Vanity or Sanity: What's Your Motivation?

Whether we believe it to be true or not, the world around us molds and shapes our values and self-image. We are inherently social beings and we give value to the opinions and social relationships we have with those around us. External self-image is what we see when we look in the mirror. In today’s society, there is an overwhelming amount factors that influence our self-image. Are there celebrities or TV hosts you like to watch? Perhaps you love social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. The people we watch and the platforms we use can exaggerate our obsession with beauty and trying to “fit in.” While we may not see the undesirable effects directly, they can influence our thoughts, actions, and self-image in a destructive manner.

When you think about gym life, what motivates you to exercise? Do you stalk your favorite celebrity on Instagram hoping your booty gains or six pack will match up with theirs? Maybe you purchased this amazing pair of jeans and you know that in order to look amazing in them, a gym membership is a necessity. To be brutally honest, I started my fitness journey with the singular goal of having an amazing body. As an adolescent, I struggled with body image and weight. Somewhere along the way, my brain equated beauty with being skinny and having the scale reflect the lowest number possible. The real truth: the number on the scale and the size of your jeans is no where near a reflection of your health. While looking good may work as a motivating factor to get you into the gym, it is unlikely to sustain a change in long term habits that will help you see all the benefits exercise and clean eating can have on your body, mind, and soul.

Developing lifestyle changes and working to improve our self-image in a positive way is important. Our fitness goals should not be built around looking like our favorite movie star or trying to fit into one piece of clothing. The focus should be on developing and creating a better version of yourself … You Versus You! We all start somewhere in our journey to become a healthier version of ourselves. So instead of focusing on outside influences which are not always positive, focus on improving to build a better version of you!

Join the YOU vs.YOU Challenge and see what a difference changing your mind will have on changing your body!