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| Photo via whole9life.com |
It seems like if we all had the answer to the question, how do we get a perfect body?, suddenly our lives would improve immeasurably, birds would sing and we'd be happy for eternity.
Right?
Think of all of the companies out there trying to sell you this product and that product, with the promise of (fill in the blank) to help you get that body and happiness that you somehow just can't obtain on your own. Sadly, it's in our culture to pursue the ever elusive ideal of perfection.
Well, I have a little bit of insight on this topic. In fact, I have the answer for you.
Ready? Wait for it. Wait for it.
There is no perfect. It's all relative.
This is something I think we all know intuitively, but lose sight of it when we're constantly bombarded with images of what thin is -- or what sexy is -- or what fit is.
The truth of the matter is that we're all different. That's worth repeating. We're. All. Different. What is perfect for one person, isn't necessarily perfect for the next person. And let's not forget that some ideals may not even be genetically possible for some people.
Yes, genetics play a huge role in what we look like. No matter how hard I try, I'll never look like Serena Williams. Granted, I can put on muscle, sure. But how I put on muscle won't look like how she puts on muscle because we're different people, with different genetics.
Let's use sports to makes sense of this on a very basic level. Well, because we all love using sports to simplify matters in life, right?
In football, quarterbacks and linemen have two completely different body types -- and yet, both are professional athletes operating at peak performance. Chances are, a QB will never look like a lineman and vice versa. And in boxing, a heavyweight (think Mike Tyson) would never look like a welterweight (think Manny Pacquiao), and vice versa.
Of course these are very broad generalizations that I'm using to make a point. There are exceptions in everything, but generally speaking, this is the case.
Now that said, we can all work hard to achieve the body we want that's within our capabilities. How is this done? With focus, dedication and consistency. This is where we start.
If you're not putting in the work, you can't sit around complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. Hard work does pay off. Exercise often, eat clean often and you'll get where you want to be.
Keep in mind that it takes time. Two weeks of exercising and eating clean isn't going to reverse years of avoiding exercise and poor eating. Put in the work and make yourself a priority.
Set goals. Make a plan. Follow the plan through. Tweak plan if necessary. Achieve goals.
And in the process, don't get all caught up in some ideal of what you're supposed to look like. You decide what you should look like, don't let anyone else decide that for you.
