5 Ways to Strengthen Your Body Mindset

As a 37 years old mom, I’ve experienced more relationships with my body than I thought I would in a lifetime — and I know there is only more to come.

In my teens and early 20s, I was a competitive long-distance runner, logging 70 miles a week between my late nights out and my university studies. Fitness back then was purely for the joy of the sport.

But sometime in my mid-20s, the organic joy of sport faded away under the societal pressures of looking a certain way. I traded my running shoes for dumbbells, my sour candy addiction for low carb bread and calorie counting. Suddenly, my body was something to fix, to change, to improve.

In my work now as a women’s fitness coach, I see it every day. Despite our best intentions, there is still almost always something women would like to change about our bodies.

For many of us, it started at a younger age and begins to snowball in our 30s and 40s as metabolism slows, energy levels dip, and our bodies change through pregnancy, menopause, and aging.

So many women come to fitness feeling broken or incomplete — like something needs to change, and it needed to change yesterday.

But I’m here to offer a different approach:

Work out and eat not solely to change your body but to celebrate the body you already have.

Be excited to see what your body can achieve instead of focusing on what needs to change.

And how does one do that? Here are my best tips as a busy mom trying to squeeze in home workouts and eat enough protein and vegetables between work and daycare pick up.

1. Finish Every Workout With a Win (Even If the Workout Sucked)

At the end of every workout, don’t just note down how heavy your lifts were or how fast the run was. Make a quick note about what went well. Even if it's something small like, “I didn’t skip out on the workout today,” or “I managed five minutes of stretching even though it’s day two of my period.”  What can you celebrate?

2. Focus on “Adding In” Instead of “Subtracting Out” in Your Diet

If you’re looking to eat more nutrient-rich meals that support your health, instead of giving up foods you love, start by adding in healthy ingredients. Make more room for nutrient-dense ingredients and you’ll naturally have less space in your diet for less nutrient-focused choices (though I do think they still have a place!).

This simple shift — from subtracting to adding — helps you feel more in control and happier. It's also a great chance to experiment with new foods and recipes, which brings the fun back into food!

3. Build a Wellness Routine That Meets You Where You Are 

We all wish we had the perfect routine, but perfect simply doesn’t happen. Build a routine that is realistic for your current phase of life.

For me, that means squeezing in workouts before my daughter wakes up and during WFH 30-minute lunch breaks. This is exactly why I got the REP® Ares™ 2.0 cable system for my garage gym. I don’t have to sacrifice commercial gym-quality workouts just because I’m at home. I can sneak down to the garage and I’ve got the power of a cable machine, squat rack, and smith machine all in one spot. Easy!

4. Practice Positive Self-Talk

When I first became a mom, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t talk poorly about my body in front of my daughter (and I politely ask others to do the same when around her). 

After 3 years of this, I’ve noticed it’s changed my internal dialog as well. Now, when I catch myself in negative self-talk when looking at myself in the mirror, I pause and ask myself: If I wouldn’t say it in front of my young daughter, why should I say it to myself?

5. Focus on One Think at a Time

Instead of feeling like you need to change everything all at once, focus on improving one aspect of your wellness routine at a time. This helps avoid the overwhelm and the stressful quest for perfection.

Right now, I’m trying to prioritize eating 115 grams of protein daily, which includes one Purist® whey protein shake every morning after my workout (25 grams of protein to start the day!). You don’t have to overcomplicate your goals — simple works best.

Once the protein becomes second nature, I’ll shift focus to something else!

[Read More: 5 Protein Powder Myths to Stop Believing]

Takeaway

This is your permission to stop chasing the perfect body, the next PR, or the ideal routine  — and instead, take some time celebrating the strength you have and the beauty that fills the life you’ve already created.

You are capable of so many things.

This International Women’s Day, celebrate that strength!