The time has come again for us, as a nation, to celebrate fitness. But, this time, the focus is on women. Every year, on the last Wednesday of September, National Women’s Fitness Day is observed. This is Frugivore’s first year on the scene covering this important day, so in celebration, we’ll highlight some of the innovative women in fitness, which means, we’ll look at women who we find are the trendsetters, inspiring women to express themselves through fitness.

Michelle Obama

The First Lady has set the tone for America in terms of fitness. Despite the inherent contradictions that come with being a politician, Mrs. Obama stands firm with her message of fitness and nutrition.

Her Let’s Move campaign seems to be a success, as thousands of children are looking fitter and leaner, even in the midst of double-digit obesity rates. The FLOTUS has partnered with everyone from Beyonce to NFL superstars to make sure her message is not lost in the myriad of sedentary options for children to choose from in today’s America.

Serena Williams

Serena, 29, had great year, considering she was coming back from a pulmonary embolism and a hematoma resulting from her treatment after cutting her foot on a piece of glass. Serena finished the WTA season ranked 14th, which is amazing because she only entered 13 tournaments.

Above all, Serena finally started to pay attention to her overall fitness, as opposed to only focusing on her tennis regimen.  According to Serena, when she was asked about how she slimmed down, she stated, “I wanted to get really fit. I wanted to lose some weight. So I’ve been doing Pilates and yoga, trying to lean out my body so I won’t be bulky.”

This living tennis legend is certainly all about her fitness and fashion, and we can’t wait to see her break a few more tennis records on her way to transitioning into the fashion industry.

Carmelita Jeter

This Los Angeles native left the track ablaze during this year’s IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Not only did she capture the gold in her specialty, the 100 meter dash, she secured a silver in the 200 meters and another gold in the 4×100.

Jeter, 31, holds the second fastest time in the 100 meter dash, and when it comes to fitness, she is the rare athlete that seems to improve with age, setting the world’s fastest time in 100 meters during the 2011 season.

Jeter will unquestionably be the favorite to bring home gold during the 2012 Olympics, which will start next summer in London. Let’s hope this very private athlete comes out of her shell, illuminating the personality behind her beautiful smile.

Zoe Saldana

In the past few years Saldana, 32, has been one of the busiest women in Hollywood. Luckily, Saldana was prepared for her opportunity to rule the box office by making fitness her foundation for her well-being.

Fortunately, Zoe proclaims her love for vegetables — her pre-red-carpet meal consists of fibrous vegetables in order to knock out her cravings for — wait for it — elk meat! Not good, but, hey, she will hopefully find vegetables a little more appealing as she grows older, and the elk meat clogs up her digestive tract.

“I think drinking tons of water is really crucial and I love lentils with some vegetables and greens. Healthy eating and indulging in comfort foods in moderation is my motto.”

Saldana really tweaked her fitness regimen in order to get through the grueling days while shooting her latest film, Columbiana. She incorporated cardio, weight training, and balance work to achieve a fitness level usually only needed for athletic competition.

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