currently, I am 118lbs. I know it isn't bad or anything but I don't like having flab on my body. Even though I weigh 118, I still have fat. My goal is to gain a flat stomach and slimmer legs and arms. Wish me luck all! I wish the best for you guys too <3 ! I shall also post my before and after picture as soon as I see my results!
Thank you for this inspirational post, Cassey. It made me remind when I started working out, I was just focusing on losing weight and I couldn’t see any changes. But then I really started to love it, to feel good while working out and to feel happy by seeing how much stronger I got every day. Now I can definitely say I’m happy and thankful for the person I’ve become, cause I’m finally self confident and I no longer care about other people’s judges and moreover I don’t check obsessivly my weight. Thank you again for this intense message! <3
First of all, love this post and the picture of all the female bodies! It really shows how different we all are and that we all are beautiful in our own way!
I work out because I love doing it. I love lifting heavy weights and doing things I never thought I could do. I love seeing the progress on my body and how I become stronger after each session. Working out is something that makes me feel good both inside and outside. What I also love about it is that you can put up new goals all the time to make it more like a challenge.
/Paula from Sweden 🙂
I think when I was focused on the number on the scale alone, I was never happy. Now that I’ve learned to focus on getting stronger and loving the sweat/burn, I feel 100x better about myself! The number isn’t going to tell me my worth and I shouldn’t let it- I am my own critique and now I do things that make me feel good and make me better. That’s it! I loved this post, Cassey! I know I needed the reminder of why I’m in this. 🙂
Great post! While I have not always worked out for the best reasons, I know work out to de-stress, get more energy, and because I enjoy doing my workouts. Even workouts that I used to hate, I have found a way to do them that makes me like them now. 😉
How come all of the weights listed are from the beginning of their careers? Kim’s personal training info says her weight fluctuates all the way from 130 to 170. Funny how this isn’t supposed to be about weight when their lowest weights are listed.
I work out because I love being strong enough to do whatever you want to do. Like beat your boyfriend in a plank contest. 😀
Definitely the gymnastics from the image! But to be honest, if anyone is comfortable with the body they are in then its the best thing for them.
http://www.DougGrigg.com
I am always so insecure about my body and to be honest, I’m in a love-hate-relationship with it. It all began 3 years ago, when my first boyfriend left me and I wanted to change everything about me and my life. I was watching for my diet and was running my ass off. I started lifting weights recently and following your videos to get stronger 🙂 this is always so much fun, I’m literally depressed when I can’t workout. Thanks for beeing such a great instructor and posting this picture! I’m feeling less imperfect now. Starting to love my body is hard work, but maybe my mind will be as strong as my new, toned body some day… and I think it’ll work with your help! Thanks a lot Cassey! :))
I’ve literally just had the same conversation with a girlfriend. We’ve just got back into our fitness after a summer off and we’re loving our shapes but we are totally different. Its crazy how each person judges themselves by the way they look. I love my body and I continue to work out because I still love my body.
i still haven’t achieved full body peace yet, but i’m much happier than i used to be before i started working out, and i work out to stop feeling below others, and to stop feeling insecure. and so far, it’s been working really well for me, thank you cassey!
Oh my this came at the perfect time.
I ran this morning added 2 minutes to my time , but after reading your post stopped beating myself up over this.
I made it anyway with the two extra minutes.
Thank you. love you
hm y i workout?.. first i thought it was to become fit but then i remembered that when i started with fitness it was bcoz i liked it, ive always liked sport and moving around. The buzzing feeling of enxcitement and soreness, and the relaxing feeling of satisfaction after the workout. Also the fact of getting stronger is awesome!
thnx Cassey for ur killer workouts that makes us feel so gr8 🙂 <3
I work out for a bit of both. I want to shed fat and lose muscle so I look good, of course. However, I’m going skiing in January and I haven’t been in almost 10 years, so I am using blogilates as a way of getting stronger and fitter so that I can achieve more when I go.
