Some thoughts and discussions from me.
I’m a Fitness Professional, but I Don’t Think Fitness Should Be Your Life
Good morning! How’s your week going?
Shane and I are headed back to Colorado later today, and after 5 nights away, I’m really looking forward to get back. Aside from playing in the mountains, after a week of eating at small town restaurants and getting in either hotel workouts or no workouts at all, I’m looking forward to getting back into my routine. I’m craving a big salad with fresh local produce and a trail run right about now!
However, it might be more of a walk than run after being just above sea level for the past week. Plus, the day after coming from vacation always seems to be FILLED with to-do’s. Laundry, cleaning, getting the dog from the sitter, etc. etc. SO, if I don’t get to do a workout (for the second day in a row,) it will be ok. I won’t sweat it (pun intended!) At all.
With a profession of a personal trainer, I help people work toward their fitness goals, whether it be aesthetic or physical or both – and hopefully have a little fun along the way – every single day. Gym tools excite me and a new study on metabolic pathways during anaerobic exercise makes me wide-eyed. I love all things fitness.
But it’s not my entire life. It’s not even close to the biggest part of my life. In fact, many of my clients are more gung ho about fitness than I am (not all, but quite a few!) They come to me eager for our sessions (which I love,) need to burn a certain amount of calories or be a certain shade of red when it’s done, manage their workouts outside of our sessions down to every last detail, and make sure they get in all 6 workouts of the week. They’d probably workout every day if I didn’t require them to take one rest day a week! I’m not shaming them or making fun; I’m simply saying these guys take their workouts very seriously. And I remind them that their workouts – and thinking about their workouts, goals, fitness, etc. shouldn’t take up the majority of their thinking space.
Recently, I remember talking to a dear client of mine who had an upcoming bachelorette party in Vegas that weekend. We were discussing strategies to keep some balance in mind, when she told me she planned on waking up early and getting a workout in, and not indulging in any bachelorette cupcakes or cookies.
Right then and there I told her to pump the breaks. It’s your bachelorette party! I told her. You only have one of these in your lifetime!
Listen, I didn’t tell her to be sedentary and eat all the things, but I did tell her that she’d probably get enough exercise dancing in up the entire night, and to only work out if she really felt like it – not if she felt she had to. I also told her a celebratory cupcake wouldn’t make or break how great she’s going to (and did!) look in her wedding dress.
I, as a personal trainer don’t:
- really care to get my body fat down to a certain percentage
- Feel guilty if I miss a workout *gasp* or two!
- weigh myself or care how many el bees the scale tells me I am
- follow super strict workout routine
- think of fitness incredibly seriously and give me anxiety
- ever think of competing for any sort of body competition
- Most importantly, I don’t feel guilty for indulging for a day (or two!)
- count macros or calories or spend time calculating numbers that have to do with aesthetics
Look guys, I’m not saying no one should ever do any of those things ever in their life. I’m just saying that you can have a healthy relationship with fitness and not have to follow detailed, regimented, incredibly strict workout program to a tee – or any of the other things in that list.
Basically, I love fitness, but I have love for a lot of things in my life, like my family, friends, pets, and hobbies. While I do love writing and following a strength program, it’s just not to a tee every single day of every single week. As long as I’m fit, active, healthy, able, and fitting into my jeans, I’m good to go. And I find more and more that I share this with most others who have been in the fitness industry for years.
Bent-over rows – one of my fave back exercises!
Sure, I’ve gone through those phases when I first discovered lifting (and running, for that matter) – training, trying to attain a certain look, being regimented in my workout routine, and so on. Believe me, I’m a recovering balls to the wall type of exerciser (2 years clean, ahem) and a moderate approach is not only freeing but SO much healthier for me physically, emotionally, and figuratively.
Now I simply move in a way that pleases me, and to a program that makes sense for a my goals. In fact, there are weeks where I *gasp* don’t even follow a program at all! Yes, there will be seasons in my life where I do take my training more seriously, but as far as being manic about it, that’s just not me.
