The Theory of Body Awareness

How We Get Fat

Have you ever noticed getting fit takes concentrated effort while getting fat seems to happen while we sleep? When our mind is distracted with the day to day stresses of our life, we forget about our body’s functions, needs and potential. In short fat people think fat and fit people think fit.

Throughout high school, I was on the cusp of being short and regular height. So, I avoided weightlifting – just in case the myth that lifting weights can stunt your growth turned out to be true. Convinced that my growing days were over and elated to be 6-foot-tall, I began lifting weights at the end of my senior year. About three months into working on my glamor muscles (arms, abs, chest), I experienced my first involuntary muscle spasm. At that moment, my mind became awakened to the potential of that muscle. From that day forward, I was able to flex my chest/pectoral muscles at will and working out became a little more fun.

Last year, I joined Eating for Abs by Coach Be, a program designed to help us think about our eating choices more consciously. The beauty of this program is that it not only forces us to look at our daily habits, it forces us to measure our body (the effects of our decisions) in a myriad of different ways. Moreover, while learning the techniques to become fit physically, we inadvertently learn how to become fit mentally. We begin to actively think about our own fitness.

Today, I use soreness as a constant body awareness reminder. For example, after a great ab workout I am consistently reminded of all the functions my abs play in our daily activities. Every time I reach for something, laugh, or yawn my mind and body have a conversation. When I look in the mirror and am able to independently move muscles/muscle groups, I am again conditioning my mind to remember my body’s functions and potential. This body awareness ultimately increases my mind’s awareness – a topic that is bit beyond this post but covered in meditation blogs.

If you haven’t experienced body awareness, give it a try. It may lead to amazing things. If you have, tell me about it.