Thursday Thoughts – Wellness Tips for August
It was supposed to be time for another round of #wednesdaywisdom, my monthly wellness, health, and fitness advice in a quick, easy-to-digest format, designed for maximum energy and inspiration.
But WordPress had other ideas, thus Wednesday Wisdom did not happen…so, instead, this month I’m bringing you #thursdaythoughts. Same idea, same wisdom, just a different name, different day.
As summer winds down but there are still plenty of nice days left, this month’s wellness wisdom is all about feeling good.
Yep, it’s still summer.
1. Controversy Over Nike’s Plus-Size Mannequin is What’s Wrong with Health and Fitness Perception
It’s more important to be healthy and fit than it is to look healthy and fit – and that can be different sizes. Furthermore, Nike’s plus-size mannequin is a smart marketing move. Period.
2. Tis the Season – Watch Out for Diet and Weight Loss Red Flags
Even though this blog was originally written for November, last-minute efforts to get that summer bod with diet and weight loss programs means it’s a good reminder to watch for red flags.
3. Please Feel Good and Wear a Swimsuit This Summer
It’s hot. It’s fun to be outside. It’s really hot. It’s fun to go swimming. And, oh yeah, it’s hot AF. So get in your fucking swimsuit, feel good, and enjoy the rest of these late summer days.
Do you have questions or topics I can address with a #wednesdaywisdom blog or in a new, full blog? The comments are all yours to ask questions, share ideas, or, you know, just leave a comment – so do it, please. Or, connect with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
Please Feel Good and Wear a Swimsuit This Summer
“Get in your fucking swimsuit.”
It’s August – that means there’s still plenty of summer left. There are plenty of days filled with sun. There are plenty of days that give us a reason to eat ice cream. There are plenty of days it will be hot AF.
And along with it all, there are plenty of days to get enjoy time in the water, whether at the beach, lake, or pool.
Yet, many people won’t take advantage of the full spoils of summer. It could be 100 degrees, sunny, and the only rational thing to do is find a body of water and immerse oneself in it. But many will forgo the opportunity by staying inside because they won’t get in a swimsuit.
A group of women from Fargo are on a mission to encourage everyone to get in their swimsuit and not miss out on the fun. They even made this video appropriately titled: Get in your f***ing swimsuit. Go ahead and watch it, now or later. But if you watch it now, please come back.
Moments like this don’t happen inside or on the sidelines.
I love the message of this video. It’s mostly geared towards women, though I think men can identify with it, too. It reminds us how much we worry about what we look like in a swimsuit. The worrying can get us to the point we forgo being outside or sit on the sidelines in our coverups vs. getting in on the fun.
I don’t care what I look like, I’m going to play on the beach with my son, go swimming with him, try to even out my sexy runner tan lines, and jump on the jetski, fully knowing my husband’s crazy driving will throw me off and into the lake. And I’m going to do it in my swimsuit, letting it all hang out.
I don’t do it without a bit of self-consciousness though. I get it. It kinda sucks wearing a swimsuit and not having a “perfect” body, right? Being worried about fat rolls and back rolls and OMG how many rolls do I have and OMG everyone is looking at my rolls.
No matter how many times we hear people come in all shapes and sizes, rah rah for body confidence, and be beautiful at any size, body insecurity is never going away. People are always going to feel uncomfortable and judged when they wear a swimsuit. And sadly, I think it’s because of a small group of people, not most people.
I believe most people are kind and supportive of one another. I believe most people are more worried about what they look like than what you or I look like.
We hear it from our friends that we look great, see celebrities like Mindy Kaling encouraging all to wear a bikini, or read the good word about being fit and healthy at any size on a random blog (welcome to my random blog!) – but the haters will still be there. Body shaming, making fat comments, and generally being horrible people who are probably insecure themselves.
All I can do is offer one more message on the vote of confidence side. I don’t care what size you are, I won’t judge you for wearing a swimsuit.
So do it. Get in your swimsuit and enjoy summer before it’s gone.
