You can’t put health in a box. You can’t put a calorie count on it, or a specific work out, or quantify hours at the gym. You can’t find it on a scale because at the end of the day, what is healthy is individualized. It’s what makes you feel best. It’s whatever size you are, it’s what makes your body and spirit and mind happy. What is healthy is being yourself and giving your body its proper respect.
SO HOW DOES CROSSFIT FORGE ELITE FAILURE?
What’s one trend that bastardizes two of the world’s hardest and most respectable sports in one fell swoop, while simultaneously incurring a massive amount of injury the process? Yup, CrossFit (CF). And if you’re thinking about joining a Crossfit gym, are already at a Crossfit gym or have ever entertained the idea of this ridiculous new trend, then hopefully in the following paragraphs, I can provide you with a solution that is not only more effective and bad ass, but safer too. You’ll become stronger, sexier, and be able to lift for years to come while ditching that loyalty card for the local chiropractor.
Let’s first break down the identity of CrossFit because it has started to tie itself up with many things that it is NOT, thereby leaving people with with serious misinformation.
I’ve read/watched so many reports from fitness professionals trying to get the word out that CrossFit is extremely dangerous. Please click the link and give this article a read if you have been considering trying CF.
Are you really what you eat? Can you judge a person’s diet based only on their weight or size? Does one meal give you enough info to pass judgement?
The short answer: No.
BEFORE/AFTER PICTURES: HEALTH EDITION
TW: EATING DISORDER
I’ve been wanting to make this post for quite a while. I’ve seen before/after pictures all my life. In fact, there was a period of time when I searched for them obsessively, trying to convince myself I could be the “after” photo if the “before” person could, too. But before/after photos generally aren’t about health or fitness, but about weight loss. And I’m here to tell you: they aren’t the same thing.
I had problems with food perhaps my whole life. I grew up in a dieting culture, in a dieting household. I went on my first diet in the fourth grade, and was praised for it. I went on my first fast in the seventh grade. I started restricting seriously when I was sixteen. I became obsessed with dieting and exercising at seventeen. I was still not the modelesque girls in the “after” photos. I saw too much “before” still. Health and fitness became an obnoxious facade for the real desire: weight loss.
On my eighteenth birthday I realized I had an eating disorder because I had a panic attack at the thought of having to eat birthday cake. From then forward my health spiraled downward. I was eating as few calories as I could, and burning/purging as many as I could get away with. I would exercise for hours at the gym, and yet I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. My body was so weak, I had difficulty standing for long periods of time without feeling faint.
The abuse I put my body through: the restricting/fasting, the binging/purging (and sometimes one without the other, although mostly purging without binging), the over-exercising, it all resulted in weight-loss while sacrificing health and fitness. And yet people in our society don’t seem to get that they’re not synonymous. I would have family friends approach me to tell me how good I looked, how fit I must be, how healthy I must be. Every compliment I received brought bile to my mouth. Couldn’t they see I was ill? Couldn’t they see how sick I was?
The thing is, many of them could see how sick I was. One of my mom’s friends said to me, “You’ve gotten so skinny! You must not be eating. Are you not eating? Good for you! Keep it up. I need to start doing that. What a great way to get in shape.” I really wish I were kidding. But the fact is, people think losing weight by starving yourself counts as getting into shape. People see “being in shape” as literally looking like you have no body fat, rather than being in the best physical condition your body can be in.
People would tell me I “looked fit.” As if you could “look” fit. As if fitness had a physical shape. You know what? I wasn’t fit. I was ill.
I was so ill, that when I tried to get better, my body rejected it. For a long time. It had gotten used to less than five hundred calories a day. It had gotten used to throwing up any time I felt remotely full. It had gotten used to functioning without any fat or sugar in my diet. When I was hospitalized, it was really difficult for me to keep food down. Everything made me feel sick. I would eat a normal meal, my stomach would swell as if I were pregnant, and I would be in so much pain I’d cry through the therapy sessions. We did yoga in the eating disorder treatment program. I was one of the worst at it. I had no balance, and everything made me out of breath. My muscles would shake even doing downward dog.
And that brings us to the “AFTER” photos. I was diligent about recovery. I stuck to the meal plan my nutritionist gave me. I made sure to exercise regularly, without over doing it. Part of my meal plan involved eating dessert every day. So I ate dessert every day. Part of my recovery was to engage in unconditional self love. So I embraced myself, my body, and my love for myself like it was a religion.
I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. I’ve gained 75 pounds since I was checked into the eating disorder clinic three years ago, and am 5 sizes larger. But you know what? I am healthy now. I have a balanced diet. I exercise for the sake of health and fitness, not weight loss. I do yoga, and without shaking and panting. I have balance. This is what health looks like for me. This is what fitness looks like for me.
I encourage all of you, find your own health and fitness. Find your own balance. Don’t compare your body to other people’s bodies. Your body is uniquely your own. Therefore, your health and fitness are uniquely your own. Fat does not negate health and fitness. Thinness does not guarantee it.
Me Currently while training for a triathlon, I gained a few pounds back but I honestly with its water and glycogen, while dieting i must have been so depleted all the time! now I feel great most days!
