There are hundreds of sites out there dedicated to weight loss for women. Now granted, many of these are great sites that I highly recommend checking out, but I did notice a somewhat disturbing trend in others.
This trend is the idea that exercise, should be done for aesthetic purposes-to be the sexiest one out all your friends, or fit into your "skinny jeans" or pre-pregnancy size 0 pants.
Now, don't get me wrong, the aesthetic (Or visible physical benefits) of exercise are great! I mean, c'mon, who here doesn't want those washboard abs to flaunt on a sunny afternoon at the beach? What worries me about this is that many women can take this to an unhealthy extreme leading to physical, psychological, and emotional damage.
The fact is, the aesthetic benefits of exercise are an added bonus. Weight loss for women, men, or even children should focus on the health aspects for the individual above anything else.
In a society where physical appearance is stressed anywhere and everywhere, it is scary to think what young women, especially (since this is the most highly-targeted group) are doing to lose weight. I have heard and seen some scary cases in which misinformation about weight loss and societal pressure led to devastating outcomes for once-healthy individuals who were led to think that they were "fat" or "chubby".
So what can be done to prevent this trend from taking over the so-called "fitness" industry? Well for one, we need to teach young women that being "skinny" doesn't necessarily mean being "healthy"-that exercise should add to quality of life and not be a form of torture in efforts to lose weight. We also need to correctly inform women of healthy ways of losing weight rather than encouraging "quick-fixes".
And a major part of the battle can be won right at home. If you have a daughter, niece, or grand daughter, be sure to emphasize to her that being healthy rather than just losing weight is the way to go.
Be an example to your kids by eating well and exercising yourself. Don't obsess over physical appearance-this is easily picked up by your kids who look up to and admire you. Buy healthy foods and stay away from drive-thru meals. Encourage your kids to participate in sports at school or the local youth center rather than sitting in front of the television all afternoon.
Now on a last note, I am focusing in on women right now, just because, as I mentioned before, they are the most-highly targeted group of individuals for weight loss ads. But don't forget that males also can-and many do-suffer from anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and body dysmorphia, among others.
As a fitness trainer, it is devastating to see unhealthy trends pop-up in the fitness industry. Luckily, we can all do our part to help prevent these trends from negatively affecting both ourselves and our children.
Author Resource:-
Get the list of 20 "Blueprints" I created that allowed me to transform my body and win the 1998 Body For Life contest. Imagine getting the body you've always wanted! Only available at Harry's Blog
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