GOTR!!!

Girls on the Run or GOTR.  If you don't know what it is, to learn more I suggest going to their website (www.girlsontherun.org) or checking out their Facebook page (it's linked to PracticallyFit's page, so you can find it there).  In a nutshell GOTR is a program that strives to educate & empower young girls to prevent any at-risk behaviors later in life.  Here in Charlotte GOTR targets 3rd-5th graders educating them on topics from peer pressure to running to positive body image.  The team utilizes a semester to target these subjects while also incorporating running & activity.  At the end of the season the team participates in a 5K run to finish their season together.

Yesterday I was invited to speak or "guest coach" at a GOTR meet at a local elementary school by my close friend, Katie.  Katie is one of the coaches and she does an amazing job!  Prior to yesterday I have coached one other meet with Katie, where I discussed running form & injury.  Yesterday my topic was nutrition & running form (we'll save this discussion for another blog).  I'm always a little nervous.  What could be so scary about 9 & 10 year old girls?  But honestly I'm an adult physical therapist who does not have her own children, so teaching & reasoning with kids is a little scary.  I came prepared with a couple topics I wanted to touch on, knowing in my head that the girls would ultimately drive the discussion.

As we navigated the beginning of the meet Katie brought up that I was there to discuss nutrition & that this would be a great topic since the team had recently discussed how saying "I look fat," is not a positive way to think about oneself.  I couldn't believe it, 9 & 10 year old girls thinking they look fat??? They each weight like 45 pounds!?!?  This really resonated with me & we will come back to this in a sec.

I went through my talk and as I predicted the girls directed the meet, which was great!  They asked questions that were important to them.  For example, "should I buy running shoes that match my outfit?" and "is it okay to drink Gatorade instead of water?"  Then we finished the session with their run.  I got the chance to run with some of the girls & help them work on their form which was hilarious & educational.  Trying to correct a 9 year old's running form is waaaaay harder than it sounds.  Another great experience with GOTR, I can't wait to be a guest coach again!!!

Now back to looking fat.  This statement is the exact reason GOTR exists, to build self-confidence.  At an early age this program instills positive self-esteem in young girls, the people who will most likely need that self-esteem the most in years to come.  When I asked Katie where thinking they "looked fat" came from, she said it begins with what the girls hear form their parents & trickles into the student body, eventually becoming a trend, then "everybody's doing it."  My first thought was, "how sad? we are set up to fail before we even hit our teenage years," then my second thought was, "No! it's time for adults to have a G (or boys) OTR for themselves."  We start out life with great self-esteem & little by little we get torn down, by others sometimes, but mainly by our own doing.  Eventually that self-confidence gets pulled down enough that we don't feel worthy of life's basic gifts like love.  That lack of self-confidence can be the difference in a healthy lifestyle vs sedentary or a dream career vs none.  We talk ourselves into thinking how we aren't skinny enough, or aren't smart enough, or aren't pretty enough for something, the list could go on & on & on.  And you know what?  That's not fair to ourselves!    As we age & accomplish more and more our self-esteem should grow.  We should be proud of ourself & feel more confident.  Begin to think more positively about yourself.  Even you are having a day where you "feel fat," maybe try to notice another positive attribute about yourself outside or inside.  Maybe your hair looks great, or you totally rocked a presentation that day, whatever the case may be start looking at yourself in a more positive light.  Today, pat yourself on the back for just being you & I think it's time that we are start viewing ourselves better, while continuing to stand up to peer pressure.

Programs like GOTR are amazing they teach our youth  to believe in themselves & strive to be the best not allowing others to pull them down, while also educating them about healthy behaviors.  There is not a better program that does all of these things. Girls on the run is so much fun!!!

We should always have the GOTR mission in our heads:
"We believe that every girl CAN embrace who she is, CAN define who she wants to be, CAN rise to any challenge, CAN change the world, CAN!"