The understated impact of getting fit

When reading about self-improvement, especially around working out, losing fat and/or building muscle, I’ve seen lots of advice that goes like this: “Even if you reach your goal, not much will change—you’ll get used to it, and things will feel the same” and “You don’t like your body now, but even if you get fit, you still won’t. Your improved body will be your new baseline and you’ll always feel inadequate.”

My own experience contradicts this view.

I was never terribly out of shape, but as a teenager, I was skinny-fat. I hated the flabby parts of my body and felt awful whenever I looked in the mirror. Some sitting positions were out of bounds because I could feel the fat around my midsection overlapping. It felt like having a thick, mushy belt glued around me. At times, I even cried in front of the mirror because what I saw didn’t match how I pictured myself: strong, decisive, a doer—like the characters I loved embodying in video games.

Eventually, I’d had enough and decided to change. Within months, I went from slightly flabby to having a six-pack and doing dozens of push-ups (I couldn’t even manage one when I started). A few months later, I could do multiple pull-ups—an achievement for any adult—and received compliments on my body from nearly everyone I met.

To say my life didn’t change or that things went back to how they were after I got used to my new body, would simply be untrue.

Yes, the body I have now is my new baseline, and I still strive to be stronger, though it’s not always my top priority. Real change requires making it a priority for a while, but afterward, it can take a back seat, like a habit that eventually becomes part of your life. Working out is the same.

For most of this year, I lifted weights three times a week and set new personal records for bench and shoulder presses, because I made that my focus. More recently, my job and career have taken precedence, meaning I sometimes go a week or more without lifting, and when I do my workouts are not as strenuous. But because I’ve built a strong foundation, I still stay in shape and look as fit and muscular as always.

When I get back to lifting seriously, I might not be able to lift as heavy, and that’s okay. If my main goal were to get as strong as possible, I could keep pushing year after year. But with so many aspects to my life, I prefer to shift my focus every now and then. That’s my idea of balance.

So how exactly is my life better as a result of my level of fitness?

For one, I feel great when I look in the mirror. I don’t love every aspect of my body, but having a mushy waist and thin arms is no longer a concern—I genuinely like the way I look. Also, people perceive me differently. Not that I get compliments daily (it would often be out of place), but knowing I look good and am strong makes me carry myself with more confidence.

Transporting groceries or moving heavy objects up the stairs is never an issue, and the ability to hike to remote, beautiful spots while traveling is a given. It just feels great to know I’m ready to take on whatever life throws at me! With fitness now part of my baseline, I have more time and energy for other things—advancing my career, tackling interesting side projects, going out feeling good about myself, and yes, even helping others carry heavy stuff.

In short, don’t be discouraged from trying to improve your body because negative people online tell you that it’s pointless. It is very much worth it and I’m rooting for you!