Skinny Does NOT = FIT!!!
I just covered a spin class this morning at my gym. To explain a little, I love bicycling and being active ( walking, weights, whatever) and decided a while ago to cover fitness classes as a ‘hobby’ when I get the chance. This is good for me as I am more comfortable in front of a computer than in front of people so getting up there in front of people is a bit out of my comfort zone. Does me good though ( even if their stereo SUCKS and never plays any of my music properly.)
So, I must be some superfit goddess, right? Like a size triple zero or whatever emaciated size is now considered normal? WRONG!! WRONG WRONG!!!I have, OHMIGOSH HIPS and THIGHS and oh… a BUTT TOO!!! yes, I have CURVES and I LOVE EM!! I am 5′ 2″ and a ( US) size 6 – UK size 10/12 – that is plenty good enough for me!
I am SO SICK of the fashion and fitness industries pushing ridiculous ‘norms’ on women that mean you have to have no body fat and look like a half-starved druggie or some androgenous being of indeterminate sex. It gets me so angry to see decent looking, in-shape women in the classes I enjoy doing far more exercise a week than is really healthy for their joints and talking about losing weight. From where? Some of these women don’t have any fat (maybe a bit of a tummy from having kids – hey, that is NORMAL) and I am at a loss as to where they will lose it from! Their boobs? Jeeze! Ladies, do you really want to lose whatever is left of your feminine appeal?
Is this what women’s lib has got us? Where women are supposed to now look like men or young boys?I know that some men out there like that look but it is my opinion that they are either closet gays, or have issues with real looking women or are so incompetent in their lives that they need some druggie to ‘look after’ and make themselves feel better.
Thankfully, certain fitness organistations, like ACE ( American Council on Exercise) make a big point that people have different body types and some are meant to be curvier/heavier than others, and that being fit is about working with what you have, not AGAINST it.
So people, if your gym pushes the skinny = fit myth, or has barbie dolls ( and guys) teaching classes that do not represent normal shapes and sizes and ages, ditch it and go find a gym that employs REAL instructors who reflect the norms out there and are more likely to give you a realistic, good workout without making you feel bad about yourself everytime you work out. or push you beyond realistic limits.