Thank you so much for posting this Cassey. This reminded me of why I am choosing to work out – to be happier, healthier and stronger. I must admit that I was getting a little negative when I saw that I wasn’t slimming down as crazily as some people and was wondering if all the hard work I put in was showing the results I wanted. As soon as I read your status on Facebook I realized that, no, deeper down it isn’t just all about slimming down my body and cutting down kgs, it’s about me being stronger and more positive in life. Sometimes I tend to lose track of the bigger picture when I’m so focused on training to look good in those shorts or in that particular dress, so thank you for reminding me again. Looking forward to working out with you tomorrow!
I work out to feel more confident, to look at in the mirror and be happy of who i am. I work out because i know that’s good for me and i see the results… i love myself and my body. You know when you’ve just finished working out and your body hurts, but that’s a great sensation, it feels good! Cassey changed my life (in the best way ever)! Cassey is my role model. Thank you, Cassey! much love(:
I really needed this, this morning. Thank you so much for posting it! You’re exactly right about working out *and* work — why spend your time being miserable when you can enjoy your life? Thanks for the motivation!!
I LOVE this! Focusing on improving my running has really helped me achieve my goals. I actually discovered Blogilates in March after completing my first 5K and the Couch to 5K program. I wanted to keep running, but I was 30 lbs. overweight (a lot considering my small frame) and didn’t want to get injured. Your calander and videos have been a great way to add strength training to my runs, and I’ve learned more about eating clean. This time last year, I was 30lbs.overweight, unhappy, and couldn’t run a block without getting winded. This month, I’m at a healthy BMI, 30 lbs. lighter, happy, and recently won first in my age group doing a 10K with two 150 foot tall bridge climb (time 52:11). Now I’m coming to terms with my new athletic body image, as I’ve noticed a 4 pack popping through what used to be a sugar-gut. I don’t want to brag, but simply to say that I lost weight when I stopped focusing weight loss and started focusing on my athletic performance and goals. This is my own anecdotal evidence that the advice in Cassey’s post works!!. I’m now training for my first marathon in March, and I still use the calander (with some modifications to take into account my additional cardio) as a key part of my training. Loved this post! And thank you for all you do, Cassey!
I couldn’t agree with you more Cassey. Most people do workouts for vanity mostly. But if you ask me why I workout? It’s simply because I feel more energetic, happy, stress free, and confident after doing workouts. And most of all, I feel more healthy.
Thank You for posting this…
I started lifting weights and doing your workouts for health reasons. I was skinny fat, i didn’t have any problems with my muffin tops legs etc. but when i got measured by a specialist they told me my internal fat got me into the obese category…I had always felt tired, out of breath and sick. Now i work out because i want to maintain what I’ve done so far, but more importantly to gain muscle mass and be stronger and more powerful than ever… I still don’t care about muffin tops or things like that. Love you Cassey!
Hi! and sorry for my english, hope it will make sense ^^.
I work out so I can make more progress in my mental health mainly. I have sufferd from it ever since I was very, very little and working out is something that’s a part off my recovery. Ever since I started I’ve have been feeling alot better. I’m stronger, feel more pride and I’m happier! It’s so unreal, I’m happier and I can not belive it.
It’s still hard somedays to find the strength to do a workout (I’m so sick in this I have never even been able to work) but, the days I don’t find the strength I’ve learnd to be nicer to myself and not talk down to myself for not doing the workout. So either way I train in different ways, haha! ^^
But I also workout because I wan’t to be strong, in my body and in my mind. I wanna feel comfortable in my own skin, so even if I might never truly have a strong mind, at least I have a strong body that can carry me. Ever since I started to work out, I feel closer to myself, have a brighter view for the future and I also feel excitement! It’s so amazing and cool, that little me can feel all off this, just from working out, or just feel it at all! I will always feel amazed by this. ^^
Look at the feet of the very last one!! o_O
i know right! i thought first that her sport was ballet
If I’m honest, I still work out for vanity, I hate the way my body looks and try to hide it away as much as possible. Exercise can be a chore, I use to love pole dancing but I can’t get to the stdio any more =(.
A note on the photo, look at the figure skaters stance, she means business!