Had you seen the Fargo Voxxy girls’ video I linked to earlier, before reading about it here? Do you identify with any of these messages – worrying about being judged, missing out on fun in favor of staying covered up, or not even going outside at all? What could happen to make you feel more confident in a swimsuit?
The comments are your space to share thoughts so please do so. Or, connect with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
10 Good Reminders and Learnings from TEDxFargo
“Ideas worth spreading.”
This past week, I attended TEDxFargo, our community’s annual event.
I dig TEDxFargo. I dig TED talks. I dig pretty much any type of conference, event, or learning opportunity. I love the inspiration, connections, and change of pace a day like this offers and I’m grateful my company and boss encouraged me to attend.
Unpacking my notes & inspiration from TEDxFargo
As one would expect from a TED event, there were a ton of great speakers and different reasons for their greatness. They all varied in their style and delivery and the way they connected their stories to the key message. I jotted down a ton of notes and walked away with a lot of inspiration for story ideas.
But outside of the new ideas and fresh inspiration, one of the things I love about events is they’re often a good reminder of what we already know. They’re things we don’t always think about and we need to hear, like why to take a rest day or hey, you – drink more water.
All of this in mind, I figured this week’s blog would be inspired by TEDxFargo…the big question was which message or key piece of inspiration would I start with?
I had a tough time choosing just one. Oh, the irony! So instead, I want to share 10 of my favorite quotes from TEDxFargo speakers, the messages that most resonated with me.
1. A woman named Ashley proved that being crafty and creative is good for our wellness (I’m onboard but I still suck at it…does writing count?).
2. A man named Dave reminded us that there’s something more important, bigger than any one person or business goals – community (it’s all about community).
3. A human beatbox named Bjorn made me think about the value of cardio conditioning for our everyday lives (duh) and the importance of good breathing technique (ah ha!).
Energy & lots of it at TED in Fargo
4. A woman named Aneela bravely gave us the okay to come to terms with what we’re ashamed of in ourselves (hi, I’m Lindsay and I’m an aggressive sweater).
5. A man named Lonnie made the case for a simple approach to life and stuff (hello, minimalism).
6. A woman named Sady opened our eyes to, instead of seeing someone’s disability, to see their ability (and not to judge a book by its cover).
7. A woman named Jean asked us to think about the perspective, “What if life really is all about learning lessons?” (and not in the adult-wagging-their-finger, ‘I hope you learned your lesson’ way.)
8. A man named Cory challenged us to rethink the way we measure and evaluate our childrens’ success (and perhaps our own).
9. A man named David pointed out that great things are accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit (true teamwork).
10. A woman named Annie encouraged us to embrace our weirdness (I mean, we’re all a little weird, right?).
I imagine several forthcoming blogs that will be inspired by the words I heard, ideas that came to me, and notes I scribbled at this year’s TED event in Fargo. But, for now, I hope these little takeaways are something you can chew on, too.
Did you attend TEDxFargo or have you attended a TED event, either in person or watch a talk that resonated? What’s a powerful lesson you’ve learned from a TED talk – bonus if it has a wellness component. The comments are your space to share thoughts so please do so. Or, connect with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
Prioritizing Time With a Run at Lunch – A Runch
“Gimme a break.”
Not long ago, I mentioned in a blog that my personal and professional wellness lives seem to collide more as I get older and write more. Here we go again.
Those of you who work in an office, have you ever squeezed in a workout over the lunch hour? I’ve gone for plenty of mid-day walks prior to grabbing a bite and getting back to work, but I’ve never gone full-on workout mode then gone back to the office.
Even though lunch hours are pretty flexible these days, getting in a workout, getting in a shower, getting ready, and getting back to work takes time – and, some days, even with a more forgiving “hour” for lunch, that’s a tough feat.
That midday, post-run feeling.
But also as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned it’s tougher to get in workouts and I have to find the time. One particular day last week, the time I found was during my lunch hour. I decided to go for a run at lunch aka a runch.
I stepped away from my desk and the day’s work, and took a break to log a few miles. And I loved it.
What I Loved About Running at Lunch
Here’s why running at lunch is definitely something I plan to do again.
