What Real Fitness Looks Like
- Apr 28, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: a few seconds ago
Social media is a crazy place. We are inundated with pictures of super fit women who are showing off their flat stomachs, curves in all the right places, and not an extra ounce of fat on them. Then it becomes this comparison game in your head and you just end up disappointed, frustrated, or angry at yourself for not looking like these other people.
Then you tell yourself, "I'm almost 40 now and there's no way I could ever accomplish anything close to that so why even bother?"
This is where you need to put on the mental brakes and screech to a halt. First of all, you will ALWAYS lose the comparison game. There will ALWAYS be someone more fit, better at something, smarter than you, and the list goes on. This goes both ways, though. You will ALWAYS be more fit, better at something, and smarter than someone else. Comparing really isn't a constructive way to spend your time.
If there's going to be any comparison at all it should be with your past self. That's it.
Let's talk about what real fitness looks like.
First, you need to work towards accepting and loving yourself where you are at right now. You can accept where you are now while also wanting things to be different. The two can coexist. If you continue to focus on the things you don't like and tear yourself down in the process, then you won't have anything left to change and build yourself up.
Plus, you're not letting yourself acknowledge all of the amazing things there already are about you. You are so much more than what your body looks like because it isn't just about your body. What real fitness looks like includes your whole self- mind, body, and soul. They all go together to make you who you are.
Let's dial in a little on each of these areas:
MIND- this can be intellectual, emotional, and your inner dialogue
BODY- your physical appearance plus how you feel and move which ties into diet and exercise
SOUL- this is about your connection with the world, living your purpose, and feeling fulfilled
There could be a woman that's super fit with a flat stomach that doesn't handle stress well and feels purposeless. On the other hand another woman could have a strong connection to her work and feel like she is making a meaningful contribution to the world, but she gets winded just walking from her car to her desk each morning.
The above individuals are doing great in at least one area, but they definitely have some work to do in the others.
Being strong in mind, body, and soul will make you absolute FIRE! A force to be reckoned with!
It's continuous work, though.
You can't get that flat stomach you want and start living off of pizza and expect it to still be there a couple weeks later.
You can't define what your purpose is and then not take steps to live your life in alignment with it.
So you may be thinking- how do I figure out how I'm doing in these areas?
This takes self-reflection and introspection. And you have to be honest with yourself.
Here are some questions that could help give you some insight:
Do I physically feel good?
Does what I eat leave me feeling bloated and sluggish or do I feel more alert and energized?
Do I talk to myself in a positive way or do I berate myself for every little thing I don't like about myself?
How do I manage stress?
When is the last time I learned something new?
Do I feel like I'm contributing to the world in a meaningful way?
Do I feel like I'm living my purpose?
Take some time to actually sit and think about each of these. Use them as journal prompts if you like. Your answers might surprise you- in a good or maybe not so good way. That's okay! It's the first step to wellness in mind, body, and soul!
REMEMBER: Real fitness looks like feeling good, moving well, practicing positive self-talk, and feeling connected and purposeful.
You are more than what your body looks like.
Do this exercise to try to shift your perspective from comparison to a place of positive self-talk and self-love:
Write down 3 things you love about yourself (these can be physical-but not only physical!). Maybe you have an awesome sense of humor, your hair is a really pretty shade of auburn, or you're laugh is contagious, etc.
Write down 3 things you are really good at. Maybe you can easily speak in front of large groups of people, you can paint beautiful landscapes, or you're the go to person for advice for your friends, etc.
Stick these somewhere you will see them every day and make sure you read them! Over time, and with consistency, you'll find that you start to see more things you like about yourself- because what you're searching for you will find.
Take the time to appreciate all of the great things about you. When you come across things you don't like, instead of criticizing yourself, consider positive changes you could make to improve. And don't compare yourself to others!
Fitness is about more than what your body looks like. Real fitness is about how you feel and move. It's about how you treat yourself and handle what life throws at you. It's about your connection to other people and your contribution to the world.
When I help my clients I help them as a WHOLE PERSON. Of course there's aesthetic goals, but we go much deeper than that. We dive into stress, sleep, daily habits, their true "why", and what they want for the decades to come. It's not just about getting a summer body or fitting into a dress. It's about longevity, strength, avoiding or managing chronic illness, and feeling comfy and confident in their body again. If you're ready to break free from comparison and make sustainable changes as a WHOLE human send me an email at janna@jl-wellness.com and let's talk about how I could help you!
Further reading:
