What Loving Yourself Really Means

Many people misunderstand what self-love is.

They think that accepting themselves as they are—without exercising, eating healthy, or improving—is an act of love. Some even go further and believe that destroying themselves is a form of self-acceptance. But that’s not self-love; that’s neglect disguised as acceptance.

Let me give you an example. If I know that dry food causes cancer and diabetes in dogs, yet I feed it to my dogs because I want to save money or I’m too lazy to cook for them, am I really loving my dogs?

Or if I know that candy makes my daughter sick, overweight, and addicted, but I still give it to her just to make her happy, does that mean I love her?

To me, the answer is common sense. If I love my dogs, I’ll invest time and money to feed them the best, healthiest food possible, even if it takes extra effort. 

If I love my daughter, I’ll protect her health even when she doesn’t understand and gets upset with me. Love means prioritizing someone’s long-term well-being over short-term comfort.

The same principle applies to you.

Loving yourself doesn’t mean ignoring your health or giving in to laziness. When you stop caring about your nutrition, avoid exercise, and engage in destructive habits, that’s not love—it’s self-destruction with an excuse attached.

True self-love is taking care of your health.

It’s maintaining your body, feeding it nourishing food, and keeping it active. It’s making your body stronger, younger, and more vibrant—not out of vanity, but out of respect for yourself.

Of course, love also requires balance.

Being healthy doesn’t mean being the skinniest girl or the biggest guy in the gym. It means finding harmony between your physical and mental health. Working out and improving your body is good—but when obsession takes over and you start taking drugs, starving yourself, or undergoing unnecessary surgeries, that’s not love either.

---

Custom Body Fitness is located in Glenwood Springs CO, Carbondale CO and Basalt - Willits CO