I love your posts like this, Cassey, but sometimes I feel like you contradict yourself in your videos and in other blog posts. With titles like “Muffintopless” or “How to Achieve an Inner Thigh Gap”, or even Transformation Tuesday, where the main transformation is weight loss, your blog is one of the more appearance-focused ones I read out of the multiple health/fitness blogs I follow. While I love your positivity, it is clear that looking fit, not just being fit, is very important to you which is contradictory to what you’re trying to say in posts like these.
I had the same thoughts, Cady. I too love Cassie and all that she does, but some of the things she says and posts are contradictory. It’s a little confusing. I justify it as Cassie just trying to spur that fire inside us to start us on our journeys to being strong and fit in our own way. This fire has to start with a spark, and unfortunately these days the media focuses so much on body shape and appearance that this becomes our obsession. This is the easiest and most accessible way to start the fire. Hopefully this post from Cassie will allow us POPsters to move past that initial stage of our fitness journeys and move on to less shallow goals 🙂
Oh, Cassey, I needed to read this so much.
At first I wanted to work out to look great. Yep, vanity is what drove me first. But then I started to notice that the more I worked out, the more my lungs got stronger and the lesser I breathed harder. I have weak lungs you see and don’t last long in running. My stamina also got better and my strength is just unbelievable now. I can do push-ups now. I never once thought I would be able to do them. I thought only guys would be able to do so.
It’s not about looks now. I work out because it makes me feel great. Helps me with my depression and simply makes me happier. After a workout, especially a tough one, I feel invincible. Like the things and the people in my life that weighed me down can never do so again. And you know what? They can’t anymore. Neve again.
I’ve gained more confidence in myself now. I’m happier and more motivated not just in being healthy, but just living and being the best of myself. You’ve inspired me Cassey in a whole lot of ways. And the popsters all over the world inspire me as well. We all have our stories, our struggles and our victories. I’m more positive and driven now, not just because of eating clean and working out, but knowing that even in this world, even strangers, can help and support each other no matter what the odds may be.
I loved reading your comment Steffi!!! Be proud of yourself! You are really inspiring.
I first wanted to eat clean and work out for my look too, but like you said, now I love it just for what it is. My body feels so good afterwards. I feel refreshed and strong! I love my body so much for revealing this strength I never thought I had inside of me.
And about the push ups: SAME HERE haha I am looking forward to becoming even better in doing push ups! until they look easy like when cassey does them!
kisses
Aurelia
In the beginning i started because i wanted to build a beautiful body but now it is just beyond that, I feel so different in many ways, now I’m working out to be a healthy person. I am so happy I found you ♡
Such an inspiring text! Thank you for that!
The reason I work out is because I do not want to gain too much weight, but I do love to eat. So now I eat like a sailor, but I look the way I want to.
I remember the first POP Pilates video I did. It was the 10 min ab workout and mainly I was looking for a way to improve my core strength because I had started doing ballet.
Now my main motivation is still the increased strength I need for ballet, but I’m starting to enjoy the workout itself more 🙂
Thank you for your video’s, Cassey!
OMG Cassey!!Your words are so inspiring!!And not just for achieving my fitness goals but for my life goals as well!!You are such an inspiration for all of us!!Keep up the good work!!Lots of love <3
BTW Catching fire is the best hunger games novel!Hope the movie will be great too!!And i sooo love jennifer lawrence!!Any other jennifer lawrence fans out there?
In very the beginning it was yes, for vanity: I wanted to lose weight. I wanted to look good and have people comment on it. Totally superficial and unfortunately stemming from always having been a chubby kid. But gradually I became more and more aware what working out vs. not working out did for me, mentally and physically. I was stronger, felt better in myself; I had more energy and drive, more stamina both in my workouts and just in life; and overall my mind just felt clearer when I was exercising. Now I’ve been doing POP Pilates for over a year and I cannot imagine my life without it. I think without any form of exercise I would actually go crazy now (I can’t stand not doing something at least 3-4 times a week), but I think Pilates has really been my “awakening”. I am now working out because a) I love it!!!, b) it makes me feel good in my mind, my body and my soul, c) it makes me more aware of my health, wellbeing and my mental state, and d) because I love being able to follow along with all the other POPsters, come on here and comment and share and feel like although I live on an island I’m not alone in this journey.
