For the love of it

I have recently read a number of blog articles about body image and the ‘fit not thin’ campaign. I especially liked these two blog posts from Sophie and Taylor. Both made a point that many so called ‘fitness’ magazines now promote the whole fit not thin campaign however are still using skinny, touched up models. That gives people the totally wrong impression. Now you have to be fit AND thin!

Kat recently posted a picture of real athletes showing that amazingly fit people come in all shapes and sizes. And hardly any of them look anything like the models in the magazine we aspire to look like. Where have we gotten to that we criticise athletes for their body size? The most active population group there is! Doesn’t that show how screwed our body ideal is?

I also see pictures on twitter and in ‘fitness’ magazines of incredibly ripped people. I understand that some people use these images as motivation but I believe that they give you a totally unrealistic goal to aim for. We each have a different genetic make-up which means that some people become muscly more quickly than others, some people are skinny by nature others are not, some people are brunets and some are blonds. That’s what makes us all different. I personally believe that it is impossible for the vast majority of the population to look anything like the models in the magazines and having these images to aim for is unhealthy and will dishearten people who don’t see results. I have been active for around three years now and go running, swimming and the gym for strength work nearly every day. And guess what? My jeans are still the same size they were before I started exercising. And I still have wobbly bits. And am still a bit self-conscious about my big thighs. And sometimes I wish I could look a bit more like the magazine models. And sometimes I am frustrated that I do not LOOK more fit.

However I exercise to feel good. Running regularly has had a majorly positive impact on my live. It has taken me to many beautiful places, has led me to meet lovely people and given me a huge amount of confidence. I also love how running has given me the courage to try a number of different sports which I don’t think I would otherwise have. I love how being active makes me feel and that’s why I like to exercise!

I wish society would move away from exercising to achieve a certain body shape to exercising to feel good!