Fitness Culture: Is It Healthy?
Fitness Culture: Is it healthy?
In a world filled with diets, fads and trends, it is hard to decipher what exactly is healthy and what is not. As I reflect on my own fitness journey, I remember feeling a slight pressure to buy everything that claimed to help me lose weight, boost my energy and become healthy in a short amount of time. I have tried everything from waist trainers to flat tummy tea.
The reason why I was attracted to these things is because of the mindset that I had at the time. I was more interested in quick fixes and trends than I was in sustainability and longevity. I was definitely being influenced by influencers and advertisements. Now, I am still influenced by influencers and advertisements. However, I am not influenced to the point where I make impulsive decisions. I also make sure to consume content that aligns with my own mindset and goals. I want to connect with people and be a part of communities with like-minded individuals.
When it comes to the definition of ‘healthy’ it can vary for everyone. However, the fundamentals are the same. We are all human and we all need basic necessities to not just survive but thrive. We all need to eat whole, nutrient dense foods, we all need to get good, quality sleep and we all need to surround ourselves with a positive, healthy community. These are the basics for a full and fruitful life.
However, variables such as age, culture, genetics, anatomy, health history, and race all come into play and affect our journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Achieving a healthy lifestyle is a balance of art and science. It is about sticking to facts, but also being flexible enough to know that we are all different and facts do not apply to all of us the same way.
So, in a world filled with diets, fads, trends and overwhelming information, how do we decipher what applies to us? How do we know what to try and what not to try? How can we listen to our inner voice even when surrounded by an overwhelming amount of information from people who claim to be experts? In this blog post I will give you practical tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle for you. Ready? Let’s go!
The mindset shift
When I first started my journey towards a healthier lifestyle over 10 years ago, I was about 95% focused on aesthetics. I wanted to look good because I thought it would make me feel good. Now, this is true to some extent. We do feel good when we look good. However, the prerequisite for looking good is building good habits from the inside out, not the outside in. After trying so many energy drinks, pre-workouts, herbal teas and tummy tuckers, I started to realize I could not make my fat disappear and hope that muscles would magically appear. I realized that I needed to put in the work. Now I knew that I had to put in the work physically, but I did not realize how much work I had to put in mentally and spiritually!
I had to believe that I could change, even when it looked like all the effort I was putting in was in vain. I had to read a lot of self-improvement books. I had to hang out with people who were further along in their journey than me so I could learn from them. I had to sit my butt down and figure out what I wanted for myself, not what the world wanted for me. I had to set specific goals and make a plan. I had to stick to that plan and not to my mood. Eventually, I experienced massive breakthroughs and now the things that I once struggled to do, have become natural, everyday habits.
Trial and error
You may be asking yourself? Where do I start? How do I know what works for me? It’s really all trial and error. You are guaranteed to make mistakes. You are guaranteed to mess up and do things that seemingly mess up your progress. But your progress will never be in vain as long as you are doing your best and putting in the effort. The bible says all things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). Do not be afraid to mess up. It’s never a waste when you spend your money or time in an effort to better yourself. It’s always an investment. Always look for the good in everything, even the bad experiences. There’s a lesson in everything, you just have to be intentional in finding it.
Be intentional
Lastly, progress - lasting progress - comes from intentionality. We have to be intentional about becoming the best versions of ourselves. It does not just magically happen! It does not happen by accident. It does not happen because we want it to happen. It happens because we make it happen. Be intentional and mindful in your everyday life. Do not just get up and expect certain things to happen because you see it that way in your head. Start to plant seeds intentionally, water them intentionally and you will reap a beautiful harvest.
Self-awareness
I notice that many people in this world lack self-awareness. Because many people lack self-awareness, they do not take accountability. After all, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for something we do not think we do. Self-awareness is about knowing who you are in the present, not just who you want to be. Sometimes we associate and identify ourselves so much with who we want to be, that we do not see who we are in the present. There is nothing wrong with having negative traits and habits, we all do. No one will ever be perfect and flawless. What matters most is working towards being the absolute best versions of ourselves we can be for ourselves, our family and friends and the world.
Although I will be working on myself for the rest of my life, what has helped me so far is
1. Spending time alone. I love my own company. During this time I journal, think, reflect, read, walk, and listen to my own thoughts.
2. Prayer and growing closer to God. God has shown me who I am. He is the reason I know who I am and who I should be according to His word. I love spending time with Him because he corrects me, listens to me and reminds me of who I am.
3. Therapy. Therapy has helped me so much!!! It has helped me to heal. Complete activities that may seem weird and uncomfortable in the moment but helped me to see myself for who I really am in the present. It has also helped me to have healthier relationships with those around me because I became aware of my habits and triggers.
4. Reading a lot of self-help books. Besides the bible, I love reading self-help books! I love them because they give very practical tools on how to build good habits and break bad ones. Some of them even include the psychology aspect of why we do what we do which is extremely helpful to improve self-awareness. Some of my favorite books I have read are Atomic Habits by James Clear, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and In Business by Charles Duhigg and Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and please let me know what you think!