What does ‘fitness’ mean in 2020? After all, most of us know that we will never try to audition to become Mr. or Ms. Olympia, nor will we enter the Olympics, nor will we try and launch a swimwear modeling career. If you hope to do that, more power to you. But it can seem that with recent COVID-19 lock downs, the stressors we have all had to deal with as of late, and the ongoing responsibilities that we all seem to contend with, fitness isn’t quite what it used to be.
So, how should we think about it now? What really matters in your fitness journey? And more than that, what metrics can we use to determine success? Of course, some physical activity is important to retain our health and to help us lessen our chance of contracting diseases or physical maladies. But does that mean we should focus on that over self-love and curating our mental health? Are they divided principles and pursuits, or can they work together?
Those are interesting questions. Let’s try to answer them:
Self-Love
Self-love is something that many who work out begin to develop. You see, it turns out the more you care for yourself, the more you define yourself as someone worth caring about. The best life coach will tell you that in order to stay vividly confident, you need to feel as though you’re worth it. Self-love means focusing on fitness as it translates to you. So perhaps cutting out certain vices but not completely lording over yourself with tyrannical over-discipline is the key. Perhaps you’ve been going for long walks with your dog as of late, and that’s something to celebrate. Little steps, little assurances, they make all the difference.
Progression
As long as you’re working towards something, you are progressing. You might not be the fittest Olympian in the world, but you might find you’re lapping everyone on the couch. This might mean that in order to eat a little healthier you have been meal prepping each Sunday. This is preventing you from ordering fast food each day in your work break. That’s progression. That’s what matters. New norms and healthier means to care for yourself is a balance between understanding what you need and being proud of yourself for those incremental steps.
Discipline
Discipline is an important thing to build, but it’s not something you should feel absolutely chained to. It’s the equivalent of accepting a piece of someone’s birthday cake and not criticizing yourself for it because you know that instead of sodas, you’ve been drinking much more water recently. This discipline is discipline that feels digestible, sustainable, and there to help you. If you focus on that kind of success, odds are you’re going to feel much better. You’ll be more inclined to keep with it. Furthermore, you’ll have empathy for others that are on their personal journey.
With this advice, we hope you can understand what really matters in your fitness journey, without having to overdo things or sacrifice your self-worth.
