Military Fitness Standards – Stop Comparing Yourself

I contemplated for a while over whether I wanted to write this post because it will show one of my weaknesses. Then I thought, “What if someone else is struggling with overcoming military fitness standards too?” I want to share that weakness with you, and explain the journey I am currently on in deliverance and healing.

As a military wife, I feel like there is a lot of competition among wives to meet the military fitness standards. What I mean by that is that there is pressure to maintain a physique which is comparable to the requirements our military husbands must meet. I feel pressure when my husband works toward these standards and physical requirements mandated by the Marine Corps. I feel pressure to meet them as well–to “fit in.”

While I’m not discrediting the value in fitness and maintaining a healthy body (inside and out), I feel like these pressures are something I have completely conjured up in my own mind. My husband never compares or makes comments to lead me to these thoughts. I have been comparing all on my own.

These thoughts and feelings are not from God. Feeling incomplete, always needing to “match-up” and stand proud next to my athletic husband…those feelings of negativity and judgement upon myself do not stem from the Lord whatsoever. They stem from my own insecurities.

When I finally realized that these physical standards and demands of myself were motivated by selfishness, I had to stop and take a step back. I am being selfish. I was far too focused on appearances than actually being healthy and being happy with myself.

This has been a long journey for me. One that has moved me to rewrite a lot of old thinking patterns, and learning to reject thoughts that are not from God. I know God loves me, no matter what my body shape is–and He certainly does not compare me to other women and the “military fitness standard”.

I know that my insecurities play a major role here. Being surrounded by other women and men who are incredibly fit can ignite the insecurities in myself and the feeling I need to be like them. I am learning a lot about myself in this process, and it truly is a constant effort.

I hope by sharing this weakness of mine, that I inspire someone to let go and seek the Lord in reversing your way of thinking. Even if your husband is not military, don’t we all carry some sort of standard over ourselves?

My Personal Military Fitness Phrases of Affirmation:

I am not in the military, nor defined by how my husband looks.
I do not have to meet military fitness standards.
I am only defined by God, and I am beautiful.
I am striving to be healthy, not obsessing and comparing.
I know that God values inner beauty more than outward beauty.

Do you struggle with the pressure of living up to military fitness standards?

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