Redefining Female Ideals: Five Fitness Influencers Who Break Social Media Stereotypes

Female social media influencers have a way of shaping others’ perceptions of what women want and what they are capable of. Unfortunately, for the most part of the internet, influencers tend to box themselves to certain stereotypes that they know will guarantee views and engagements. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, seeing the same narrative and imagery over and over again does tend to put into mind, a limit as to what modern day ladies can accomplish.

Women are strong. And rare as they are, there are female influencers out there who are not afraid to go against the flow and show the world that, especially in the realm of outdoor activities and fitness, women are capable of so much more than what people expect. Today, we get to know some of these brave souls who continue to inspire younger generations to work on their passion–regardless of if they are not very traditionally ladylike.

Sarah Bowmar – @sarah_Bowmar

Sarah Bowmar is a mother, author, a successful entrepreneur, certified fitness and nutrition coach, ethical hunting enthusiast, and so much more. She is the founder and CEO of various highly successful sports nutrition brands, namely Apex Protein Snacks and Bowmar Nutrition.

Amy Stien – @amyy_VSG

Amy Stien is not one to shy away from telling her full story and using that as a platform to inspire others. She had always struggled with her weight and began taking weight loss pills at the age of 8. At 19, she had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (a procedure that lets you reduce the size of your stomach for weight loss purposes), and since then have been utilizing the benefits of proper diet and exercise to maintain her figure and health. She hopes that by sharing her journey so openly, people’s negative perception of weight loss surgeries will finally stop. She explains, “By no means is weight loss surgery the ‘easy way out’, this journey is never ending and takes major dedication and hard work! I have to make conscious choices every single day in order to maintain my success. It is very easy to revert back to old habits and end up right where I started. My goal is to show everyone that it is possible to reach your goals no matter how unreachable they may seem at the moment–you are NEVER stuck! There is always a light at the end of the tunnel! You have the power to change your entire life!”

Bailey Ducommun – @bodyfitbalance

Bailey is an entrepreneur, registered nurse and certified physical therapist from Central Wisconsin. She owns the brand, Thicc by Body Fitness, and has always championed the idea of embracing all the unique things that make you, you. She claims that Fitness has always been a very important part of her life and that training has been her escape and is something that truly allows her to keep pushing to become the best and strongest version of herself. 

Rachel Ahtila – @rachelahtila

Rachel Ahtila is a hunting guide from British Columbia, Canada. A passion for horses brought her to the mountains at the age of 11. There, she learned about wrangling for big game hunts. As soon as she is allowed to legally carry a license, she embarked on a career as a Registered Hunting Guide. This has taken her from the northern reaches of the Yukon and Northwest Territories to British Columbia and New Zealand. She’s also a published author, presenter, product tester for leading outdoor companies, an accomplished hunter and equestrian. 

Jessica Taylor Byers – @followherarrow

Born and raised in Central Texas, Jessica Taylor Byers has been hunting all her life. She is a lover of nature and desires to see as many beautiful places as possible while chasing first time experiences. Her husband introduced her to bowhunting a couple of years ago, and since then she has fallen in love with the practice. She says that bowhunting exposes the good and the bad. It challenges and shapes her into the best version of herself each day.