Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I really believe this:

You don’t have to love yourself to succeed. It helps, but it isn’t essential. What is essential? Eat well. Train hard. Do it every day.

I spent SO MUCH time trying to learn to love myself and never was able to feel it. I hold in disgust most of what I do, say and feel. I am constantly berating myself and feeling like I’m not a good person. I spent a better part of my life WASTING time trying to change that aspect of my personality until I realized:

I was told that if I didn’t love myself, I could never love someone else. WRONG! I have a beautiful and loving husband whom I adore and who adores me back.

I was told that if I didn’t love myself, that I couldn’t succeed in my career. WRONG! I have been a successful writer for the last eight years.

I was told that if I didn’t love myself, that I couldn’t lose weight. I’m beginning to believe that they are wrong about that one, too. Fat doesn’t care if I love myself or not. The only thing that affects the fat on my body is the food I eat and the exercise I do.

Would I like to love myself? Sure I would, but I’m not wasting one more second trying to make that happen. I don’t need to love myself to succeed. I just need to do the things that successful people do and I will succeed as well.

The next time you’re thinking that you need to do some self-love spreadsheet or make a collage of the things you love about yourself, STOP! Stop right there and get your butt on an exercise bike or go for a run. You don’t need to change your feelings about yourself. You just need to eat healthy and exercise EVERY DAY. THAT is what will help you succeed, far more than any self-love workshop can.

Update 07-24-12: I found a quote from Megan Fox that basically says what I was saying:

It reads:

I’m really insecure about everything. I never think I’m worthy of anything. I have a sick feeling about being mocked all the time. Self-loathing doesn’t keep me from being happy, but that doesn’t mean I don’t struggle. I am very vulnerable. I’m emotionally unpredictable.

Megan Fox

If a beautiful woman like Megan Fox can feel insecure and struggle with self-loathing, then it’s pretty clear that you don’t have to love yourself in order to be successful. It might help you along the way, but it’s possible to get to your goal weight without loving yourself. All you have to do is do the work.

Photos via:

• I CAN DO IT
• Curvy-skinny