The last few years have seen a huge boom in the fitness industry.

Social media has made it almost impossible to open Instagram or Facebook without seeing the newest fitness craze or a boneless yogi showing off their gravity-defying handstands.

No matter what we do, we are never fully satisfied with our accomplishments. We are always looking at what is next. This obsession with our potential has really pushed our boundaries and inspired us to reach new levels of fitness, but when is right now good enough?

Countless clients walk through our door in the beginning of their fitness journey unable to do a full push-up and, over the following months, they defy their own bodies.

Instead of seeing their incredible transformation, they list off what they can’t do or what they want to change about their bodies.

They even push themselves to injury, trying moves their bodies are not ready for. Has our ego ruined fitness for us? Here’s how to appreciate the moment during our workouts:

1. Love your body right now. Take some time to reflect on how far you have come. It is important to focus on future goals, but not at the expense of forgetting your growth so far. Even if you are just starting, you made a commitment to showing up. This is huge!

2. Give your body a break. I work in a mirrored room, trust me I get it. We all are guilty of wishing our bodies were different. “I will be happy once I finally lose that extra X pounds.” Your happiness isn’t directly linked to your weight, trust me.

3. Know when enough is enough. The only person you are competing with is yourself. You know if this applies to you. We see so many injuries due to overly competitive clients pushing past their limits before they are ready. Know what your body can handle.

Yes, it is important to try new things, but know when you are running a risk of injury. In a world that expects perfection all the time, remember that you are human. (So is your trainer!) We all have weakness. We all are our worst critics.

We all need to appreciate how incredible our bodies are right now, in all its imperfections!

•Cassandra Matcham is a Yoga Alliance-certified yoga instructor, studio and group fitness manager at Alchemy Fitness. She specialises in accountability and goal-setting to help clients reach their full potential. Follow Alchemy Fitness on Facebook: AlchemyFitnessBermuda or e-mail info@alchemy.bm.