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RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP There seems to be an almost magical relationship between exercise and a healthy (or at least improved) self-image. Research shows that one of the best predictors (not the only one, but one of the best) of whether someone will achieve their fitness goals is a key aspect of self-image called self-efficacy. Self efficacy is the degree to which you believe you’re able to control what you do, and what happens to you).  The higher someone’s self-efficacy, the better their chances of starting
and sticking to an exercise program. At the same time, one of the most
well documented psychological effects of regular exercise is a marked
improvement in self-efficacy. The longer we engage in regular exercise,
the better we feel about ourselves. This means is the better our
self-esteem, the more likely we are to exercise, and the more our
self-esteem rises, so the more we want to exercise… and so on. Although
the conclusions are fairly clear, there doesn’t seem to be much study of
why the relationship exists. There are, however, a lot of theories. |
 A friend
might say ‘You’re so good – you’ve kept this program up for months
now!’ Someone might approach you at the gym and tell you they admire
your dedication. (For extra ‘self-esteem brownie points’, look for
opportunities to *give* these kinds of compliments sincerely to other
people. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself).
Getting compliments from other people isn’t the best reason to take up
exercise – but if you surround yourself with supportive people, they
*will* notice the difference – and any compliments they give you are a
nice side-effect!  Lastly, there’s a reason I haven’t seen anyone else mention, but it’s
such a big one for me that it needs to be mentioned. Exercising, by its
nature, requires us to get rid of all our makeup, our
tailored-to-hide-every-flaw suits, and everything else we hide behind to
fit the magazine-imposed restrictions for beauty. And while letting that
go can feel intimidating, it can also be incredibly freeing. Because
exercising does the exactly same thing to everyone else. |
PHYSICAL
REASONS  Firstly, there are the biochemical results of exercise (see our article
on Exercise and Stress for a more in-depth look at these). Have you
noticed that a given situation can look totally different depending on
how good you feel physically? From the flood of endorphins through your
bloodstream to the flushing out of stress hormones, a good workout (or
even just a good walk) makes your body feel wonderful. This, in its
turn, tends to improve the way you view yourself – just as it would
improve the way you viewed any other situation. Continuing on this line, I want you to try something. Hunch your shoulders, cross your arms across your chest, look down at the ground, scowl, and say ‘I feel in control.’ Not very convincing? That’s because an estimated 80% of our communication is non-verbal, and this applies internally as well. Now try sitting up, putting your shoulders back, taking a couple of deep breaths, and repeating the experiment. Different? Now you’re communicating a totally different non-verbal message. Then consider that exercise helps strengthen your muscles and improve your posture – all of which communicates nonverbally to your mind how you’re feeling. PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS  Moving away from the physical, there are psychological reasons that
reaching a specific exercise goal would increase self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy is best improved by doing things. Every time you do
something you haven’t been able to do before, the part of you that holds
your beliefs about what you’re capable of (your self-efficacy) has to
change to incorporate this new piece of information. So every time you
achieve a new goal, your self-efficacy increases. This makes you more
likely to set and achieve new goals, simply because, having tasted
success, you know it’s possibleThen there’s the way that other people react to the results of your exercise programme. You might get compliments on the physical effects – perhaps you’re losing weight, looking less tired, or suddenly have more energy. Or, what you’re actually *doing* might draw positive comments. |
Optimum Life's Tanja Gardner is a Personal Trainer and Stress Management Coach whose articles on holistic health and relaxation have appeared in various media since 1999. Optimum Life is dedicated to providing fitness and stress management services to help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives. To read more articles like this one, please subscribe to Optimum Fitness News at http://optimumlife.co.nz/Newsletter%20Signup.htm. To find out more about how you could benefit from online personal training, please visit http://www.trainerforce.com/optimumlife/ . To find out more about holistic fitness and stress management please visit http://optimumlife.co.nz, or contact Tanja on tanja@optimumlife.co.nz. |
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If you
want to once and for all destroy the illusion that everyone else but you
looks like a model under their clothes, stand in a gym changing room and
really *look* at the bodies there. There will be women who are ‘too
skinny’, ‘too short’, ‘too fat’ – too ‘whatever’ to fit magazine
standards – and most of them will be wandering around totally
un-self-consciously, with far more important things to think about than
the ‘flaws’ in their own, or each other’s bodies. *This* is reality.
*This* is what healthy women – of all shapes and sizes – look like. And
when this realisation finally sinks in, it can be more freeing than any
pat assurances that ‘everyone’s shape is different’. 
THE BOTTOM
LINE?