GymPowerment

GYM Powerment

Empowerment and feminism can sometimes be a hot topic, especially in the fitness industry. However, one women is fighting the stigma and showing the world just how powerful women can be…

Siobhan Porter is a 29 year old feminist fitness fanatic and is using her social media to pave the way for many other women. We spoke to here to find out what she thinks about the stigma behind women lifting weights and how she got into fitness herself...

So Siobhan, when did you start your fitness journey?

“I guess my fitness journey started when I was about 25, although I’d say I’ve been committed to making fitness a lifestyle for about 3 years.”

What made you fall in love with weight training?

“I used to loath the gym and like many people, I thought that reaching my goals required endless hours of cardio on various machines. A friend of mine recommended going to Kettlebell classes and I tagged along. I soon realised that I loved this form of training and as a result, I started experimenting with lifting weights. I just love the way lifting weights makes you feel – I feel strong and empowered. I love seeing changes in my body that I’ve worked hard to achieve.”

Do you think there is a stigma behind women lifting weights & growing muscle?

“Unfortunately yes. I all too often hear women say they want to train but they don’t want to become muscular. This is usually accompanied with a comment about wanting to become ‘toned’, which essentially is the process of growing muscle and losing body fat. There’s definitely still a fear of becoming ‘bulky’ or ‘manly’, however I think slowly women are becoming more educated as a result of access to information on the internet.”

Do you think it is important that young females are educated on weight training to remove this stigma and create a more equal environment in the gym?

“Absolutely! Weight training has so many health benefits, both physical and mental. It works for so many women out there so it’s a shame that some women are reluctant to experiment. I train in the

evening, at the busiest time in the gym, and I’d say 95% of the time I am the only woman in the weights section, if not one of 2 or 3.”

How do you rock so much confidence and self love?

“I believe confidence and self-love are taught, to a degree. Yes, there are people who are born with bags of confidence but for the most part, I think it’s something that comes with age. When you’re younger, you’re trying to work out who you are and you can be incredibly critical of the way you look. Accepting who you are and your body type for what it is takes time. In general and for me personally, I know that if I am taking good care of myself (training regularly, eating well, avoiding too many processed foods and alcohol), I feel 10 times more confident because I look and feel better in myself.”

Do you have any amazing fitness goals for the future?

“As the UK goes into a second lock down for four weeks, I’m having to switch up my routines and workouts. My focus now is to ramp up the cardio and get fitter, while using bodyweight and the limited equipment I have at home to maintain my strength as much as possible until gyms reopen.”

Do you think that women get sexualised in the fitness industry?

“Yes! I’ve had some disgusting comments on my Instagram for posting pictures in gym clothes. I even had one guy say I should be ashamed for wearing less than a prostitute! At the end of the day, if women weren’t so sexualised in the media in the first place, no one would bat an eyelid to a women in shorts or a sports bra in a gym. Women in professional sports wear the same if not less (e.g. Olympics runners). The clothing is made for sport! Men wear tiny vests with their nipples showing in the gym all the time – what is the difference?”

Why do you like to call yourself a feminist?

‘I have been the brunt of sexist jokes. I have been told to be more feminine. I have received unwanted sexually explicit messages both personally and in the workplace and much more! I call myself a feminist because these are wrong.”

How do you think we can bring attention to the stigma and encourage change?

“I think women just need to continue to speak up. For so many years, we have had this ‘ladylike’ ideology enforced on us whereby women should look and act in a certain way but times are changing. I try and use my social media to raise these issues as much as possible. I have a lot of male friends and I always try and voice how I feel on issues from a women’s perspective. The more we continue to speak up, the more society will have to listen.”

What advice would you give to young women that are too scared to train with weights in a gym?

“1. Book an introductory session with a PT. They’ll show you the ropes so you’re not wondering around not knowing what to use or how to use the equipment.

2. Plan ahead – Write down your workouts and plan your routines for each day. You want to know exactly what you’re doing so you can get in there, work hard and get it done.

3. Remember, no one cares what you’re doing! Gym goers are WAY more interested in watching themselves in the mirror, focussing on mind/ muscle connection, trying to stay motivated, or feeling self-conscious themselves!

4. Wear whatever you feel comfortable and confident in! If you feel confident in hot pants and a sport bra – great! If you feel comfortable in an oversize T and trackies – wear just that! There’s no dress code in the gym.

5. Don’t be intimidated if it’s predominantly men in the weights section. It’s just as much your section as it is theirs. The truth is, the vast majority of men don’t really care what you’re doing – they’re probably more intimidated by you than you are them. Or, they rate you for being there in the first place!”

Fitness doesn’t have to be scary, nor should it just be for males. If you want to lift weights, go do it!

Check out Siobhan on Instagram:

@_siobhanporter

FULLSTOP. Nutrition

As a women it can sometimes be hard to find supplement brands that have natural ingredients and that target women’s health specifically. We spoke to the founder of the female supplement brand FULLSTOP. to find out why her products are the only ones you need...

The female body is structured differently to men’s meaning it requires different amounts of vitamins and minerals. FullStop. is a supplement brand targeted specifically towards women that need that little extra boost on a day-to-day…

What is FullStop. all about?

“FullStop. is all about empowering women to truly nourish their bodies without the hassle or pressure of cooking/preparing food. I created the brand because I needed this product myself. After I had a baby, I lost the luxury of time for self-care including preparing nutritious meals, getting to the gym regularly, doing yoga and meditating. I tried other products on the market, but I needed something that provided 100% of my nutritional needs and also included real fruits & vegetables as well as superfoods and adaptogens to support my lifestyle.”

Tell us about the charity work you do with FullStop....

“I always wanted to have a business that also made a contribution socially. We have partnered with Action Against Hunger and donate a packet of lifesaving food to a severely malnourished child for ever product purchased.”

How do your products target women’s health?

“FullStop. empowers women to show up in the world as their very best self, by truly nourishing their bodies and providing everything they need to thrive. For women looking to lose weight, FullStop. makes it easy by providing easy portion control, perfect nutritional balance of macronutrients and micronutrients, slow release carbs to stop snacking and reduce cravings and less than 1g sugar per serving.”

How is your brand different to others?

“I created this product for women specifically whereas other brands on the market are very masculine. I wanted this product to be something women WANT to use. In the formulation I have included superfoods, adaptogens and real fruit and vegetables because as a nutritionist I know