women's fitness women doing pull-ups — Photo by Marques Jackson Photography.

By Marnie Kunz,
NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

For many women, we grow up trying to poke, prod, and tighten our bodies to fit a narrow definition of beauty and “fitness.” Women’s fitness has taken on a sinister quality, as countless ads bombard women with unhealthy body standards. Sleek advertising campaigns, celebrities, influencers, and all-pervasive cultural norms make us feel like our worth is measured by our appearance, especially our weight. The fitness industry has also played a large part in fueling the myth that fitness equals thinness for women. The issue is so far-reaching that almost every woman I have coached has had some sort of a history of body dysmorphia, disordered eating, or undereating. As a woman and trainer, I myself have struggled with obsessing over my appearance too much, and I had periods in my life where I obsessed over my weight.

Runstreet Women's Muscle-Building Workout Program - 4 Weeks

Learning more about the science-backed benefits and mechanics of fitness, however, helped me to understand how focusing on strength and performance can help combat these destructive messages women receive about thinness. In addition, by shifting the focus to performance goals and what our bodies can do, we can create a more positive, healthy, and inclusive environment for all women to achieve better health. This article will delve into specific ways we can transform women’s fitness from a dysfunctional obsession with weight to a more inclusive, empowering, and healthy place to push our physical limits and achieve our goals.

The Limitations of the Scale

Physical Limitations

Relying on one metric - weight - is problematic as a way to gauge women’s fitness and health. Your weight does not account for muscle mass, bone density, body composition, or physical abilities. Even women who achieve the supposed ideal weight are not free from the pressures of the scale. We’ve all heard the term “skinny fat” when referring to someone who is thin but has no muscle definition or tone.

The narrow definition of the “right weight” is not only subjective but usually way off base from a health and fitness perspective. A person’s strength, muscle mass, and aerobic conditioning (which can be measured with things like VO2 max) are much better indicators of a woman’s fitness and health. Limiting ourselves to one weight is not only ridiculous but also unattainable due to many factors, including metabolism, hormones, age, and genetics.

Mental and Emotional Limitations

women's fitness three women of different sizes in workout gear — Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

When women become consumed with their weight, constant monitoring, worrying, and obsessing take a toll on their mental health. Self-esteem and self-confidence are eroded and we feel our worth hangs on an arbitrary number on a scale. This can lead to depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia.

Obsessing over weight also takes focus away from more productive and healthy opportunities to pursue fitness performance goals, like hiking a new trail, running a race, or weightlifting your personal record. Women’s fitness loses a lot of dimension and health aspects when it is reduced to weight and a narrow body ideal. Focusing on a balanced program that incorporates strength, endurance, and flexibility offers so many more health benefits than a weight-based approach to fitness.

Redefining Women’s Fitness: Shifting the Focus

Women’s fitness includes so much more than numbers on a scale. By focusing on performance and functionality, women can achieve better physical and mental health that is more sustainable and fulfilling than a weight-based approach. Here are some key elements to incorporate into a well-balanced women’s fitness program:

women's fitness health benefits list — Strength training offers many health benefits for women.

Strength and Functionality

Strength is one of the most important elements of women’s fitness for many reasons. Building strength helps women sustain a healthy life by preventing muscle imbalances and common injuries that occur from trips, falls, and repetitive use. As people age, they lose muscle and bone density, and strength training helps combat this trend, slowing down the process.

Strength training helps women sustain independent living as they age by making daily activities - from walking up stairs to reaching for food and carrying groceries - easy to do. Without strength training, women lose coordination, muscle strength, and bone density, increasing the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and creating problems in maintaining daily life activities.

women's fitness woman weightlifting — Strength training is a great focus for women to improve their health.

Functional compound exercises like squats, planks, push-ups, and deadlifts can help women strengthen major muscle groups and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle for years.

Mental and Emotional Well-being

As more research is done, it’s more apparent than ever that there is a strong link between good physical and mental health. According to the National Institutes of Health, pooled research worldwide has revealed that physical exercise is more effective than a control group and is a viable remedy for depression. Exercise improves mood, releases “feel good” hormones, and helps combat anxiety and depression.

