BESTFIT’s Nutrition expert Ben Coomber asks: is vanity a good thing?

We all think a certain way about ourselves and wanting to look good, but we are often chastised for doing so. Yet if we all have these thoughts, why are they not accepted? I have these thoughts and just like you, I want to look good naked. There I said it. And what? I feel zero shame for thinking and wanting this, it’s only natural to want to look and feel good.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are extremes in the fitness industry. Some people don’t care enough about their body and treat it as a trash can. Others are obsessive about it and their beauty, to the extent that their fitness and health regimes are all they think about. This affects others areas of their life, such as relationships, social interactions and overall enjoyment of life.

So we need to find a balance. Most people want to look and feel good, but few actually do. In fact, most people are not happy with their body. When I went from obese to slim I did want to look and feel good, but that wasn’t my key driving goal, it’s not strong enough. My key driver goal knowing I would not be successful in my career if I didn’t lose weight. At the time I wanted to be an actor and go to drama school, and I knew that if I didn’t lose the weight I wouldn’t be successful (or that’s what I told myself in my head). My career goals have shifted, but the thought processes have not.

I knew that if my only core target was to look and feel good it wouldn’t be enough, and that it wouldn’t drive me every day towards my goal. I knew I would need something more powerful and tangible, hence underlying mantra and goal was attached to me being successful in my career, which for me is powerful. I love progress, I love achieving things in life, and to be successful in my career means a lot to me, so attaching my weight-loss battle to that was the perfect way to inspire me to make the right choices every day and succeed. I didn’t want to fail; it was as simple as that.

That was enough to drive me to be lean, fit and healthy. Sure, I worked hard to look good naked, and that goal was achieved too, but it was more than that. If you want true success with your body, you have to be at a place where you have a true reason to drive it there, to not make the easy choice of not going to the gym or not eating the right food, but making the right choices –every day – that lead you to your end goal.
Time to make some new, more powerful goals…

Bio

Ben Coomber is a performance nutritionist, educator, speaker and writer. He has the UK’s #1 rated health and fitness podcast on iTunes ‘Ben Coomber Radio’ with regular Q&A’s and expert interviews. Ben also owns Awesome Supplements, a brand offering clarity in the confusing world of supplements. Connect with Ben over on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram. For everything else visit: http://www.bencoomber.com