Why Focusing On Apperance Is Hurting Your Weight Loss Goals
Summer is on the horizon, it’s almost in sight!
Which means warmer weather, BBQ’s sizzling, lots of time in the garden, picnics, holidays (when allowed), maybe even a festival (?)… Oh and a barrage of toxic messages from gyms and PTs telling you to ‘get in shape’ because heaven forbid anyone is other than RIPPED for the months of June, July & August. 🙄
TOXIC LANGUAGE
You know the ones I mean, right? So far this year I’ve already seen:
‘SLIM DOWN FOR SUMMER’
‘GET BEACH READY: THE ULTIMATE SHRED’
‘GET YOUR BIKINI BODY IN 30 DAYS’
All of which were accompanied by a photo of a sweaty, tanned, pumped up ‘fitness professional’ (read: model).
In all honesty I gave the screen a massive middle finger every time one of these popped up. It’s 2021! How are we still allowing this kind of language to be used when encouraging people to better their health and well-being?! Sod off.
Here is the problem with this style of promotion…
The focus of improving fitness and wellness should never be on appearance. Any fitness instructor should know that body compositions vary greatly from person to person and one person’s healthy might be someone else’s unwell. Let’s face it, we all know at least one super skinny person that eats rubbish and never moves OR someone who would be considered ‘overweight’ on a BMI scale but smashes everyone at running or yoga.
They often include a strict diet that isn’t tailored to your own individual needs but instead guarantees you’ll ‘drop a dress size’ in a short amount of time. It’s been proven time and time again that these fast results are not sustainable and dropping lots of weight in a short amount of time usually leads to quick weight gain once you return to normal eating… Not to mention you feel RUBBISH because you’re starving your body of what it needs.
It’s short-term results driven. WHY DOES IT MATTER THAT YOU ARE SKINNY IN THE SUMMER BUT THEN FEEL CRAPPY/LAZY/TIRED THE REST OF THE YEAR?! YOU’RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE.
So then… What’s the solution? How should we approach seasonal switches with a positive impact for change?
LOOK INSIDE NOT OUTSIDE
Firstly, the journey to improving your health or fitness should be around how you feel. Do you want more energy? Are you keen to be more active with your kids or grandchildren? Do you find getting up and down from a chair harder these days? There are so many reasons that kicking off a new workout programme is a great idea & we can very easily measure these things as we go. And guess what? You can keep on improving this, each step of the way getting fitter, feeling more agile & acheiving more in your daily life.
When we focus on the aesthetic we begin the descent into the rabit hole of unhealthy obsession with our body & often end up with some form or mild (or severe) body dismorphia. Body dismorphia is a mental health condition which means sufferers have a warped view of how they look, usually seeing themselves in a negative way that is completely unnoticeable to others. This can lead to eating disorders, self harm and other serious problems.
NOURISH DON’T STARVE
If you’re upping your fitness game, you’ll likely be hungrier. This is a natural way of your body telling you it needs more fuel. It’s unrealistic to ask people to use more energy but consume less food. Yes, it’s important to look at what you’re eating & ensure it’s the right nutrition for your body but ditching it altogether is not the way. More veggies, fruit, legumes & nuts… Less refined sugar, processed foods & fatty/oily options (soz chips). Note the words more and less… Begin with reducing the intake of the bad stuff and you’ll be amazed at what your body craves after a while.
PLAY THE LONG GAME
The problem with those quick fixes, is they just don’t stick. A lot of these programmes are so intense that you can’t keep it up for longer than the magical 14 days you’ve been promised. Wouldn’t it be better make lifestyle changes that you can sustain all year round? You can do this by focusing on incorporating health, fitness & self-care into your daily routine. As well as smashing a workout you can get out for a long walk the next day, it’s important that you find the activities that suit you and your life so you can implement them once you’ve completed your kickstarter. Imagine feeling great for 12 months a year, instead of just 3?! Mind-blowing stuff, eh!
So yes, give your body a kickstart & get signed up to a new gym or club, but do it for the right reasons. You never know… maybe your favourite online wellness studio will come up with a dreamy Spring Challenge & answer all your wishes. Maybe.
As always, thanks for listening to my rant. Keep smiling!
Sara x
