No, you don't look like an Olympian. And you shouldn't want to, experts say

Many people will watch this year’s Olympics from the comfort of their couches — and some may think, ‘Why don’t I look like that?’ or ‘Am I so much worse because I’m not that athletic?’ People are prone to comparing themselves with others. So what better time to shame yourself about your fitness and body image than during a gathering of the world’s top athletes? But doing so is a losing game. Most of the competitors spend their entire lives training for this one moment. It is unrealistic to expect to look like an Olympian, but you can enjoy the Games and get inspired by them. Comparing yourself with an Olympic athlete is just as frivolous. Optimizing their bodies for performance is a full-time job for Olympians. Every moment of the day is dedicated to having the right training, nutrition, recovery and sleep. And it isn’t always sustainable to stay at an Olympian level. When you are watching the Olympics this year and feeling shame because you can’t perform at a similar level, look around at your home, hobbies, family, friends and pets. Chances are, if you spent the time required to train like an Olympian, you wouldn’t have any of those. There are positive ways you can be inspired by Olympians, however, and these can help you approach your goals. These athletes didn’t get to the Olympics by accident—they identified a goal, assessed what it would require of them mentally and physically, and then addressed their obstacles and limitations. People should be inspired to do the same with personal goals while recognizing that the destinations will be different. It is also important to approach goals with determination but not perfectionism, with too much a focus on the latter becoming unhealthy. When it comes to exercise-based goals, assessing if you are being motivated by your values or your appearance is important. Some warning signs that your exercise goals have gone too far include feeling guilt or shame when taking a rest day, thinking you must maintain a rigid schedule and restricting what you are eating. Olympians work hard to put on an amazing event and entertain everyone with incredible physical feats. So, how do you drop the comparisons and just enjoy these events? One step is to recognize that, much like on social media, you are seeing someone’s highlights without witnessing all the trials and tribulations that come with them. Rollin also encourages being compassionate with yourself if you notice comparisons playing out in your mind-watch the Games and gently redirect yourself back to enjoying them. Some of Rollin’s clients even find it helpful to come up with a coping statement ahead of a possibly stressful event that they can say back to themselves.