STOP LOSING WEIGHT- BE HEALTHY (The cult of lean - MARCH MADNESS WEEK 4)
This poster annoys me!!!
Yes, I am easily annoyed.
Some people will be of the opinion that I am over thinking this and maybe they are right. But to see exercise and a healthy lifestyle reduced to simply losing weight or losing fat is frustrating to me.
You may be thinking that fat loss is better than weight loss and ideally yes, but It's still misleading. Because all those advantages AREN’T the byproduct of losing fat but of the training itself and, of making healthy choices. Which effectively is insulting to anyone who is amazingly fit and healthy but not lean.
You shouldn't think that just losing fat is going to have those benefits that are listed. Not eating will have you lose fat but is starvation healthy? No.
Some people will be of the opinion that I am over thinking this and maybe they are right. But to see exercise and a healthy lifestyle reduced to simply losing weight or losing fat is frustrating to me.
You may be thinking that fat loss is better than weight loss and ideally yes, but It's still misleading. Because all those advantages AREN’T the byproduct of losing fat but of the training itself and, of making healthy choices. Which effectively is insulting to anyone who is amazingly fit and healthy but not lean.
You shouldn't think that just losing fat is going to have those benefits that are listed. Not eating will have you lose fat but is starvation healthy? No.
I have grown weary of the cult of low body fat and it's pursuit of the holy grail of a lean body. I say, "What your body looks like is not as important as what it can do!"
I have rolled my eyes at a lot of fitness advice aimed at promoting leaner bodies and more often just promoting a product.
I have thrown my arms in the air with rage when I see, vaguely pro starvation tips of drinking two glasses of water before a meal so you don’t eat too much. WTF! Or making sure that water is either ice cold or was it warm water... because supposedly it burns more calories or staves off hunger or some such shit.
Then there’s all of the dietary advice or shall I say restrictions on foods: don’t eat fruit, don’t eat potatoes, don’t eat at all but rather drink your food, basically don’t eat anything besides organically grown foods watered with nothing but the tears of unicorns. And then there is all of the training information aimed at fat loss, and the supplements, and the timing of your meals…You get my point.
I get it. Lean bodies just look cool from an aesthetic point of view and I am not innocent of bowing down at the altar of tight bods but there’s more to it than just ogling.
When a person has a lean body, I see how hard they train and I envy their ability to have excellent nutrition (and realistically, a certain genetic make-up that allows for that kind of leanness). I appreciate the work. My issue is that for many people, the visible abs and the ultra-lean body have become the only thing that matters. The woman from this post, for example, are the strongest woman in the world. They have demonstrated their fitness prowess time and time again, but that’s just not enough for some people because they might not look like, some girl, in some bikini, in some magazine, somewhere. The lean body has become the ultimate goal, while the physical fitness has become of secondary importance. And that's where they, the big THEY get's you with their bullshit products.
It's not everybody but I feel that the majority of people start their training in pursuit of the dream. The dream of being really lean when in reality, it’s typically not a healthy option for most of us (myself included). I was VERY lean years ago and miserable. My hair was dry. I was grumpy and tired. Mentally I was a mess!
Obsessive over what I could and couldn't eat and no matter how great I looked to others, I didn't see it. Let’s face it, you get an ego boost when you weigh yourself and get a lower number. Not inherently wrong, EXCEPT how do you respond when the number goes UP? Having to rely on an arbitrary number to decide my happiness was kinda crazy.
I believe we all worry about the unimportant stuff and how were seen in a bikini or swim trunks, by people who don't matter. I’m not an elite athlete. I’m just a recreational athlete who lifts or runs for fun with the purpose of staying healthy in my 90's. So when we hold up ultra-leanness as "The Fitness Goal" for recreational athletes we are basically saying that everyone should be held to the same standards as elite athletes. This is insane! In what other area of our lives are we expected to emulate the best of the best? CRAZY! I can cook a heck of a meal but I'm not expected to serve up a ten course meal every night.
I can do all sorts of things that are pretty remarkable, and so when I think of myself as a physically fit person, it’s because I have actually done things that physically fit people can do. Not because my abs are visible... in good light...when the moon and stars align...
When a person has a lean body, I see how hard they train and I envy their ability to have excellent nutrition (and realistically, a certain genetic make-up that allows for that kind of leanness). I appreciate the work. My issue is that for many people, the visible abs and the ultra-lean body have become the only thing that matters. The woman from this post, for example, are the strongest woman in the world. They have demonstrated their fitness prowess time and time again, but that’s just not enough for some people because they might not look like, some girl, in some bikini, in some magazine, somewhere. The lean body has become the ultimate goal, while the physical fitness has become of secondary importance. And that's where they, the big THEY get's you with their bullshit products.
I'm sorry cupcakes but to get fit, you need to get healthy first.
It's not everybody but I feel that the majority of people start their training in pursuit of the dream. The dream of being really lean when in reality, it’s typically not a healthy option for most of us (myself included). I was VERY lean years ago and miserable. My hair was dry. I was grumpy and tired. Mentally I was a mess!
Obsessive over what I could and couldn't eat and no matter how great I looked to others, I didn't see it. Let’s face it, you get an ego boost when you weigh yourself and get a lower number. Not inherently wrong, EXCEPT how do you respond when the number goes UP? Having to rely on an arbitrary number to decide my happiness was kinda crazy.
I believe we all worry about the unimportant stuff and how were seen in a bikini or swim trunks, by people who don't matter. I’m not an elite athlete. I’m just a recreational athlete who lifts or runs for fun with the purpose of staying healthy in my 90's. So when we hold up ultra-leanness as "The Fitness Goal" for recreational athletes we are basically saying that everyone should be held to the same standards as elite athletes. This is insane! In what other area of our lives are we expected to emulate the best of the best? CRAZY! I can cook a heck of a meal but I'm not expected to serve up a ten course meal every night.
I can do all sorts of things that are pretty remarkable, and so when I think of myself as a physically fit person, it’s because I have actually done things that physically fit people can do. Not because my abs are visible... in good light...when the moon and stars align...
I've reached a point in my life where I feel it's no longer necessary to impress anyone. If they like me the way I am , good. And if not...it's their loss. What your body looks like is not as important as what it can do and that includes keeping you alive. Fitness and health, not fat loss will do that.
Your body-fat percentage/dress size/weight, is not the most important number in determining your physical fitness, not when there are so many other numbers that actually indicate what your body is capable of doing.
I have worked with many women who have put way too much stock in their weight, their body fat % and dress size. Yes, the latter two can be a great indicator of health, but none of them should dictate your self-worth. Think on your training as banking health for the future. What will you be able to do in 20 years from now? If your answer is, look good in a bikini, so help me!
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
ATOMIC 5 rounds / FIRECRACKERS 3 rounds
10 jump lunge/leg
10 handstand push up
10 renegade rows with a burpee
10 russian twist/side
Why do we weigh, measure, time and count EVERYTHING in CrossFit? Why do we test, retest, and then test again? The answer is progress and the goal is to consistently improve. At Cherry Bomb we do this so that you can see a visible change not only in your physical body but in your level of fitness. We want you to feel how much better you have gotten. Give you an intrinsic goal to aim for.
I agree 100%. It has been a year since lifting and starting to get my mommy body back to a strong healthy body. I can tell you I am stronger, less back pain and am getting brave to even do a race this year. BUT I actually gained weight, since muscle is heavier..which is hard to explain to some!!
ReplyDelete