How Being Fit Helped Me To Love My Body And Tips To Get Started
Once upon a time, in a former chapter of my life, I starved myself, wore clothing at least two sizes too big, and avoided the beach and the pool at all costs. Anorexia and self-loathing were my best friends. I had the negative self-talk sabotage on repeat.
I was constantly comparing. I didn’t have the boobs like some girls or the hips like others. Tall and lanky is how I would describe myself.
It is only when I began my fitness journey, starting with kickboxing in my twenties, that I started to have a healthier relationship with my body. Yoga was next then cross-training. I began to feel empowered.
I exercise because it makes me feel good. Not because of societies pressures or someone telling me to. I learned to stop comparing myself to others and enjoy the long term pleasure that exercising brought to my life.
How Being Fit Has Helped Me
I became less attached to what I should look like and now enjoy my body the way it is. Tall, strong with great guns. My sister may have a powerful kick but I have the punch
It gives me energy long after finishing a workout
I feel strong, mentally strong. I have a much more positive mindset when I exercise regularly and am less reactive
It keeps me feeling healthy
I see training as an act of self-love and self-care which inspires me to keep going
Training is a place for me to take out some built up aggression and is a good stress release
It has made me confident in giving things a go that I would usually avoid or lack confidence in. I am more willing to push myself out of my comfort zone and appreciate what I am capable of
Fitness is now routine. It is part of my daily wellbeing practices. It is not 45 minutes every day. Some days it is a quick ten-minute workout
It has changed my body so no more cellulite and my muscles are toned
It has taught me that self-love really is a mind game
Training regularly takes discipline, takes effort and it is hard work but once you commit yourself to it you will reap the benefits. You will find you become more determined and motivate yourself and even others with your results. So if you are feeling low or hating on yourself I dare you to give training a go and tell me you don’t feel awesome at the end.
Tips To Getting Started
start at home before you rush to join any gym
start small
be consistent. Do not miss more than two days in a row
schedule a time each day that works for you and stick to it
make an effort to get into a routine of training five days a week
if you are struggling to make time for fitness then just doing a small challenge each day is a good start e.g. push-ups, sit-ups or the squat challenge, increasing the amount you do each day
decide on which body part you want to work on. map out a plan or schedule for each area e.g. abs, legs, butt, arms, back, calves
if you can’t afford to pay for gym classes then book into free workouts in your local area on Live Life Get Active. I did the classes four times a week for two years in our local town centre and loved it
go for a ten-minute walk down the street and back again. Build on it each month
look on YouTube for some great free workouts to follow - Rebecca Louise is my favourite with her home workouts
if yoga is your thing you must try Yoga with Adriene
numerous apps online are great e.g HIIT for ten to fifteen-minute workouts
invest in 2kg hand weights and a mat. Search Marketplace or Gumtree for someone palming off theirs
if you are lacking motivation - find a friend to buddy up with (accountability partner) and work out together. My sister was mine for years before she moved away
or work out with your kids. Jump on the trampoline, have a skipping or hola hoop competition
It is not about training super hard, that’s not my message, more so about having a healthy relationship with your body and movement. It is also not about having expensive gym equipment, the latest tights or spending a truck load of money either. It is about keeping it simple and making it achievable for yourself.
Do you work out or notice a difference in your self-acceptance when you don’t? What do you love to do for your daily exercise? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