I feel like in my 6+ years in this industry, I’ve learned that it’s really about fitness enhancing my life – not controlling it. My motto for fitness – and for life, really – is that if it doesn’t add to or enrich my life, it doesn’t have any business in my life. I’ve pitched things that give me stress – detailed, regimented, workouts that I have to follow to the T, eating a certain way, and heck, even cooking fancy meals at home (ground meat + cooked frozen veggie + starchy carb – done!)
I’m sure that most of you reading have a healthy, moderate approach to eating and exercise, and if you don’t and want to, I can help. But I also know that many out there allow their workouts to define them. From my experience, I feel like for every fitness pro promoting moderation and balance, there are 5 more promoting “eat clean” and get “beast mode.”
Cue shameless selfie with ripped abs showing. Also, please sleep. Please sleep lots.
Spend 5 minutes on Instagram, and you’re apt to see a plethora of women flaunting their “pre-breakfast abs,” structured meals counted down to every last macro, and detailing every single mandatory workout of their week. Chest day. Back day. Biceps day. Cardio every day. No days off/ No off season… There is so. much. more. to life.
And, well, I’m here to say that it’s OK to miss a workout (or two!) or have a bowl of ice cream and still feel good about yourself afterwards. I do all the time!
(Yes, this was somewhat of a tangent, but it was on my mind and then on my fingers writing it to you all. Signing off with the hopes that I didn’t offend anyone, and perhaps helped someone.)
What’s your overall attitude about your workouts? What about your physique?
AND… this is why I love you!
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Love YOU, girl! xo
So true! I’ve definitely been in that position with thinking fitness is my life but it’s not and there has to be a balance. If not, many things in life will suffer due to working out and the obsession with it, not to mention how it’s not good for you and can really lead to injury!
Heather @fitncookies recently posted…Before the Ghost Gets ya {20 Minute Workout}
Very true, and if working out becomes detrimental to your health instead of bettering it, it’s time to change things around! xo
LOVE!!! As a 30++++ years working out – it is the mind that places games – definitely need balance in life! 🙂
Jody – Fit at 56 recently posted…Gratitude Monday in Pictures
Love this post!! Being healthy and working out is so great but it is very easy to become consumed and addicted that it becomes an unhealthy obsession.
I would consider myself new to this lifestyle and it is overwhelming how much there is out there. i just try to take it slow and enjoy the journey.
Elsie @ Sharing Healthiness recently posted…BREAKING RECORDS – Marathon in 1:59:59 hrs
Yes, just yes to all of it!
I am 2 years out from being one of those too strict, overly trained exercisers. Oh the freedom to *not* complete some arbitrary workout! And eat ice cream.
Thanks Paige, you rock 🙂
YOU rock, Kaelin!!
I too am in the same place. This is why I follow your blog! 🙂
High fives, sista!
This hits home, 110%. I’ve been on this up and down roller coaster ride of fitness perfection for a while now. I thought I had gotten off, but in the past couple of months I hopped back on. I am doing a pretty structured lifting program, which I don’t mind at all! I am enjoying finally seeing some progress in my lifts and my physique. However, I started counting macros so that I make sure I am eating enough to gain muscle. This is where I get too overwhelmed and I start constantly thinking about what I am going to eat. I’ve been doing it for about 2 months now and it started to become second nature. Just this past weekend I took a few days off of tracking since I was on vacation with my boyfriend who I don’t get to see very often. After just 2.5 days of not tracking, I felt two things: I love/appreciation for food again, not just a love for the macronutrients they contain. And a little bit of hesitation/fear that I was going to derail my progress. Well, it’s been 4 days of no tracking and I weigh less and look leaner than I did before. Funny how that works, huh?
I am still on the fence about whether or not I should keep tracking. Part of me wants to stick it out another month or so to see where it gets me. I think the consistency of my increased caloric intake has made the biggest difference in my physique. Before, when I ate intuitively, I know I wasn’t eating nearly as many calories as I do now. So that’s the real struggle: being able to eat intuitively while eating enough calories and getting an appropriate amount of macronutrients each day (not just a buttload of carbs and not enough protein for muscle growth).
