Shape is a term we use to describe someone’s physical condition. But what does it mean to “get in shape?” We say things like, “She’s in great shape” or “I need to get in shape.” At its core, “shape” is an aesthetic term and doesn’t necessarily mean fitness or health. The word “shape” originates from the Old English ” esc “, which means external form. Shape refers to contours or outlines. Yet, we use it to represent how fit or well-conditioned someone is. An appealing body is considered “in shape” and subconsciously suggests a level of health or fitness. More often than not, we think of someone as being in shape by how they look. The term’s first meaning is always about how someone looks.
However, getting in shape shouldn’t be about looking good alone; the aesthetics of being in shape are a secondary benefit compared to health. It’s more important to be healthy than it is to look good. But it’s difficult to separate the two ideas because health is often associated with a healthy body shape or good looks. A healthy person has healthy skin, hair, body weight, and muscle tone. While there is no single standard for good shape, if we compare ourselves to how we were in the past -not to each other- it’s pretty easy to see the difference between being in shape or not, assuming our physical condition has changed over time. For most of us, it has. The problem is that too often we compare ourselves to others with little or no regard for the progress we made once we start exercising. A healthy body image does matter. Vanity is viewed as a negative quality, and it can be, but the truth is, without a little vanity, we wouldn’t cut our hair, use deodorant, bathe as often as we do, or spend so much time selecting and purchasing clothing. If we’re honest with ourselves, we do care about how we look, both to ourselves and others. That’s okay, provided it doesn’t manifest into an attitude of superiority or negative judgment. In the business world, there’s a saying:
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression“
People subconsciously judge us on our appearance before we have a chance to speak, in most cases. So, we all want to be in good shape or at least better shape most of the time. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, we know that if we’re in good shape, we likely feel better and will suffer fewer health challenges. Being in shape not only affects how we feel about ourselves and how others see us, but also our overall quality of life. It may even drive greater longevity -healthy people tend to live longer.
Getting into shape is a journey, not a destination, even though we tend to think of it as a static state. It is not. Your condition, your shape, is ever-changing. Some weeks you’re in better shape than others. To get in shape is to recognize and accept where you are and understand that it is a baseline for how you will measure your improvement over time. To succeed, it’s not enough to arbitrarily decide to eat less or go to the gym more often. You’ll need a plan and be willing to measure progress. A few key ways to do that include the following from my article on Getting Started:
- Think weekly, not daily: If you try to exercise or manage your diet daily without tracking progress over a longer period, you’ll likely fail. You will have bad days and good days. For example, if one of your goals is to run seven miles each week, you have a few off days and make up for them by the end of the week. If your goal is run a mile a day and one day you just don’t, you’ll feel you’ve failed.
- Commit to 200 or more minutes a week of exercise time.
- Exercise for at least three weeks. It takes that long to form a habit.
- Ease into it, but don’t be lazy. Don’t overdo it the first few weeks, but pay attention to your heart rate and progress so you know if you’re working hard enough. Three weeks is enough time to see improvement if you are.
- Be consistent. Don’t do a different set of exercises every time you work out. However, do try to increase things like weight or resistance, or speed or distance every few days.
- Watch your diet. When you start exercising, your appetite increases. If part of the goal is to lose weight, you’ll struggle if you eat more than normal after exercising. You don’t have to go on some radical diet and exercise all at once. Burning more calories while eating about the same amount will result in a calorie deficit. That’s what drives weight loss.
If you approach your exercise with these considerations in mind and stick with it, you will see results and be in better shape. It’s also important to listen to your body and be willing to take a day off if you’re too sore or tired. If you push too hard at the beginning, the odds are against you. But don’t let that become an excuse to pause too long. Consistency and frequency are keys to success. I hope this helps you get and stay in shape.
