Being in the physical fitness industry for twenty-two years gave me many opportunities to focus on where I was in terms of my physical appearance. When I entered a room to conduct an exercise class, I knew most eyes were on my physical structure. Students checked to see how sculpted my arms and legs were and they were probably guessing my percentage of body fat. I was definitely being evaluated on how well I “walked the talk”, which is as it should have been. This is a huge part of what I represented - a healthy body, my Outer Self. However, when too much value is placed on physical appearance, you lose touch with your true essence – your Inner Self.

I am a huge advocate of taking care of your body through proper nutrition and physical exercise. I had the great pleasure of helping many people reach their fitness goals. I observed how achieving these goals transferred into other aspects of their lives in very positive ways. Being physically fit gives you a sense of great accomplishment and empowerment. It will raise your self-esteem which can improve your relationships and give you an overall feeling of well-being. Physical exercise has proven to reduce stress, improve cardio-vascular function, lower blood pressure, increase bone mass, and improve body composition. Being all you can be on a physical level is an admirable goal, but it can be detrimental when out of balance with other aspects of yourself.

A general rule of thumb in training the physical body is that when you train one body part you need to then train the opposing body part. For example, if you do three sets of bicep curls, then you must do three sets of triceps extensions. The exception to the rule would be someone who naturally has very strong biceps and weak triceps. Then, of course, you would train the triceps more to catch up with the biceps to create symmetry in the arm. But generally, if you train one body part more than the other, there will be an imbalance and this can lead to an injury or a postural problem.

A lady attended my class with a knee brace on her right knee. When I asked her what had happened, she said a sports orthopedic doctor told her that she had over-trained her quadriceps and under-trained her hamstrings, and this had actually created an imbalance resulting in displacement of her patella. Just as over-training one body part in your workouts can create an imbalance and an injury to your body, so it is when the focus on yourself is one sided. If your focus is all on the external, you can have feelings of discontentment and on-going restlessness. You will find you are always striving for the next external gratification to give your life a sense of passion and purpose. You may create strain in your relationships or simply feel ill at ease.

It is not an easy task to balance your Inner and Outer Self. You are bombarded with messages from the media that you must look a certain way. You are told your value is in your dress or pant size and the image you present to the world. You compare your body to others to see how you measure up. (A psychological study in 1999 found that three minutes looking at a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and shameful.) You are led to believe that your happiness lies outside of yourself. You think if you have a particular car, bigger house, more credentials or the perfect partner, then you can feel good about yourself. Yet, we have all experienced the people who have a glow about them even with all of their imperfections and bad hair day. Others are drawn to them like a magnet. These people clearly demonstrate inner fitness!

The question becomes then, how do you become fit on the inside? The simple truth is …Adapt a spiritual practice! To become physically fit, you must eat properly and exercise. So it is to become fit on the inside: proper spiritual nourishment and spiritual exercise! Here are three simple choices to implement daily for inner fitness:

1. Listen to Soothing Music – Take time from your day to sit back, take deep breaths, and digest soothing, peaceful music that quiets your mind and feeds your soul. Dr. Joel Robertson in his book, Natural Prozac, states “Music is one of the most powerful tools for changing brain chemistry. It alters our chemistry instantly, with no known negative side effects. If chosen well, music can be medicine for the mind and soul.”

2. Spend time in Nature – We spend so much time indoors, focused on the busyness of our lives. But much of what we need can only be found in nature along with the trees, bubbling brooks, and open sky. In nature we experience the nurturing embrace of Mother Earth. You can’t help but experience a different sense of self while walking in the woods or traversing a mountainside. When it is impossible to be outdoors, view beautiful nature footage on your television. “Visual exposure to natural settings has produced significant recovery from stress as indicated by changes in physiological measures such as blood pressure and muscle tension.” -Dr. Felf, ed. The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development.

3. Meditation – Don’t panic! You don’t have to sit in the lotus position trying to quiet your mind up to an hour. Benefits of meditation can occur in as little time as fifteen minutes a day and there are many different meditation techniques to choose from; guided, moving, sounding, or breathing meditations to mention just a few. When you take the time to quiet the mind chatter and listen to the voice of your soul, spiritual growth occurs by leaps and bounds.