By Nikki Headley
Do you ever feel like you are obsessing over the way that you look? Do you feel as though your confidence level is based on how much you work out or how much weigh? Everyone needs to realize that being confident with the way you look and act should never be based on these things.
1. Your weight is constantly changing. Every day your body weight fluctuates. Often you are one or two pounds lighter or heavier depending on the day. You need to remember that the scale is just a number. Instead of getting on the scale every day get on it once a week. Even if your body weight does drastically change you need to remember that you are a person, rather than a number. If you’re defined by a number how can you be happy with yourself?
2. Skipping a day or two of working out will not hurt you. If you find yourself too busy to work out don’t sweat it. There are only so many hours in a day. Your confidence level should never be based on the amount of time you work out. If you get seriously injured, working out might be a little harder than before. Your self-value is worth more than that.
3. The occasional splurge is okay. You decide to eat a piece of cake or make a batch of cookies with your friend. Are you really going to worry about how this is going to affect your health? While keeping a balanced diet is a necessity for living a healthy life, you need to enjoy your life and not be worried about trivial things like that. Again your confidence should not be based on whether or not you ate some cookies for dessert.
Are you still worrying if your body will look the same after eating that cookie? Your confidence is worth so much more than that. You need to figure out who you are whether you work out everyday or not. You need to be yourself no matter what the circumstance. So love yourself and do what you think is best. Get out there and in enjoy your life. Worrying all the time is never going to accomplish anything. Look in the mirror and think “yes I can!”
Contact the writer: sheadle1@aum.edu
[Edited by Jade Curtis - 11/6/13]