When You Look In The Mirror What Do You See’

This post is inspired by two women I overheard in the bathroom. They were looking in the mirror and picking apart their bodies. It got me thinking, how many other women do the same thing’ How many women even look in the mirror’ How many look and are inspired vs. disgusted by what they see’

For nine years I was a fitness competitor. This meant everything I put in my mouth, was weighed and measured. I worked out like it was my job.

The picture to the right is me, just before I stopped competing. Now some of you are like I’d do anything for the physique a like that.  That physique took hard work and dedication. I wasn’t having much fun. I used to look in the mirror and scrutinized everything. No matter how hard I worked, I wasn’t working hard enough, I always felt someone else was working hard than me. Here’s my secret if you talked to me during that time period, I would have sounded so sane, but my mindset was a hot mess!!

When I stopped competing it was a tough road for me as I wasn’t sure anymore how to workout without a physique goal. People go to the gym all the time what where their goals’ How do they motivate themselves to hit the gym and hit with conviction’

I’ve been athletic my entire life and that left me with a number of injuries, now that I didn’t have a show  to get ready for, I had the time to work on my injuries and rehab the correct way. This also gave me something to work towards other than my physique. This was also the first time in my life I started to incorporate an actual rest day. A day that I didn’t workout. What a concept!!

I didn’t realize how that decision would dramatically change my mindset. For the first time it was NOT about my physique it was about what my body could do. Fast forward to, today, my goals have changed dramatically. Now when I workout, it’s not to make sure you see every muscle I have, it’s about how can I be fit for the rest of my life and how can I maximize my time in the gym. I workout anywhere from 30-45 minutes 4-5 times/week. My workouts are all about making me stronger. (Pic below is of me today) I’m not as lean as I used to be but I enjoy my workouts now and do like what I see in the mirror. My mirror image fuels and inspires me to continue to work hard.  I say wow, my  legs just PR’d a dead lift! Those crazy, bigger, faster, stronger conversations don’t happen any more. I look at my body as STRONG!

When you look in the mirror, what’s your conversation’