Alexa is the founder of the fitness blog, Fit for Free, and Instagram account @fitforfreenyc, where she posts about free and discounted workout classes in NYC. Her love for writing and fitness led her to create her blog, as a way to help like-minded fitness addicts enjoy their favorite workouts without hindering their bank account, because we all know how expensive NYC can be!
Throughout most of my life, I’ve had a strong passion for the fitness and nutrition industry. I enjoy eating healthfully, working out, and living a healthy lifestyle.
As someone who almost went down the registered dietitian path, I understand that research and news about what’s good for you and what’s bad for you, it changes everyday. How can we keep up? I tend to believe we can keep up by taking everything with a grain of salt, because at the end of the day, you should do what works for you and your body. Not what works for your favorite celebrity, or your favorite wellness blogger, but what works for you.
Part of what frustrated me the most about the nutrition industry, was how much the research could change. One day, coconut oil is the best thing for you, the cure for all. The next day, it’s the worst thing you could possible put in or on your body. Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme. But isn’t that how it feels?
You can read all the news articles and research all you want, but in the end, you should listen to your body. I encourage everyone to do their own research, and to know what’s out there, things that can help you eat better, sleep better, and feel better. But, in the end, you must listen to your body, and your mind. Because honestly, if you listen to every piece of advice that’s out there, you will drive yourself crazy, trying to abide by it all. And that’s not what body empowerment is all about.
To me, body empowerment means loving the body you’re in and doing what you can to make it better, not for your boyfriend, for your mom, or for your best friend, but for yourself. Body empowerment means taking care of yourself. And no, that’s not selfish.
So if that means saying “no” to drinks on a Friday night, because you want to take an early morning workout class on Saturday, and would much rather refuel with post workout smoothies, do that. Do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good.
It’s definitely hard for us to not compare ourselves to others. Heck, that’s what society has basically forced upon us. But I think self love means trying to reduce that, as much as you can, and focusing on what makes you feel like your best self. And that is body empowerment. Living your best self.
