Top 4 Ways Women Can Feel Empowered Through Health & Fitness

Physical fitness and consistent workouts have their perks in helping women achieve the body that they desire. However, not much is discussed about how a women's overall health can empower her outside of obtaining a fit body. This International Women’s Day, The Athlete’s Foot would like to provide you with the top four ways women can achieve empowerment through health and fitness efforts that will overall lead to a well-balanced life.

1. Build mental strength
Approximately 40% of Aussie women have been professionally diagnosed with depression or anxiety. With this known fact, it is critical to understand the positive impacts that fitness can have over women's mental health. Engaging in any physical activity over time can significantly lower anxiety and help women battle depression.

All physical activity takes a certain level of discipline which, when achieved, is empowering in itself. Training your mind and body takes perseverance and will require you to eliminate distractions and force schedule breaks for yourself. Once you begin to develop a fitness routine that works for you, overcoming mental roadblocks will be a breeze.

2. Change your diet
The word “diet” can be an intimidating word. Most people closely associate it with high costs, effort, and sacrifice. Let’s take the negative connotation out of the word “diet” and put it to good use. Diet is anything you consume-- that’s it! There is no doubt that with women rising in the workforce and taking life by the horns, there is less time to cook every day.

Eating better overall will have you feeling in control. Eliminating chocolates and incorporating more whole grains into your diet are easy but impactful ways to begin the process of eating better. Gaining awareness of what you are ingesting and balancing out diet and exercise will improve health significantly.

Here are two quick tips to help you change your diet

• Meal prep - This will put hours back into your week and allow you to go for that run you've been dying to take right after work. Preparing nutritious meals can restore energy after a workout, improve your mood and make it easier to eat healthily.
• Conscious eating - Mentally tracking what you ingest and eliminating unhealthy foods as you go through your day will help a great deal.

3. Connect with like-minded individuals
There is power in numbers. Joining forces with those that have common goals or wish to achieve a common goal will significantly benefit all parties. We all know those workout routines are hard to maintain, no matter the nature of the sport. Finding an accountability partner or a group of women who have similar interests, however, can make fitness routines more enjoyable and less like a chore.

Hit the ground running this holiday and begin a fitness challenge that is unique to your group’s needs. Set a timestamp for when your fitness challenge begins and ends, and be sure to plan times when you can work out together to achieve the common goal. Get social and create a hashtag so that your group members can use it every time they post on social media. Fitness challenges are the perfect opportunity to snag an accountability partner.

4. Continued growth
Feeling robust growth, whether physically or mentally, can be an empowering thing. A regimented fitness routine and healthier approach to life can help women feel stronger and more in control of their life goals. With this knowledge, women around the globe are continuing to set fitness goals and conquer bucket lists items like running marathons and competing in fitness challenges.

Ignite the women empowerment flame further by supporting other women in health and fitness. Consider planning fundraising events that promote women's fitness initiatives. Plan a trail run competition where all registration money goes toward a specific group of women or simply put together a sneaker donation drive at your job. Helping other women to reach their potential will boost both parties’ confidence, ensure continued personal growth and make a united front.