Getting Real....."Fitness Is Not a Look" Says California Gym Owner

Forget chiseled six-packs and sculpted shoulders—one gym wants to get real about what working out really looks like.

Sometimes, it seems like every gym ad or workout photo has a woman in her sports bra with a perfectly flat tummy peeking over her short-shorts, showing off her endless legs. And when you're not a fitness model—which hey, most of us aren't—those same advertisements can make you feel way less than when going to the gym. Which is exactly the opposite of how you should feel: The gym is a place of empowerment, where you can spend time on yourself, for yourself, getting healthier and happier with each visit.

Thankfully, Surf City Fit Club in Huntington Beach, California. is fighting back against the slew of six-packs and zero percent body fat in photos by rolling out advertisements featuring photos of their actual members sweating it out at the gym.

Located in Orange County—yes, the Real Housewives' Orange county—where image is of paramount importance (at least according to those women in the show), gym owner Michelle Burmaster was looking to bust wellness world stereotypes with her latest project: the creation of "real" stock photos for fitness trainers, gyms and bloggers to use on their sites, in advertisements, and more. For $45 each, a relative bargain the stock photo world, you can purchase Burmaster's images of various exercisers—herself included—getting sweaty while looking incredibly, well, real. Unsurprisingly, they're sold at realbodyfitnessphotos.com.

"On a lot of levels, fitness is not a look," Burmaster told the Orange County Register. "It is what you can do; it's your health. And when you see a picture of a woman with a six-pack, that six-pack is largely hereditary. It has a lot to do with genetics. It's selling them on something that's not attainable and drives them to unhealthy behaviors."

What's amazing, though, is that the members of Surf City Fit Club haven't shied away from the spotlight; instead, they've embraced it, relishing in the chance to share their photos as a real-talk alternative to the mythical, smiling weight-lifting skinny minnies. They're also cognizant of how far they've all come in their individual fitness journeys, even if they still are nothing like a "traditional fitness model."

Likewise, Burmaster is hoping that her images help inspire more people to go to the gym, in Huntington Beach and across the globe. Her members are also—and hey, we are too.

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Weight Loss Goals. What Should You Aim For?

Realistic Weight Loss Goals

If you’ve come to the decision that you want to lose some weight, the next step is determining how much weight you should lose. Because so many people begin diets and lose hope quickly, you’ll want to make sure your diet and goals are realistic. Every person is different, and while weighing 100 pounds might be ideal for your friend, it is probably not ideal for you. You don’t want to lose too much weight, you should simply want to be at your ideal weight and aim for realistic weight loss goals.

What Is Your Healthy Weight?

In order to determine your ideal weight, using the Body Mass Index is a good way to start. This looks at a person’s weight in relation to their height. No matter your height, if you’re under 18.5, then you’re underweight. So no one should be aiming for a BMI under 18.5. A healthy weight is known between 18.5-24.9, so any of these is safe for a goal. The taller you are, the higher your BMI can be. But if your BMI is between 25-29.9, you’re considered overweight. If it is 30 or more, then you’re obese. Charts determining your ideal BMI in regards to your weight are available online and in health stores or gyms.

Similarly, you’ll want to make sure you are aiming for a BMI that is realistic to your age. You may have had 18.5 BMI when you were 18, but if you’re 40 and looking to have that again, you might be out of luck. Our metabolisms change as we get older, so you’ll want to always take that into account when realizing weight loss goals. Don’t aim for an 18.5 because that’s what you were when you were a teen. Aim for a BMI that is realistic to your age, and will result in you feeling fit, healthy and slim, rather than stick thin.