Fitness Notes: How Do You See Yourself?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

22 Sep 2006 04:47 AM

I was reading Kaye's blog Confessions of an Avid Exerciser: My Deep Dark Secrets yesterday and I found myself grinning. I couldn't fault the reason why she loves her daily exercise and what keeps her motivated. I like to eat too - in fact, I hate dieting with a raging passion. I hate being told I can't have something to eat that I like a lot. It's probably a psychological problem, but I don't see myself that way. I just see myself as someone who enjoys life and so I look at my exercise as a way that I get more enjoyment out of my life.

How Do You See Yourself?

There are a lot of studies being done about the fact that people who make behavioral life changes may change or discover a change in how they view themselves. This is true for people who are trying to get fit, to tone up, to lose weight and to get ready for a marathon or some other physical plan or more.

Physical changes in your body or in your regular exercise habits may not just alter how you perceive yourself; it may also change how others perceive you. I've known married couples that experienced petty arguments when one partner began exercising regularly. Whether spawned by guilt, envy or simply uncertainty - it's important to recognize that how you see yourself is very important.

Our personal image of ourselves is very resistant to change. You can lose a 100 pounds and chances are you will still see the person you were in the marriage. It can take a while to get used to a new way of looking at yourself. Becoming a fit person is about seeing yourself as a fit person.

Maintaining a fit lifestyle is like seeing fitness as your lifestyle. Those changes are subtle for you and they can be subtle for those that share your life. It can take a while to adjust to the new reality - and that reality can affect your relationships.

How Can Your Self-Image Affect Your Relationships

In a marriage or a relationship, when one partner begins to become more active or change it can create a very implicit and expressive pressure on the other partner. They may react to it - either through anger, depression or disagreement. In fact, it's not at all uncommon for best friends to go through the same thing and even siblings.

Think about how you feel when your friend went on that great diet and lost all that weight. You probably felt some envy. You probably felt happy for her. But you probably felt like you had to keep up with her or there was something wrong with you. And when you look at it that way, you can see that your self-image and your level of comfort with the fitness choices you make are extremely important to yourself and to everyone else.

Related Articles:

Body Image or Self-Image? Why Your Self-Concept Matters in Weight Loss

Your Self-Image Defines Your Sucess

Rapid Changes in Weight Loss & Fitness May Require Therapy

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: I Hate Myself

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Reinventing Your Own Self Image

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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