Why I Stopped Using the Phrase: “Fitness Goals”

Aug 31

Or, at the very least, I’m trying to.

As I have said ad nauseum- the language we use is v important and while to me, fitness is more about what you can do with your body than what your body looks like— popular culture has warped the definition so that it has a decidedly diet culture-y vibe to it. It gives me the ick.

While I do think exercise is an important part of taking care of yourself, body and mind, I think a lot of what wellness markets as “self-care” is way more in service to the capitalist patriarchy than about treating yourself. Don’t @ me— it’s true, I too, love a face mask-bubble bath moment and spending more than I should on a fancy face lotion. I fully believe that pressing pause from hustle culture can definitely be a radical thing, and if self care helps you accomplish that- have at it! The tricky part is that often times, that time that’s supposedly about restoration and nurturing yourself is often marred by efforts to fit into an unattainable beauty ideal, and the shame, whether it’s conscious or unconscious, that inevitably accompanies that.

However, maintenance of your body isn’t always about the beauty standard— we brush our teeth to prevent gum disease and bad breath, we wash our hands to prevent the spread of Covid, you moisturize when your skin is dry and cracked, you wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn, there are countless things we do that directly improve our state of being. Often times, just like exercising when you don’t have the motivation, they can feel like chores— and we have to find a way to automate them into our routines to keep us feeling our best (if you’ve skipped washing your face at night because you were exhausted and woken up with a painful, painful deep set pimple, you know what I mean!).

Overall Health Is More Important Than Any One Skill At The Gym

If we’re REALLY talking health promoting behaviors—what matters more to me is your well-being hygiene. I have been vibing with the wording of hygiene because it reads less intense, regimented routine, and more like what I was saying above, positive behaviors that we don’t necessarily have the time of our lives doing, but that we do regularly to maintain our well-being at an optimal level.

Your well being hygiene CAN include some familiar suspects like a regular movement practice (you knew that was coming) but more important than applying face serums and tracking your steps are things like the following (not an exhaustive list!):

What Is Well-Being Hygiene?

wearing SPF (EVERY DAY!!!)
honoring your bed time and getting enough sleep
going to the dentist regularly
getting your moles checked
foam rolling before/after a long car ride
knowing when you’ve had too much to drink
eating nutrient dense foods that nourish your body
eating fun foods that spark joy
eating to a satisfied full feeling
most importantly: not being too hard on yourself up if you don’t accomplish one of your rituals— you’re human, and sometimes you’ll NEED to skip the workout and release guilt about it to stay sane!

Conclusion

The list goes on. These aren’t the most glamorous habits we have to build to take care of our health— but they are undoubtedly important. I find that shifting my thinking out of things I MUST do to fit in with what’s trendy in wellness and into things I know benefit me, makes the resistance that sometimes comes up around “chores” like wearing your retainer and working out regularly melt away. This is the thinking behind all my classes on my award winning body neutral pilate studio—exercise can definitely be fun- but it can also be hard to psych yourself up for. HPS is all about feel-good, no judgement fitness so that you’re working towards improving your OVERALL well-being, not just sculpting a body at the expense of all other joy in your life. There’s a free 10 day trial here to check out what my approach to exercise can do for your mind-body connection, physical strength AND mental health!