When I was younger, I used to make choices based on how it looked.
Outfit, meal, workout, you name it. That was my driving principal. How will this affect my appearance? What will people think if I make this decision?
If something made me look better, I wasn’t necessarily worried about how it made me feel. Fad diets, crazy work outs, over extending myself with too many commitments. There were too many balls in the air and none of them left me feeling secure.
The summer before my final semester in college, there was a significant shift that ultimately changed the way I viewed everything.
I joined a fitness accountability group. Now, I’m not talking paying for shakes and wraps and other gimmicks. It was a friend of a friend who wanted to have a group of people to hold her accountable on her fitness journey as she prepared for her wedding.
A group of girls who were complete strangers came together to complete BBG by Kayla Itsines. It was tough, life-altering and everything that I never knew I needed. In 12 short weeks my life completely changed. I was stronger, lost a considerable amount of weight but it also gave me a level of self-confidence I never knew was possible.
I started believing in myself and everything my body was capable of. I felt powerful, confident and started basing my decisions based on how I feel.
Two years later, I still make decisions based on how it makes me feel. Will this outfit make me feel confident? With this workout make me feel stronger? Am I starving and want a whole bag of Trader Joe’s orange chicken? I can find different ways to treat myself and when I listen to my body.
Life is all about balance. And the choices you make should leave you feeling strong and confident. When I leave a Barre Code class with sore muscles and sweat dripping from every pore, I leave knowing I’m stronger. When I find a good pair of jeans or work pants that make me comfortable and hug all my curves, I can walk out of a store knowing I feel confident. And valuing relationships in my life that leave me feeling empowered help embody what I want for myself.
I’m not participating in every trend; I’m not pretending that I don’t leave it all in the studio. Sometimes I want a salad and sometimes I want a cheeseburger, French fries and cookies. And it’s all okay. It’s all about finding balance and listening to how your body feels. If you’re tired, skip a gym day and let your body restbecause that’s just as important for your body as a day at the gym.
Sometimes it’s as easy as taking a step back and asking why we’re doing something. It’s all about mindset. Sometimes I still go workout and have a negative outlook or I feel like I have nothing in my closet I take a revaluate my attitude, take a deep breath and remember what makes me strong and what makes me confident.
Hannah
@mimosasandlipstick_