By | JOSIE SANTI | theeverygirl.com
You know those annoying AF women who are always in shape? The women who work out every day (even on vacation) and always seem in control of what they eat, as if they’ve never binged an entire sleeve of Oreos during one commercial break. Come winter or summer, they always have a lit-from-within glow and way too much energy (yes, even on Monday mornings before the second cup of coffee). You might even have a coworker, friend, or roommate so consistent with her healthy habits and motivated that you’ve wondered if she’s taking a magic pill, or maybe she’s just born with it (major groan).
But here’s the good news for us mere mortals: there is no genetic trait or magic pill that keeps you in shape. Instead, it’s a series of simple habits. This means that lit-from-within glow and unwavering motivation is not only possible, but achievable. First, let’s define what being “in shape” means. Regardless of what it used to mean, we’d like to rebrand it to be your healthiest self, which looks and feels different to everyone. Being in shape is not a number on a scale or even a six-pack of abs. After all, a certain pants size could never be powerful enough to give you that lit-from-within glow and limitless energy. But these habits will. Here are 10 habits that women who are always in shape have in common:
1. They look for enjoyment in exercise
Maybe you think that always-in-shape women are the rare breed that came out of the womb loving to go on long jogs, but that just isn’t true. Instead of innately enjoying intense exercise, they find joy in exercise. Maybe they have a go-to workout like barre or ballet that they love, maybe they go on runs to clear their mind and feel centered, or maybe they’ve found peace and stability in the daily ritual of exercise. No matter how they do it, they find joy in exercising and work out because they want to, not because they have to.
Source: @sassyredlipstick
2. They think about what to eat instead of what not to eat
I first stumbled across this wisdom while reading French Women Don’t Get Fat years ago, but it’s a principle that shows up in my diet philosophy in so many ways (like the adding instead of subtracting ideology). Diet culture has taught us to focus on what not to eat: no-fat products, low-carb diets, or “no added sugar” labels. Instead of worrying about what they shouldn’t be eating, women who are always fit get excited about the foods they do eat: fresh salads, warming stews, tasty veggie dishes, and refreshing smoothies. When it does come to indulging in ice cream, cheese, or Fettucine Alfredo, they enjoy the real thing instead of restricting or bingeing on artificial alternatives.
