As a young woman I am not a stranger to the pressures of conforming to a predetermined body image. I also have been through the motions of following fitness blogs and trying healthy recipes for a month or so, only to crash and cave into the junk foods while making up excuses for why I’m too busy for the gym. It can be easy to find yourself in a self-deprecating loop of viewing super fit influencers and wishing to look like them, so you viciously dive into workouts to achieve society’s dream body. Not only is this unhealthy physically, but it can also negatively impact your mentality when it comes to living your best life. This is a journey I have been on for years, and I have only recently discovered a method that I am comfortable with. So I thought I would share some tips with you.
Workout because you love your body, not because you hate it. Like I mentioned earlier, a lot of people exercise as a form of punishment for not fitting a certain body image. They hate what they see in the mirror, so they push themselves to change their body into something they believe will make them happier. But I challenge you to not workout as a punishment to your body, but rather a reward. Your body works hard for you; it gets you from place to place and heals you when things go wrong. Your body is uniquely yours, so you should be proud of it and eager to take care of it. I promise you’ll feel much better after your workout with this mindset.
Reevaluate your goals. When it comes to setting goals, everyone is different. Some people thrive when they set small tangible goals, like losing twenty pounds or going down a few pant sizes. I’ve found that setting broader, big picture goals keep me from getting discouraged if I’m not hitting certain deadlines. My general goal in exercising is to just be healthy. I want to be able to walk up the stairs without getting winded. I want to be able to pick up my 30lbs dog without my arms becoming sore. I want to be the healthiest version of myself. Don’t just think of what you want to accomplish, but think of why you want to accomplish these goals.
Find time in your schedule and make it a routine. This may be the oldest fitness tip in the book, but it really works. One of the biggest challenges for me was finding the time between school, work, extracurriculars, and social time to squeeze in a workout. I would find myself working out whenever I found free time; this is not the way to do it. Recently, I’ve carved out days and times that I’m free to hit the gym. These days are written on my calendar and planned ahead of time. I go in the mornings because I think it’s a good way to start my day and don’t have much else going on at those times, but you have to find what works best for you and stick with it. Consider it an appointment with yourself that you commit to in the same way you’d commit to a friend.
Be kind to yourself. This is probably the most important tip. While consistency is important, it’s also difficult to enforce sometimes. Life happens. You might have to skip a day if your schedule gets really busy or something urgent comes up. Maybe your friend is serving your favourite red velvet cake at her birthday party. Don’t feel guilty about taking a day off or grabbing that extra slice of cake. This guilt will only eat away at you and cause you to hate yourself and lose motivation. Also, be mindful that progress is a journey. Some people will see results in a month while others won’t begin to notice a difference until six months later. You’re doing your best, and that’s all can be asked for you. Instead of striving for your future self to be better, try to enjoy your fitness journey in the present.