“I ate terribly this weekend, so I need to work it off.”
“I only burned 300 calories. That workout didn’t even count.”
“I missed yesterday, so I have to do extra today.”
“I can’t take a rest day. I’ll feel too guilty.”
If you’ve ever said something like this, you’re definitely not alone. I’ve heard versions of these statements from women for years. And, if I’m being completely transparent, I’ve had some of these thoughts myself.
But somewhere along the way, many of us started looking at exercise as punishment.
We ate too much, so we needed to burn it off. We gained weight, so we needed to work out harder. We missed a workout, so we felt guilty. We didn’t burn enough calories, according to our fitness tracker, so somehow the workout wasn’t good enough.
When did movement become something we use to punish our bodies instead of something we do to care for them?
This subject came up while we were filming a recent episode of the Lift & Glitz Podcast about mistakes women make in the gym, and I think it deserves a conversation of its own.
As a trainer and studio owner, I want women to work hard. I want you to challenge yourself, pick up heavier weights, push beyond your comfort zone and discover what your body can do.
But I don’t want you to exercise because you hate your body.
There is a big difference between challenging your body and punishing it. A great workout isn’t determined by the number on your watch. You don’t have to crawl out of the gym for it to count. Taking a rest day doesn’t mean you’re lazy.
Our bodies need recovery. They need proper nutrition and hydration. Sometimes, they simply need a day off.
I also think our reasons for exercising change as we get older. Maybe at one point, the goal was simply to be skinny or fit into a certain size. Today, I look at fitness very differently.
I want to be strong. I want energy. I want to protect my bones and muscles as I age. I want to be able to travel, carry groceries, play with my future grandchildren and continue doing the things I love for as long as possible.
And yes, I still want to look good. There’s nothing wrong with having aesthetic goals, but they don’t have to come from a place of constantly trying to “fix” ourselves.
Exercise can be something we get to do — not something we have to do because we ate dessert last night.
The next time you catch yourself thinking, “I need to work this off,” try changing the conversation. You’re not there to punish your body for what you ate yesterday.
You’re there to make it stronger for everything you want to do tomorrow.
Rachel King is the owner and operator of Lift & Glitz Training Studio, 549 Tilton Road, Northfield. For more information, call 609-241-0214.
