Want to be "In Shape?" Here's the Secret.
Recently, I wrote an article for The Everygirl about habits of women who are always in shape. You know the type: the women who work out every day (even on vacation) and always seem in control of what they eat (as if they’ve never binged an entire sleeve of Oreos during one commercial break???). They always have a lit-from-within glow and way too much energy. They might be a coworker, friend, or roommate that is so healthy and motivated that you’ve wondered if she’s taking a magic pill, or if she was just born like that (groan).
It made me realize I've never considered myself one of those women. I've always struggled with resisting foods I love (no matter how "unhealthy") and in the past, have had to sign up for a workout class in order to exercise (and if a workout studio wasn't an option, like on a holiday or vacation, I just wouldn't exercise).
But when I changed the way I saw my own body, everything else changed too.
I stopped trying to be a woman who is always in shape. Instead, I started craving exercise because it boosted my mood, I listened to my body to give it what it needs (whether it's movement, a certain food, or rest), and I found a new energy for life that came with truly being happy. I learned that women who are "in shape" are not more likely to be confident, but confident women are more likely to be in shape because when you know what you deserve, you eat, move, and live in ways that nourish and care for the body.
Bottom line: there's no gene or magic pill to get healthy. Restrictive diets only lead to bingeing (and eventual weight gain!) and intense coaches, trainers, or programs that force you to do "what's hard" spikes cortisol (which leads to weight gain) and more importantly, prevents you from finding the secret to health, which is knowing that your body knows best. My clients and female friends talk a lot about how they don't have willpower or accountability, putting themselves down because they're lacking something. In reality, they're just forcing themselves into a restrictive box under the disguise of "healthy."
PSA: willpower is bullshit.
Truly being "in shape" is simply coming from a place of self-love instead of resentment, restricting, or punishing. Being “in shape” is not about stopping yourself from eating cookies when you want them or forcing your body into workouts when you feel like resting. It's actually the opposite: trust your body knows what's best for it if you listen, and you'll start wanting to give your body the tools to feel its best because you know it deserves to.
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