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When we were younger, some of us were lectured about the importance of our appearances as girls. Today, we still deal with how society expects us to look as women; we’ve heard all about the Photoshop controversies on social media, we’ve seen endless ads for weight loss pills; gawked at the photos posted on the fitness pages on Instagram.

All of these things may not seem so damaging, but deep down it makes us focus on what we dislike instead of working on caring for our body. As women, we need to stop focusing so much on the scale, plug in our favorite workout playlist, and just GO! It’s time to love you; here’s how to start now.

1. Do not compare your body to anyone else’s (especially celebrities!)
Don’t be so hard on yourself; we all have different body types! We’re all guilty of following our favorite celebrities on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and observing their toned, tan bodies; but we’ve got to let go of those habits because we aren’t like them (nor do we have the money to spend thousands of dollars on famous personal trainers for that matter!) You live in your body so it’s about time you put your focus on loving your body than bashing it. Focus on finding your inner goddess and let her shine through, this is important as you learn to take care of your body!

2. Fitness isn’t all just about your physique- ignore the weight stereotypes 
Fitness is about feeling healthy and comfortable in your own skin, it isn’t about how many pounds you should consider shedding for that vacation you booked for the summer with your gal pals. Ignore the stereotypes you hear about how a women’s body should curve; embrace your flaws and tell yourself that you are beautiful as often as you can-because it’s the truth!

3. Appreciate all of the things your body is capable of doing instead of bashing it
You must learn how to respect your body, but most importantly, be grateful for what your body enables you to accomplish. Some exercises/workouts can be difficult for people, so stop dwelling on what you wish you could do and work on making it happen.

4. Find the perfect routine for you
Can’t perfect the pull-up exercise? That’s okay! We all have our strengths and weaknesses- I can’t perfect a pull-up for my life! It’s important to find a workout routine that you can dedicate time to accomplish throughout the week (we’re all busy college students, I know!). List some of your favorite workouts and write down what you’d like to learn or get better at during the semester. As you keep your promise to your fitness schedule, you’ll start seeing and feeling the results.

5. Put fun in fitness
Seriously, do it! If going to a gym isn’t your thing, try participating in a Color Run, Electric Run, or Muderella Mud Run with your friends and family! You’ll get a good workout in with your friends and family all while have a blast and trying something new!

We want to know how you’ve learned to love your body! Share with me @Bea_Rivs and tag #UChic to share or leave us a comment below.

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