You’ve made some time to get to the gym and get your work out on, but once you get inside your ‘go get ‘em’ attitude turns to one of anxiety, shame or even jealousy once you spot them. The person with the body you wish you had. Just seeing them working out, looking all good and ‘perfect’ makes you want to run and hide.

Sure you don’t think you’re some hideous swamp monster, but you have to admit that you’re a bit envious of this other person’s body and wish you could do more than wish you looked like them.

All of a sudden the wind is knocked out of your workout sail and you feel a bit inadequate working out next to them.

It may not happen often, but surely at some point it has happened to all of us … body envy. That jealous, inadequate feeling when you see some one in the gym (or anywhere) who has the body type you feel like you’re struggling to, or never will, achieve.

It’s natural to have those kinds of feelings, but instead of letting it get you down and strip you of your motivation, try using that person as inspiration to keep on the right track. The reality is, you may never have their body, people are just built differently, but they can be a marker for your healthy living goals. Watch them in the gym to see what type of workouts they do and machines they use, then find a way to incorporate them into your routine so you can get as close as possible to the results you want.

Admiring someone else’s body only becomes harmful when you let it take you off track or allow the envy to cause you to have negative images and feelings about your own body. Looking good starts from within, so after you take a few minutes to let the green-eyed body envy monster rear its ugly head, remember to take even more time to look in the mirror so you can check out and appreciate how good you look. You never know, somebody out there may be envious of your hot bod!

Have you ever had body envy?

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3 Comments

  1. Yes I have haha. I think the women who really bring it out is the young Tyra Banks and 90′s top model Yasmeen Ghauri.

    http://youtu.be/a_5qNC5ukMo
    Video of Yasmeen^^^

    I’ve seen a few sisters built like young Tyra but I’ve never ever seen another woman who had a figure like Yasmeen Ghauri. Even among the models of her time, her figure was distinctive.

    There was a super fit lady whose tumblr fitness blog was linked here a few weeks ago, she has a very nice figure. I also like the shape of Jennifer Hudson’s remade body.

  2. YES!! I thought i was the only one.. I wouldnt get madd or jealous I would just be in amazement.. I think I either need to start a workoutclub or just stay focused and have a legit routine when i get back to the states I am going to get my body right.. I am only 21 (5’3 and 135lbs which is not bad in regards to BMI)..but i should not have lovehandles!I just want to tone up and remain flexible so that when I am 53 i can still bend and move

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