Rethinking what fitness means to you

By Imran Hashmi

You can spend so much time learning about fitness that you lose sight of what you wanted it to give you in the first place.

Six-packs. Workouts. Food rules. Supplements. Watches that score your sleep. There is always something else to measure, improve or buy. In my experience, trying to take all of it in can leave you feeling lost. You have more information, but less clarity about where to begin.

I think we need to strip it back and ask a simple question: what do you actually want from fitness?

Perhaps you want to stay active as you get older. If you have children, perhaps you want to join in when they play, with enough energy to enjoy it. You might want to feel stronger, learn a sport or make some time in your week that belongs to you.

Those are goals worth building a plan around.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look different. But I think appearance takes up too much of the conversation. I would like us to give more attention to what our bodies allow us to do, and how training fits into the life we want to live. Changes in appearance can be one outcome along the way, without becoming the measure of everything.

A big part of that, for me, is finding a connection to fitness through something you enjoy.

If you are drawn to boxing or another combat sport, that interest can give your training a direction. You have skills to practise and something you want to get better at. Your strength and conditioning work can support that purpose. There is a reason behind the work that makes sense to you.

The same idea applies if you enjoy running, cycling, swimming or another kind of movement. Start with that interest. Build a realistic plan around it. Give yourself the chance to become more involved in something you actually want to do.

I think enjoyment deserves to be taken seriously when we talk about discipline. There will still be difficult sessions and days when you would rather stay home. But having a connection to the activity gives you a reason to return. I would rather build from that than expect enthusiasm for a plan that never felt like yours.

There is also a more personal side to this. Confidence, discipline and self-respect are part of what I value in fitness. Making time for yourself. Learning to be patient with something you cannot do yet. Following a plan you have chosen because it matters to you.

For me, there is a spiritual side too: wanting some contentment, some peace within yourself. I want there to be room for that in the way we talk about fitness. How we feel about ourselves deserves attention alongside what we see in the mirror.

That is why I keep coming back to simplicity. Useful advice and technology have their place. But a plan needs enough space for you to follow it, enjoy parts of it and work out what suits you, without changing direction every time another video appears.

I would like fitness to feel more accessible. Somewhere you can begin with an interest and a few clear steps, then build from there.

Before looking for another workout, perhaps it is worth asking: what do I enjoy, what do I want to be able to do, and what can I realistically keep making time for?

I think those answers are a good place to start.