A Love Letter to Ilona Maher
Ilona Maher has taken the world by storm. Her official titles are Olympic Bronze Medalist and Sports Illustrated Cover Model… but if you’re anything like me, you just see her as a breath of fresh air in our never-ending, stale, diet culture ruled world. Not only is her Instagram content relatable, but it begs to be screamed from the rooftops. From showing us how much she eats to her broad back muscles to her classic red lip, Ilona leaves many women feeling seen and heard… and also wishing that more people could do the same.
Luckily, we left this Olympic season with a long list of new role models. We watched Simone Biles return to win 4 medals at the age of 27, an age that the gymnastics world once thought of as extinct. We saw US Cyclist Kristen Faulkner win gold after casually picking up cycling as a hobby just 7 years ago. We saw Laura Kraut, a 58 year old showjumper, become the oldest woman to win an Olympic medal in 72 years.
For so long, we’ve watched and thought “that could never be me.” And now many of us have this wondering… could that be me? Maybe not in a become-an-Olympian way, but definitely in a what-am-I-capable-of kind of way.
So what’s changed?
Well, I don’t have any sort of official proof of this, but just as a lifelong observer… It seems like female athletes are getting stronger. And it seems like that display of strength is making more women want to be stronger, too.
With that, the narrative is changing. For so long, women have been taught to accept that we are at our prime at 22, that we expire at 30, that a 40 year old woman is practically invisible, that a 50 year old woman might as well already be dead.
And then all of these 2024 female Olympians entered the chat. They showed us how important it is to workout to take up more space, not less. They showed us that your age doesn’t define you. They showed us that you are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. And they showed us that women are no longer only helping men to accomplish their dreams. That their own dreams deserve to be prioritized, too.
The sad part is, the Olympics are already a distant memory, and many people are going to forget about this newfound inspiration and developing narrative.
But what if YOU don’t?
What if you are the one who stops your friends when they start to self-deprecate their size and appearance? What if you are the relative at Thanksgiving encouraging the younger girls to fill up their plates? What if you are the one who interrupts the relatives reminding a single, young woman that her clock is ticking? What if you are the partner or parent showing your family that for you, exercise is a means of growing, not shrinking?
It’s a lot to take on, but I whole-heartedly believe that we can all have a contagious energy like Ilona. To help you get started, here are 3 messages Ilona sends us that are worth repeating over and over and over again, to anyone who will listen (and really, even to those who “won’t listen” because they can still hear you and deep down probably know you’re right):
It is imperative to eat enough. As an athlete, Ilona shows us the amount of carbs and protein she consumes so she can be successful in her sport. As the non-athletes that most of us are, it’s still important to eat enough so we can be successful in what we’re striving to do, too. Whether it’s keeping up with children or running a business or working towards a promotion or furthering your education, or doing a little bit of it all, you need to make sure you’re getting enough carbs and protein, too.
Embrace what your body allows you to do over how it looks. For Ilona, her broad shoulders allow her to clip and make strategic plays while her strong legs allow her to storm down the field. Your body is not just an object that is meant for looking. It is your home, and it’s meant for living. Without your body and its abilities, you wouldn’t have the accomplishments that you’ve earned. Your body is your teammate, not your opponent.
Strong is sexy. Ilona is known for two things: her muscles and red lipstick. She even rocks a red lip on the field. Because you can be a strong, dominating athlete and still look feminine. You can have broad shoulders and still wear slinky dresses. You can have thick thighs and still wear shorts. You can have a full waist and still wear fitted leggings. Striving to look as small and dainty as possible isn’t for everyone. Strong is sexy, too.
August is about to come to a close, but the role models we discovered are just getting started. And how cool is it that you can be on that list of role models for the people in your life, too?
