Let me start by saying that I have struggled for years as a personal trainer to fit into the label as to what I train and what I eat.

Am I vegan? A vegetarian? Am I a bodybuilder? A yoga teacher? A runner? A bit of everything maybe?

This has eaten me up in ways that some might find stupid, but trying to follow up on an industry that’s forever changing and marketing what is right and what is wrong, what you should eat and what you should avoid, is exhausting.

Trends have created (without us realizing) what draws us into their game: have a big butt, be skinny, have abs, eat seven times a day. No! wait…eat three times a day.

Are we so weak that we follow every single trend? Or is it simply lack of knowledge that sets us in a state of confusion?

It took quite some time to find my place in the health sector, and I went through a lot of what you are probably going through.

Here are five reasons why we can’t find motivation to start:

1. Too much variation.

All of a sudden, I have woken up to find health gurus everywhere, personal trainers have become the new doctors, and everyone wants to make a name for themselves and create the next big thing.

There are tons of new ways to work out, tons of styles of sports, and different classes created daily—variations are all around us. We find ourselves trying something new every day and tend to forget about the basics.

It’s okay to do the same thing every day. It’s okay to find progress in one thing. It’s okay to stay simple and eat the same thing every day.

Acai bowls, spirulina juices, smoothie bowls, buddha bowls, cauliflower pizza, zucchini noodles…seriously, though, whatever happened to oatmeal? Does it have to be overnight with chia seeds and flax seeds and a teaspoon of spirulina powder? Or should it be a capsule of activated charcoal? Detoxes? Celery juice fast? Is it just me, or is it just so confusing?

2. Social media.

We can all agree that social media has its pros and cons, but the one thing I dislike is promoting a certain image, which, of course, gets all the likes and comments automatically that we should all look and be a certain way.

I have cellulite—I cannot say that enough. And I have stretch marks. I work out daily, I am a hardworking woman at the gym, and no, I do not have abs. No one looks live like they do on social media. No one leads the lives they only show on social media.

You choose what to show, and the fact that the majority only show their most beautiful moment in a photo is a huge problem. Take it easy on yourself.

3. Hating routine.

Routine is part of our lives, and the reason why routine is disliked among most people is because it’s there with our jobs, our housework, raising our children, waking up to alarms, paying bills, and so on. These daily chores, which become a routine, allow us to associate it with the struggles of life.

The truth is only routine will free us. It is through routine that we gain experience, growth, maturity, success, and it is through routine that we find comfort. So allow your healthy choices to become a routine that you do not move away from.

Make it a habit. And this can only get easy when we find simplicity in fitness and food. Incorporate your routine into your daily life. Everyone has an opinion about the best time to train to lose weight, or the best time to eat. Just find what fits into your schedule and allow your routine to turn into discipline.

4. Comparison.

It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others; I did it all the time. I would be lying if I said I don’t do it anymore. But understanding that each body is genetically different, that each body works differently under different stresses in life, allows us to slowly drift away from this pattern of comparison.

We can never be like J.Lo, simply because we are built differently—not because she is better than us. And why be like someone else when you have the privilege of being the best version of you.

5. What’s right and wrong?

Marcus Aurelius once said, “All is opinion.” Here it is; I will break it to you: there is no right or wrong. Of course, there is science that helps us with learning how to move without injury, what to avoid as food to stay away from diseases, but apart from that, do your own thing.

Find what works for you and stop listening to the everyday newcomers who are not here to stay: keto, paleo, carnivore diet, crossfit, yoga, bodybuilding. Do what feels good on you, and wear it daily until it becomes your skin.

In conclusion, none of the above is easy, but it’s simple. Stick to the basics, do what fits your schedule, and incorporate routine to reach discipline. It is never about doing a handstand or a wheel pose, it is not about squatting heavy, and it is not about that detox juice you did. It’s about being active—no matter what you choose to do.

Be active, keep your choices simple, and find discipline through that simplicity. And most importantly, find satisfaction and convincement in what you do!

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