I am of the school of thought that performance trumps aesthetics any day.  Looking fit is the byproduct of being fit, but I could never stay motivated to train with only the desire to look a certain way.  I suppose that would require me to believe there is some sort of ideal physique that would be my goal to obtain.  I don't.  I believe that you can never run out of ways to train and things to train for.  I learned that feeling confident in my abilities makes me feel confident in how I look because I understand what my looks represent.  My motivation comes from knowing I can always be faster, stronger, better coordinated, more flexible, have better reflexes, be lighter on my feet and the list goes on.  Every training session is part of the path toward being a better balanced overall athlete.  I've accepted that's a lifelong mission.

I respect what it takes to achieve competition level aesthetics, but I can't seem to justify the effort.  I also have a  childhood horror story with pageantry that may contribute to my position, but I'm open to seeing things differently.

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