“You’d be proud of me, I exercised” is a statement I’ve had repeated to me several times over the years from clients, friends, and family. While there’s nothing intentionally “wrong” with this statement there are a few meanings implied behind it that sit with me.

“You’d be proud of me, I exercised” implies that you are only worthy of praise after completion of exercise, that your worthiness or value is directly related to a health and fitness standard set by an industry that knows nothing about you as a person and probably doesn't have your best interests at heart. It implies that if you stop exercising that you are no longer worthy of praise. As a coach, I want my clients (past, current, and future), my friends, and my family to understand that I value each and every one of them as unique people regardless of completion of exercise or adherence to a specific diet/health plan.

With that said, I think that it’s important to note that completing a workout or beginning a consistent “exercise routine” could absolutely be a goal of yours. If this is the case, understand that I am proud of you for adhering or accomplishing your goal that you set for yourself, not for completing the exercise itself. Developing new habits are always challenging and incorporating daily movements into your weekly routine could be a great goal to set for yourself. If you are starting an exercise routine and don’t have a goal, I encourage you to consider setting one. Click here to read my article about goal setting ideas. Remember that an exercise regime can be something like committing to a 15-20 minute daily walk, it does not have to be complicated or fancy. I am proud of you.

I also want to note that I am equally proud when an individual recognizes that they need space from exercise. If your stress levels are very high, if you’d experienced lifestyle changes, if you’ve been injured, if you've been having poor quality of sleep and nutrition and you have put your mental and/or physical health, or family needs before the needs of your exercise regime then I applaud you for recognizing this and taking a break. There are many times in someone's life when a regular exercise routine might need to be put to the side. This does not make you less worthy or less valuable. In an industry that makes us feel like we need to give 110% everyday, during every workout, and shames people for “taking a break” or “taking it easy”, taking a step back can make you feel like a failure and listening to your body despite bulls*** industry standards deserves praise. I am proud of you.

If you decide to take a break from exercise, when you return, remember that you are not suddenly a “better” person more worthy of praise. I would encourage you to set a realistic short term goal or goals for yourself that you can adhere to. Working towards your goals can help you stay consistent with your routine and lead to future goals that you may want to accomplish. Remember that we all have more to offer than just what you're capable of doing in a workout. We all have a very unique set of personalities, interests, talents, and skills and those traits are what set us apart from each other but are also what bring us closer together.

You are more than your exercise routine, you are more than the number on a scale. I am proud of you, you are worthy.