Fit Pros…this is a blog post that I wrote for our client blog a couple weeks ago. I have received great feedback and support from this blog post so I thought I would pass it on to you and hopefully you will pass it on to your clients. Such an important message!
“Moms, Be careful what you say around your daughters!
I heard a conversation at a pool that went something like this. A young girl asked her mother why she wasn’t swimming. The mother responded that she was too fat and needed to lose a lot of weight before she could even consider wearing a bathing suit. Wow! What kind of a message do you think that mother was sending to her daughter? The daughter could easily interpret that response to mean that a woman must be skinny in order to do the things she wants to do. She must be thin in order to be beautiful enough to be seen in public. She must be lean in order to be loved.
Do you realize that girls as young as 5 years are dieting?
Where do you think they are getting the idea for the need to diet and lose weight? Sure media plays a big role but it’s a lot closer to home than that! A young girl’s mother is her most important role model. Values, principles and beliefs are instilled at such a young age and last a lifetime. If a young girl believes you have to be skin and bones to be attractive, she will struggle with her weight and body image for the rest of her life. Moms, think before you speak. If you comment on your thighs and your cellulite perhaps your daughter will start examining her own thighs more closely and determine she’s not too happy with hers either! If you compare yourself to other women or models in a magazine, your daughter will start comparing as well. If you are always on some type of diet and then go on an all-out junk binge, your daughter will adopt the same practices. Moms – you can’t think only about yourself anymore. Mimicking is how most young children learn and develop. You have the power to help your daughters develop into strong, confident, beautiful human beings – on the inside and out or to become insecure, unhealthy, and negative.
Here’s some tips to consider:
- Learn to love your own body. Easier said than done! You may have 30+ years of media brain-washing to try to overcome but your daughters can still be saved! At the very least, never comment on your own body in a negative manner, especially in front of your daughters. And as often as you can, point out what your love about yourself.
- Never comment on other women’s bodies and compare them to your own. Avoid scanning magazines with your daughters and remarking “I’d love to have her legs” or “I wish I could wear that” or “She’s so skinny and perfect”. Instead, when looking at magazines ask your daughters if they know that each of the models are made-up for hours and air-brushed to create the final unrealistic image. Discuss with them how distorted and unhealthy this is. Talk to them about the scary consequences of these unrealistic ideals such as poor body image, extreme dieting, anorexia, bulimia, and death. Openly and regularly discuss these issues.
- Promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Diets don’t work for you or your daughters. Instead focus on encouraging your daughters to eat lots of fruits, vegetables and drink lots of water – not because it’ll keep them thin but rather, keep them healthy. Avoid exercising excessively. What message are you giving to your daughters if you remark “I’ve got to get to the gym to burn off that piece of chocolate cake” or if you consistently sacrifice other things in your life because you have to get to the gym? Remember little eyes are always watching and taking mental notes. Teach them you workout because you love your body not so that you can love your body. There’s a big difference!
- Be watchful of the men in your home – husbands, grandpas, sons etc. Do they make digs about other women’s, yours or your daughter’s body? Are they constantly discussing women’s bodies? If so, deal with it immediately. Make sure they understand how harmful, hurtful and damaging their remarks can be. Be sure they know that any further comments are inappropriate and unacceptable and will be dealt with.
- If you do notice your daughter is practicing unhealthy eating and exercising habits, stay calm but seek help immediately. Consult with your physician to get a referral to see someone who specializes in this area. There may be something you can do before things get worse.
The vicious cycle of body hatred can be stopped and it starts with you.
Each of you has the opportunity to deposit a little bit of love into a little girl’s self esteem bank everyday! And you may find it gives your confidence a boost also!”
Yours in health, fitness & business,
Sherri McMillan
Did you read my previous blog post about how we generate around $20k in extra revenue each year with our Spring Makeover Challenge and how we use our Fitness Results Manual as the main resource tool? This is a 100 page resource tool that walks participants through the importance of cardio, strength training, nutrition and more. There is a 6 week plan that both trainers and the participants follow to ensure they are reviewing all the material. This is a resource tool we use for this Spring Makeover Challenge, we give it to new clients, use it for corporate wellness programs and so much more! You can learn more from this quick video I shot where I review the Fitness Results Manual:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/7SeKpF7nqTM[/youtube]We actually sell this resource to fitness professionals so that you can use it in your own business. Change our name to your name and our logo to your logo and run with it! During the month of April you will get an automatic $100 off Fitness Results Manual! You have the information you need to run a super successful makeover challenge and now the resource tool you need can be yours too! Don’t hesitate.
Yours in health, fitness & business,
Sherri McMillan
PS. Check out this article that I wrote for PTontheNet on marketing ideas you could start in 2014!
THE BUSINESS OF PERSONAL TRAINING SYSTEM
[youtube]http://youtu.be/qMF5WnXM694[/youtube]
Hey did you know that I wrote the ONLY complete training business system designed to help you run a million dollar personal training business?! You can have this same business system that will help you work SMARTER and generate HUGE profits like we do here at Northwest Personal Training.
The fee to purchase the Business of Personal Training System can be made up within 1 month of increased PT sales and there are NO recurring franchise or licensing fees.
A comparable business system in other industries would require an initial investment of tens of thousands of dollars.
DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL! Let us give YOU the systems that we know will work.
Want to win a FREE license to the Business of Personal Training System? Check out this fundraiser/contest that we are running right now. We have NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE! Win the Business of Personal Training System and 1 Year FREE to our PT Profits Mastermind Group. That is a $3000 value. Go HERE to learn more!
Also, sign up right here on my blog to receive my FREE 20 min streaming video where I reveal my top 5 revenue generating secrets. This video WILL help you bring in more clients and more revenue. Don’t miss it!
Click Here to like us on Facebook and get FREE Instant Access to my “Making Money with Small Group Training” Webinar