Thank you so much Cassey and all the POPsters for helping me to realize that this is a commitment I want to make for life, not just for an event or for approval from my peers. <3<3<3
My fitness journey started over a year ago because finally I was relieved of a stresfull job and now had the time to commit to it ,joined the gym tried all the machines and classes they offered,tried all the weights and got this “high” that I never experienced before,it felt empowering and exciting.I loved people watching at the gym and still do, I ENJOY seeing all the different body types and how we all embrace different values.I know exactly what type of body I have,I am muscular,large breasted,with a thick mid -section,I have over developed calves and nicely shaped thighs,my booty is flat..Amen …I love this body because it is my heritage!..It represents the women who came before me,beutifull in many ways..I now have the task to create a healthier body than those before me,so I can live longer,teach my daughter to live and think healthy.That is why I I love blogilates and Cassey ,because I am surrounding myself with strong,forward thinking,motivating women I am succeding.
I also am motivated to become fit because I look very pretty in all my pretty dresses….aint no shame in my game!..
In the beginning, I worked out to lose weight. I would slave away on the treadmill, elliptical, and stationary cycle to simply burn most of the calories I ate throughout the day. Honestly, it was about numbers for me because I felt like that number determined how beautiful my body was. That mindset made committing to fitness so difficult though. I wouldn’t eat clean so much because I was concerned about calories and I’d only stick to exercising for a maximum of 2 weeks. I couldn’t keep any minimal amount of shed pounds off because it always came back. I realize NOW how destructive that lifestyle was, especially because I recognize how LITTLE energy I actually had.
NOW, I exercise because it makes me feel happy and it makes me feel absolutely strong. I try my hardest to run longer or faster, to lift heavier, do more reps, and nourish my body with more natural foods. Focusing on these aspects has made me push myself to be better than I was before and indeed I have been keeping the pounds off. Just yesterday, I did the abs/obliques day of this week and in the middle of the Lower Belly Pooch Attack, I just felt this rush of contentment. Those feelings of satisfaction and strength keep me going. Yes, I still consider aesthetics of why I do this, but inner strength and seeing the amazing things my body can do makes me commit to be fit. As you said, Cassey, this is a good obsession that we have. Thank you for how much you have helped transform my perspective of fitness because now I can never go back to my old ways. I now know my potential and how much I can succeed.
I work out because it is fun and makes me feel fantastic! Physically my body feels better if I’m working out regularly and mentally I know I am keeping myself healthy so I can do my best in all areas of my life. Put those two together and that’s the reason why I love doing it. I don’t think I even have a goal or any real expectation other than to keep myself feeling great. That might sound weird but I’ve been working out (yoga, aerobics or pilates for about an hour x 5-6 times a week) for over 3 years now, so it’s working for me. Oh, and I believe that by having a healthy life style I am being a good role model for my little girl.
I work out to feel good and healthier. I do this for myself now mostly because I want to be happy and healthy for my son. A happy, healthy mom is a better mom. I take time for myself, but the benefits reach my loved ones. You’re a great inspiration for a positive life. I’ll never have skinny thighs, a 5’10 frame, or big boobs…it’s just not in the genes…but I can be healthy and comfortable with what I work for. Thanks for your added push to goodness.
I find it really hard to keep this in mind seeing my body in the mirror and then accepting it but sometimes I give myself goals that might not really be attainable with my body. I do have a question I was hoping some popsters could help me out. I work out often but I don’t do as much I can and I don’t eat clean most the time, I find myself thinking things like “oh well as long as I’m not fat” but then other days I feel really wide and I work out extensively and keep telling myself I’m fat to keep myself from eating bad stuff. I realize this is so inconsistent and bad but how do I keep myself motivated if I let myself get comfortable with my weight?
