Katja Mia on body positivity and how exercise has changed her life for the better

Kat O'Connor

Katja Mia is in her running era

The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon is just around the corner and Katja Mia is ready to take on the challenge. Many people dismiss the 10k challenge but it’s one of the most empowering events for women in Ireland. Everyone has each other’s backs, strangers are cheering you on, and you are getting more than your daily steps.

You can run, jog, or walk on the big day this June 2nd, but Katja is ready to run to that finish line on the big day. Speaking about the impact running has had on her wellbeing, Katja said she has never felt better, but it isn’t about losing weight or looking a certain way.

She said the impact exercise has had on her mental and physical health is what it is all about. The size of your leggings doesn’t matter, but society still sees exercise as a way to lose weight. We fail to realise just how much it can help you mentally until we try it ourselves.

Katja told Her.ie: “As you grow up, you let go of that pressure. Now I just put on a bikini and still feel good in my figure because it’s not about how your stomach looks.

“If all my focus is on losing weight then I’m not going to enjoy exercise. I’ll just be miserable because that’s what I’ve done years before.”

Katja is encouraging people to start looking at exercise as a positive lifestyle rather than a punishment.

It’s something good that you’re embracing for your own health and happiness.

It isn’t something to do just to drop a dress size or two.

She said she has never felt better and has gone from never being able to run to running 5km in 42 minutes.

“No one really cares as much as you think they do”

Looking at exercise in an empowering way is something that can help many of us who suffer with body confidence. Too many women have spent years pressuring themselves to look perfect and to fit into a certain size, but that is something we need to shake off.

Katja agreed that her younger self would’ve worried a lot about how she looked. She would tell her 21-year-old self to stop caring about what people think of her appearance.

“No one is really paying as much attention to you as you think. No one really cares as much as you do you’re just in your head.

“I would tell myself to just wear the summer clothes that I want to and go out with my friends. Being insecure and fixating on body image is real but I’m still undoing a lot of that damage.

“But now I’m feeling good mentally. I’m like ‘We’re wearing a sleeveless top today and it’s a win.”

There’s no doubt that those of us who grew up during the years when being a size 12 was viewed as ‘shameful’ are also undoing a lot of harm society caused, but being kind to yourself is key.

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If we focus on empowering ourselves and being kinder to ourselves then life does feel better.

Katja has already had an incredible 2024 so far by investing time in herself, whether that’s through exercise, chasing career goals, or switching off in the evening. She’s her own personal cheerleader and that’s something every woman in Ireland should embrace.

Katja said this is the year she’s saying yes to more opportunities because life is too short not to do as much as possible.

“I’m getting back into the groove with a lot of the content work that I’ve been doing so I’m really excited for ambassador ships that I have coming up.

The presenter has other projects in the pipeline but isn’t ready to share them just yet, but there’s no doubt that this is going to be Katja Mia’s year.

Katja is a Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon ambassador. There are a limited number of spaces left for the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon so sign up today to be part of something big on Race Day, June 2^nd.

Register at vhiwomensminimarathon.ie