VicHealth’s This Girl Can campaign inspired large number of Victorian women to keep moving through COVID restrictions

VicHealth’s This Girl Can – Victoria campaign has inspired close to 320,000 Victorian women to keep moving during Coronavirus restrictions.

With gyms and sports clubs having been closed due to the pandemic, the campaign - now in its third year - supported one in seven Victorian women to get active through a range of inspirational videos and beginner-friendly online workouts.

VicHealth research has found two thirds of Victorian women aren’t motivated by fitness videos featuring models and influencers with unrealistic bodies. Instead over three quarters of women want to see a diversity of body shapes, cultural background and abilities.

The VicHealth’s This Girl Can campaign videos cover a range of topics relevant to iso-life including beginner cycling tips and online dance classes and feature everyday women of all different body shapes and sizes. Feedback suggests these videos were a welcome change from the flood of #fitspo workouts starring toned and taut fitness models promoted to women online.

Victorian Minister for Women, Gabrielle Williams said This Girl Can – Victoria was helping Victorian women get active and healthy during Coronavirus and noted "It’s fantastic to see so many Victorian women inspired to get active as a result of this powerful campaign. Being active is so good for our physical and mental health, which is so important right now.

"We want all women – no matter what they look like or their ability – to feel comfortable about giving physical activity a go. That’s what This Girl Can – Victoria is all about.

"I encourage women to try a This Girl Can workout – it’s a great way to get your heart rate up and take a mental break."

VicHealth This Girl Can Head, Melanie Fineberg said the campaign helped women find new ways of getting active during Coronavirus adding "we’ve had some fantastic feedback from women who’ve tried an activity for the first time because of This Girl Can – Victoria, which is great to hear during a global pandemic.

"While there are millions of workout videos online, we found there was a real lack of content featuring instructors who looked like everyday women. We know #fitspo isn’t motivating for many women – the last thing you can relate to when you’re stuck at home is a workout video from a bikini-clad celebrity on an exotic beach.

"We wanted to fill that gap and provide a campaign that was motivating but also practical. Our videos cover a range of topics women have told us they want that are relevant to iso-life: from beginner cycling tips and online dance classes to pelvic floor workouts you can do at home in your pyjamas.

"The women featured in This Girl Can – Victoria are everyday women with real stories and realistic bodies. Women relate to them and think if she can do it, I can too."

For more information go to thisgirlcan.com.au/