2026 marks 115 years of International Women’s Day (IWD). That’s 115 years of women challenging expectations, breaking barriers, and pushing for progress. On IWD, we recognise not only how far we’ve come, but the everyday strength, resilience, and achievements of women all around the world.
This year’s theme, “Give to Gain,” celebrates the power of women supporting women through advocacy and the sharing of knowledge. In that spirit, we invited a few of our athletes to share the lessons that have shaped them, the doubts they’ve overcome, and the strength they’ve built along the way.
We hope their stories inspire you on your own journey and encourage you to keep going, especially on the days when motivation’s low or progress feels slow. We know how hard it can be to start, to stay disciplined, and to silence the self-doubt, but when we share in each other's struggles, as well as the wins, it reminds us that none of us are figuring it out alone. And when women lift each other up, there’s no limit to what we’re capable of.
Every journey looks different, but each of these women started somewhere. Here’s how their fitness journeys began:
Can you tell us a little bit about your fitness journey so far?
Brenda: @brendaymendez
I’ve been training for 7 years now. Fitness didn’t just change my body. It changed the way I think about discipline, confidence, movement, and how I speak to myself. It taught me that strength is built quietly and consistently. Now, I help women all over the world build that same strength. Not just physically, but mentally. Because once you realize you’re capable of more, it shifts everything.
Jacinta: @jacintamayora
I’m a 44-year-old Dutchie living in Marbella. I spent most of my life struggling with my weight and deep insecurities about my body. Fitness used to be a fight. Now it’s freedom. These days, I focus on being healthy, strong, and genuinely happy, and I’m finally living the life I used to postpone “until I lost weight”.
Emma: @_emmagilligan_
I’m a women’s hormone health practitioner and fat loss coach. My journey started like many women’s, focused on changing how I looked, but over time, it evolved into building strength, confidence, and resilience. I founded Energise Online Coaching to help women all over the world do the same, in a way that works with their lives and cycles.
When you first stepped into the fitness space, what did you believe you had to be to belong?
Brenda: Truthfully, I never felt like I had to be something specific to belong. I knew I was a beginner. And yes, that was intimidating. But instead of shrinking, I observed. I reminded myself that everyone started somewhere. I saw different body types, different journeys, and different levels, and that reassured me. I didn’t need to be “ready.” I just needed to be willing. I trusted that if I stayed consistent, I would get there too. And I was right.
Starting a fitness journey often means confronting the beliefs we’ve been taught about our bodies.
What belief about your body or strength did you have to unlearn, and where do you think this came from?
Emma: That smaller automatically meant better. That mindset came from learnt behaviour, such as diet culture, social media, and years of equating worth with appearance. Learning about my cycle and getting stronger taught me that performance, health, and how I feel matter far more.
Brenda: For a long time, I trained from a place of not feeling enough ... I think that came from comparison, social media, and honestly just being a woman in a world that constantly tells you your body needs to be a certain way. Over time, I realized strength isn’t built through self-punishment. It’s built through self-respect. I stopped training to “correct” myself and started training to honor what my body can do.
As confidence grows, so does the ability to question the “rules” we once believed we had to follow.
What’s one “rule” or expectation in the fitness space you stopped following, and how did that choice change you?
Jacinta: The idea that it’s all about discipline. Yes, discipline matters. But for me, everything starts with self-love. Some days it means pushing yourself when you don’t feel like it. Other days, it means resting without guilt.
Strength doesn’t grow in isolation. The support and wisdom of other women often shape our journeys in unexpected ways.
How has learning from other women shaped the way you train and show up today?
Emma: Other women have shown me the power of sharing struggles openly, rather than pretending everything is easy. Hearing their experiences around hormones, body image, and confidence has made me coach with more empathy and flexibility. It reminds me that strength and health look different for everyone, which I think is pretty amazing!
How do you hope to inspire women who are just beginning their fitness journeys, especially when they’re feeling unsure or intimidated?
Brenda: I hope they see that you don’t have to be confident to start. You build confidence by starting. You don’t need the perfect body, the perfect routine, or the perfect mindset. You just need to show up… If I can be an example of anything, I want it to be this: consistency beats perfection. And you are allowed to grow at your own pace.
Jacinta: I want them to start with the right mindset. Movement isn’t just a tool to burn calories; it’s an investment in your future self. You’re building a body that needs to carry you not just this summer, but 20 or 30 years from now.
Emma: You are allowed to take up space in the gym exactly as you are.
What would surprise your younger self the most about the woman you’ve become?
Brenda: She would be surprised that I don’t quit anymore or give myself excuses. I choose growth even when it’s uncomfortable. And I don’t abandon myself when things get hard.
Jacinta: That I’m fitter and happier in my 40s than I ever dreamed of in my 20s. And that confidence doesn’t come from shrinking yourself. It comes from growing into who you are.
Today, these athletes are helping other women take their first steps.
If you could send one message to the version of you who was just starting out, what would you want her to know sooner?
Brenda: I would tell her: stop rushing. Your body is not behind.Everything you’re building, the muscle, the discipline, the mindset… is happening exactly how it’s supposed to. Trust the process, but more importantly, trust yourself.
Emma: I would tell her that progress does not come from punishing yourself. It comes from patience, nourishment, and consistency. Work with your body and cycle, and you’ll soon see how powerful it is to be a woman.
Jacinta: You are not behind. You are becoming. Happiness is not the final destination after hard work. Happiness is the fuel you need along the way.
At Women’s Best, we believe strength grows when it’s shared. Our athletes’ stories are proof that progress doesn’t come from perfection, but from consistency, patience, and the courage to keep showing up. Let this be your reminder that no two journeys look the same. You just have to trust your own unique path and allow yourself to grow at your own pace.
This International Women’s Day, remember the power of “Give to Gain” and share your own wins, setbacks, and the lessons they’ve taught you, as your voice might be exactly what another woman needs right now.
Together, we are limitless.
