During my gym sessions, I usually feel the lowest, probably because I think my body is imperfect. It doesn’t help that at the gym; you see girls with the ideal body still working out and lifting weights nonstop. It is an arduous task not to feel demoralized during gym sessions. In this post, we will discuss practical ways on how to workout and still love your body!
When Do You Feel the Most Need To Workout?
I usually feel the need to workout or register in a gym when my favorite top or jeans becomes too tight. During such times, I toy with the idea of working out or registering in the gym. I might even randomly toy with the idea of counting my calories with my favorite calorie-counting app.
Now, here is where I got it wrong. I forget that staying fit and healthy is a lifestyle that I should definitely inculcate in my everyday living. I am fond of waiting for when I notice a small weight increase before I deem it necessary to start working out. Well, don’t be like me! You should do better!
How to Workout and Still Love Your Body
Like I said earlier, my workout session is usually my lowest. And there are so many factors contributing to such demoralizing feelings. Fortunately, certain tips can help you still love your body whilst working for the body you hope to achieve. These pointers help me, and I hope they help you too.
1. Stop the Comparison
Now, this is the first step to loving your body while working out. As it is said, the comparison is the thief of joy. When you compare your body to that of others, it robs you of any joy you may have felt from making little progress. Concentrate on what you can achieve and develop from there. If you do that, I assure you will not be disappointed.
2. Take Breaks
This is a mistake I always make when I ever decide to start working out. I go in strong, working out day and night. And what happens next? I get burned out! So, you need to know it is OK to take a day off. Your body requires rest! Leave the guilt at the door and nurture your body by allowing it to rest.
3. Switch up your workouts
In my earlier post about feeling the need to lose weight, I mentioned how obsessed I was with having an hourglass figure. Thus, my workouts usually consist of squats and glute bridges. Eventually, it got boring.
So, in your journey to working out and getting the body you desire, do not forget to switch things up! We become bored of repeating the same thing over and over again, to the point where it becomes oppressive. Exercise is the same way.
Your workouts will have ups and downs, and that’s fine! Every successful workout is a gift, and every terrible workout is a learning experience. In fact, I believe that terrible exercises are frequently more useful since they teach you more about yourself and give you something to strive for. And keep in mind that a ‘poor’ workout is still a workout. You went out and did something good for yourself and your body.
4. Discard the myth that appearing in a specific way will make you happier.
Before I start out my workout journey, I envisage the way a more toned me will look. That picture puts a smile on my face, and I work out harder to achieve the body I envisage.
But an important question you should ask yourself is, ‘Why do you want to appear different? Most likely, it’s because you want other people to like you and feel that appearing in a specific way would make you more loved and accepted.
We are sold the idea that looking a certain way will bring us approval, affection, love, respect, value, and so on. But the whole thing is a myth. Looking in a specific manner will not make you happy.
Before you can learn to accept your body, you must let go of the notion that you would not be unhappy, lonely, or rejected if you looked otherwise.
4. Surround yourself with others who believe in the benefits of exercise
When I was invested in my workout journey, a close acquaintance made it a point of duty to make disparaging comments about my body and workout. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, it affected me negatively.
It is advisable that you make friends with people who share similar visions with you on your workout journey. In the same vein, weed out those who are obsessed with working out but unwilling to properly nourish themselves. You cannot maintain a strenuous workout plan unless you eat the foods that will help you recuperate and take care of your mental health as well.
6. Watch Workout Videos Of Persons With Your Body Type
This might be a bit difficult. When working out, I am usually following workout pages on Instagram. And you know how it is with Instagram explore pages, one like on a workout video, and your explore page is filled with skinny girls working out.
Sometimes, you wonder… why is someone with the perfect body still working out? Well, remember what I said about working out as a lifestyle, right?
Either way, I try to find videos of people with my body type working out. It is definitely the motivation I need.
7. Follow social media profiles that feature bodies similar to yours.
Start bombarding yourself with photos of individuals with realistic bodies who are happy, confident, and attractive. Increase your consumption of content showcasing black and brown delight if you are a person of color. Curating your media consumption may have a significant impact on your psychology and your impression of what constitutes a beautiful physique.
8. Get to Know Your Body
I recently learned that I have a prominent hip dip on my right hip; frankly, I find it a tad amusing and cute.
You should do the same even when working out for the body you hope to achieve. To love your body, you must first understand it. Once you understand your body, you’ll be able to tell what it’s trying to tell you. Slowing down to heed your body’s instructions is how compassion—a sort of love—is developed.
There are several methods for getting to know your body on a deeper level. For example, if you have a uterus, try keeping a more detailed record of your menstrual cycle. You might also attempt a sort of exercise or movement that demands a lot of body control, such as belly dance, weightlifting, or even yoga.
9. Every day, do something that makes your body feel wonderful.
Make it a daily habit to do something nice for your body. Maybe it’s just taking a few minutes to give yourself a hand massage. Perhaps it’s putting on your softest, coziest socks to wear about the home. Perhaps it’s applying a revitalizing face mask or putting on a full face of makeup for no other reason than it makes you feel wonderful.
It’s all about conditioning your brain to link your body with good sensations. Make it a practice to love your body; it will become natural and intuitive over time.
10. Make exercise a pleasurable experience
Generally, I am happiest in the gym. I have even toyed with the idea of owning a gym once I have enough money.
I love it when people frame exercise as moving your body in a way that makes you happy. We should all see exercise as a way to celebrate our bodies, not to beat them down until they’re in the shape we want.
Exercise is a natural approach to boost energy, decreasing stress, and maintain our bodies in good shape. However, when exercise is a weight reduction or body-shaping technique, we transform something nutritious into something harmful and even hostile to our bodies. Exercise for the sake of loving your body, not to alter or combat it.
11. Dress your Body with Love
When we are self-conscious about our bodies, we may choose clothing that conceals or draws the least amount of attention to our “problem areas.” This leads to our emotions of guilt and dissatisfaction with our bodies.
Dress your body like it’s a work of art. Be thoughtful, attentive, and expressive. If you have the money, go shopping and buy clothes that make you and your body feel good. We regard our bodies as worthy of attention and affection when we dress them intentionally.
12. Perform Mirror Work
Learning to respect your body will take time. Small daily routines are key for moving forward on this route and gradually teaching your mind to stop being so judgmental of your body over time. A positive affirmation practice done in front of a mirror is a great habit to develop: Spend some time each morning looking at your entire body and saying something nice to it.
Conclusion: How to Workout and Still Love Your Body
Loving out and still loving your body might seem like a contradiction. But trust me; it is not. Once you are conscious and self-aware, it is possible to take positive steps.
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