Body Image

I would like to talk to you about Body Images. We all have this wonderful image set in your minds of how we want to look and how we see ourselves being.

A few years back, in 1998 I ran across a magazine that talked about the Body For Life Challenge. I knew right then I was going to do it and I ...I would like to talk to you about Body Images. We all have this wonderful image set in your minds of how we want to look and how we see ourselves being.

A few years back, in 1998 I ran across a magazine that talked about the Body For Life Challenge. I knew right then I was going to do it and I did. I started out a size 12 and ended a size 6. I thought I did very well and felt great. But, things didn't stop there for me they were just getting started.

I went on to become a personal trainer. One day, a trainer at the gym I worked at came up to me and said, " Would you like to start working out with my partner and I?" I knew this was a chance of a life time so I jumped on. I said, "YES". This trainer we will call Lee, was into body building. He trained women to compete.

I was so excited about this opportunity but I had no idea what I was into. I thought I worked out before, I was wrong. The first day with the guys I went home and crawled back into bed begging for just five minutes of rest. It happened more then once over the years. I would get up at 5:30 am 6 days a week and start my cardio before they arrived. I only worked out 4 days with them but 6 days with myself. Some nights if I wasn't working a job ( I had two jobs) I would be back in the gym doing more cardio.

We worked out hard and focused. I had guys come up to me and ask me how could I do all of this. I was leg pressing 1000 lbs at 10 reps at 2 sets, bench pressing over 225 4 reps at 2 sets, arm curling 45's 10 reps at 3 sets, doing squats at 225 or more 10 reps, and it went on. One day we did squats for one hour, 10 sets of 100 reps at 90 lbs. It was all mental. The mind wanted to stop but the body could do anything.

The best thing about this was "I loved every minute of it." I couldn't get enough. The more I did the more I wanted. I went at this pace for over three years every week. I didn't let anything come between me and my workouts. I was doing this for me. I thought!!!!

I was eating 6 small meals a day. I did have a cheat day and I used it like nothing else. I was faithful to myself about eating on my "on" days. But, no matter how much I worked out or ate healthy every time I looked in the mirror all I could see was fat around my belly. My belly was my weak area. Having a flat stomach and AB's was my dream.

I was now a size 2 but I couldn't understand why I only saw fat when I looked in the mirror. I knew that there was something wrong with me inside. I knew that I had to change the way I looked at myself. I knew that no matter what I did my body would never be good enough with the image I had in my mind. I knew my body wouldn't be able to go at this pace forever so I had to see what was happening to me and fix it.

This set my on a journey of the inner work I needed. Over the next few years I started looking inside and doing the inner work that I needed to do. I did cut way back on working out but I normally ate healthy. In fact I became a vegetarian. I did gain a few pounds. I realize that all these things that I have put my body through over a life time, working out like mad and all the diets that mankind came up with plus my own I was abusing my body.

I decided that I needed to love my body and to be grateful for all the things it gave to me. To forgive myself of wanting my body to be an image that there was no way it was capable of being. I had too high of expectations for my body. Now, the thought of doing what I did back then makes me sick to think about doing it again. I won't. I love my body and I won't do that again to her. I know if I eat healthy, and exercise in a moderate way my body will be what it needs to be

Take a look and be honest with yourself are you holding an unrealistic Body Image in your mind? Are you holding any kind of unrealistic image in any area of your life. If you are is it your image or someone else's image of who you are to be? Start becoming aware of the images you hold for yourself in every area of your life. Are these images true for you or unrealistic? Get in touch with the true image of who you truly want to be. Having a clear picture in your mind of who you truly are is the first step in success.