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People are loving this new fitness ad featuring women just like you

Sweaty betties and proud.

This Girl Can / YouTube

THIS NEW AD shows women working out – women of different sizes, women sweating, women boxing, women running, women dancing, women just doing their thing.

It’s a campaign developed by Sport England, and it’s going down a lycra-clad storm online after its debut today.

this girl can 1

Sport England say on the official website that the #ThisGirlCan campaign is about getting women “back to sport”.

Fear of judgement is stopping many of us from taking part in exercise. But as thousands of women up and down the country are proving, it really doesn’t have to.

this girl can 2

And no wonder, as instead of just one narrow view of what fitness looks like, it shows women of all abilities, ages and sizes working out, and loving it.

Because of that, people are really embracing the campaign:

Some have pointed out one thing about how we describe the women in the ad:

 

While others have been using it to show off the skills of even more women:

What do you think of the ad? Has it inspired you to get out there and get fit?

Read: Here’s the right way to set a New Year’s Resolution>

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29 Comments
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    Mute Joanna
    Favourite Joanna
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    Jan 12th 2015, 10:19 PM

    Yes! This is a good ad. It doesn’t glamorise physical activity like in Nike ads or whatever. Exercise is gross and sweaty and unflattering and that’s OK!

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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Jan 12th 2015, 10:58 PM

    Ah say what you like lads. When me and my jiggly ass are running on the beach every day, what you think couldn’t be further from my mind. Because, now this may shock you, I’m doing it for me. And I happen to like me a lot more since I started exercising, wobbly bits and all! So there!

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    Mute nikki
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    Jan 12th 2015, 10:01 PM

    And here we go again with the “us v’s them, “slim v’s larger” bull again. Can we not just agree that it’s a great ad that shows slender people and overweight people and all shapes and sizes in between. Is to promote the fact that none of us no matter what our shape or size looks sexy or glamorous working out :) we sweat like pigs and most likely have a face full of melted make up to boot :)

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jan 12th 2015, 10:15 PM

    most of you look that way during sex too – I don’t find anything unattractive about it!!

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    Mute Caroline Maher
    Favourite Caroline Maher
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    Jan 12th 2015, 10:57 PM

    Haha love it!

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    Mute Moll
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    Jan 12th 2015, 9:55 PM

    What is this ‘real woman’ stuff about? I don’t get it. A woman is a woman, whether you’re naturally thin or naturally curvy.

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    Mute Mirinda Tattan
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    Jan 13th 2015, 2:01 AM

    I think that’s the point if the add though. It’s shown thin woman, large woman, tall, small, old, young! Woman off all kinds and makes the point I think that all you have to do to be a ‘real woman’ is to just be…..?

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    Mute Selina Burrows
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    Jan 13th 2015, 6:54 AM

    I used to work in a fast food restaurant where I would hear people commenting on overweight people, Oh look at her eating that etc etc. Yet I witnessed the same thing in the gym oh look at that fat this or that on the treadmill. It’s awful.. You’re damned if you do & damned if you don’t. So get your sweats on & do what’s good for you. Don’t listen to other people. :D
    Great ad. :D

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    Mute Silver Planet
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    Jan 12th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Once again, being unfit does not make you more “real” than me

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jan 13th 2015, 12:49 PM

    I’d argue Silver that the ad shows both extremely fit women and women who are the lower end of that fitness scale – and everything in between? They aren’t trying to make one more ‘real’ than the other?

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    Mute Siobhan Hanley
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    Jan 12th 2015, 9:36 PM

    Love it!!

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Jan 13th 2015, 1:20 AM

    A bit like watching a marathon and realising that all shapes and sizes take part and some that look like they couldn’t run a yard finish in fine style. I find that very encouraging.

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    Mute Ben Coughlan
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    Jan 13th 2015, 12:16 AM

    Mother of god, that’ll be shown in every Marketing boardroom and class un the country. Nike and co could have cleaned up had they tried something like that.

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    Mute Antaine O Duile
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    Jan 13th 2015, 5:09 AM

    Great ad and I hope it starts a new trend. Sport England have nailed it. Big brand sports names should take a leaf out of their book and realise that this is what it takes to stay fit and healthy.

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    Mute Mary Walshe
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    Jan 12th 2015, 11:50 PM

    Pigs don’t sweat

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    Mute James O Carroll
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    Jan 13th 2015, 4:32 PM

    i dont know why they are getting mad that fat people are in the ad. at least they are trying to lose weight

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    Mute Trisha Maher
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    Jan 13th 2015, 12:17 PM

    Love it

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    Mute Live Long
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    Jan 13th 2015, 4:45 PM

    If people cant get motivated to keep fit for themselves then an advert is unlikely to turn things around.

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    Mute KingdomWhey
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    Feb 24th 2017, 12:45 PM

    Yoga is a fantastic method to aid women’s health and wellbeing!! Check out the key secrets to effective Yoga https://tinyurl.com/gumtrk7

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