It can be hard to stay motivated to work out, actually if you will not see immediate results.
However, swelfies, or pictures taken of yourself immediately after working out and while you are still sweating has many benefits to keep you motivated.
Here are a few:
Swelfies promote increased confidence.
Working out promotes the release of endorphins, a hormone associated with positive feelings about one’s self. People are more likely to be motivated to take a picture of themselves, when they feel positive about themselves, as we typically want to be presented in a positive way. The saying that “if you look good, you feel good,” is very applicable here.
Swelfies also provides validation that the person taking the swelfie has been able to succeed at something challenging.
Studies show that only 18% of people who buy gym memberships use them. Thus, those who have been successful have something to be proud of and should show off their accomplishments with succeeding. Swelfies provide support as motivation for people to continue to try to succeed. Sometimes people want to document their progress as motivation to continue and swelfies offer a great way to do so. Being able to document the change in someone’s body, provides just the motivation that they may need to continue to work towards their health related goals.
Swelfies can be a deterrent to some viewers as it might promote the idea of body shaming.
If this swelfie is accompanied by judgmental words or deliberately placed in areas where others will feel self-conscious about their own bodies, body shaming will likely become the result. Hence, swelfies should only be posted, if they are done so with the intent of offering motivation to others. The growing trend in the use of swelfies, shows that our society is becoming increasingly motivated by “results.” People like to see the outcome of hard work, and swelfies serve as a great resource for fulfilling society’s contingent interests. A
Swelfies also reflect our society’s growing interest in empowerment and self-confidence, as it relates to encouraging people to feel confident in their bodies.
You don’t have to be thin with a six-pack to take a swelfie. People who take swelfies come in all shapes and sizes, and taking swelfies invites society to embrace the new look of fitness and that’s “confidence.” and when your body is less than perfect, like most of us, this further speaks to the importance of encouraging fitness no matter what size a person is.
With the state of the world, it may be harder to work out than ever if your gym has been affected by coronavirus. But thankfully there are other ways of working out (i.e. walking or riding your bike on a trail). No matter what approach you choose to take, swelfies will make the process more exciting.
Working out has many benefits and hopefully, swelifes can be used to enhance your workouts. If you would like to speak with a therapist about other ways to get motivated, we are listening and we are here. Please schedule your free, 15 minute consultation today.