There’s a reason for everything. I was watching the news this morning then simultaneously clicked a link to an article from a Facebook friend. Because of those two things, we’re all here together now. Can I get a round of applause for Robin Meade on CNN and Ivonne Ward, my colleague and fellow little angry exercise and health buddy for connecting us all? Thank you!
Lately, as you may or may not have noticed, I’ve been on a tangent with people that want to lose weight. It’s such a silly concept, but so many people have that mindset, it kind of irritates me. Maybe if I were in another profession where I didn’t have to listen to, or be asked about “losing weight” all the time I wouldn’t be so irritated about it.
Then I watched the news this a.m. and listened about a study that listed all the things women would give up in exchange for “being skinny”. Things that otherwise they enjoy and make them happy.
I immediately threw up in my mouth.
Being “skinny” means you are WEAK. Being skinny means you are UNHEALTHY. Being skinny means YOU LOOK MALNUTRITIONED. And it kills me that I can’t figure out a way to get this point across to people without p!ssing them off. (And yes, smarty pants, I do try to get my point across without p!ssing people off sometimes).
Then I read this article by an author who could get these points across far better than I, so I’m posting the link below.
But the take home points that I REALLY need you to pay attention to are:
1. Exercise is the key to happiness. NOT the key to being skinny. Better health, energy, cognitive function and sleep patterns are all benefits of exercise.
2. Just because the guys in the weight room at big-box mega gym are douche bags, DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULDN’T WEIGHT TRAIN!
3. Sweat does not mean you are working hard – sweat means you are hot. These are two very different things. Stay with me people…
4. You are going to p!ss more money away than you can imagine during your life, much of it on things you think will help your health. Knowing that, not paying for a good trainer because it’s expensive is SILLY.
5. What you did when you were 22 to get in shape is not applicable anymore. You were in shape then in spite of your exercise routine, not because of it.
6. Don’t go kamikaze style training for 3 weeks and think that’s going to do anything. Slow and steady always wins the race.
OK, that’s my version – move on to the better one here:
Gretchen Rubin says:
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2010/08/12-tips-for-nudging-yourself-to-exercise-regularly.html
And for the record: Re: the woman in the photo on the treadmill? That's a stock photo - she did NOT get that body by walking on a treadnmill.
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Hahahaha! Thanks, Jon! Though I'll correct you. I may be little and an exercise/health buddy, but I'm not angry! ;) This IS however, truly helpful, common-sense information. It is irritating to sit through 10-12 sessions with people every day, most of them wanting to lose weight, and most of them expecting from me some kind of magic answer to their problem. Their problem being they don't want to put in the work. "The work" isn't even that much, spread across a long time... it's exactly what gretchen talks about in her article. But people consider it "work" because they want to see FAST results, and only care about what they see, without thinking about all the other benefits of putting in the work.
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