WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

‘I Tried Women’s Health’s 30-Day Fitness Challenge—Here’s What Happened’

‘I Tried Women’s Health’s 30-Day Fitness Challenge—Here’s What Happened’

'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'

'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

FYI, Your 'Hip Dips' Are Actually Totally Normal

FYI, Your 'Hip Dips' Are Actually Totally Normal

{headline}

{headline}

How To Find An Online Fitness Program That’s *Actually* Worth Following

How To Find An Online Fitness Program That’s *Actually* Worth Following

Jada Pinkett-Smith's Abs Look Ridiculously Toned In Latest Bikini Pic

Jada Pinkett-Smith's Abs Look Ridiculously Toned In Latest Bikini Pic

Drew Barrymore Just Dubbed This A Total 'Game Changer' For Weight Loss

Drew Barrymore Just Dubbed This A Total 'Game Changer' For Weight Loss

{headline}

{headline}

‘This Simple Strategy Helped Me Lose 34kg And Maintain It For 7 Years’

‘This Simple Strategy Helped Me Lose 34kg And Maintain It For 7 Years’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

'I Lost 50kg By Adopting This Simple Habit At Mealtimes'

'I Lost 50kg By Adopting This Simple Habit At Mealtimes'

Anna Victoria's 10-Year Challenge Might Be Our Favourite Transformation Yet

Anna Victoria's 10-Year Challenge Might Be Our Favourite Transformation Yet

9 Things You Must Do to Lose Weight Over 40, According to Experts

9 Things You Must Do to Lose Weight Over 40, According to Experts

  1. Home
  2. Fitness

Insta-Famous PT Kelsey Wells No Longer Has A Goal Weight And We're On Board With Why

Because exercise offers more benefits than just aesthetics. - by Abbi Henderson
  • 09 Aug 2018
Insta-Famous PT Kelsey Wells No Longer Has A Goal Weight And We're On Board With Why

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Exercise isn’t just for appearance.

Sure, it can help you lose fat and build muscle that – in turn – keeps your body performing to its best ability, but there’s so much more to it. Which is why when PT Kelsey Wells, creator of SWEAT’s PWR programme, which features alongside workouts from top trainer Kayla Itsines, shared her new training outlook, we got straight online to share it. 

How come? Well, for starters, her Instagram post highlights that there's more to fitness than training to reach a goal weight. 

The number of the scales encompasses everything from fat and muscle, to bone, water and organs, and so on, so working towards a goal weight - with no awareness of other health markers - is out-dated and isn't a good strategy to build a body for life. 

But also because, having a healthy, functional body and a positive mindset is far more valuable than seeing the numbers on a scale decrease, or being able to squeeze into a smaller size of clothing (let’s not forget that clothing sizes vary between brands).

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T SET A GOAL WEIGHT

In a recent comparison post on Instagram, Wells shared her own experience with setting a goal weight. “Once upon a time my fitness goals were to weigh 54kg, wear size 0 jeans, and be thin and NOT muscular because being muscular, well that’s ‘manly’. I thought eating healthy meant extreme cleanses and severe calorie restriction and I viewed exercise solely as a dreaded chore to reach those goals. The biggest problem? I honestly believed that once I hit those goals, I’d be happy with myself. I’d have confidence.

“Well once upon another time, it happened! I hit my ‘goal weight’ of 54kg I fit into size zero jeans! Guess what didn’t happen? I wasn’t happy. I still picked myself apart. I still didn’t have a sense of self-love or confidence. I. WAS. NOT. HEALTHY.”

RELATED: Kayla Itsines Shares Her Own Emotional Before-And-After ‘Transformation’

