I have spent many, many years - decades, really - focused on dieting and never being truly happy with my appearance. It started in my teens. At the time, my mother bought me a pin that said, “You can never be too rich or too thin.” I loved the pin and wore it proudly. I believed it - that you can’t be ‘too thin’, and I was always pursuing this ever-elusive ideal.
At the age of 48, I’ve finally realized that people accept me for who I am, not what I look like. And if they don’t, I invite them to take a long walk off a short pier. It’s taken me 35 years to accept myself the way I accept others. It has never once occurred to me to judge a person based on their appearance. Instead, I look at their character - how they treat me and others. Are they reliable? Do they keep their word? Are they kind to those less fortunate? Yet, when it came to me, I assumed no one would accept me unless I was svelte and skinny. Especially as I transitioned into my new career in the fitness industry. What if clients wouldn’t accept me as a fitness expert because of my appearance? Ironically, that very thing happened. On more than one occasion, I’ve heard, “You don’t look like a fitness instructor.” What, exactly, is a fitness instructor meant to look like? People come in all shapes in sizes; shouldn’t that ring true for individuals, no matter their profession? Rhetorical question. I’ve also heard, “I like taking classes with you because you look like a normal person.” I used to think, “Thank you?” Now I say, “Thank you!” What’s the source of the statement? An unrealistic expectation/representation of everyone in the fitness industry as rake-thin. Skinny does not equal fit. There, I’ve said it. You can be skinny and unfit just as easily as someone who is not as skinny. But I digress. My point is, I may not be as skinny as I used to be, but I’ve got WAY more confidence now! Because I’ve accepted myself as being more than my body. I’m valuing myself the same way I value others. For who they are, not how they look. Not only has this mind shift boosted my confidence, I’m also a lot happier than I used to be. If you’re still reading, thank you for listening to my story.
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July 2024
AuthorAmanda Sterczyk is an international author, Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM), an Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) Fitness Professional, and a Certified Essentrics® Instructor. |