Your Body Is A Canvas

I'm a big advocate of not training solely for looks. I try to encourage women(and myself!!) to focus on what their bodies can DO and not to be super obsessed with just reaching a certain number on the scale or getting to a certain body fat percentage.

With that being said, I don't think there is anything wrong with training to enhance your physique. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to shape and transform your body. No, it's not the ONLY reason to workout, but it is one of the MANY great benefits, right? 

Being strong just to be strong is great, and if that is all you focused on in your training, that would be awesome. But most people want to look good, and that's not going to change. My goal is for women to see that lifting weights CAN do that. They can help you lose fat, build muscle, and transform your physique. I know because I've been doing it for half my life.

There are some people whose main goal is to build and shape their bodies. They are called "bodybuilders". For them, their body is a work of art. For them, it's about building muscle and sculpting their physique, not necessarily to be the strongest they can be

I consider myself one of those people: a bodybuilder. I must admit, I love being strong, but seeing your hard work in the gym pay off through your physique is also a great feeling. Powerlifters get excited when they hit a PR, bodybuilders get excited when they see their shoulders getting rounder or a vein popping out(yeah, we're weird like that)!  

If the mirror is the only thing you are trying to please, though, you are in for disappointment, because you will never be satisfied.

I DO think that in the fitness industry there is too much focus on just looks alone, on being super lean and having ripped abs. It should be about more than that because it IS so much more than that. I do think there needs to be a shift from looks to strength and on setting performance goals rather than just appearance goals.

But even though I've branched away from training like a bodybuilder, I still consider myself a bodybuilder at heart, and I always feel the need to defend it, even if there is much I don't like about it! I guess because it's what got me started, I have a special love for it that will always be there deep down.

I absolutely love training for strength and being able to lift freakin' heavy weight...it's one of the best things I've ever done. But I like to look good, too, and I don't think I have to choose one over the other.