Summer bodies are made in the winter.

With the awful mid-April weather looming outside, this statement still rings true, or does it? You don’t have to be a fitness professional to know that when the weather is colder, days are shorter, and we seem to constantly live in the dark, we lose our motivation. On a day like today when I have not even left my house because of the weather, I can understand why this time of year makes our energy levels and mood lower. Insert motivational statements such as the one above to keep us on track through these long, cold months of the year.

I totally get it. As a fitness professional this can speak to your clients. Everyone wants to look good in the summer months and show off the hard work they did over the winter by wearing shorts, dresses and swimsuits. These statements keep us motivated to want to be disciplined through the dark early hours of the morning and cold snowy nights. I bet it works. And I can imagine it works often. However, in our current world where we are constantly bombarded with reminders that we aren’t good enough the way we are, isn’t this just another reminder to add to the list? Your body is not good enough the way it is. Change it so you can be proud when the sun comes out.

Not all forms of motivation work for everyone and this may work for some. My approach is to focus on whyyou are doing it and how it makes you feel. If we delve deeper than our superficial looks, more often than not movement can lead to a long list of positive improvements for every day living. My blog post from a few weeks back reminded us that weight is just one reason to move. Let’s not forget about all of the other improvements movement can bring to your life!

So what’s the solution?

Find what works for you! Regardless of what gets you motivated remember that when you can develop and sustain healthy habits you will see the results you want and feel your best. Creating positive health habits in terms of movement, nutrition, stress levels, sleep, and relationships all play a factor into looking and feeling your best.

Don’t feel like you must change or lose weight to be ready for summer. Accept where you are in your life right now and roll with it. Our daily lives are already filled with reasons to be anxious so don’t make your body be one of them. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is - let’s be more kind to ourselves and care for our bodies for life, not just summer.

Yours in self-discovery,

Rachel

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