More often than not, people tend to think that fit and healthy people don’t have any self-esteem issues. Being in the fitness world for a long time now, that statement couldn’t be any further from the truth. Not only do a lot of people start working out because of issues they have had with their body in the past, but they are usually their worst critics throughout their fitness journeys. While most people may see lots of muscles or chiseled abs, that person goes home, looks in the mirror and sees their hamstrings are undeveloped compared to their quads or their lifts have gotten weaker because they are eating less because they’re trying to cut. That may seem like nothing to most people and an overreaction, however that is that person’s truth, their hardship. It is a struggle they live with that can wear on that person’s mental fortitude, just like someone who is overweight just starting their fitness journey struggling to lose their first 10 pounds. Each individual’s struggle is their own and deserves to be understood and supported.
There is no question that this could eat away at a person’s mental health, but the more important question to ask is why. Why do we not make our mental health a priority? Mental health is a much more intimidating thing for someone to accept than admitting that they may be out of shape. People are always joking around with friends or family in manners such as “I wish I was a fit as you?” Or ” I gotta get back into the gym. I need to lose some weight, I fell off the wagon!” It’s much less scary to admit that we are fat than it is to admit that we aren’t mentally stable. On top of that, it’s much easier to identify faults that are visible to ourselves and others than our mental setbacks that we can’t see.