It’s better than nothing! ;>
The Mighty Marvel Comics Strength and Fitness Book
I strongly encourage you all (if you have a smart phone) to download the Charity Miles app. It donates money every mile you walk, run, or bike and it’s probably the most motivating thing I have found yet. My life revolves around doing work to help others and this is so awesome!! You get to choose from a variety of charities each time and not only are you helping others but you’re donating and supporting some great causes by helping yourself :) And trust me you’ll want to run more than a couple miles each time so it’s truly amazing! SPREAD THE WORD!
I’m really sick of seeing weight loss blogs reblog these pants. I don’t support “thinspiration.” (Partially because the word itself annoys me, but mostly because you shouldn’t focus on “thin.” You should focus on “healthy” and/or “fit.”) I support inspiration, I support motivation, and I support visualization. But if you’re aspiring to be a skeleton, you’re aspiring for a death wish.
Any Fitblrs from Adelaide, Australia?
If you are, like or reblog this or let me know so I can follow you?
reblogging for my bby
PLEASE STOP POSTING PHOTOS OF YOURSELF IN YOUR UNDIES (this includes bras or LACK-thereof).
WHY?
Because it’s technically ILLEGAL. Yes, I said it: ILLEGAL! Without realizing it those of you under the age of 18 are technically distributing “Child Pornography.” Every state has different laws concerning this however all states have laws.Before you question the validity of this post you should know that my SENIOR SEMINAR PAPER WAS ON Law and Policy concerning this exact topic. SO many of you have no idea what you are doing when you post pictures of yourself in your panties. Seriously.
Here’s a hypothetical situation that posting your PROGRESS PICTURES OF YOURSELF IN YOUR UNDIES CAN GET YOU INTO:
- A sexual predator stumbles upon your photos.
- then goes through all of tumblr and finds more young girls posting their essentially nude pictures.
- he gets caught because the government has a program that tracks this sort of activity. Yep, they do. The US Marshalls have a computer program that can track “pings” of how many times someone searches for inappropriate things on the internet.
I’m pretty sure that they had me on a watch list while I was doing my mass research on the topic in college….- The Gov’t tracks down the source of the photo and that can actually get YOU into trouble…
WHY? Because YOU are distributing “child pornography.” While it may be unintentional, you still did.- The police can arrest you and put serious charges on you and if/when convicted you will have the “Sexual Predator” label attached to you. That’s not what any of you want!
YES THIS POST IS MEANT TO PUT YOU AMAZING YOUNG LADIES ON ALERT. THERE’S A REASON I NEVER POST THINGS IN MY UNDIES. I’M TRYING TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU. I MAY BE 23 BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN I’M GOING TO POST PICTURES LIKE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THOSE ACTIONS CAN LEAD TO!
I never want to see any of you get hurt or in trouble for something. We all need to work together to support each other! Not just in fitness! But out everyday lives too! I really should have posted something about this a while ago but here it is. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!
I DON’T WANT ANY OF YOU TO GET IN TROUBLE OR BECOME A VICTIM OF ANYTHING. I WANT EVERY ONE OF YOU TO REACH YOUR GOALS AND BECOME EVEN MORE AMAZING BUT PLEASE TRY NOT TO POST PICTURES OF YOURSELF IN YOUR UNDIES.
I told mister about this post and even he agrees: “Yeah. Sports bra and shorts until you hit 18 please.”
FOR THOSE OLDER THAN 18, PLEASE FOLLOW AND HELP ME SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUNGER ONES ON TUMBLR. THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY OF US TO BECOME VICTIMS OF SEXUAL PREDATORS.
GUYS ON TUMBLR: HELP ME WITH THIS TOO! THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF.
I’M CHALLENGING EVERYONE TO STICK TO THE SPORTS BRA AND SPANDEX/SHORTS RULE (bathing suits are obviously acceptable…) WHEN POSTING YOUR PROGRESS PICTURES. ACTUALLY LET’S MAKE THAT ALL PICTURES IF POSSIBLE WHEN YOU ARE UNDER 18. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE LAWS THAT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN. IT’S FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND WELL-BEING.
AND ONE MORE THING… WE’VE ALLLL HEAR ABOUT SEXTING? AND THE TROUBLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN INTO, TEENS IN PARTICULAR, BY SENDING NAKED PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES…??? YES. OK. THIS DIRECTLY RELATES TO THAT EXACT ISSUE.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS AND HOPEFULLY SHARE IT WITH THE REST OF TUMBLR!
SMASH!!
I admit, I’ve posted sketchy pictures of myself on here before when I was just starting out with this blog.. Let me tell you, you SHOULDN’T. Especially if you’re underage.
Please think ahead & don’t put yourself in a sticky situation, younger followers.
<3
I see this a bit too often and I am glad someone is pointing it out.
Easier said than done!
Saw this today thought i would share. I think it’s important to note. PS he is beach body trainer i follow.
i dont even weigh myself anymore, there are so many things that can temporarily change your weight, its not even reliable
This is why you won’t necessarily show weight loss (and may even show a gain) for a couple weeks after you start exercising. Don’t get discouraged!
