Well it is very simple. We humans have come to a time period where we strive for perfection, perfection that is unrealistic. So, the answer to this question would be: teach yourself how to love yourself inside and out. My philosophy is very simple and this is what I tell all my clients. I not only want you to lose the weight, I want you to feel empowered and confident in your body no matter what body shape you are, because it is never just- “I just want to lose the weight and everything else will get fixed” – there’s a mental aspect as well. Believe me, I lost the weight but still felt the same way when I was up 20 pounds. It was only when I started my body positivity journey, it was when I started loving my body for what it was that I started to see a change. Therefore, I want to pass my knowledge and help to as many individuals as possible because that is what would make me the happiest.
Changing What Is on the Inside
I have talked to many body builders that have stated something that really stood out to me. They told me “go to the doctor, find out what you are low in and then supplement; the happier you and your body are, the better results you will get”. So, why not do the same when it comes to body positivity? The happier you are on the inside, the better results you will get in the gym and in life! Many people have this wrong concept of the gym. They think by just going to the gym and losing or gaining weight, this will solve all their problems. They will finally love themselves 100%. I hate to burst that bubble, but that is just not the case. That voice in your head will still remain, it will just shift to another fault. You have to deal with the voice before you can see any real change. Through many years of being in the fitness industry I have noticed one thing in common with almost every individual that comes into the gym: their main purpose is to change their physical appearance. Both males and females, it’s all the same. Yet, what about changing what’s on the inside? Of course, working out has its perks such as relieving stress, gaining courage through strength and feeling on top of the world after a workout, but that is only a domino affect from the exercise. You haven't really worked and dug into the core of how to love yourself. It is a temporary fix that will fade once the workout has been moved too far into the past. You don’t want to have to rely on constantly going to the gym to keep your mood uplifted. Like anything else in this world, you have to work to become body positive.
How Do I Start?
It is like every other program. My favourite analogy that I love to tell my clients is: starting a new program is like starting a new job! Let me explain. When someone starts their new job, they feel overwhelmed and lack some confidence. Which is fine. It’s a natural feeling, after all, confidence is built over time. After a month of working hard, everything finally starts getting easier because you did not quit that job – and now you understand how it works. You’re comfortable with your surroundings and you’re confident in your knowledge that you can do this. Same goes with a body positive program. At first, it might be hard, you might want to quit but if you do not give up, that is when it is going to start to get easier. Through hard work, you gain that body positivity. This is how you start, there is no magical answer. Your consistency will turn into a Lifestyle and what was once a huge struggle will become second nature. And if you are still having trouble by yourself:
- Ask for help, get a knowledgeable coach, such as myself
- Listen to Self Love Podcasts, enlighten yourself on what you have to work on