Have you been on social media today? Chances are, the answer is yes. It is a necessary evil. It is sometimes good and sometimes really not good.  Now, try to remember the images you saw where you were there. Funny animal videos? Your friend’s kids? Something you thought about buying? An influencer? 

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others on Social Media

What is the danger of comparison?

Ah. . .the influencers. They seem to have everything, don’t they? Did you know as many as 88% of women compare themselves to the images they see on social media? It’s no surprise it’s just what you're looking for. They offer you a program or a product that in just 30 short days or 60 short days, you'll be able to have exactly what they have. All you have to do is buy the supplement, or the product, or the 20-minute workout they're offering. And, voila, you'll magically look just like them!

We all know it doesn't work. But somebody has to be buying because they are killing it. 

Here's the truth. 

Your body and your lifestyle are not the same as anyone else. Even if you do all the things that that person does exactly the way they're doing it, you may not get the result you're looking for. 

And if you get really honest with yourself, what you're really looking for is not to look like they look. What you want is to feel the way you believe you will feel if you look like that.

Read it again. 

You're chasing after a feeling. A state of mind. 

What can you do instead of comparing yourself to others?

So I'm going to ask you this: what season are you in?

Have you just had kids? 

Are you facing your 40s?

Or are your 50s on the horizon? 

What's going on at work? 

How's your relationship with your partner?

Why is it important? Because all of those things have a massive influence on our physical body, on our stress levels, both positive and negative. 

Hear me when I tell you, you cannot supplement your way out or special workout your way out of stress. You cannot outrun the shifts in your hormones by buying a booty band. 

Your hormones and your stress and your season of your life the circumstances you're in right now. That is what dictates whether or not you can feel and look your best. And shape making changes that affect those are how you make the change to feel and look your best. 

The person that you're admiring on social media is not in your body. They are not in your season. So doing what that person does may not get you where you need to be. In fact, it may actually set you back. Chasing after someone else's success will only lead to failure and disappointment. 

It's time to chase after your own success. It's time to go chase after the feeling that you desire and find a way to get there. Ask yourself honestly: how do you want to feel? 

What have you done in the past? I'm guessing you've tried shakes and bars and meal supplements and all that. Sure, you probably had some success with it until you didn't. I'm guessing you've probably tried the restrict-the-crap-out-of-your-life plan, too. You know the one with no sugar, no dairy, no this, no that, less than 1000 calories a day? I'm sure that worked for a little while. 

But let me tell you why that will never be any part of a coaching plan I offer. All of these plans - the restriction, the shakes, the supplements, the bars - set you up for failure straight up. Either you live on the expensive meal supplements or you regain weight. You can only restrict your calories for so long. Your body adapts, your body will stop running what it sees as non-essential functions. In order to survive, your body will cut down on functions like critical thinking and problem-solving. You’ll begin to store fat and start burning muscle for fuel, and your hormones will get all kinds of whacked out. This isn’t only the hormones that immediately come to mind like progesterone, testosterone, estrogen. Add to the list your metabolism hormones,  your stress hormones, and a whole host of other things that are pumping through your veins all day, every day. So sounds awesome, right? Starving, fat, and crazy? That’s not the goal the influencers are selling you. 

So let me tell you what will work for you. 

• Discovering a way to prioritize time for you. 
• Dedicating time daily to your mindset, your movements, and feeling your body for the lifestyle you want to live. 
• Learning how to plan ahead so that stress stays low. You can do all the things you want to do all the things on your list, including take care of you if you just plan ahead. 
• Eating real food with your family and friends without stress, guilt or shame. I have cookbooks available to get you started.
• Leading by example at home and at work so that those around you will be inspired to be healthier to do better simply because you look so damn good doing it. 

Start by unfollowing the accounts that make you feel inferior taking you to a negative headspace and tempting you to believe that they have the answer. 

The answer is between your ears. You are in charge. You are 100% capable of feeling and looking amazing without a special drink and without a booty bands. Choose you and decide what will make you feel good. And then go get it. If an account makes you feel sad, if it makes you feel bad, if it makes you feel envious, it’s time to unfollow them. Instead, follow something that inspires you, motivates you, and excites you to do better and be better.