Fitness Begins Within Yourself
I am not the most active or fit person in the world. I will admit that. As the new year has surged forward and 2021 has come into full swing, however, I have made a conscious effort to try to improve the way I view myself, especially in relation to others. I am taking steps to stay active and healthy in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.
This isn’t always easy—it never was. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy snacking on chips and kicking back to watch reruns of your favorite sitcom on Netflix or Hulu (for me, that would be Full House at the moment). The good news is that you can still do these things you love while also making decisions about how to remain active and healthy with what you are choosing to consume. Moderation and low-carb options aside, I believe fitness and health truly begins within yourself.
There is a sense of urgency to be your “best self” in this day and age. It can feel like you aren’t reaching the standards set in motion by social media and influencers sometimes. These fit people always seem to be doing what is best for them. Truth is, nobody is perfect. We all have our struggles, insecurities, and self-doubts. That is part of being human. We look to others and think “if only I looked like that” and “that won’t ever happen for me.” To put it bluntly, stop doing that to yourself. Be kind to yourself by making lists of gratitude and positive elements that you see in yourself. Set smaller goals for yourself in the direction of your bigger ones. Write out exactly what it is you want, making sure to be direct and honest with yourself. Create changes by replacing unhealthy habits, whether in eating or in refraining from working out, with better ones that still leave room for you to be happy. Perhaps that means limiting your sweet treats through controlling the portion, or maybe starting to speed walk daily if running is not your thing.
Through all of these suggestions, I would emphasize one key aspect to you: you are beautiful and worthy of all the wonderful things in this world, including eating and taking care of yourself. There is so much beauty strung into who you are. Once you start to value yourself and accept your imperfections for what they are, you can start to feel deserving and capable of making healthy steps and changes towards fitness and wellness. You can do it, but you have to start within yourself first to find the motivation and drive to get going towards your goals.
I am by no means completely there yet with myself—I am trying to make better eating and workout decisions for myself while still being patient with my shortcomings in both of these areas. And that is perfectly okay, whether you’re right there with me or anywhere else on your health and wellness journey.
Kayla Ivan is a Junior at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island studying Creative Writing with minors in Psychology and Professional & Public Writing. Kayla loves writing, music, God, and her family & friends!