First of all, thank you so much for posting this! I used to be a rhythmic gymnast on the US National Team and body image is a huge issue. High level rhythmic gymnasts are expected to look tall and thin- like a model or a ballet dancer. Since my retirement, I still worry about body image because I don’t want to change. I would feel guilty if I let myself slip and gain a ton of weight. Ever since I started following Blogilates, I see things differently. Working out is no longer a chore, eating healthy is fun, and my body image is more stable. Of course I still feel the urge to stay thin, but it is no longer my goal to be as thin as a twig, but to be healthy and to feel good.
Thank you, Cassie! I can’t wait to receive the new fitness journal. I ordered it as soon as it was available for purchase. 🙂
I work out because I figured it out and I will be 52 when my last child graduates high school. We started late. My mother in law is 53 and hobbles around like she’s crippled. She can’t walk fast at all or take stairs. She can only play with my kids from a sitting position. I don’t want my kids to have to take care of me when they are in college. I want to be a fun vibrant grandmother my grandkids have fun with and not just indoors in a seated position.
Also I’d really love to get rid of my diastesis and have a somewhat flat tummy again. Not look five months pregnant for the rest of my life. I’d settle for three months 😉
I love that you used this photo! My cousin Tara Nott is in it!
My husband and I want to start trying for kids pretty soon so I’m trying to be healthy for when the time comes. Plus to hopefully live longer, and it just makes me feel good. (I jog too and if I miss too many days I get very rage-y, so it’s a way to blow off steam.)
My favorite thing with pop pilates is when I do a video and it kills me, and then the next week if I try it again there are always parts that are easier which is like proof I’m getting stronger. I LOVE that, it keeps me going. Plus when I started I realized if I was in Hunger Games or a movie like that, I would totally die off right away. So I guess I’m also in training for an imaginary action movie.
I workout because it makes me happy. To challenge my body everyday and to fuel it with the proper nutrients it needs makes me feel like I’m on top of this world. Doing POP Pilates with you everyday has given me something to look forward to and it has become to best part of my day. And to see myself getting stronger and to see drastic changes in my physique has improved my confidence by leaps and bounds. All I have are words of gratitude and praise for you Cassey because you have turned my life around <3
Love, your faithful popster Leanne
Why do I work out?
At first my reason was pure vanity….but after a sports injury 5 years ago I limited myself not realising how many other options there were for working out. I let myself pack on the weight and get so outta shape it’s rediculous. My joints and my legs got weaker and weaker, and I became very depressed. After my best friend passed away 1 year and 10 months ago I made a vow to start trying to live healthier and to be the person she always saw me to be. I train FOR me BECAUSE of her. She influenced me so much to be a happier, healthier person. I’m a long way from my goal but still working towards it.
Thank you so much for all the motivation cassie.♥
*Howard Schatz 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
I am working out to feel happier and more confident in myself.
The reason I got into fitness was because even though I was blissfully happy with my weight ,my boyfriend ( ex ,of course ) called me a fat cow !! and that hit so hard I didn’t cry or get sad I was just pissed , so I started to eat clean ,dumped his ass and started doing Yoga and Popilates and the results were amazing ,I was confident , strong and empowered . I could walk the streets at night and be confident that if someone attacked me I could put up a fight or run !! .But this attitude only took me so far ,soon I went into a slump .I had achieved what I set out to do and now the question was what next ? That was when I realised that I was doing it for all the” wrong” reasons ,I dug deeper into myself and found that I was not just doing this for me ,I was doing this for a lot of people who get inspired me . I was a rolemodel to a lot of friends and family and I realised I owed it to them to be persistent and I also work harder when I think of the children I will have some day . I want to be a healthy and inspirational parent and that is a major driving force for me ,I haven’t looked back ever since . I don’t care if I eat a heavy meal now and then , its ok !! Family and relationships are equally important to fitness , so its ok to gorge on those family feasts and holidays ,we can be VS models for the rest of year .Good luck and hope this helped . Love you Cassey <3 and all popsters !!
I love to workout because I love the feeling after I’m finished. I feel so much more energized and alert and awake. It’s also a great stress reliever and I love the feeling in the middle of a workout when you’re pushing yourself as hard as you can.
Love the photo and this post Cassey! I originally started working out simply because I wanted to lose weight, but there’s so much more to it now. These days, I workout to get stronger and to make me a better person in all aspects. In the past, I never thought any type of physical activity would ever be able to bring me such joy, but it truly does.
