I ran on the treadmill today because it was about 93 degrees out and humid. I just wasn’t up for that kind of run. I ended up doing a “pyramid” where I keep increasing the speed until about the 2.5 mile point and then slowly decrease the speed for the next 1.5 miles. I ended up doing 4 miles in 36:52, with the incline at 1.5.
While running on the treadmill, I watched my usual Discovery Health show, X-weighted. Usually this show features women who have a LOT of weight to lose. Every once in a while, I learn something useful, but mostly it just reminds me how easy it is to allow a lot of small choices add up to major weight gain.
Today’s show was about a woman who had decided she wanted to lose 30 pounds. Looking at her, I would have said she had a whole lot less than that to lose. Her whole goal was to look like the women in magazines and to be attractive to men. She had this attitude that you had to be seriously THIN to attract men. I found the whole show a bit bothersome. She followed an incredibly strict diet and worked out for two hours a day (oh and there was a small mention of some sort of metabolism enhancing drug that the trainer told her not to take, but she did anyways). Then, at the end, she managed to run 1.5 miles in just under 12 minutes, instead of the fifteen she had done the first time. She also got to do a photo shoot in a bikini.
I just felt like the show sent the wrong message. Usually it’s about making healthy choices and regaining control over your life. Today, it felt like “eat nothing, take drugs, work out obsessively, and you too can look like a cover model.” Bleh.
ya, i agree with you, what a horrible message to send. It's sort of the same as The Biggest Loser, anyone can run a marathon in something like 30 days. Ugh.
Thanks for a great message to send to all the girls of America! What a mess. Healthy weight loss good, OCD weight loss, bad.
Not a healthy message for a show! They've actually done studies and men don't find the super skinny girls attractive; they actually prefer them at a healthy weight. I think some women are competitive and they want to be the skinniest woman because that's their way of "keeping score" in life.
As the first man to weigh in (HAR!) on this issue, I can say that too skinny is right up there with morbidly obese in terms of attractiveness. Women, God luv 'em, have curves naturally! Why try to diet your way out of that? Me likey some junk in teh trunk!1!But seriously, you're right. These people may be geting thin; but they're not getting healthy, which latter, I think, should be the goal.Goal # Two: Junk in Teh Trunk!1!Yes, I am the Spokesperson for ALL men.
ugh I hate when shows do that!! No wonder most of the public is so misinformed about being healthy. They think "starving" themselves and taking diets pills will make them thin. it makes me sad!and LOL at Glaven…my husband keeps saying "you have to quit running when your butt starts to go away" haha
I agree, what a horrible message! That seems to be the trend isn't it? There is a quick fix to everything.
I love that show and I think I would have been bothered by this episode as well. Doesn't sound healthy at all, physically or emotionally. I don't think they should be encouraging people to strive for unhealthy and unrealistic goals.Nice run!
Yeah, that doesn't sound like the right message. And not just because she used unsafe and extreme measures to lose weight, but because of her reasons as well.
Great run on the TM. What a way to mix it up & keep it from being boring. I've not seen that show before. I'll have to check it out. Except, of course, that episode sounds completely whack. Love Glaven's comment! Cause I'm definitely a junk in teh trunk kind of girl. & thank you for your comment on my post yesterday. It really helped me feel better about my mental health state. Hope you enjoy your weekend.
At least you know you're doing the healthy things. I was surprised at how pervasive a lot of this message is. I picked up Bethenney Frankel's book (from Real Housewives of NYC) "Naturally Thin" and it was basically a how to guide to being an anorectic. It's everywhere!