1. Break
At least a couple days a week, I work through the lunch hour. Who doesn’t, right? Work needs to get done, you get on a roll, or meetings pop up. Whatever the reason, it’s not uncommon to skip a break in favor of more productivity. But sometimes, this practice actually harms productivity.
There’s research that shows taking a break or stepping away leads to better creativity, thinking, and energy, ultimately leading to more production. And I don’t know a better way to ignite those juices than with some blood-pumping exercise!
2. Midday Mindfulness
Similar to taking a break for better production, stepping away during the day to clear the head is a great step towards more mindfulness.
Again, at least for me, there’s no time that I’m more mindful and have been thoughts than when I’m running. It’s part of the reason why I don’t wear headphones when I run.
3. Fitting It In
Some people favor evening workouts, others swear by rising early to get their sweat on. These days, I work out when I can fit it into my schedule, which includes my husband’s and son’s time. I no longer have the luxury of being able to work out when I want – which is okay, Chris and I just have to be very intentional and plan ahead to make sure we both get our exercise time.
When planning my runch, I chose a day that I knew would be quiet at the office, I didn’t have any meetings or calls close to the time, and I blocked off my calendar so people would know I was busy. And guess what? The world went on.
The Challenges of Running During the Lunch Hour
As much as I loved my runch, it didn’t come without some drawbacks. Here’s what I found to be the toughest parts about running at lunch.
1. Felt Rushed
From the time I left the office to the time I got back, I felt like I was on a ticking clock. Sure, I planned it well and felt okay stepping away from work for a bit but I’d be lying if I said getting back to the office wasn’t on my mind most of the time.
2. Less Relaxed
Closely-related to the rushed feeling, my run itself wasn’t as stress-relieving and relaxing as it would be another time of day.
The upside to this though? I ran my fastest miles and 5k in at least two years!
3. Taking the Time
I knew a runch would take more time out of my day than a typical lunch. And, again, as well as I planned, it was tough to actually go through and take the time to run during the day. I’ll be honest, I felt guilty.
Why is it so tough to take a little time for ourselves when we need it – even if that might be during “normal” working hours? This could lead me into a discussion on workplace wellness or mom guilt or a few other directions…but those are all potential blogs for another day.
While I realize I can’t run at lunch regularly, even once a week, I’m going to try to work it into my schedule more often – especially when it’s nice outside. Winter, as always, will be here before we know it.
Do you runch? Whether you work in an office, from home, or in your home, how do you make it work? Do you have tips for prioritizing and making a runch happen? The comments are your space to share thoughts so please do so. Or, connect with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
Christmas in July…How About Fitness in July?
“Get into the spirit”
The ornaments are being released and the Hallmark Christmas movies are in full-force. Apparently Christmas in July is a big deal.
I’ve heard of Christmas in July but this is the first year I’m seeing how popular it is and how “into the Christmas spirit” people are getting. Maybe it’s easier to be jolly when it’s sunny and warm…
Don’t wait until the holidays – get going on your goals now.
Anyway, all these summer Christmas celebrations got me thinking about wellness – specifically, New Year’s Resolutions. If we’re celebrating Christmas in July, can we celebrate new wellness goals on August 1? If so, I’m onboard!
January is such a hard time to begin a healthy and well lifestyle. So why not get in on it early and start acting on your health and wellness goals right now. Whether you have fitness goals or workout goals or you want to commit to better eating or being more mindful, what a great time to start, when it’s beautiful outside, the days are long, and there’s all kinds of yummy fresh fruits and veggies available.
To help anyone interested in kicking off new wellness goals now, here’s an older blog post I wrote that might help to set yourself up for success: why health and fitness resolutions fail. Be ready to combat these with positivity and a plan!
What do you think about bringing health, fitness, and wellness into this whole Christmas in July fad? Are there any goals you’d like to get going on right away? The comments are yours so please leave one. Or connect with me on social: @LindsayIRL on Twitter or @lindsayinreallife on Instagram.
