(This post is philosophical and has nothing to do with my pcp development)
Question everything, especially me. Being american I hear about the obesity problem more then I would like. Sure it's a problem and it definitely is a environmental condition, but there are other things. My sister went into the hospital for anorexia in high school and it was definitely scary. People are so focused on the exterior that they are willing to starve themselves to "look good". The thing that is so great about this project is that it is a healthy process to creating a "good body". Eat, enjoy, live life to the fullest. Why are the social comments I've recently received based on, "Looking good stu, you've been working out?" instead of, "Looking good stu, you've been eating a healthy diet?" I know that sounds stupid, but I think about it from time to time that we've been ingrained with propaganda telling us life is more about a killer body and money than a healthy and happy life. In the last two weeks I've been tired of telling people that have noticed my fitness level of what I'm doing and having them respond, "I should do something like that." Replace the word should with will and there you go. That's what everyone on this project has done and the progress is well deserved.
After I wrote that last sentence I snapped out of it and got back to reality. I'm done with my rant now. . .
That is an awesome question--why don't people congratulate us on eating right and being healthy? To be fair to them, what they can mostly see is the way we look, not everything we're doing to get there, so they kind of have to focus on the bod.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all your encouragement over at my blog. It's so helpful. You mentioned not worrying what others think, and you're right, but there's also what I think when I see myself. And of course my daily standards of comparison are millions of teeny Asian women. Argh. Got to fight that. I do like the way my arms feel solid now. Do you ever just sit there and feel your biceps move, not flexing, just ordinary arm motion? Forearms, too. It's pretty fun...
I think the workout stuff has been pushed so heavily because that is something people can SELL you stuff with. Gym memberships, exercise gadgets, Taebo videos, on and on.
ReplyDeleteIf you eat right you will actually be spending less, so there's no marketing push behind it.
All we can do is educate people one at a time and lead by example.
I feel like Americans have a hard time with seeing in terms of long-term. I've been guilty of this...living in the now is one thing, but instant gratification is a whole 'nother. there's a difference. i think this ties into what you're trying to say....
ReplyDeletechanging eating habits helped me to change my mind-set into something that sees in the long-term. Big bowl of steamed veggies vs. French fries. The right choice gets made when we're able to see the connections and consequences of each.
Anyway, you ARE looking incredible. You've got the coveted 'V'! Bring it!