One of the most damaging things the diet and exercise industry has done to the cause of health is to confuse the notions of fitness and physique. We are sold on the idea that anyone who isnt lean and ripped cant possibly be healthy or fit. The industry tells us that the only picture of health is the nearly unattainable ideal of visible abs and no jiggle anywhere. To this end, we turn the whole endeavor of caring for our bodies into a mission to shape our outer appearance into a more socially compliant form. And, unfortunately, this discourages those of us who have neither the time nor the energy to pursue that ideal from taking even the first step towards making more self-nourishing choices for ourselves. If we cant all look like Jillian Michaels, we might as well sit on the sofa all night eating Doritos. I call bullshit. Health is a state of physical well-being, quite apart from outer appearance. Physical fitness is the capacity to use our bodies to perform specific tasks: run a mile, lift a 50 pound weight, carry a toddler across a Walmart parking lot, hike a 15 mile trail, or simply be able to get up from a chair without groaning. These things do not require a thigh gap or visible abs. We all can get healthier and become better at the things we enjoy, without having to be discouraged by the mirage of fitness models or fitspo images. Lets put an end to the insanity.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:39:31 +0000
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