Wednesday Wisdom – Wellness Advice for July 10
Welcome to another round of #wednesdaywisdom. This is wellness, health, and fitness advice in a quick, easy-to-digest format, designed to give you maximum energy and inspiration.
Wellness fact – being outside with a bestie is great medicine.
Think of it as zucchini noodles with veggies and tomato sauce…only with words.
1. Gluten-Free – It’s Not a Diet, It’s How Some People Don’t Die
Summer is diet season so let’s all remember that eating gluten-free isn’t a diet to be adopted, willy-nilly. A gluten-free diet is important for people who are, you know, allergic or intolerant to gluten. Also, what is gluten? For real, most people don’t know so I’ll tell you.
2. Four Easy Things to do for Better Wellness
Here’s how to improve personal wellness in four simple, easy to implement ways.
3. Why We Run
Everyone runs for different reasons. If you’re struggling with motivation, here are five great reasons to run.
Do you have questions or topics I can address with a #wednesdaywisdom blog or in a new, full blog? The comments are all yours to ask questions, share ideas, or, you know, just leave a comment – so do it, please! Or, connect with me on @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
Three Tips for How to Drink More Water
“Water, water everywhere.”
Water is so good for us. Drinking more water can energize, ward off headaches, and provide numerous wellness benefits, and it’s such an easy and free thing everyone can do to be well. Yet, a lot of people don’t drink enough water.
After recently blogging about four easy ways to work on wellness, and water standing out as the one of most interest, I conducted social media polls and found that only about half of respondents believe they drink enough water every day. Yet, I have to believe we all know it’s important. So what’s the deal?
Why Don’t We Drink Enough Water?
While I have yet to pinpoint the exact reason, I have ideas based on side conversations and additional polls. I also know that some people simply don’t “like” water aka they find it boring because it’s not soda, an energy drink, or something with flavor, sugar, or caffeine. Sorry, but those don’t count as water and they sure aren’t doing you any favors in terms of wellness.
So while some people may want to up their water totals by drinking more coffee, adding a flavored drink mix, or sipping on “vitamin-enriched” water (which is bogus and full of added sugar and calories – if you’re that concerned with vitamins, eat better or take a damn multivitamin), I don’t offer that kind of advice.
Even Abel has water bottles wherever he goes.
That aside, to address the most common reasons I believe half of us don’t drink enough water, here are three ways to make yourself drink more water.
1. Get Multiple Water Bottles
One for the car. One for the office. One for the couch. One for the nightstand. One for running. These are examples of different water bottles I own – and, yes, each one is for a designated place (though I do double-up the at-home ones to bring to the lake and on trips).
The point is if you’re going to drink more water, it has to be accessible. You’re not always going to be by a drinking fountain, water cooler, or a store where you can buy it – and, honestly, don’t buy it. Save money, save plastic bottles, hooray!
Set yourself up for success by having a water bottle for the most common places you are – and make sure it’s always filled.
2. Use Technology
I’m not a phone person. I’m not an apps person. I’m not a smart watch person. But I realize most people are and technology offers opportunities to further wellness goals, drinking more water included.
In my polling research for this article, a few people noted that simply forgetting to drink water was why they didn’t do it. From setting a reminder to downloading an app that encourages drinking water, there are plenty of simple ways technology can prompt you to hydrate and help build it into a habit that becomes natural.
3. Eat Intentionally
So, this one’s interesting. What do eating habits have to do with water? Plenty.
How often do you find yourself mindlessly snacking, missing meals, or eating on-the-go? For most people, this is probably pretty common. And when eating is done erratically, it likely doesn’t include a glass of water.
But think about what happens when you eat intentionally, a snack or a meal. Usually, there’s a beverage along with it. And you can make this beverage water.
Planning meals and snacks is a great way to ensure you’re drinking water. The two pair together so nicely. Every time you take a moment to enjoy a meal or snack, be sure you include a tall glass of H2O along with it.
There it is – three ways you can get more water in your day, every day. Did I miss any major hangups? What prevents you from drinking enough water each day? Do you have another tip to encourage healthy hydration habits? The comments are your space to share thoughts so please do so. Or, connect with me @lindsayinreallife on Instagram or @LindsayIRL on Twitter.
