Many times, we expect a lot from ourselves, especially in today’s modern competitive world. From the time we can walk, we’re being pitted against other kids our age–be it to gain admission into a coveted school or to be the most “talented” in everything from sports to playing a musical instrument.
How does this affect us in our adult lives? With the arrival of social media, the pressure to be “perfect” is stronger than ever, so much so that Instagram has decided to stop showing the number of likes other people receive on their posts. Many have lauded this move as studies have shown that social media usage is directly linked to mental health conditions like depression.
A big part of the picture-perfect life is the “perfect” body. While one group of women want the Kim K curves, another bunch are desperately trying to get the waif-like model look. In the process, diets and workouts are the new biggest trends. “Keto” was the most searched for diet on Google in 2018, almost everyone I know is practicing intermittent fasting, and gyms are as full as ever.
Take it one step at a time
The problem with the age of social media is that people have run out of patience to wait for results to show. Everything is quick and fast, from fashion to #fitnessgoals. So, we tend to forget that fitness is not a “result”, it’s a lifestyle.
We go on crash diets and when we can’t handle them anymore, we binge eat and then just give up. A lifestyle is not something you just give up on. It takes time to get used to and requires patience and hard work, which is why you need to take it one step at a time.
Focussing on the small victories is the best way to go when it comes to diet and exercise. You didn’t crave junk food today? Yay! Give yourself a pat on the back; you deserve it. You worked out four times this week? Congratulations! That’s four times more than if you had just given up because you ate two samosas as a snack in the office.
Don’t believe everything you see on social media. Nobody wakes up looking that gorgeous. You only see the best of everything on Instagram. You don’t see the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into making that picture-perfect post.
Give yourself a break every once in a while. We’re only human and we can’t be functioning at a 100 per cent all the time. Give yourself a cheat day where you can eat what you want and do what you feel like. If you don’t, you’ll be like a pressure cooker that is not being allowed to release steam–you’ll explode!
With time, you will get used to eating and living healthy. But that won’t happen if you’re constantly stressed out about your diet and your exercise regimen. Most people succeed at doing something when they like doing it. Healthy eating and living is the same. Let yourself enjoy it.