PS I did the pop pilates dvd for the first time today and you totally kicked my butt!
PPS I’m seeing Catching Fire tomorrow and I can’t wait!!!
I guess at the beginning i decided to work out so I would look better in clothes etc I would have toned abs every time i wear a crop top. But after a while, when I started eating better and working out more, I realized it is a lot more than that. A year ago, I ate 4 packets or ramen noodles a week! Now I can say it’s been six months I’ve been ramen ‘sober’. I eat only fresh foods and stay away from those processed ones too. I stopped consuming rice and white bread and I can say, it’s done wonders for my body. I was a picky eater and now I try tons of new things. So now I guess I work out to improve my health more and to lead a longer and healthier lifestyle
Why do I workout? Hmmm… I workout because I’m stressed out and I want to be stronger!
Well… having you as my workout buddy ALSO especially keeps me going because you’re always there, supporting me to push harder and exercise almost… every single day! LOL.
Really… thanks, Cassey. I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for you. =)
I work out to feel strong and to love the way I look also. I want to be able to stay active my whole life, to take my daughter surfing someday and be strong enough to do it. It helped immensely with getting me out of my depression. I also like to set a good example for my daughter, teaching her to eat healthy and stay active. I love the burn, the soreness, feeling my body change. I used to think I wanted to be skinny, but I rarely think that anymore. I just want to be strong and love my body, and I do! I love how I look and am proud of the things I can do. Love you Cassey! Thank you
y’all should be working out cuz it’s the most magical medicine ever that cannot be put into a pill!!!!!
REDUCES RISKS OF CANCERS
REDUCES MENTAL ILLNESS SUCH AS DEPRESSION
REDUCES RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
INCREASE SELF CONFIDENCE
MANAGE diabetes and many other chronic illness! (meaning, no pills!)
exercise to take care of your body! exercise cuz you want to be the healthiest you that you can be!!! do you want to have trouble going downstairs when you’re 60? Want to have to make frequent trips to the hospital?
U of Guelph-Humber Student, wanting to live to make other people healthy!
I LOVE running so much that I’ve been addicted to it for more than 2 decades. Any runners out here? Running is a stress-reliever, my personal time, my time to enjoy my favorite, spirit-lifting music, and the time during which I can really feel at one with the movement of my entire body. When I run, I truly feel that I am taking care of myself in body and soul.
Thank you for inviting our responses to your posts Cassey!
I want to become stronger and learn how to use my body best.
I want to feel the effects of a balanced life on my mood.
Looks are part of it, but i try to not let it overwhelm the real reason i workout: for health and happiness.
I do workout only because I feel very good after. And you know what? When I don’t have time for one week to do my workout, I begin to be frustated and unhappy.
Ughh same here! I feel fidgety without a workout!
me too, it’s like an obsession
My reason for working out is more than just to look good, I want to feel good above all else. When I workout I feel in control of me, and I like the way that feels. This is something I do for myself, so when I look in the mirror I feel confident in my ability to be the person I want to be and to achieve my goals. Working out regularly gives me the confidence to push forward, it is helping me find myself one day at a time. Cassey thank you for Blogilates and Pop Pilates♥ and thank you for the post it is inspiring to see someone in the fitness world that happily points out there is no “perfect” one size fits all body.
I’m not gonna lie, I started working out with your videos because of the looks… So, I did your calendar (it was May Muscles) for about two weeks and quit. I gained a few pounds on Summer and got more and more insecure about my body. I’m not even slightly overweight, I weight 132 pounds and I’m 5’55, but anyway I felt like my body wasn’t the best it could be.
So about a month ago I started off again with the calendar to finally feel confident in my body for the first time in my life, which I have been putting off for way too long. I am now so motivated because I don’t feel the pressure to look good I felt in May, and I can go at my own pace. Also, whenever I feel I won’t be able to make it, you come up with such great blog posts like this which totally raise my motivation again.