Three Reasons Food Isn’t Bad – Food is Good
“Food isn’t bad and exercise isn’t punishment.”
Triple threat. Hat trick. Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe.
We’ve all heard that bad things come in threes – but how about all the good things that come in threes.
A few weeks ago, I dug into the topic of trying to define healthy vs. unhealthy food. The conclusion: there is no one-size-fits-all label for a food to be healthy or unhealthy. Inclusivity wins. So eat all the food! In moderation, of course, blah blah blah.
My favorite lunch after my favorite activity with my favorite guy
A few days ago, I was watching a presentation from a wellness company and I got annoyed. Why? More than once, the presenter did something that’s one of my biggest health and fitness pet peeves. She talked about how to figure out what it takes to burn off certain foods.
Basically, she implied that food is bad and exercise is punishment, and if you want to eat a certain food, you should feel badly enough about that decision to be prepared to burn it off.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, and I’ll say it forever. Food isn’t bad. Exercise isn’t punishment.
Please PLEASE let’s stop equating a donut to how many miles we “have to” run to burn it off. Flip side, let’s stop equating exercise to how much we “get to” eat because we burned calories. Not only is this flawed because counting calories and calories burned is a very imperfect science and both counts are likely inaccurate, it speaks to exactly what is wrong with the way most people view food and exercise.
So, in case it’s not clear: Food isn’t bad. Exercise isn’t punishment. Mkay, are we good on that?
Now back to the good. Food is one of the best parts of life. And when I go back to the idea of “good things come in threes,” food is no exception. There are three key ways that food makes our lives better.
Food Fuels Our Bodies
Whether your goal is to take the stairs every day, play with your kids, or run a marathon, you need energy. What’s one of our primary sources of energy? Food. Food fuels our bodies to do ordinary and extraordinary things.
At it’s very basic, the body burns calories just by being. It needs fuel to replace that lost energy and keep going. Add to that sleep, chores, caring for a family, and exercise, and it needs even more fuel. We NEED to eat; food is a necessity, not a source of shame.
Great-grandfather/grandson time at Zorbaz. With pizza.
Food Fuels Our Minds
Awhile back, I accidentally skipped breakfast a few times. And it didn’t bode well for me, particularly at work.
What happens when you skip breakfast? Well, for me, lack of food hurt my focus and quality of work. Just as quality foods are crucial for babies to develop and grow their brains, food is crucial for us to be on top of our mental game.
Food Fuels Our Happiness
Family dinner. Lunch with a friend. A weekend birthday party – with cake. We come together and enjoy food together in many ways. Imagine a life without the social engagements built around sharing a meal or treat. How sad!
Not only that, we should enjoy food, period. It brings me happiness to eat waffles every morning. I enjoy my lunch salad with tater tots and a couple Reese’s to wash it down. If you have similar happy feelings for you food, that’s great. We need to eat so let’s not feel guilty over it – let’s enjoy it.
Before I go, one more time, in case anyone missed the message: Food isn’t bad. Exercise isn’t punishment.
What’s your favorite part about food – fueling your body, mind, or happiness? The comments are your space to share thoughts so please do so. Or, connect with me on Twitter @LindsayIRL.
My First Time Running Grandma’s Marathon
“Let’s hear it for the girls”
I’m going to try something new with this week’s blog. In honor of my first go at Grandma’s Marathon in one of my favorite cities, Duluth, MN, I’m breaking up this into a two-part series. But within the same post.
Friday
I’m starting to write this on Friday, the pre-event thoughts. On Sunday, I’ll write my post-event thoughts and put it together.
I just finished my last taper run, a nice 2.2 mile shakeout. Everything felt good and with the weather forecast looking to be nice and chilly, I’m feeling oddly good about tomorrow.
Team Sloth – Our slogan: We’ll get there when we get there.
When I decided to take on this challenge, I was nervous – maybe even more nervous than deciding to run my first marathon. This would be my first marathon since having a baby last spring and I had no idea how I was going to make the time and find the energy to train for a full marathon while focusing on him, my husband, work, and everything else.
