Interestingly, many are searching for something that doesn’t really exist, which causes much torment, frustration and inevitably, low self-esteem and confidence.
We’re trying to have a body that ‘looks’ athletic, fit strong, lean … kind of like we’ve eaten well and really looked after it for many years … yet we don’t.
It’s similar to when Pilates first gained popularity. I often heard women say they were doing classes because this is what ballet dancers did and they have amazing bodies. Yes, they do … but that’s because they’re ballet dancers! To ‘look’ like a ballet dancer, you need to be a ballet dancer!
It’s all about authenticity.
I will never forget a student of mine many years ago when I was teaching her to be a Personal Trainer. I used to role-play that I was the client, and the student would do my initial consultation. In this particular case, I played the role of a 40 year old man, 25 kilos overweight, had been working hard in his job for the last 15 years and had sadly let his health take a back seat. When she asked ‘him’ what he ate for breakfast, the answer was white toast with jam and a hot chocolate. As she was writing this down she raised an eyebrow, to which I said, “you just judged me”. This ‘client’ was already feeling pretty down in the dumps and was embarrassed about letting his health slide and now he’s been judged by someone who’s supposed to be there to help him.
The student then asked me, “so how do you avoid making those faces when doing a consultation?”. My answer, of course, it’s not about focussing on changing your facial expressions, it’s about NOT judging someone in the first place. AUTHENTICITY!
For those of you old enough to remember … don’t aim for a ‘Claytons’ body. Aim for the real thing!
