Reframing the Way You View & Talk About Fitness by Michelle Kalinski

Fitness has the potential to help or hinder your mental health. It all comes down to how you approach it. Do you view it as a chore? Like your body is in need of fixing? OR Are you viewing it as a self care practice? Knowing how good it feels to move your body regardless of what size you are at.

I can tell you from my own experience how much fitness has become such an essential tool in helping my mental health. Of course, I first had to reframe the way I viewed fitness. Growing up in the 90s and early 00s, the message was if you weren’t skeletal like, then you weren’t worthy or desirable or feminine. With this type of messaging across all of society, of course fitness became about “fixing your flaws” over taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Of course it felt like a chore.

Here’s the thing, the sooner you begin to view fitness as an ally, as something that can help you feel better..The sooner you can actually enjoy your workouts. The sooner you’ll start to experience the mood boosting, confidence enhancing, empowerment filling effects that fitness truly is about.

I challenge you today to say “I GET to workout.” over “ I Have to.” Anytime you want to speak negatively about yourself, challenge that with something kinder. Yes, starting this small matters. The way you speak about exercise and yourself MATTERS. Never underestimate the power that words have over the things you do. Your brain is amazing and with time can unlearn the toxic narrative that’s been pounded into your head. You can learn to become more nurturing and accepting. You can finally feel free.

You got this!

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