Abby Wambach in ESPN Body Issue

My partner, who is so active that she even uses her lunch breaks to partake in classes offered at her gym, was recently telling me about an article she read in the Huffington Post documenting why it is that people become more motivated to work out during the Olympics. According to the article, some of us see all of the amazing athletes’ bodies and think, “I can do that!” U.S professional soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach’s body (albeit still practically unattainable to the average dapperQ), as featured in ESPN magazine’s “Body Issue,” is one that inspires us to drop the chips and get moving.

Unlike many of the models in Sport Illustrated’s swimsuit issues, her physique is the consequence of her passion rather than the end goal of her physical training. Exercise has become a means of changing our bodies so that we can gain approval from others about our appearance. But being active should be about passion, self-care, self-acceptance, and being grateful for the physical abilities we do have, at any age and with any limitation. All the other “rock hard abs” stuff is an added bonus. Lucy Danziger advises, “when you watch the Olympics in the next 14 days and feel inspired, think about what it is that moves you.”