Is she ok? Is she sick?
You’d think these were questions asked when I was overweight and unhealthy to the point of being considered obese. Nope! These were questions that people asked out loud to me or my family members after I turned my life around and began to see the results of my fitness journey.
These questions hit me hard because I wondered where they were when I was overeating and visibly overweight. Where was that call of concern when I continued to gain weight and indulge in the offerings of an unhealthy diet? I would actually ask friends why they weren’t concerned before I started leaning down and changing my lifestyle for the better. When did we get to a point where we shame or talk about people that are changing their unhealthy habits to healthier routines of improved nutrition and going to the gym?
Once I start seeing visible results, I noticed a few things:
– There were a small amount who applauded my efforts
– Some gave me half smiles and kept quiet
– Naysayers made varying statements like: “Is everything ok? Don’t get too skinny”.
The truth is that nobody knew that my BMI was too high even after losing 25 lbs. I knew I needed to keep going. Initially the comments started impacting me at times and I allowed my progress to stall to make others feel more comfortable. What did I have to do?
I had to IGNORE the negative chatter. That was what I resolved to do in order to get back on the tracks of success.
Do they still whisper to others and the statements come back to me? Absolutely. How do I deal with them? I DON’T! I keep putting in the work for my personal health. I remind myself that I am not doing this for them and their projected limiting beliefs. I am doing this for me.
With all of that shared, there is a very useful and powerful question that we can consider: How can you be of aid to someone on a positive journey? One big important thing is to keep negativity to ourselves. As we already know, there is a ton of work that goes into reaching our personal fitness goals. We have to push past our own limiting beliefs and work on our mindset in order to motivate us to eat right and exercise regularly. Each person’s wellness journey is their own and it requires motivation and genuine support from others. My biggest takeaway from my own journey is that I find motivation from others when they show genuine concern and applaud my efforts. It’s all about creating a supportive community that enables not only yourself, but also others, to thrive.
Are you on your own personal Health & Nutrition journey and need more support? Follow me on instagram: @thehypecarboholic. I invite you to join my online community and learn more about me and my fitness journey, enjoy free tips and recipes, and get the motivation you need to reach your personal goals.
Are you looking to push yourself past your own limiting beliefs with a coach that understands your struggle? Go to my ‘Work with Me’ page and sign up for a 5 or 12 week program.
Lil Jon said it best “Turn Down for What”!