October 8, 2004 14 Comments

Fitness Journals

So I just browsed about sixty fitness journals. MOST of the journals were started by people (90-100% female) who wanted to lose weight (usually 50-100 pounds), but who had several reasons why they couldn’t or hadn’t lately (no comment). It was discouraging, and yet, I still don’t know what I’m thinking about it all.

Do I want to try and help out? Do I think there’s something I could do to combat the 65% rate of obesity in the US? Could there really be a dent in this number, even if a hundred people went out on a mission to save humanity from itself?

Not unless I could set timers on people’s televisions, and bomb a few drive-thru windows. Not unless I could completely buy out amazon.com of various books on self-esteem, and force-feed them to the masses. Not without showing that there are NO pills, no surgeries, no exercise equipment purchases that will ever do the work for you. Not completely.

And does this have to matter to me? I dunno. Feels like when people are ex-smokers versus non-smokers. The ex-smokers are always more cranky about their fellow smoking humans, right? Well, I guess I’m an ex-fatso or something, because it’s not the shape of a person that bugs me: it’s this sense of complete bafflement they express at the state of things, when the facts seem exceedingly clear.

Anyhow, everyone is where they are on their journey. I’m not holier than thou. I still have 30 pounds to lose. I’m still working up to doing a marathon. I have a million flaws of my own. It’s just on my mind.

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Related posts:

  1. Fitness and Nutrition
  2. Fitness Goals

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  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3289492 Richard

    Got a change of pace for you. Read this one. Painfully honest at times, and I can’t say that I agree with everything she says, but her big point is that you need to take responsibility for your actions and their affects on your body. She decided that she enjoyed being thin/fit/healthy more than she enjoyed eating rich foods – but never tries to either blame the foods or claim that they’re not enticing. I suggest a browse through the archives if you have some time to spare… they’re quite refreshing.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3289492 Richard

    Got a change of pace for you. Read this one. Painfully honest at times, and I can’t say that I agree with everything she says, but her big point is that you need to take responsibility for your actions and their affects on your body. She decided that she enjoyed being thin/fit/healthy more than she enjoyed eating rich foods – but never tries to either blame the foods or claim that they’re not enticing. I suggest a browse through the archives if you have some time to spare… they’re quite refreshing.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3289492 Richard

    Got a change of pace for you. Read this one. Painfully honest at times, and I can’t say that I agree with everything she says, but her big point is that you need to take responsibility for your actions and their affects on your body. She decided that she enjoyed being thin/fit/healthy more than she enjoyed eating rich foods – but never tries to either blame the foods or claim that they’re not enticing. I suggest a browse through the archives if you have some time to spare… they’re quite refreshing.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3289492 Richard

    Maybe we need to start an angry-ex-fatass club? Or even PAC? Or does such a thing exist? :-)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3289492 Richard

    Maybe we need to start an angry-ex-fatass club? Or even PAC? Or does such a thing exist? :-)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2544387 Jon in Michigan

    I hear ya, Chris. When I’m in a conversation with someone who is where I was, (that is, at least 40 pounds overweight, eating garbage, complaining that they don’t feel good, and wondering why their back hurts, etc. etc) they almost always come up with the line “Ya gotta die sometime.” said with a shrug.

    I was there too and I never knew how very annoying it was until I stood where I am now.

    I didn’t get off my fat covered butt until I visited my Dad in the ER after his stroke. For most people, it will take something like that. For extraodinary people, they find the motivation inside themselves.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2544387 Jon in Michigan

    I hear ya, Chris. When I’m in a conversation with someone who is where I was, (that is, at least 40 pounds overweight, eating garbage, complaining that they don’t feel good, and wondering why their back hurts, etc. etc) they almost always come up with the line “Ya gotta die sometime.” said with a shrug.

    I was there too and I never knew how very annoying it was until I stood where I am now.

    I didn’t get off my fat covered butt until I visited my Dad in the ER after his stroke. For most people, it will take something like that. For extraodinary people, they find the motivation inside themselves.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2544387 Jon in Michigan

    I hear ya, Chris. When I’m in a conversation with someone who is where I was, (that is, at least 40 pounds overweight, eating garbage, complaining that they don’t feel good, and wondering why their back hurts, etc. etc) they almost always come up with the line “Ya gotta die sometime.” said with a shrug.

    I was there too and I never knew how very annoying it was until I stood where I am now.

    I didn’t get off my fat covered butt until I visited my Dad in the ER after his stroke. For most people, it will take something like that. For extraodinary people, they find the motivation inside themselves.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1585719 brent

    hey chris. could you post your top two motivational/inspirational books that you would recommend? thanks!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1585719 brent

    hey chris. could you post your top two motivational/inspirational books that you would recommend? thanks!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1585719 brent

    hey chris. could you post your top two motivational/inspirational books that you would recommend? thanks!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3203222 Lara

    I gained 60 lbs in a year’s time and it took another 6 years before I finally was able to get down to business and take 40 of it off. I definately was my own worst enemy and would constantly sabotage myself or just crap out because I didn’t get instant results. A mental shift definately needs to take place, like the shift that takes place when a smoker is finally able to quit after several failed attempts (did that too). I think with eating, like smoking, there is the component of junky behavior that makes the next fix worth far far more than the consequences – if not for pleasure, than to at least keep the withdrawal sickness at bay.

    Anyway Chris, maybe you are saving humanity a little when you demonstrate first hand what a person can do when they make the committment to themselves. When I’m at work, I talk about how great I feel and how happy I am. I hope that my enthusiasm about running, improving health, and my emerging fit body is silently working on people’s perceptions (and not just annoying them). Maybe some time they will say to themselves “I totally can do that too!”

    And thanks for an interesting post :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3203222 Lara

    I gained 60 lbs in a year’s time and it took another 6 years before I finally was able to get down to business and take 40 of it off. I definately was my own worst enemy and would constantly sabotage myself or just crap out because I didn’t get instant results. A mental shift definately needs to take place, like the shift that takes place when a smoker is finally able to quit after several failed attempts (did that too). I think with eating, like smoking, there is the component of junky behavior that makes the next fix worth far far more than the consequences – if not for pleasure, than to at least keep the withdrawal sickness at bay.

    Anyway Chris, maybe you are saving humanity a little when you demonstrate first hand what a person can do when they make the committment to themselves. When I’m at work, I talk about how great I feel and how happy I am. I hope that my enthusiasm about running, improving health, and my emerging fit body is silently working on people’s perceptions (and not just annoying them). Maybe some time they will say to themselves “I totally can do that too!”

    And thanks for an interesting post :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3203222 Lara

    I gained 60 lbs in a year’s time and it took another 6 years before I finally was able to get down to business and take 40 of it off. I definately was my own worst enemy and would constantly sabotage myself or just crap out because I didn’t get instant results. A mental shift definately needs to take place, like the shift that takes place when a smoker is finally able to quit after several failed attempts (did that too). I think with eating, like smoking, there is the component of junky behavior that makes the next fix worth far far more than the consequences – if not for pleasure, than to at least keep the withdrawal sickness at bay.

    Anyway Chris, maybe you are saving humanity a little when you demonstrate first hand what a person can do when they make the committment to themselves. When I’m at work, I talk about how great I feel and how happy I am. I hope that my enthusiasm about running, improving health, and my emerging fit body is silently working on people’s perceptions (and not just annoying them). Maybe some time they will say to themselves “I totally can do that too!”

    And thanks for an interesting post :)