Did that statement make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy? If it did, give me this blog post to share my perspective. It may or may not change yours, but I’d love for you to hear me out.
I come with such a passion about this because I know firsthand that the way you look is not a direct indication of how healthy you are. First, health is much more than physical. When we talk about health we should always be including our mental and emotional well-being as well.
There was a time in my life when people viewed the way I looked to be the “definition of health,” but I could not have been further from it. I was completely broken, depressed and unhappy.
Here’s the cold, honest truth: The images that the fitness industry puts out are almost never images of actual health. They only represent a small handful of people with a very specific body type, one that takes genetics and rather unhealthy behaviors to achieve. But somehow that image represents “health.”
It’s time to stop sacrificing health for the sake of looking a certain way, and start implementing healthier habits. Sleep well, move well, eat well. That’s where we’re starting. Notice how you feel, how daily tasks are easier on your body and how much more energy you have. If you start implementing healthier habits and your bodyweight changes, so be it. But changing the way your body looks is not the focus, that’s just a possible byproduct of being a healthier human. And if your bodyweight doesn’t change? You’re still a healthier human for implementing healthier habits.
Be kind to the one body you have Team. Remember to value it for everything it DOES for you, not for what it looks like.