Fit People Have ‘Fat’ Days Too

By Susan Arruda

 Susan Arruda is a 5 Time Figure Champion and mom of 2.

Susan Arruda is a 6 Time Figure Champion and mom of 2.

Having a fit and healthy body doesn’t necessarily correlate to always feeling the part. As individuals, we set a precedent and a standard for ourselves to succeed and excel in many different areas of our lives.  

   “Self-esteem is more than a number on a scale; that number can often fluctuate. Your self-worth must be rooted and grounded in something far more substantial.” – Susan Arruda

If you’re a perfectionist, continually striving for excellence and progress, that is an often enviable trait, (Essential for a surgeon!) however, it does present a double edged sword, in some instances.

When pressure to maintain a standard exceeds the point where balance and enjoyment of our everyday lives is seriously affected, we need to take a step back and re-evaluate. Perception and outlook are directly associated with how we feel, which can impact how we act.  Negative feelings implicate our mood, no question about it!

In my case, If I have overindulged and missed the mark on a particular day, the next day can present very negative consequences if I don’t steer my mind into thinking the right thoughts. This scenario is a perfect set-up for a ‘fat feeling’ day. “I feel fat. I feel bloated. I feel gross.” These feelings can also just seemingly surface for no apparent good reason. (Time of the monthly cycle can trigger these emotions as well as just having a ‘bad’ day.) Many of us have heard the above phrases uttered by someone we know, or have indeed, spoken them ourselves, no matter what our fitness level.  

Missing the mark, whether it be in the eating or exercising department, can negatively affect our mindset and make event the fittest person feel like the fattest person in the room.
Been there, done that. Do it more often than I want to, actually.

Body dysmorphia is a term often used to describe this condition and it basically refers to having a distorted perception of one’s own body and it can affect both men and women. What you see in the mirror doesn’t line up with what is truth.  In serious cases, this can cause severe stress and result in a highly diminished quality of life and  can even lead to requiring professional help. Societal pressures may often have a large impact here.

Let’s get a reality check; one bad day doesn’t undo all the good you generally put into practice on a consistent basis. Ask yourself, “are you really all of a sudden fatter today, or just feeling the part?” The healthiest thing you can do for yourself in these circumstances is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on track ASAP.  Don’t beat yourself up and lament about the past. You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about it. Clean it up and balance the damage by doing more exercise, adequate hydration and eating right. Move ahead and get beyond the incident.

You can never get away from yourself, so practice being a best friend to yourself instead of your own worst enemy.  Make a decision to move forward and stay in a positive mindset, despite the slip up. 

Nobody is perfect and fat days happen to fit girls too!