Training for Aesthetics vs Athletics?

Alright, alright. Let’s cut to the chase. FitSthetic isn’t a real word; it’s not even a made up word. Well, at least not until now it wasn’t. But after a recent trip to Boston for a competition my work hosted, the internal brain wheels started turning. 

Am I physically fit? Do I aim for aesthetics? Or is there some weird in between where I crave both?

If I’m being honest with myself, I go back and forth, back and forth between wanting both. Sure, I want to be able to deadlift 3x my bodyweight a la Brooke Wells, but I also wanna rock a set of abs year round as if I’m perma-beach ready. There are definitely ups and downs, and finding the middle ground between wanting to perform like an athlete while also look amazing, can be difficult. It seems as though every corner we turn there’s another athlete or presence on social media showcasing a seriously beautiful hammy-quad duo, while also squatting a billion times their bodyweight.  

So, if we as a collective community are also being honest, I’d stake my claim that the majority of folks aim to exemplify both, equally and magnificently--some superhuman hybrid of incredibly fit yet immaculately chiseled people.

So, let’s start with this question: Is it possible to be fit and aesthetic? Is it possible to be FitSthetic? In short, absolutely.

But, it’s difficult and takes an extreme amount of discipline in multiple arenas: nutrition AND fitness. So here are three helpful tips to start to get you on the right track towards being FitSthetic. 

1. Fitness is a journey. And so is being swimsuit ready.
1. If you’ve never committed 100% to a nutrition program that is geared towards realizing your peak physical performance, odds are high there’s a deficiency somewhere in your nutrition game. Perhaps you’re consuming too few carbs? Too many fats? Too little magnesium? The list can go on and on, but realizing this single truth allows you to understand that a huge, life-altering overhaul isn’t the first step in being FitSthetic. In fact, understanding small, tiny changes every day will yield a lifetime of happiness might be the EXACT key to being FitSthetic.
   
   
2. Define fitness...for you.
1. How do you define fitness? Whether it’s “increasing work capacity over broad times and modal domains” or “being able to survive a zombie apocalypse” just make sure you’re not developing a bias towards what you’ve heard or what your friends are doing--define fitness according to your dreams, passions and hobbies and strive to be the best you can be. By having YOUR goal be #1 on your list, then the ability to achieve peak fitness according to your own set of personal standards, and a body you've always desired, becomes a heck of a lot more obtainable, and more fun!
   
   
3. Don’t be weird!
1. See tip #1. Being swimsuit ready is a journey, and that means enjoying life every now and again. Don’t be the weirdo that always says no to ice cream on National Ice Cream day, or the person that tells your kids you can’t go to the pool because you don’t feel as though you look perfect in that swimsuit just yet. Allow yourself the freedom to enjoy the moment, in the moment, with the knowledge that another day will come and you have memories to last the only lifetime you have here on Earth. We only live once--so don’t be weird!

Listen. You CAN totally be FitSthetic--embracing fitness AND aesthetics all in once, but just be aware it takes BOTH time and discipline. Not one or the other. As always, embrace the journey and celebrate the victories. You’ll be FitSthetic in no time, promise.

If you would like a diet that helps you look and perform your best, check out our Trifecta templates!