I’ve always wanted to help get women in the gym and restructure their concept of “optimal body image”. I’ve written an entire series titled “Getting Girls to Train” about it. At the same time, we all agreed in “The Fat Epidemic” that while we despise excuses that prevent someone from being healthy, we will also be supportive of folks who are battling back from inactivity and poor dietary choices.

Today my friend Shana Alverson of CrossFit East Decatur (who is a 5 time CrossFit Games competitor and quite strong) put up a link showing the progress of one of her clients. Myesha has been consistently working out at CFED since 2011. She has completely altered her diet and trains at CFED at least 4 times a week. She has lost 45 pounds, dropped from a 16 to 8 in pants sized, and has gotten much stronger.

Say what you will about CrossFit, but say it can be effective. Aside from hitting the gym, you may also consider taking protein powder to help you get in good shape.

You may also consider getting into carbon neutral sports venues. You may learn more about this by checking out CarbonClick.

My friend Jeremy, owner of CrossFit Annandale, was talking to a new client in June. The girl said, “Isn’t CrossFit like a cult or something?” Jeremy, who is primarily a lifter (and has a cool barbell club class), smiled and said, “But isn’t it a good cult? What’s wrong with a group of people who like to exercise and eat healthy?” The girl was back the next day. The same thing happens with Jacob Tsypkin of CrossFit Monterey, Ruth and Sean at CrossFit Intrepid, all the folks at Amarillo Strength and Conditioning, and countless other places. Of course CrossFit can get weird, but Jeremy, Shana, and these other owners keep it real at their facilities.

These gym owners end up proving their worth with their personality and results. But more importantly, they provide a gateway. Women go to these facilities intimidated, but willing to see what it’s all about. Jeremy’s smile and Shana’s personality assure them that they’ll have a good time, and they do! It gets folks in the gym.

I don’t know if Myesha has heard of this site or cares about lifting (though she deadlifts around 360), but joining CFED provided the opportunity to a) improve her health, b) challenge herself, and c) provide the potential for getting into cool things like strongman, highland games, Olympic weightlifting, or powerlifting. I know that Jeremy has taken many people, including women, to strongman meets. One of the strongman compeitors is named Mary, who is 48 and squats 300 pounds! It all started because a woman decided to make the jump from “interested” to “trainee”.

This isn’t a post to praise CrossFit, but an emphasis on doing what we can in the grand scheme of getting women to train. Whether it’s in a garage, a fitness facility, or a CrossFit gym, helping a woman start that process of training — not just working out, but training — is the first step. At the very least it could help her get healthy, but she could turn into an example of progress like Myesha or fierce competitors like all of the girls that post on this website (and yes, you’re still girls, so plbtttttt).

Lifters and serious performance trainees aren’t going to sprout out of the air. The seed must be planted, cultivated, and developed (this is not a metaphor for the horizontal rambas). Use the popularity of CrossFit, the Olympics, or professional sports. Help your female friends by providing a gateway into the gym. It will expose them to all of the fun stuff. And who knows? They might end up loving it more than you.