Ever feel like the body you want is just out of reach? Like you’ll never be lean, strong, fit or healthy enough?

Have you felt as though no matter how leaner or stronger you’ve become, or what goals you’ve achieved, there was always someone ‘better’ to compare yourself with? Instead of appreciating your progress have you kept wanting more?

🔹 Regardless of where you are in your health and fitness journey, it’s common to feel like:

• you’re never quite where you want to be

• everyone else is doing better than you

• even your best effort just isn’t good enough

If you’re stuck in this space you will know how soul-sucking it feels, and it’s completely normal by the way, but you don’t have to go on like this. A healthy lifestyle should lift you up, not bring you down.

➡️ Here’s five ways to stop hating your body, and free yourself from the frustration of constant comparison.

✅ Focus on actions, not outcomes.

Maybe you’d like to be a size 8, or deadlift 250kg, or run 10km in record time. These kinds of benchmarks may seem meaningful, and for some might be achievable but for others they can be totally demoralizing. After all, we can’t fully control how our bodies will respond to a nutrition or training program, and by setting goals that require a certain outcome, anything that falls short can feel like a failure, especially when we see others succeed.

Rather than focusing on the end result, choose habit-based goals and concentrate on completing daily actions that will help you lose fat, get stronger or run faster. Eg, if you’d like to lose fat, you might set goals such as:

• Eating lean protein at every meal

• Replacing refined carbs with ‘smart’ carbs

• Exercising three times per week

These actions done consistently will help you lose fat, and they’re within your control. As goals, they shift your mindset away from comparison and provide more opportunities for you to celebrate successful efforts.

✅ Put things in perspective

It’s easy to obsess over what we don’t like about our bodies. These thoughts take up way more headspace than they should. By reminding ourselves of what really matters in life we can dilute these negative feelings and make them less powerful. Every day, simply write down three things you’re either grateful for. Making this list can give you a mental boost and help transform your mindset from a place of comparison to a more appreciative state.

✅ Eliminate your comparison triggers

Think of a behaviour, activity or place aimed at helping you get healthier. Are there any that leave you feeling inadequate? It might be your favourite meal-prep facebook page, because she seems to have endless time to experiment with new and delicious macro-friendly recipes, and your life isn’t like that. It might be a diet that leaves you feeling guilty because you’re always ‘cheating’.

Whatever it is that makes you feel ‘not good enough’, consider removing this trigger and finding alternatives to better suit you.

✅ Transform your social networks

Look through your friends and ‘follow’ lists and ask yourself if each person or account brings joy to your life. If not, unfriend or unfollow. Start following people who inspire or educate you, or just entertain you. These may be people you know, or influencers who make you feel positive.

✅ Seek meaningful connections

Some people have obsessions or issues that control them. This could be obsession with weighing yourself every day. To admit this is an issue can be very empowering, especially if you receive support from others who can relate.

Whether it’s online or in real life, sharing our struggles and stories with other people can be a way to build genuine connection, community and support, and is sooo much more uplifting than scrolling through #fitspo on Instagram.

Share that post of picture that reveals the real you. Have that coffee with a friend. Open up to a friend or someone close to you. Be vulnerable. Genuine conversations beat silent comparison – every time!

⚡️⚡️There is always going to be someone leaner, stronger and fitter out there, but instead of focusing on things that take away from your joy, build your own support system. Turn to those who love and appreciate you for who you are, and this might just help you love and respect yourself. This is when you know you’ve beaten the ‘comparison’ mindset for good. 🤛🙌👍❤️❤️