Kelly Roberts is paving the way for runners who have struggled with their weight their whole lives, but are finally realizing that strong comes in many shapes and sizes.

The media has had a HUGE influence on the way we view ourselves for years, and Kelly always thought she needed to lose weight to be beautiful. We are so cruel to ourselves, and we focus on our biggest insecurities.

It was only when Kelly watched the finish of a marathon that she realized every single runner crossing that finish line was changing their life for the better forever by running a that race. The sense of accomplishment in your first race is something we should never forget.

But still, for Kelly it was about losing weight, when in fact, it is not even about the weight, but the body dysmorphia that plagues us even if we do. We have to start thinking about our health in terms of longevity and not the immediate rewards.

Kelly loves to do research, especially about how the media affects us and what it does to our body image. The weight loss industry is the reason we think healthy= thin. However, being thin does not mean you are going to be fast, putting in the work does.

We discuss why we need to stop talking about ourselves in terms of fast or slow, it is not about that,  but do you feel strong, confident, ambitious?

We discuss how we can make a change, especially for those of us who want to inspire the younger generations to believe in who THEY are. You HAVE to start with yourself. How often do you look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are beautiful? How often do you say you are beautiful in front of your daughter?

If we can't say it to ourselves out loud in front of them, how are they ever going to believe it?

Today's episode is for you if you believe that we need to make a change to believe in ourselves more, especially as runners, and if you have ever struggled with your weight, this will show you that maybe trying so hard to lose the weight is actually what is sabotaging you.

Today's Guest

Kelly Roberts

Best known for her Run Selfie Repeat website and Podcast, Kelly Roberts is sponsored by Oiselle for her work she is doing to redefine strong within the running world, inspiring women of every shape and size that they are beautiful and strong.

What You Will Learn About

• How Kelly finally learned to love running (after many years of trying) when she came to accept that it was never going to be easy
• Change your thinking if losing weight or maintaining weight is always the focus of your exercise. Kelly struggled with this for most of her life, but running is meant to be empowering!
• Why we are always striving for our bodies to look like an impossible level of perfect, and how damaging it is to our self esteem
• What gave Kelly the confidence to run in just a sports bra when she still worried people might think she was "fat", how we can also overcome that fear
• How to help make a change in the world if you too are passionate about changing the way we view our bodies and who we are
• What to do if you find social media makes you feel insecure and sad

Inspirational Quotes

I always wanted to be a runner because it meant you would be skinny. My weight was something I always struggled with, I always felt like the fat friend.

Running was this thing that if I learned to love to run then maybe I would lose the weight I had convinced myself I needed to lose to be desirable or to look the way I thought beautiful women looked.

I remember seeing people of all different shapes and sizes (at the end of a marathon), and thinking, WHAT?! This isn't at all what I thought this would be like.

When I started running, I finally came to terms with the fact that there was never going to be a day that it was easy, and even though yes for some people, it is easier than others, everyone struggles.

Running became this thing that even though it felt impossible, and it was horrible, there was a duality to it, it wasn't just awful, I felt better after, and I loved the fact that when I was doing it, I couldn't think about all the things I wasn't doing with my life.

Finally, I have something that makes me feel proud of myself.

I was still convinced that if I could work harder then I could finally look the way I needed to look. Once I started doing the work and not giving up on myself, and nothing really changed, I felt so much more powerful. Running is absolutely a form of empowerment.

Health is not about weight. 

Running made me do the work at something I wasn't good at, and it totally changed the way I saw myself, the way I saw self doubt, and I saw the limits I was putting on myself and the intimidation that came with that.

We never ever see a diverse range of bodies, shapes, colors, races, ages. Everyone is going to extreme lengths to be perfect or to become the ideal of thinness and fill these beauty standards, to fit in a box.

Health is not a look, it is a lifestyle.

We never celebrate our wins, all we do is focus on what we do wrong or what we need to be better at or regret. It is so backwards.

It's a balance, learning when to talk about something and how.

Don't ever think that because someone sees the world in a different way than you, that they are right and you are wrong. Things are so complicated, everything is a grey area.

Resources Mentioned

Last week's interview with Kyle Merber

Run Selfie Repeat Podcast

Sports Bra Squad

Bad Ass Lady Gang

Kelly's Twitter

Women's Running Magazine

Kelly's website (She Can and She Did)

Thank you to my new running buddy VI and favorite recovery product BodyHealth for sponsoring this episode of Running for Real.

VI is there to encourage you on tough days, congratulate you on the days you crush it, and remind you of your goals when you need it. You can enter to win your own VI by visiting GetVI.com/running4real

When I was running 90 miles a week as a pro, I would take 5-10 BodyHealth Perfect Amino tablets every day without fail. They helped me recover faster, and feel better. Now they have Perfect Amino XP, which makes it even easier. Get 10% off at Bodyhealth.com using coupon code TINA10