Angry Bunny

I have to admit, sometimes I'm embarrassed to work in the fitness world.  Many of the messages put out there by other fitness professionals although well intended are quite frankly fucking with people.  It's a slippery slope because we're here to help people and in order to let them know we can help, we point out their flaws and play to their fears. Often we make the mistake of assuming that clients want/need to lose weight.   As I've trained more and more people and reflected on my own struggles I've come to realize most people want to FEEL better and that may or may not mean dropping body fat. Recently I saw an Instagram post from a local gym that got me all fired up. 

It was an infographic titled "WHY DROP 10-15 POUNDS".  Reasons included:
1. You'll move better
2. You'll feel more confident about yourself
3. You'll have more energy to do the things you like
4. It's better for your joints and bones
5. You'll have better skin
6. You'll sleep better
7. Lower the risk of getting sick
8. It reduces stress and anxiety
9. It improves creativity and productivity
10. You might live longer

Perhaps at first glance this all makes great sense and maybe you agree with all of these statements.   

​I see it and I want to go all Xena Warrior Princess on whoever thought this was a productive message to put out into the world.

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So many of the women I know and clients I train are in a CONSTANT struggle to lose 10-15 lbs.  They get on the scale every week if not every day in the hopes of getting to a magical number that they have deemed low enough.  They cry, they stress, they grab the rolls of their stomachs and dismay at the back fat folding over the top of their bras.  They kill themselves in the gym, fight hunger all day, and spend hours if not days feeling guilty if they miss a gym session or overeat.  

Maybe the author of this infographic ASSUMED that the people that didn't need to lose 10-15lbs would realize this message wasn't meant for them.  He/she must've assumed that whoever they were speaking to would pursue weight loss in a healthy fashion.  The reality is, if done without overall healthy and wellness in mind, weight loss isn't always positive.  This message says to EVERYONE "You should lose 10-15 lbs" and then it doesn't provide any productive advice for how that is to be done.  If you starve yourself, over exercise, deprive yourself of rest you may lose weight but you will not reap the benefits promised.

I have one suggestion that can unfuck the infographic: change the title.  

"Why Prioritize Your Health"

This way we can focus on the actions that will help people thrive.  Let's put our attention to practices that have a positive effect on our lives such as moving our bodies, sleeping, eating nourishing foods and doing things that bring us joy.  Let's stop pushing fat loss as a solution to our problems and instead help people care for themselves.

Agree? Disagree? Please contribute to the discussion and post in the comments.