Is it okay to have aesthetic, body composition, or physique goals? Can we pursue these while still having a healthy, positive relationship with our body and with exercise? Keep reading for all the juice/my answers to these questions!
Some of the questions I get asked most revolve around certain actions we take or goals we have in our health and fitness journey. Is this okay? Is this wrong? What is right?
With most things, the answer will be “it depends'”. Most positive actions are not inherently bad (like filling half your plate with broccoli, or engaging in regular exercise), but of course with the wrong motives CAN turn into harmful actions — like if they lead to disordered eating, or over exercising.
We are going to hone in on the topic of having aesthetic, body composition, or physique goals today. Can we still pursue these goals while having a positive relationship with + healthy respect of, our body? Does having these goals mean we think we have a “bad” body that needs fixing? Sooo many questions.
First and foremost, one of the inherent truths that we must believe and internalize for ourselves is that ALL bodies are good bodies, and that is NOT dependent on how they look physically.
Tall and slender, short and “stocky”, wheelchair bound, missing a limb — all. are. good.
You were created IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, and everything created by God is good. Your worth doesn’t come from what you look like or what you do, it comes from Who created you and what Christ has done for you (so that no one may brag or boast).
Your body is good….and it has nothing to do with how you’ve sculpted it to look.
BUT, I (personally) believe it’s still okay and permissible to have aesthetic, body composition, or physique goals if you so please! Want to build muscle, improve body composition, have a nice tush? Cool! Does this mean that you hate your current body, or think it is “bad” and needs fixing? Not necessarily — but of course that’s something you alone have to work through honestly with yourself. We can accept and respect our bodies how they are, yet still pursue goals that will impact how they might look.
Of course, this can be a slippery slope for some people, especially in a world that glorifies a certain “look”. It can be easy to fall into the trap of hinging our worth or value or identity or “good”-ness on how we look.
How do we know if this has happened, or might happen? Some red flags:
- If your efforts to reach that aesthetic goal end up taking over every aspect of your life…
- If all of your time, though, effort and attention goes into reaching that goal, at all costs…
- If you lose sight of the rest of your life and other dimensions of your health…
- If you constantly skip out on life events if they “interfere” with your goal…
- If all you talk about is something related to your goal…
- If you start hinging your worth and value on how you look…
- If you have no other hobbies or interests…
- If your mood is dictated by how you look or whether or not you reach your goal…
Those are all some good red flags, and some really good signs that your body composition or aesthetic goal has turned into a god (idol) that is controlling you.
So, how do we pursue aesthetic or body composition goals and keep them in their rightful place so they don’t control us? How do we make sure our motives stay pure? For me, it looks a lot like meditating on Scripture to reorient my heart, my motives, my “why”, to align with Christ and how He sees me. I wanted to share some verses I personally reflect on in the hopes they would help you, too, focus on what truly matters. So that you CAN pursue goals, while keeping the main thing the main thing 😉
1 Samuel 16:7 “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”
1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Matthew 16:26 “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
Cheering you on in food, fitness AND faith 🙂
