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Statistics suggest that dog owners are more likely to complete a course of antibiotic treatment for their pets than the average person will for themselves. This shows that sometimes, it’s easier to care for others before yourself. We need only see this in the lifestyle of someone who has a messy bedroom but still cares to water their plants, or parents who do everything for their children but often neglect themselves in the process.
When we feel responsible for another, we often recognize that importance and seek a lifestyle that honors it. However, it’s also true that sometimes, we need to turn that focus on ourselves. If you’ve had trouble with your weight, haven’t exercised in a while, or feel like you’re not worth getting in shape, then this is the first thing to address before you take a step outside.
That said, you can learn both in tandem. The key to getting fitter is a robust sense of self-worth, and in this post, we’ll discuss how to achieve that more readily:
General Improvement, Rather Than Spot Changes
When we lack self-worth, we often look to issues that we hope to “fix” about ourselves in order to feel good. But focusing on that can often steal the truth of the matter – that we’re inherently worthy no matter what temporary insecurities we might have.
For example – is it healthier to visit the gym, hike, or run your local trail because you want to get rid of your “fat” thighs, or to lessen your “love handles?” Or is it healthier to fall in love with running, how it makes you feel, and how after every two weeks you’re much fitter and your heart rate is reduced?
After all, the latter doesn’t exclude the former. As you get fitter, you’ll slowly lose weight if you match that up with a healthy diet, offering enough nutrition and the right calorie deficit to stay healthy and lose weight. Not only do you achieve all of that eventually, but when you do, you won’t feel a sense of improved worth because of that arbitrary difference. Instead, the approach towards self-mastery and passion for the discipline you’re into has helped you grow into a new and better person. As you can see, a slight refocusing and attitude adjustment is all you need to thrive once more.
Knowing Your Capabilities & Current Limits
It’s important to know what your limits and capabilities are because then you can get fitter within those limits and not worry about “underachieving.” For example, if you haven’t exercised in years and you’re a little overweight, it’s perfectly okay to enjoy a walk in the park with your pet as your main form of exercise.
Keep it simple and basic. Walking is great exercise, and very healthy. Over time, this could help you look to the future with a sense of calm consideration, knowing that you’re making step-by-step progress to feel better and become adapted on a cardiovascular level.
Next, perhaps you’ll try a couch-to-5k running program that mediates periods of running and walking so you can slowly get used to it again. But make sure you warm up correctly and stretch after running too. This way, you can make sure your body settles in.
There’s nothing more limiting than being injured or feeling artificially limited by a goal you’re not “good enough” to reach yet. But don’t worry that will come with steadfast and careful effort. You’ll be quite amazed how well, in fact.
When you have a clear idea of yourself, you’ll naturally build self-worth and confidence as you improve yourself too. This is because you begin to define yourself as someone worth helping, which is what you’re doing. As above with our watering plant example, you can see how much self-directed care helps you thrive.
Fall In Love With The Process
It’s always a lovely idea to fall in love with the process of whatever helps you feel in shape. So for example, you may love painting landscapes outside, carrying your easel and watercolors to the local park, and hiking around a little. This is a craft that allows for exercise and helps you feel a better sense of connection to the outside world. It also helps you lessen your screen time.
In addition to that, falling in love with the process may help you improve in more than one area, improving self-worth in the best way. Perhaps you’ve always loved acting but have felt a little worried about getting out there and trying it. Joining a local amateur dramatics club not only helps you get exercise by acting on stage back and forth, but by expressing yourself, learning to speak clearly from a stage, and having fun with others as you interpret certain plays.
This way, you don’t have to feel obligated to throw yourself out of bed and into the gym by a certain time – your self-regard and natural sense of healthy development comes from a practice you’d do at a moment’s notice anyway. It’s hard not to see your self-regard develop within that kind of space.
Note Your Achievements, But Don’t Over-Measure Them
It’s important to celebrate the small wins, but don’t over-measure them. For example, you don’t have to weigh yourself every single day, simply once every week or two can be enough. This way, you can track your overall trends without limiting your sense of well-being.
This is because fitness isn’t a linear process of constant improvement. You’ll have off days, you’ll feel tired some mornings, you might not lose as much weight as you wanted or you may have put on a few hundred grams without realizing it. That’s why it’s helpful to look at overall trends and see how far you’ve come, rather than deciding if you’re good enough that week by how incrementally you’ve changed. This is why it’s so healthy to eat and exercise while taking time to listen to your body, as opposed to forcing results.
With this advice, you’re sure to get fitter with a developing sense of self-worth vital to that output.
