Months later, my family decided to join the Y and it changed my life. I really didn't know what to do when we first joined, so I took water classes and walked endlessly on the treadmill. Even there, I compared myself to others. Luckily, I saw people of all shapes and sizes and didn't feel like the person that needed the most help. In the pool, I was the youngest person by about 30 years. So, eventually, I camped out in the fitness center, searching for the workout that would move me in the right direction.
I found myself watching a woman that was routinely at the gym-- she was ripped. I wasn't really intimidated as much as intrigued. I wanted to see what she was doing to get that body. She lifted weights, primarily, in the free weight area. I remember thinking, "I want to look like THAT!" I didn't see anyone on the treadmills or ellipticals that had the body type that I was seeking. (It would indeed become apparent that if I wanted to change my body, I would need to lift weights.)
I think we all compare ourselves to those around us. It can be motivating or intimidating and disheartening. Remember, we don't all have the same body type and you may not be physically capable of looking like the person working out next to you. Looking back, I know that I used my comparisons in different ways-- from "I'm the fattest one here" to "I want to look like that!" Instead of being down on myself all the time, I formed a picture in my head of my ideal body and used the latter comparison as fuel to propel me forward. I knew that I didn't want to feel like the biggest one in the room anymore. I've pulled myself along with that mental picture in my head of my best body. Am I there yet? Almost. Can I relate to the people that aren't even close to where they want to be? Yes.
Next time you find yourself doing the comparison thing, use that feeling to make some positive changes in your life. Some day, someone may look at you and think, "I want to look like THAT!"
