Working out, fitness, or even eating healthy doesn’t have to be (nay shouldn’t be) about losing weight and/or pant sizes, and Nike has stepped up to the plate to remind us of that.
Enter: #betterforit, an initiative that assures it’s beyond being just a hashtag and is actually “a call to action to share, promote, and embrace women’s fitness and sports.” It’s a rallying cry that calls women to share their experiences and to keep each other motivated.
“Every athlete has goals,” said Amy Montagne, VP/GM of NikeWomen and Global Women’s Training. “And Nike is the link between you and your aspirations. We provide more than encouragement — with initiatives like #betterforit, Nike provides the tools for women to expand their personal athletic potential.”
The campaign kicks off with an anthem and short films, which first debuted with a 60-second clip at the MTV Movie Awards this past Sunday. (And you can watch the first short below, which is directed by Matthew Frost.)
Nike’s also not alone in championing the concept of fitness over weight goals: Lena Dunham recently Instagrammed herself at the gym and sung the praises of exercise and how it keeps her anxiety at bay.
“Promised myself I would not let exercise be the first thing to go by the wayside when I got busy with Girls Season 5 and here’s why,” she captioned. “it has helped with my anxiety in ways I never dreamed possible. To those struggling with anxiety, OCD, depression: I know it’s mad annoying when people tell you to exercise, and it took me about 16 medicated years to listen. I’m glad I did.”
(Though that being said: please do not go off your meds, thinking exercise will cure you. The two work together, people. And check with a doctor before you do anything, obviously.)
