I spend so much time feeling completely underwhelmed by how I look. My job is to help people focus on making choices to enable their lives to be heathier, happier, more balanced. The importance of that is feeling energetic, sleeping better, being able to do everyday tasks, reduced pain. These are the things that REALLY matter YES?
HOWEVER – the most common goal response I get from my clients is around looks. This is hardly a great surprise, we are not going to change years of conditioning of what ‘beauty’ should be, advertised to us on TV, billboards and now, 24/7 via social media. As a fitness professional I get sad when I see the following influencers get. When I know so many amazingly, knowledgeable people out there, making a real difference to people’s lives.
So, as one of those knowledgeable professionals, I should know better than hating my body hey? Of course not, I am as conditioned at the rest of the world. Self doubt as I don’t look ‘the part’, I have the menopausal, stretched ligament post baby tummy, I have wrinkles, thinning lips, you get the idea.
When my students first see me, they immediately assume I won’t be able to show them much about fitness ‘ this middle, aged, woman’ However, to their surprise, I am everything fitness and health should be, including pretty strong and fast! This means, I keep moving around my pain, my medical conditions, I have good days and bad days, I work on ways to help me cope with stress, cope with anxiety, cope with sleepless nights. I am living a real life and using activity, to try and make that better.
I am also human, like all of you, I am sure there are many perfect people out there, whatever that is. But for the rest of us mere mortals my message is this.
Its fine to want to improve your looks, so you look in the mirror and feel happy, but I am sure there are great things about you, so instead of looking at your faults, list 3 things you like about yourself. Find things that you feel happy wearing and make you smile. Try and set at least one or two goals that are not about the way you look, but your health – strength, activity, sleep, relaxation.. whatever.
So, as the PT, I take pride in not being perfect, in having realistic understanding of the people I work with, and often in awe at the dedication they show. But still doesn’t mean I don’t get sad at how I look :).
Tip of the day: If you have a double chin wear sparkly shoes as a distraction to the eye.
Intelligent Exercise 