But I did it. It has been my easiest training season by far, no week was more than 35 miles, no weekday run longer than 7 miles, no push for speed or focused hill workouts.
I still managed six days a week of workouts most weeks, making sure to mix in easy cardio days and lifting days to stay balanced and healthy.
I’m ready for this.
More than my good feelings for running my first Grandma’s Marathon and tackling a full while balancing motherhood, I’m so excited to be running this race with one of my oldest friends, Maggie. We did a half together last summer – it was super fun running a half with a buddy – and now I’m hoping to help her get through her first full marathon without wanting to die.
Sunday
Just arrived home from a girls’ weekend in Duluth and my first experience running Grandma’s Marathon. It was a great time.
Any chance to get together with a bunch of friends is great. This might sound odd to most, but, for me, sharing in the experience of running makes it even more fun. And even though we all had different goals and reasons for being there, it brought us all together. Maggie ran her first marathon, Jenny ran her first half marathon, Jess ran the 5k and the half, while Heidi cheered us on and enjoyed the girl time that we all need, more than ever now that we’re all grown up. Oh, there I go sounding old.
Okay, back to the story. How did my first full marathon since becoming a mother go? It was awesome. One of the best experiences to date. A bit sore, a lot sunburned, but I feel pretty great.
It was so fun to run with one of my best friends and help make it a good experience for her. With almost perfect weather on our side, we started off at a comfortable yet challenging pace. I started to feel a little sick and could tell Mags was starting to struggle, too around mile 18, so I started the first of a few planned “coaching” moments that I thought would help us both.
I suggested we run to mile 20, then walk through that aid station to eat gels and get a breather. She eagerly agreed and said she could make it to 20.
Once we walked a bit at mile 20, Mags was already feeling some defeat. She said she didn’t know how she was going to make it six more miles and that I should go ahead without her.
Naturally, I refused, and instead told her we’d walk another minute or two, then we’d run again – just to the next mile and aid station, then we could walk again.
That strategy worked. Through a mix of walking and slower running, we finished well ahead of her expectations. While I can’t say she finished with a smile on her face and she made it clear she never wanted to run another marathon, I think it was a positive experience, overall.
Fun side note, her previous half marathon best was 2:06. We ran the first half of Grandma’s Marathon in just under 2:02. So an *unofficial half record for her!
My favorite memory of this marathon – pickles. At mile 21. Perfection.
A few other fun notes from Grandma’s Marathon – what a beautiful course. While I admit the first 18-ish miles got a little boring in terms of the course view being pretty much desolate forest, running along the North Shore of Lake Superior mixed in a few awesome views. Early on, we spotted the lift bridge and it looked forever away. Running by it at mile 25 felt pretty amazing.
The town of Duluth came out big in terms of spectators. I had the best time waving, thanking them, taking pics, and soaking in that part of the race while Mags and I slowed down and walked a bit.
The finish in Canal Park was awesome. It was controlled chaos but so full of energy.
But the best part of the race? Mile 21. I mentioned earlier I started feeling a bit sick during the race. I opted to skip taking energy gel because my stomach was not happy and sugary sweetness sounded awful. But then, at mile 21, I saw the most wonderful sight. No, not a port-a-potty. Pickles. Yes, someone was handing out pickles. It was the best pick-me-up and the light saltiness was exactly what I needed. I will always remember those pickles.
As for the rest of the crew, Jenny made her half marathon debut in a smoking time of 1:53. Jess successfully ran the 5k Friday night, then the half Saturday morning and finished within her goal time. And Heidi slept in, enjoyed a lazy morning, then came out to cheer with more enthusiasm than anyone. A perfect weekend for all.
Back in the day, I was a bad influence on friends for the wrong reasons. I like to think these days, I’m still a “bad” influence…but in a good way.
Any other runners out there take on Grandma’s Marathon this year? Or are you training for a different race soon? The comments are your space so please write one. Find me on Instagram @lindsayinreallife or connect with me on Twitter @LindsayIRL.
