Why Looking Like Myself is an Important Part of Fitness

What do I mean by looking like myself?  Well, I have certain genetics and a lifestyle contributing to what I look like. I'm not supposed to look like anyone else including other fitness women in magazines.

Back in my competitive days, I do admit to more than admiring fitness competitors and felt I needed to look like them to win. I struggled with my body not responding the same way as another competitor. It was an unrealistic way of thinking. The girls in the magazines don't even look like the girls in the magazine. Straight up the fitness truth.

I'm so happy to have learned through that insecure journey. I have come full circle with knowledge, age, and wisdom. I embrace who I am and what I look like. I strive to be my best me and not anyone else. It would be such a stressful life to constantly compare myself to all the beautiful women out there. Life is too short to think unrealistic thoughts or goals.

Did you know all images in magazines are photoshopped? The pictures are smoothed, cropped and colored for marketing appeal. The purpose is to create unreal images of women and men representing something they're not. Many of these models may be in great shape with a normal healthy body. What's missing is their natural lines, bumps, blemishes, rolls, bootie, and hips revised with a few strokes of a computer. Anyone can get a photoshopped 6-pack now and this isn't a joke. I'm not anti-photoshop, but if I need to go to the image credits just to recognize the person, that is simply not right. 

Some of my older modeling pictures are slightly photoshopped. I have to say it's an art of knowing just how much to shop an image and loved when some softness was needed. Overall, I prefer my untouched edgy images showing the real me.

I prefer taking self-portraits not selfies without filters and in the middle of working out. I display those daily along with food intake on my Instagram. I represent the real me, over 50, no makeup and unscripted. This is a true fitness lifestyle exemplified as it should be. I'm a 'messy hair don't care' trainer where sweat and a smile are my best accessories. 

It's important for me to want to look like myself and not someone else. This tells me that I accept, embrace, and honor who I am completely as a woman, wife, mother, trainer, writer, daughter, sister, and friend. How could I even walk the talk of helping people get healthy if I didn't live this philosophy?

Our goal should not be to look like someone else but working towards becoming the best version of yourself. As long as we do our best regardless of age, fitness level, or circumstance to reach our fitness goals is all that matters. Achieving good health is a journey and never a destination and age is not a definition of our fitness.

I embrace my fine lines earned from laughs, smiles, and a few frowns along the way. I believe aging is a privilege and an honor. Although there is no such thing as the fountain of youth, I feel fitness is darn close. It is possible to keep our body and mind young living a healthy life.

Consistent exercise, healthy foods, plenty of rest, and balance of work and play are essential components of a healthy lifestyle. This enables us to feel youthful and reduces our risk of disease and illness.

I want to do my best to live a good long life. When it comes down to me and the mirror, there is acceptance. How about you?

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Be well and Stay Healthy