Anywho, this is long and detailed and probably boring you, but I just wanted to thank you for your down-to-earth style and posts. I was telling my bf the other day about your blog and how awesome I think you are as a trainer – someone I aspire to be like one day! (My bf was working at GABF too and so that’s why I told him about you! 🙂 I always look forward to your posts and envy your Colorado scenery. Haha
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Glad you’re enjoying your program! It can be hard to find a good strength program that challenges and you enjoy. And it’s so great that you can register those feelings right away. Personally, I have a hard time counting anything – macros, calories, etc., but I’ll sometimes have clients track for a very temporary time period.
Love this post, Paige! Whenever I meet new people, one of the first things they say is “oh, you must have a really strict diet and work out for hours every day” and I’m like NO. I am one of the most laid-back people when it comes to exercise and nutrition you will ever meet! I train four days a week but am much more relaxed about skipping or half-assing workouts if I don’t have a competition coming up. As for my diet….. burgers and ice cream totally fit my macros 😉
Tara @ Sweat like a Pig recently posted…Weights, dates and protein shakes
Burgers and ice cream FTW!!
I agree 100%. I am a trainer and teach cycle, body pump, bootcamp etc. I used to be so regimented with my calories, “clean-eating” and workouts. I am so much happier now that I dropped all of that. I eat what sounds good, exercise (and count the classes I teach as exercise) and live a life free of food rules and restrictions. I had a lady come up to me after cycle the other day and tell me she admired me because I was “normal”. She said I am fit but that the fact that I still eat dessert and like a glass of wine makes her want to work out with me and see that there is a balance.
And doesn’t that feel absolutely wonderful?!
This is one of the many reasons I love you! I appreciate your healthy balance, especially when we live in a world of perfectionism and obsession with looking a certain way, being the skinniest, being the most toned, etc.
I used to put a lot more time and energy (way too much actually) into thinking about and doing my workouts. It was silly and a tad ridiculous, really. Over time I really came to realize what truly mattered, and that there’s so much more to life! This realization has continued even more since having Hunter.
Great post!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries recently posted…Energy Packed Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal
xoxo YES! Agreed. And I’ve been there, too – thinking about it so much takes up so much mind space when I could have just been present. It is silly!
I really needed to read this post today Paige. Fitness is a huge part of my life and not being able to workout the way I want to or as much and as long as I want to die to my injury this year, I feel massively frustrated with my body. This post reminded me that my whole life shouldn’t be defined by my runs or workouts. Maybe it’s time to take a step back.
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Treat Yourself Tuesday…Retail Therapy Cures All
Megan xoxo Injuries really suck, don’t they?! When I have a nagging pain, I ask myself if what I’m doing (in the gym, or on the trails) is adding to my health or taking away. I definitely wouldn’t dead lift if my lumbar was injured, just like I definitely wouldn’t run while having knee pain. It’s such an obvious/logical statement, but sometimes needs asking!
You’re so very right!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…How to Break Through a Weight Loss Plateau
Yay! I love this post! I think the obsession with fitness and knowing that it can (and has run my life) was one reason I was so hesitant to get into the fitness field. However, I recently started a training certification at a local studio where there is a great balance between living a well balanced healthy life and working out. I love it so far and plan to really try to help my clients find a good balance between fitness and live. It’s so important to not over do it (personally learned this the hard way) and to maintain healthy relationships outside of going to the gym etc.
Good for you, Giselle! I personally think being a personal trainer helps me to have a healthier relationship with fitness.
ha OMG can you be my BFF please 🙂 I work towards what you just described every day. I get caught up quite easily on having fitness run my life. I’m getting better at finding my balance but it’s not easy yet. The best is when fitness if fun and not another regimented to do list in my life.
It’s easy to do with so much access to comparison (via instagram, facebook, blogs, etc) to what others are doing. And agreed – fitness should be fun!