Controversy Over Nike’s Plus-Size Mannequin is What’s Wrong with Health and Fitness Perception
“Here’s the problem…”
Remember last week when I wrote a blog about the misconception of what healthy and fit looks like? If you don’t, that’s okay – I don’t’ expect you to but feel free to check it out via the link above.
I didn’t time it on purpose, ahead of this week’s blog, but sometimes the world just hands me blog ideas that fuel each other. And I can’t help but pour on the gasoline.
Nike’s Plus-Size Mannequin
Nike recently debuted a plus-size mannequin in its London flagship store.
This seems long overdue but, that aside, it’s great. People come in all shapes and sizes, as should clothing, so it only seems natural marketing teams would want to display clothing in all such sizes to appeal to all such potential buyers.
Apparently there was backlash over this from a journalist who believes this mannequin is too big and too fat.
Apparently said journalist believes Nike is promoting “fat acceptance” (if that’s a thing?) with a mannequin and clothing designed for people who are larger than a size 12.
Apparently Nike trying to be inclusive and encourage exercise to people of all sizes is offensive…to, I’m not sure, thin people I guess?
We’re not size 0, we have big legs, & we’re both healthy, fit runners. It’s not that crazy.
I’d like to meet this reporter and have a few words with her.
The Appearance of Health Isn’t As Important as Being Healthy
First of all, you can be “plus size” and be healthy. Sure, there’s a line between having a few rolls without health problems and having a few too many extra, extra rolls where health problems likely. I’m not here to argue that morbidly obese is healthy – I mean, it has the word “morbid” in the name for a reason.
But I’ve seen plenty of people, maybe they were a size 10, a 12, maybe bigger, I’m not exactly sure (who cares), and they were running in a race. I presume they trained or worked out to some degree to get to that race, which means it’s likely they have healthy hearts, possibly low blood pressure, maybe their mood is high and stress level low – in short, they have health traits one can’t always see.
I see people of all sizes regularly doing cardio at the gym or lifting heavy weights, same deal there. And then there are professional athletes, many of which who have larger frames but are healthier and fitter than most of the world. Healthy and fit come in all shapes and sizes.
You can’t tell me that someone who regularly exercises, even if they might have a few extra pounds compared to you or me, isn’t healthy in numerous ways. There’s this funny little thing called genetics that greatly affects our size and trying to fight against those genetics by restricting food, all in the name of maintaining what society deems “healthy and fit” based only on appearance, is the opposite of healthy and fit.
Nike’s Responsibility to Health and Fitness
Second, this woman’s argument about Nike’s “fat acceptance” (again, don’t like that but gotta keep it real to what was said) also implies it’s somehow Nike’s responsibility to change people’s lifestyle choices and force them away from being “fat” to being “fit”…and by fit, I again mean society’s surface definition of fit aka thin, flat belly, minimal arm jiggle, you know what I’m saying.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want Nike or any other company deciding what size I need to be in order to fit into this “fit and healthy” box or how I should live my life in general. It is NOT Nike’s responsibility to make people change their lifestyle or their choice of how to maintain their bodies.
What is Nike’s responsibility? To have a profitable company that provides a quality product to the consumer. If more and more people are a size 12 or 16 or 20, and those are potential consumers for workout gear, it’s Nike’s responsibility to cater to the market and what it demands. That’s just good business.
While I say it’s not Nike’s responsibility to shape the idea of what’s healthy and fit, you could argue it is in their best interest to encourage people to work out. And, what do people – of every size – need in order to work out? Workout clothes!
Nike – And Inclusivity – Win
Nike has had bad press lately, with its conflicting messages of female empowerment and less-than-accommodating contracts with pregnant/postpartum female sponsored athletes. But I think they win the day with this move. One reporter’s opinion that a plus-size mannequin is wrong or controversial should mean nothing to Nike. Go, Nike. Inclusivity always wins.
What do you think of Nike’s move to showcase a plus-size mannequin? The comments are all yours so please leave one. Or, connect with me @LindsayIRL on Twitter.