Thank you for doing what you do, Cassey, and not only guiding us on our fitness journey but also on our personal lives. You are such a wonderful human being and make all of us so happy. This 18-year-old girl hopes someday she’ll be able to spread as much positivity around the world as you do. I love you, Cassey 🙂
This rings so true right at this moment for me. I’ve been trying to lose weight for years and never had much success in the long run. This month, I switched my focus from trying to lose a certain amount of kilos to literally cutting out all the unhealthy things in my life and exercising a little bit each day (Beginner’s Calendar FTW!). I feel amazing, I’ve made realistic changes that I can stick to for the rest of my life, my tastebuds have already changed so that I don’t actually WANT any of that unhealthy food and I’ve already lost a couple of kilos. Setting a challenge for yourself for a certain amount of time (mine was no coffee, no alcohol & no unhealthy food – except for three pre-arranged days – for all of November) is such a great kickstarter into a healthy lifestyle! Next month I’ll be a little more lenient but I know I have the strength to say no to things because my focus has changed to just being healthy. Awesome post Cassey!
I started working out after I found your videos through Bubz. I had initially spent my entire life just sitting in front of the computer, wasting time (which I still do), but just sitting wasn’t getting my healthy and at my young age, I hated seeing my body go to waste, although whenever I tried to workout, I could last about a week at last. After starting your videos, I have gone non-stop for months now! Although I admit that I do this for the nice six pack abs and toned muscles, it definitely helps me relax after a day of school and pour my energy out into this task. And of course, hearing your wonderful voice pushing me and yourself in every video inspires me. To be honest, I don’t think I could ever let go of getting my body looking the tip top best and abs and all, I do love the lifestyle this has given me- I strive to eat better and I’ve begun evaluating a lot of my lifestyle decisions as well as my goals in life. I just love you, Cassey and I want you to know that. The work that you do changes so many lives!
Love,
Jennifer <3
P.S. Could you do any ab workouts that don't strain the neck/concentrate on balance (like on the tailbone) or no crunches (like the Abs on Fire video!)? That would be so helpful. 🙂
I start working out because I want to be a more capable person to travel alone. I realize the heavier I’ve become, my legs and feet, especially my feet gets tired very soon. Pain on soles even if I’m wearing a good pair of roman sandals. I also want to avoid the rub between my thighs because my skin and sweat combined, they make blisters between them, and it’s painful. All in all, the best are health conditions and wearing a dress beautifully.
I found that picture very intriguing when you posted it yesterday and I’m so glad you wrote a post on it!
It took me a while to realize this but I agree, we should really focus on why we love working out. I recently completed my first half marathon and I cannot even explain the high and sense of accomplishment I felt after completing it. Most other activities don’t allow me to feel the same satisfaction.
So here is why I work out: to be healthy & ft, to teach myself discipline, and to continue surpassing goals I thought I could never achieve.
Thanks again Cassey 🙂
hey cassey, this helped a lot! I play basketball and I’ve always been jealous of girls who do other sports that give them great bodies like gymnastics or dancing. Im starting to accept my body for what it is because of the lifestyle i have now
I am a rhythmic gymnast! I work out because I actually get a kick out of the process. Every repetition gets me closer to the goals I am striving for. I work out because it is part of my identity. I work out because I want to be a winner every day.
I started working out right after my second pregnancy. health wise i wasn’t doing good. i workout because of my kids. now since working out i feel stronger.
I work out to lose this post pregnancy fat. I wanna wear my VS bikini next summer! Also it help with stress and depression. There’s a lot going on right now and it helps me calm down. I can focus my anger into that.
I started working out was because I wanted my bones to be stronger. In the doctors office one day, I was watching the TV and it said that women in their 30 tend to stop being “active”, therefore their muscle mass significantly decreases and their bones are more likely to become weak. So I was like, “I better get started!”, and I’ve been training to be a strong old lady ever since. I want to break the ground when I fall– not my hip!
Hi Cassey! Thank you SO MUCH for posting this because I was struggling with accepting my body. I kept comparing myself to everyone around me and it never worked. Now I know that focusing more on enjoying working out and not losing pounds is more effective in weight loss! 🙂 Actually loving what you do rather than making workouts a chore is so much better!