I love this message, and I completely agree. I have gone through periods where I was way too focused on fitness, but I’ve never really been able to be 100% dedicated to a 100% healthy lifestyle, so when I would focus on it that much, it mainly resulted in guilt and self loathing. Over the years, I’ve waxed and waned in my interest in fitness (not health, I do want to be healthy, despite my sometimes bad choices) and lately my attitude is just to do what I can and never to beat myself up about a missed workout or decadent meal, because truth be told I love my life and want to live it to the fullest while I have the chance. That said, I could put down the hamburger and pick up a weight a little more often…
Again, great post! Hope you have a safe trip back!
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Thanks, Kacy:)
And right?! Because guilt very rarely results in anything positive!
Someone told me last week that working out was my ‘priority’ and I, honestly, was shocked and kind of offended. I work out 4 or 5 days a week, one hour a day. How that makes working out a priority over the other 23 hours in the day filled with work, family, and typical day stuff, boggles my mind. It’s not my main priority, but it is A priority. It’s important to me, but not near as important as my husband and daughter, even our pets come in above fitness for me. Basically, if something comes up that I feel I need to skip a workout for, then that thing is a priority over working out. Anyway, I get what you are saying and 100% agree…
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I’m willing to bet the person that said that to you doesn’t make fitness a priority, and maybe wishes they had as much determination as you did. Am I right? Fitness (and nutrition) definitely IS a priority, but like you said, it’s not the *biggest* priority.
I love the message of this post. Just like in life, you can take anything a little too seriously – fitness included.
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona recently posted…Tia Mowry’s Core Yoga with Tara Stiles DVD Review
I read your posts all the time but rarely comment and felt so compelled to comment today. I absolutely love your mindset with working out and eating. I too am a recovering balls to the wall workout enthusiast (crazy person) and it’s just so inspiring and damn helpful to read things like this. So THANK YOU! You’re wonderful.
I love, love, love this!! I 100% agree and while it’s sometimes hard to remember, at the end of the day balance is SO important! Fitness and nutrition should increase quality of life, not add stress to it. Thank you!
love this 🙂
Great post! I love how much you stress balance!
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Hi Paige, I’m here via FitFluential. I’m also a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, but I love food and life more than I love being strict and achieving perfection. People often ask me if I ever eat carbs or treats, and the answer is very much yes. I do not have a perfect body, and I love to lay around and eat junk food as much as the next person. But I LOVE to feel good and help other people feel good, and that’s why I spend so much time in the gym and talking about fitness and usually make the healthier choices most days. I don’t think I’d ever consider a physique competition though, I’ve seen people prepare for one and they truly miss out on a lot of life’s pleasures while training. Nonetheless, anyone can decide how they want to spend their time, it’s just not for me. Great post. Thanks for sharing!
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West recently posted…Food pictures + the juice cleanse that wasn’t
Wow! Great post! This is exactly what I needed to read. I’ve been really struggling lately with really loving myself and giving my body the rest it deserves. I try not to feel guilty after I “over indulge” but it’s a real struggle. I’ve even been dealing with lower back pain and still am not giving my body a rest. This post helped open my eyes. I love how down to earth you are and how strong you empower your readers to be!
Love love love this. Basically all the things you mentioned you don’t do are biggies for me, too. I used to live that way…but wasn’t really living.
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Very well said Paige. I’ve been reading your blog for two years or so and some of these are things that I struggle with but you do a great job of reminding people how to have a healthy body image and relationship with food and exercise.
Great message. I really like where you said, “use exercise to enhance your life, not control it.” Well said. A few years ago, I was exercising for all of the wrong reasons. Today, I exercise because I like to feel strong and healthy. Exercise provides me with a natural endorphin high, can turn a bad mood into a good one and helps me clear my head and release stress. I notice how much my workouts have changed since that time. They are short and sweet now and I see better results that I once did.
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AMEN! This is great to hear from somebody who is a personal trainer too. There’s more to life than hitting your macros, counting calories, and making the gym something you HAVE to do.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s been a long road, but I am SO GLAD I get this now! Life is meant to be ENJOYED. If you have to skip time with family and friends for fitness, that’s a PROBLEM. I am enjoying life SO MUCH MORE now that I allow myself FLEXIBILITY! Thank you for sharing this with others!!!
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