kelseywells View Profile
79.1k likes - View Post on Instagram
Once upon a time my fitness goals were to weigh 120 lbs, wear size 0 jeans, and be thin and NOT muscular because being muscular, well that's "manly". I thought eating healthy meant extreme cleanses and severe calorie restriction and I viewed exercise solely as a dreaded chore to reach those goals. The biggest problem? I honestly believed that once I hit those goals, I'd be happy with myself. I'd have confidence. . Well once upon another time, it happened! I hit my "goal weight" of 120 lbs! I fit into size zero jeans! Guess what didn't happen? I wasn't happy. I still picked myself apart. I still didn't have a sense of self-love or confidence. I. WAS. NOT. HEALTHY. . Flash forward, these photos were both taken today! Now, I am 140(ish) lbs, wear size 2-8 jeans (depending the brand😂), and am PROUD to be strong and muscular and simultaneously feel more feminine and confident than ever.💪🏼💁🏻‍♀️ I nourish my body with around an abundance of calories a day and I lift weights because I LOVE IT. Best of all I no longer give a damn about those numbers - my focus is on my HEALTH. Physical, mental, and emotional. . Listen to me. FITNESS IS MORE THAN PHYSICAL. If your happiness or sense of self worth is predicated upon physical aesthetics YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY. Throw away the crap filling your mind about how your body "should" look and stop viewing exercise as a punishment or food as a source of guilt. Instead of setting goals to look a certain way or be a certain weight, SET GOALS TO BE YOUR BEST SELF. Find a way to move your body you enjoy! Nourish your body with proper nutrition! Work towards being the best version of YOU because healthy looks different on everyone. Focus on taking care of yourself mind, body, and soul. THAT breeds confidence. Treat yourself with love and watch self-love start to grow. . www.kelseywells.com/app . #pwr #pwrprogram

So what does the top PT train for if not to look lean? A mental – not to mention emotional – boost.

And while you might roll your eyes, the science backs it up. In fact, a study published in The Primary Care Companion revealed that exercise has the ability to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, relieve stress and improve sleep and general mood. Not bad, if you ask us.

Wells continues: “Flash forward, these photos were both taken today! Now, I am 64 (ish) kg, wear size 2-8 jeans (depending on the brand), and am PROUD to be strong and muscular and simultaneously feel more feminine and confident than ever. I nourish my body with an abundance of calories a day and I lift weights because I LOVE IT. Best of all I no longer give a damn about those numbers — my focus is on my HEALTH. Physical, mental, and emotional.”

So, how do you change your mindset and stop fixating on a goal weight? Focus on performance- or health-focused goals instead.

For instance, you could aim to deadlift your body weight or run an 8-minute mile. Or perhaps, you could simply look to increase your self-confidence with the help of the weights room.

Either way, put your mental wellbeing first and you’re onto a winner.

“Instead of setting goals to look a certain way or be a certain weight, SET GOALS TO BE YOUR BEST SELF,” Wells writes. “Find a way to move your body you enjoy! Nourish your body with proper nutrition! Work towards being the best version of YOU because healthy looks different on everyone. Focus on taking care of yourself mind, body, and soul. THAT breeds confidence. Treat yourself with love and watch self-love start to grow.”

This article originally appeared on Women's Health UK.  

RELATED: The ULTIMATE Proof That Your Weight Isn't Everything

  • Fitness
  • Weight Loss
  • Exercise
  • Strength Training
  • Workout
  • Social Media
  • Body Transformation

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

‘I Tried Women’s Health’s 30-Day Fitness Challenge—Here’s What Happened’

‘I Tried Women’s Health’s 30-Day Fitness Challenge—Here’s What Happened’

'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'

'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

FYI, Your 'Hip Dips' Are Actually Totally Normal

FYI, Your 'Hip Dips' Are Actually Totally Normal

{headline}

{headline}

How To Find An Online Fitness Program That’s *Actually* Worth Following

How To Find An Online Fitness Program That’s *Actually* Worth Following

Jada Pinkett-Smith's Abs Look Ridiculously Toned In Latest Bikini Pic

Jada Pinkett-Smith's Abs Look Ridiculously Toned In Latest Bikini Pic

Drew Barrymore Just Dubbed This A Total 'Game Changer' For Weight Loss

Drew Barrymore Just Dubbed This A Total 'Game Changer' For Weight Loss

{headline}

{headline}

‘This Simple Strategy Helped Me Lose 34kg And Maintain It For 7 Years’

‘This Simple Strategy Helped Me Lose 34kg And Maintain It For 7 Years’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

'I Lost 50kg By Adopting This Simple Habit At Mealtimes'

'I Lost 50kg By Adopting This Simple Habit At Mealtimes'

Anna Victoria's 10-Year Challenge Might Be Our Favourite Transformation Yet

Anna Victoria's 10-Year Challenge Might Be Our Favourite Transformation Yet

9 Things You Must Do to Lose Weight Over 40, According to Experts

9 Things You Must Do to Lose Weight Over 40, According to Experts

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now