Body confidence is as much about your own goals and expectations as it is about what you do in the gym.
PHOTO: CARL BARCELO / UPSPLASH
We promise you, transforming yourself is an exciting and fulfilling journey, and before you know it that first step will lead to a thousand miles.
The reality is that even if you don’t have an “ideal” body, you don’t need one! Being confident that you can change how you look is more important than anything else—and the very first step towards a healthy lifestyle. Push yourself to move and you’ll discover the benefits that you can reap from exercise. Think healthier, not necessarily skinnier.
It starts with the right mindset
It’s a new year and you’ve made a resolution to shape a new ‘you’, but taking up a new sport or physical activity can be intimidating. Remember, you don’t need to have six-pack abs or a slender stride to start working out. Everyone who exercises, be it the seasoned vets or nervous novices, ultimately wants to see some kind of change in themselves. Yes, those changes might be rooted in body transformation goals, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
The process of transforming your body is going to be more gratifying than the end reward. Realise that all good things take time. Don’t worry about seeing people further along the journey than you. Work hard, work smart, stay the course and you’ll get there too.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different activities on your fitness journey.
PHOTO: VICTOR FREITAS / UPSPLASH
How to get started
The key is to start slow and know that you will reach your goals eventually! One of the easiest ways to fall out of a new routine is to take on too much, too quickly. Give yourself ample time to warm up or warm down when you are done—even a simple stretch will do—and don’t be afraid to split up your physical activities throughout the day. You don’t have to do everything at once.
You are at the start, and it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself in the beginning stages. Use positive affirmations to remind yourself of your goals and why you are doing physical activity in the first place—don’t let the progress of others weigh you down. You got this!
Keep yourself disciplined
Staying motivated is a challenge, even for people who exercise on a regular basis. Everyone has bouts of doubt, or days when you don’t feel like getting out of your office chair or even your bed. These are normal, and you can definitely overcome them!
Setting goals and writing them down can help you think through and visualise what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it, but it also acts as a form of commitment. Put the goals somewhere you can access easily and review them when you need a reminder of why you are doing this. Keep your eyes on the prize.
Make it a part of your regular schedule the best you can. Studies have shown that people who exercise on consistent schedules, even if it is only once or twice per week, stay on track longer and even get better results than those who exercise sporadically.
Lastly, make it enjoyable! The fitness world is full of all kinds of exercise and activities, and extends far beyond the gym. Take time to experiment in the early stages and find what you actually enjoy, and don’t be afraid to keep mixing things up as you go. Physical activity can be a lot of fun if you allow it.
Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing
Ultimately, body confidence is a matter of the mind. It doesn’t matter what the person staring back at you in the mirror looks like, but rather how you feel about what you see. The great thing is that taking control of your self-image is perfectly achievable for anyone.
Many body confidence issues are rooted in anxiety, low-self esteem and depression. Unsurprisingly, exercise has been linked in several studies to help improve all of these issues greatly—as well as relieve stress, improve sleep at night and mental alertness during the day, and just make you feel better.
The short version: exercise will make you feel better, even if your body doesn’t change overnight. You might find that those body confidence issues start to melt away as the underlying causes fade with regular exercise. Now get out there and take the first step towards the new you!
