A Heart More Focused

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Elusive Fitness Priorities

December 12, 2012 By Erika Zane

12 Dec

So many women wear their body image insecurities as a badge.  Like it defines them.

I’d be completely shocked if any woman ever told me she didn’t have body image issues at some point in her life.  We all do.

That being said, I’ve always had body image based self-confidence issues.  Ha! 😉  When I’m focused on fitness, those issues virtually disappear.

Virtually.  I’m tall.  Like really tall.  Especially by NJ standards.  A lot of my body image issues stem from towering over most of my friends, most of my life.

It’s always something, right?

I started this blog to keep fitness a priority in my life.  When I say “this blog”, I mean the initial blog: Namammaste.  In an attempt to give myself a break this postpartum round, I didn’t make that my focus.  After I had Dylan, I ripped myself apart every day for a solid year for not losing enough weight, not being in good enough shape, and not fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes.  I think I expected my body to just bounce right back into shape after the six week postpartum period.

Let me just tell you, for most of us, it doesn’t work that way.  Yes, there are some very blessed women who do bounce back with minimal effort, but I’m sure, even they don’t feel “back to normal” for quite some time.

I think I may have given myself too much of a break, though.  I’m in average shape and an acceptable weight, but I don’t feel great.  I feel lethargic and, frankly, lazy.  I look through my old blog posts and pictures and miss the way I felt.

I’ve never particularly enjoyed running or exercising.  What I enjoyed was how exercising made me feel afterwards.  I enjoyed the energy, strength, and stamina it gave me.

My spiritual “fitness” has improved over the past few months through my Good Morning Girls (#instavotion on Instagram) study.  Taking the time to connect with God, through his word, daily is strengthening my relationship with Him, and he’s fixing me day by day.  But, I’m not doing all I can to connect with Him, if I’m not working on my fitness:

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I want to start making the effort.  Whether I go to the gym or get outside for a walk, I want to prioritize my body’s health and I want to be held accountable.  I used to do “Fitness Fridays” a while ago, which I’m not going to link to because they weren’t well written and I think I had the wrong focus.  I’m thinking about reviving Fitness Friday and posting about my weekly fitness goals, struggles, and successes, though.

What do you think?  Would you want to participate?  Should I make it a link-up?  I’d love your feedback!

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Filed Under: fitness, FITNESS FRIDAY, Health, motherhood

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Comments

  1. Jeanette says

    December 12, 2012 at 12:13 pm

    Omg! You said just right! I think we all have body image issues! I like you also feel so much better about myself! This – especially for me – keeps the flame alive with the hubby! And of course I have more energy and just overall feel more happy! It’s rare to hear of people who exercise not be happy! I’ve managed to make it to the gym a few times in the last couple of weeks, the first time I left disappointed in my level of fitness, but I’ve gotten over it. I have to start somewhere! Plus I want to be an example to my children and hope that they one day enjoy exercising like their mama!

    Let’s support each other in this new year! Let’s get fit!!!!

    • Erika @aHeartMoreFocused says

      December 17, 2012 at 10:17 pm

      Ok, you motivated me! 🙂 Let’s do it!

  2. Hannah Shanks says

    December 12, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    I say let’s do it! I’ve been trying to come up with ways I can incorporate my fitness/health journey into my blogging more without it sounding preachy or obsessive, so I think this sounds like a great outlet!

    • Erika @aHeartMoreFocused says

      December 17, 2012 at 10:22 pm

      That’s exactly it. I think it’s hard to talk about fitness without sounding like a know-it-all, even when you don’t think you are. I think, though, if the focus is more on camaraderie and how we find motivation and time for exercise, maybe it’ll be more fun to read. Worth a shot, anyway! Obviously last week got away from me, but I’ll start this week. Or I’ll try, given it’s the week before Christmas 🙂

  3. Amber says

    December 19, 2012 at 11:59 am

    I really need to do something like this. I’ve been feeling particularly unfit lately, and it does take a toll on everything else. I am seriously considering linking up!

  4. Ana says

    December 19, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    Ha, I just want to say I found you randomly on Twitter, and as I was reading your description I thought “how can she be so much like me?!” =] Well, minus the photog bit. ;]

    Something that’s helped me feel less lethargic is raw food. I can go a day eating “living” food and feel seriously on Cloud Nine. I feel like the next day I don’t have so much brain fog. Mommy brain. Whatever.

Trackbacks

  1. #aHeartFitFriday Launch (Linky) says:
    December 28, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    […] decided to do this after all!  I’m starting a new hashtag for you to tweet about should you choose to accept […]

  2. It’s not all about my weight, but there’s that too. says:
    January 3, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    […] recently mentioned wanting to get back into shape to feel better.  I said, “I’m in average shape and an acceptable weight, but I don’t feel great.“.  I wasn’t being completely honest.  I mean, I made it sound like I just wanted to […]

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About me

Hello and welcome.  It’s been a while.  For Lent this year I decided to fast from the thing that took too much of my attention from what is truly important: Social Media.  Though there are countless amazing benefits to Social Media, after about a month offline so far, there are seemingly just as many negatives.  I never realized how much of my brain had been hijacked by it.  I’ve had so many revelations about how much easier it is to move forward when I’m not constantly reminded of the past.  But I still want to record my family as they grow at this ridiculous speed and, I’m realizing, so many of our family’s memories are here.  Those along with so many of the struggles and stages we’ve worked through.  Maybe in the midst of COVID19 isolation and my kids around me so often, I’m brought back to a time when they were too young for school and with me so often.  Writing here during that time helped make up for the limited adult conversation in my days and the overwhelm provided by my… little treasures 😉 My husband, fur babies, three fiesty kids, and I hereby extend an invitation to visit this little sneak peak into our life. We’re super flawed and broken and there aren’t too many dull moments around here.  And I promise it’s not always as magical as some of my golden hour, sun-soaked images would suggest.  There’s usually too much coffee in my system and we welcome all the prayers.  Come on over if you want to process with me.

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