By focusing on exercise as a form of positive self-care, women can enjoy the mental health benefits of staying active. Instead of imposing exercise as a means to lose weight or achieve a certain “look,” it’s healthier to see exercise as a form of mindful movement and an enjoyable experience in itself. By focusing on activities we enjoy and what our bodies can do, we can make women’s fitness a healthier, more inclusive space for all sizes and ages of women.

Holistic Health

Women’s fitness is one component of overall health that can help women live longer lives and increase their health spans (the number of years of living in a healthy state). Eating nutritiously by choosing real foods with few overly processed foods is another part of a holistic lifestyle that will improve overall health.

Sleep and rest are also an integral part of good health, and are vital to allow good workout recovery. Fitness can also allow women to tune into their bodies more and prioritize self-care and their physical needs.

Performance-Based Goals

women's fitness smart goals graphic — Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals will help you have a positive focus for workouts.

Setting performance goals is another way to make women’s fitness more sustainable and healthy. By focusing on what our bodies can do we can combat the cultural obsession with appearance. Running a certain distance, lifting a specific weight, or being able to hit a daily step goal are forms of performance goals that can help women improve their health.

Performance goals are more rewarding than weight loss goals as they are more controllable and healthy. By achieving performance goals, women can build confidence, in contrast to focusing on weight loss, which can destroy self-esteem.

Community and Connection

Fitness is also a great way to meet other people and enjoy social support. Finding a fitness community - in person or online - gives women positive encouragement and support for achieving fitness milestones. Some ways to enjoy connecting with others include running or walking with a friend or partner, joining a running group, enrolling in a group fitness class, or finding support with like-minded people online, like with our Wellness Wednesday newsletter.

Practical Strategies for Redefining Women’s Fitness

If you’re ready to toss out your scale and start on a new fitness path, here are some tips to help you get going:

Set New Goals

Set new performance goals and process goals. Performance goals focus on something you do - such as being able to walk or run farther. Process goals focus on the process of fitness, with achievable steps like moving for 30 minutes a day or weightlifting twice per week. Setting realistic, achievable goals will help you prioritize your well-being.

You can track your progress by using fitness apps or trackers or by journaling about your progress.

women's fitness myths about women weightlifting — There are many misconceptions about women and weightlifting.

Embrace Strength Training

Incorporate strength training into your fitness routine at least twice a week. Just two 20-minute strength training sessions per week can make a huge difference in your fitness and health. There are many misconceptions about women and strength training, but the truth is that it is one of the best ways to improve your health and allow you to live well and independently as you age. Strength training can help you perform daily activities better and reduce your risk of getting injured in sports and daily life.

To get started with strength training, you can begin with bodyweight workouts. Once you’ve mastered good form, adding some dumbbells to your workouts will help you continue to get stronger.

Prioritize Self-Care

Keep in mind your main purpose for following a fitness program and this will help you stay well. For most people, they want to improve their health, so keeping this in focus will allow you to follow a balanced program that includes self-care, rest, recovery, and stress management.

Even if you’re busy, taking one day a week for self-care and rest will make a big difference in your overall physical and mental health. Check out our Self-Care Sunday Ideas for ways to get started.

Finding Joy in Movement

Find activities you love and you will be more likely to stick with them. When you enjoy your workouts, you’ll see them as part of your life and not a to-do item to check off your list. Making fitness a fun part of your life will help you sustain an active and healthy lifestyle for the long haul.

Women’s Fitness Beyond the Scale

Women’s fitness is so much more than numbers on a scale. Our bodies are designed to move and stay active, and focusing on what we can do with our bodies allows us to enjoy a better quality of life. By focusing on strength, well-being, and performance goals, women can combat the negative effects of a culture obsessed with thinness and a narrow definition of beauty. Together we can help create a healthier world for women to enjoy exploring, sweating, and pushing their physical limits while feeling confident and empowered.

If you need help achieving a performance goal, visit the Runstreet Training Center for personalized plans. Stay in touch by following and tagging me - @Runstreet on Instagram - and joining our Wellness Wednesday newsletter for free health and fitness tips, workouts, and encouragement. Happy sweating to you!

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

Beyond the Scale: A Trainer Redefines Women’s Fitness