Athleticism

I want to consider the juxtaposition of athletic looking bodies and obesity.

An athletic, or fit looking body, is having a moment. Strong is the new skinny is the slogan coming across our lips.  Being bony is now starting to be shamed and we while we still want to look thin, we want muscle to accompany our flat stomachs.  We're signing up for boot camps, training for marathons and focusing on becoming strong, not just in terms of actual "I can lift three bags of groceries in one hand, no problem" but also "look at my muscle!  My six pack! I look badass"

Let's think about people who are obese.  Fat, overweight, thick.  I am not using these terms in the negative light, rather I am using them as descriptors.  Also notice that I had to write in this disclaimer because talking about a fit, hard body doesn't need one.

Anyways, yes, the fat people.  They must eat a lot, they must be lazy.  And look at all the damage they are doing to their body.  Obesity just means heart disease and that is damaging to the body.

This is what most people think, yes?  And why wouldn't we.  We don't see anyone with even the hint of being an ounce overweight on all our fitness magazines and on our Pinterest health boards.  And we see plenty of news stories about heart disease showing faceless, fat bodies walking on sidewalks and in shopping malls.  We've put a face, er.. body, on health.

Think about this for a minute:  Fitness can damage your body just as being overweight can.   However, the damage from attaining a certain level of fitness or health isn't seen negatively.  Fitness goals can turn into a damaging relationship with one's body - over working out which can lead to injury, stress on organs of the body (heart, kidneys) and osteoporosis - particularly if you're not fueling your body right.

Take me for example.  When I was working out all the time, I was convinced I was so healthy.  I felt great, or so I thought.  Sure, I felt tired a lot and had to ward off colds nearly year round, but it was ok.  I thought I was tired because I worked out really hard.  And being sick?  I just was unlucky.  Never did I think my fitness routine was wearing me out, but now that I look back, it was.  Rest was not in my fitness vocabulary, but routine was, and if breaking up the routine meant I had to deal with unpleasant side effects such as sniffles and achiness, it was all worth it in my book.

Even more so, my foot injury - a lasting physical health ailment I have to deal with every day of my life - was caused by overuse from my various fitness plans.  Because my foot is damaged so, I am now unable to do simple intuitive exercise, like a daily brisk walk.  In other words, my intentions of becoming fit has turned me not only immobile in my athletic life, but also in my everyday life.

Finally, when I came out about my eating disorder to my new doctor, the first thing she wanted to do was check my bones for osteoporosis.  Fortunately, all my exercising and under eating did not have an adverse affect on my bones, but it could have.  There are many who fall into the EDNOS category who have brittle bones just from chronic dieting. 

And yet, we blame people with obesity for not fueling their bodies properly.  We shame them for any sort of food they eat.  If an overweight person is seen eating a cheeseburger, we accuse them of not taking care of their bodies.  If we see them eating salad, we commend them on making "the right choice".  But whatever an athlete chooses to eat, or not eat, we praise them.  If it's the salad, then no wonder they are thin and look how good they are.  If it's the cheeseburger, they are "allowed" to eat it because they will work it off - no questions asked.  We see that body damage in a thin person as not only OK, but it is admirable - look how hard they worked, so hard, they are suffering injury.    Suffering is admirable as of recent - it seems many of us have a story to tell.  If someone active gets heart disease, it's not their fault, just bad luck.

Here are two types of bodies that exist in this world, whether we believe it or not: The overweight person who's health is perfect regardless of weight.  The athlete who is suffering injury, illness or other ailments, despite supposedly being in perfect health.

Can we see how damaging this is?  It hurts all of us.  It hurts us who have a couple extra pounds but go to the doctor for a checkup and are told to lose just because.  It hurts us who fall into the normal category and are assumed we don't have ill relationships with our bodies or food because we're just regular looking.  It hurts the athlete who gets an injury checked out and is automatically treated so they can get right back out on the track, no matter the costs, physical or mental. 

While all sorts of health ailments may not be on the same wavelength in terms of life-threatening, in the end, it is still damage done to one's body.  Sure, being overweight in terms of a person not being at their set point may not be the best.  And there are plenty of people who are fitness maniacs who really are super healthy, without injury, common/frequent illness.  Bodies react differently being in different states, but nothing can be determined based on appearance.  Nothing.