Our western culture has really messed a lot of people up, especially as it relates to “what is healthy.”

Nearly every magazine cover, Instagram model, celebrity diet or fitness fad has many thinking that health is about looking a certain way and that couldn’t be the furthest thing from then truth as far as I’m concerned.

Photoshop, apps to smooth wrinkles and whiten teeth in one swipe, perfect asses and big boobs are all we seem to see these days and it’s a bit frightening honestly because it gives many the wrong image when it’s time to set fitness goals and priorities.

Here is the truth… a perfect body doesn’t exist. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very beautiful people who are totally natural but we don’t often have the privilege of hearing from those people and how they approach life… we are just inundated with unrealistic images and place our hopes and dreams on the desire to one day look like them.

Listen, I’ve seen, known and been around so many models and most are very insecure people and very typically have flaws and issues with their bodies that they would love to improve upon. It seems that the most beautifully fit are the most unhealthy many times.

My recommendation to you would be to set realistic goals, don’t paste an image of a perfect body on the fridge as your “inspiration” but instead, seek living in a highly functioning, healthy body and let the other things fall into place after deciding that “true health” is your first priority.

Truth health, to me, can be defined as having your blood work come back clean, having a great relationship with where you are currently, living a balanced and happy life, appreciating what you have as opposed to what you want.

A healthy body will not always manifest itself into a swimsuit body and a swimsuit body is not always healthy.

Take a step back and re assess WHY you are deciding to exercise and adjust your priorities if necessary and understand that perfection or looking like someone else isn’t what you should be striving for…you should be striving to be the best YOU CAN BE and embrace every flaw you have with the understanding that even the girl or guy on the magazine cover or instagram page must do the same.