You wake up, wash your face, brush your teeth, and look in the mirror every day. What we see is different from others. Do you see a monster? Have you heard of thin people saying I’m so big? Why is that? Let’s analyze why this is the case.
First, we are our harshest critic. “I hate seeing myself in the mirror. I can’t stand my arms.” Isn’t it ironic that what we say to ourselves is always negative? We set very high expectations and tend to neglect the small changes that are happening. However, when others notice the change, that’s when it validates your hard work. “Wow, your arms look great. Keep up the great work!” How would this make you feel? Awesome, right? The first step is to set realistic expectations and remember that any progress is progress.
Secondly, we compare ourselves to others. We see people with washboard abs, you can’t help but judge why you don’t have them. In addition, with access to social media, we are seeing fit people at the comfort of our phones. Even for a fitness professional, the amount of content is overwhelming. “Try this new workout.” “Guaranteed results if you follow my 30-day plan.” The negative side of social media is the influence it has on body image.
“Why don’t I look like that?” We start comparing ourselves to professional athletes, models, and actors/actresses. People that get paid to look good in front of a camera and they spend their whole day towards exercise, eating right, going to spas, getting massages, etc. On the other hand, we barely have 1 hour to exercise a day. Social media highlights the glory and the results, but it doesn’t showcase the dedicated hours of the process. So my recommendation is to limit yourself to an hour (even that may be too much) a day of social media and keep every in perspective.
Ultimately, we are our own worst enemy. In order for us to change, we must be in a positive environment that reinforces that we are on the right path and trust the process. So next time you see yourself in the mirror, don’t say why aren’t I this or that, say, “I am changing for the better.” Hope you enjoyed this week’s blog. Stay tuned for more next Wed…………….Kei