This is a somewhat more serious blog post than what we usually do. But I think it’s time. For over a year now, I’ve been pondering to do a blog post about body image and more specifically – why I don’t train without my shirt. Haha it might sound stupid but hear me out! But it’s taken on a twist & elaborated a bit. This post is aimed for the influencers and for the people who follow influencers - aka this post is for everyone!
Today on this glorious Friday, I want to ask you who do you follow on social media? And more importantly – WHY do you follow the people you do?
If you go to FIT BEST Training’s feed – What do you see? What draws your attention? What emotions do you feel? Take a moment to answer these questions. If needed, minimize this blog and open our social media so that you can answer these questions.
Do you feel inspired? Or do you feel like you do not measure up? Hopefully, it’s the first. Cause if it’s the later – we need to close down all Fit Best accounts like yesterday! Seriously. I have said it countless times before, and I will never stop saying it. When I started FIT BEST Training, my vision was to help women from all walks of life to become the best version of THEMSELVES. Not a second-hand version of someone else.
When I decided on a name for my teany tiny start up – I intentionally did not put my name in the business name. Because to me – it carries such a powerful message. It’s not Renché’s Fitness or Renché’s Training or Renché’s anything! Because it is NOT about ME! It is about YOU!
FIT is for fitness obviously! Haha and the BEST is for you, your journey and your life! I want to help women to become the BEST version of themselves through their OWN individualised FITness journeys. The only place where it’s “about me” is the fact that I want to help you to do it. That’s about it.
So, I hope you have answered the questions above. And I want to let you in on a little secret. The reason why I don’t train without my shirt. Stupid as it might seem. (*insert disclaimer* if you do train without your shirt, I’m not judging you – please read the entire post before you roll your eyes and exit the blog).
In short: I don’t train without a shirt – because I never want to be the reason why some who struggles with body image, feels worse about themselves after looking at my feed.
Boom. That’s it. Short and sweet. You can say whatever you want. We as women constantly keep on comparing ourselves to others. Until you have found your true identity in who you are in Christ, you will forever be scrolling through social media – comparing yourself to others and checking if you are measuring up.
And I will NOT be a measuring tool for someone else’s struggles! *insert nuclear explosions*
I am not saying that I will never train without a shirt. If you open up our social media, you will from time to time see me without a shirt. So, don’t crucify me. Hurt people hurt. What I am saying is that my feed will NEVER be filled with sports bra photos and ab check selfies. Sure there is a place for that. And sure, please do celebrate your small victories and the progress you have made. If you know me, and you know my heart – you will know, that you know, that you know – I am all about sharing small victories! For real! I am small victories’ biggest cheerleader of all times!
I am not downsizing your progress and telling you to stop sharing your victories. But I do want to ask you whilst we are on this topic. Why are you sharing what you are sharing? Is it truly and SIMPLY because you are celebrating your journey?
Or is it still a way to “prove” to yourself and others that you measure up? Are you trying to proof to yourself or the world that you are good enough? This is a hard question. And I want you to answer this question with an honest heart. Be honest with yourself, even if the truth might sting a little. But the truth will set you free. And unless, you can be real and honest with yourself – you’ll never get out of the rat race of “trying to be good enough.”
As a fitness professional, authenticity is such a big deal to me! Real is rare. I want to be real with my clients and our followers on social media. In the make belief world we live in, being real is so outnumbered. But it won’t stop me from sticking to my guns – being real, authentic and transparent. I will never share or sell something that I don’t believe in. When people ask me why I don’t train without my shirt – I tell them what I told you above. And I add that, if I can’t inspire people with my clothes on – I shouldn’t be in the fitness industry. Straight to the point. I’m not in the sugar coating business.
So many times over the last couple of months (actually since forever, but the last few months more often) – I see people making posts or sharing posts to their feeds, stories of pages. And although the post / info that they are sharing is good information or true, etc. But I know to my core – that that’s not the way that person is for real.
And that makes me sad. I repeat yet again: Real is rare. So damn rare. If you are an influencer or not, if you post / share something – PLEASE I beg of you - make sure you practice what you preach!
You are literally creating an image for the world to see. And if you are not being real – YOU ARE SETTING OTHERS UP FOR FAILURE. Let’s not beat around the bush.
X Don’t tell people to have that piece of cake, when you yourself don’t allow yourself to have cake.
X Don’t tell people that fitness is not about appearance, when your feed is filled with ab check mirror pics.
X Don’t tell people that you need to make fitness part of your life, when you make your life part of your rigid obsessive fitness journey.
I’m not judging you if you chose a healthy lifestyle. Kudos to you! I’ll probably never be seriously ripped – because I’m not willing to give up sweets. And I am happy with that fact. I will not preach that fitness should be fun when in fact I want people to give up everything they enjoy and a normal life just to get a specific appearance. I will not stand for that. Nor will I mislead people by portraying an image of my lifestyle which isn’t real and authentic.
To me fitness is about getting stronger, physically & mentally. It is NOT about my appearance & if you look at my feed – you’d be able to nod your head in agreement.
So, this is not me judging you for the life you chose. This is me judging you (solidly) for cultivating an unhealthy (unbalanced / deprivation filled) lifestyle whilst upholding a front that your doing it in a healthy and balanced way. Preaching that they should have the cake, that they should not restrict themselves. That they should not worry about the number on the scale. That fitness is not about your appearance.
When in fact, if you were to be real with yourself, you would have to admit that to you, fitness is in fact about appearance. And that’s why if you gained some weight, you restrict yourself from the food you enjoy. That’s not authentic / real / transparent. And I will never stand for this!
>> If you are an influencer – I want to ask you today to do a little check-in on yourself. Make sure that the things you share are real, authentic & transparent. If you feel offended by this post, it seriously was not my intention. But maybe it's a sign.
>> And if you follow influencers – I want to challenge you. Take time to go check who you follow. Ask yourself - Why do I follow this account? – How does this account’s post make me feel? – Is it evident that what’s shared on that account is a true reflection of that person / business’s life / lifestyle? – Do the person / page inspire you to be better? Or do you measure yourself and your worth against it?
Do not be afraid to hit unfollow. Real is Rare. If it’s not real, get rid of it!