I run an online health and fitness business. While I absolutely love what I do, I kind of take a lot of criticism for it. I often get the vibe that people tend to associate health and fitness with being shallow or just wanting a nice body, or those girls that plan their gym outfits and curl their hair and throw on a full face of makeup to go work out. (Honestly more power to those ladies. This hot mess mama could take a few pointers)

The truth is though, there is so much more to fitness than physical appearance. For me, a nice body is a by product. Exercise helps me to de stress. It calms my anxiety. It makes me feel happier, more confident, and I think more clearly. I'm a better person.

Remember in Legally Blonde when Elle Woods said "exercise gives you endorphins. endorphins make you happy." Elle was onto something. The women in my health and fitness accountability groups are constantly telling me how much sticking to a fitness program genuinely changes them. The funny thing is, while we take before and after pictures, and we get excited to fit in our old skinny jeans, I'd say 90% of the time, what people talk about is how amazing they FEEL.

They talk about how much better they are as a friend, significant other, spouse, parent, employee, and the list goes on. They talk about how they wake up and feel better and have more energy.

So while having a hot bod isn't necessarily at the bottom of anybody's list, it also isn't the only goal that people who are into fitness have. And It definitely isn't what drives most of us to keep going.

The bonus is this...chances are if you feel amazing, you probably look pretty dang great too. I'd say that's a win-win.