Controversial "fit mom" Maria Kang is back, and this time she brought backup. The 33-year-old mother of three boys can be seen flaunting her toned and taut bod alongside 24 other hot mamis inside the pages of her new 2015 "Fit Mom" calendar. But don't worry, Kang promises the calendar isn't just an excuse to fat shame people year-round. On the contrary. She hopes featuring real mothers of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities will encourage mothers everywhere to make fitness and their own personal health a priority.
Read more ¿Qué más?:"Fit Mom" Maria Kang is back & shaming curvy girls
Kang practically broke the Internet last year when she posted a pic of her toned post-pregnancy bod on Facebook and captioned it with the question: "What's your excuse?" The response was overwhelming, and not in a good way. People accused Kang of being a holier (and healthier) than thou fat-shamer. However, Kang insisted (and still does) that her "no excuse" belief isn't about making busy moms feel bad about not being able to find the time to workout. It's meant to empower women to find balance, plain and simple.
Since we last saw Kang, she's launched the No Excuse Mom group, which is non-profit group dedicated to helping busy moms find a work-life-workout balance. "We have free workout locations throughout the world. We have life, stress, workout, kids, responsibilities and obligations," she writes on her website. "That's life," she continues. "And that's completely okay. Balance is one of the keys to success."
Yes, balance IS key! That's why I'm pleased to see that Kang's No Excuse Mom group and calendar, alike, feature a good balance of women. The women featured in the calendar vary in height and body type. That was especially important for Kang. "We asked our mothers to show the world what an everyday mother looks like, without covering scars, stretch marks, or cellulite,' she told Yahoo Parenting. "Health does not look the same on everyone, and it was important for our daughters and sons to see that beauty and fitness comes in all shapes and sizes." It's also very important for us to see as women.
Photos aside, I found the women's personal messages to be especially encouraging. "If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up," advises curvy 24-year-old mother of three Samantha Abadilla. "I don't workout because I hate my body, I workout because I LOVE it!" quips Lainie Lewis-Poljak, a 38-year-old mother of three kids ranging in age from 16 to 13 months. YES! I love their outlook. They're way more relatable than Kang ever was, and I think that's kind of the point.
Even if you're not a Kang supporter, you can still find someone to identify with in her calendar. If I'm being really honest, I'm actually quite tempted to pick up my own copy, if for no other reason than to have a year-long reminder of the fact that fitness, health and beauty comes in different shapes and sizes, and every body and everyone is beautiful in his or her own way.
Images via Maria Kang/ Facebook, Noexcusemom.com
