So, over the past week or so, I’ve been talking a lot about bodies. And I get that I’ve been doing that perhaps a bit obliquely. Certainly, in contrast to how I’ve talked about bodies, and our behaviors about them, in the past.
I used to be prescriptive, totally unequivocal. Like most trainers, I believed there was a goal, a motivation, and a bit of a moral imperative, to live a healthy lifestyle, and also, a specific way to do it.
I also had a very misguided idea of what that really meant.
And so, over the past several years, I’ve changed that prescriptive perspective. I’ve learned so much more about the implications and impacts of that misguidedness. And I’ve learned the powerful implications and impacts of doing things differently. I’ve also learned that this is a tough mountain to climb, but I’m damn sure gonna stand on it.
Have you ever read a book or watched a movie or TV show with supernatural characters in it? Like, the kind where witches or vampires or demons or zombies exist in our world, walk among the humans like anyone else, and yet the humans are too afraid and disbelieving to see it right in front of them?
This is the world we have created around health, weight, and bodies.
The hard truth is that, just like witches walk among us, fat is not the worst thing we can have or be.
And fat shaming and weight bias (toward self and others) are far more unhealthy than being upwards on the weight spectrum.
And there are more factors to health than your behaviors.
And vegetables and whole, unprocessed foods are not accessible to everyone.
And it’s not safe for all people to just go outside and take a walk.
And there is always variation in what’s healthy between individuals.
And access to health and medical care is not actually accessible for many people.
And sticking to this staunch denial that anything other than a standardized version of weight and health exists robs so many people (maybe even yourself) of a safe, fulfilling, embodied life.
Hard truths.
And, hard truths that will probably cause a decent amount of people who read this to instantly look away from. We never like to be confronted with our own bullshit, you know? I get it.
But listen, I don’t think this stuff is actually all that oblique when it comes down to it. And perhaps I’ve done you a disservice by talking about it that way sometimes. The reality is that we hold power in our individual decisions. How we choose to think about and engage with our bodies affects the collective.
And what I’m offering is a choice.
The 1-1 coaching I do and the Fitness Unraveled course represent a choice. Yours for the making. Not at all an ultimatum between status quo and a transformational change, not a bad choice for not being ready and a good one for taking the leap. It’s never either/or. But it is the invitation to an exploration. Of yourself, and of a new way of seeing the world and every single person in it in a more deeply compassionate and human respect.
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that facing up to hard truths is, well, hard. Trust, I’ve struggled with it too. But what we choose to do, how we choose to face any kind of hard truths in our lives, means everything.
So, what does it mean to you?
Inspired by this article. If you like hard facts to go with your hard truths, check it out. Also, everything covered in it is also covered in Fitness Unraveled. (Which is still being offered at 30% off any payment plan through Friday, May 28, 2021. Use checkout code 30FORYOU.)
If you want to talk a little more about this, don’t forget you can always email me or grab some time on my calendar below to see what offerings might be your best fit.
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