Congratulations on your success Davinia! Super proud of you!
How to Combat Body Image Issues!
Piggy backing off of my Podcast “I Hate What I See in the Mirror,” I wanted to dive deeper into how we may be able to combat our own personal body image issues.
It always surprises me, and I get really annoyed to be honest, when individuals who I know haven’t worked as hard as I do daily their body and it shows in comparison, have the fortitude to strut their stuff all over social media, at a pool party, in general by just taking their shirts off like they are the “shit.” Here I am with pretty admirable body trying to keep my shirt on as long as possible or just plain keeping it on when others are taking theirs off.
I am unsure where this modesty comes from, but it really dives deep into my own self-image at any one point and time. Ooh and forget it – if I have eaten or drink a beer, hell to the no with my shirt coming off!
Yes, I compete. Yes, I am an OCB Pro – meaning I have won at a major competition. Yes, I am a Fitness Professional! Yes, I know I look better then 95% of all 45-year old’s out there – just by body stats alone. But yet – I still have Body Image issues. Crazy Right????????? It also compounds the issues know that I am in the fitness realm, and I am supposed to “keep up with the Jone’s.”
I am currently reading “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl. It is his personal story about surviving in a Nazi concentration camp. He was a Doctor of Psychology prior, and his story is from that perspective. One of the most notable quotes was “Men’s Salvation is Through Love & In Love.” He discussed that even though his toes were falling off due to frost bite, being forced to walk miles in that condition daily to work in the snow, only eating a slice of bread and a cup of pea soup per day, that the love for his wife was that which drove him to survive. Even under the worst circumstances possible, love was his guiding light and his purpose/why for living.
As I read this, I realize that we have made things way to complicated and that our why’s have to be much more real and raw, rather than some picture on Instagram or social media. We have to reexamine our fundamental reasons of why we do what we do and for what. This driver or why will allow us to endure and/or enjoy the process and will drive us to continue the process of improvement. Comparing ourselves to “what we should look like” based on some else’s picture will not. It will also make us go crazy even if we achieve our goals because we still don’t “look like them.”
Action Items:
Rephrase your why and be real with it. Expectations should be toward that not some picture.
Then create habit and rituals the reinforce your why daily – such as a picture of your kid, your husband, your wife, your parent, your ex rather then a picture of some super model.
Understand this is a lifelong commitment and there are ups and there are downs. There is bulking and there is cutting. There is holiday and there is workday! Get my drift!
Don’t allow anyone else to demean you in any way! Get rid of that energy immediately!
This is as real and raw as it gets. Please share this with those you know need to hear it! I would appreciate it.
From my heart to yours – Start Strong, Stay Strong & Always Be eVOLV & UpMo Strong!
Your Trainer – C.J.
www.curtjchavez.com :: cj@evolvstrong.com :: 505-872-3408
https://evolvstrong.com :: www.upwardmotionpt.com :: 505-872-3408
