Have you seen all the controversy swirling around this picture?
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=474951962535764&set=a.284697961561166.76942.284697751561187&&theater
When I saw it before people all lost their damn minds over it, I thought it was clever marketing. I also thought her boys were adorable and I that I totally want her abs. Then I forgot about it until the internet starting spewing hate. Suddenly, every blog, article and talk show had an opinion about poor Maria Kang and her simple picture. Obviously, I do, too, but its not one I've heard yet. What is wrong with people?! All I have read and heard is that Maria should be ashamed.
How dare she? SHE is what is causing such bad body image today! She is a BULLY who is FAT SHAMING women. Who is SHE to tell me what I should look like? Those aren't even her kids! She is promoting eating disorders! What's my excuse- Fibromyalsia, B*tch! How dare YOU make ME feel worse about my body?
....and so on, and so on. It just gets worse from there.
That's the joy of the internet. You can target random strangers and vent all your insecurities, hatred and negativity all over them with no consequences. You can take one picture and judge everything about them. Last year, I went through something similar when I took a picture of Halloween candy in the trash. Believe it or not, I got mild death threats over it. (If you really want to read all the crazy, check it out here. )
Apparently, this picture made everyone extremely uncomfortable. Seeing a beautiful, muscular woman exposing her midriff after 3 kids hit some nerves. But I take serious exception to anyone saying, "She MADE women feel bad about themselves!" When did it become acceptable to have zero responsibility for your own emotions? If I look at this picture and I feel rage and insecurity and depression, then those are issues that I need to deal with personally. Maria Kang did not break into my house, put me in a headlock, drag me to a mirror naked, point at every roll of fat and scream, "LOOK! LOOK AT HOW UGLY AND FAT YOU ARE!! YOU ARE WORTHLESS AS A PERSON AND MOM!" If she had done that, then I would understand getting on her case. Then, she might have some personal responsibility for how she made me feel. Since as far as I know, she hasn't done that to a single woman in America, no one has the rights to claim that she MADE them do or feel anything.
When you are in fitness, you hear a lot of excuses. Everyone has them. I have them, too, but I try to recognize them when I tell them to myself. Sooner or later, you realize that you can cling to your excuses or your can do something to change what is making you unhappy. If its important enough, you'll find a way. If its not, then you won't. It IS as simple as that. Simple. Not easy. There is a big difference. If you are bound and determined to blame other people and your circumstances, then you aren't ready to change. Period.
What I really love about this chick is that even with all this controversy, she has not apologized like everyone expects her to. She totally owns her body, her lifestyle and her business and she is not letting this ridiculousness change that.
Now, on the other extreme, I woke up to this in my Facebook Feed this morning:
When I saw it before people all lost their damn minds over it, I thought it was clever marketing. I also thought her boys were adorable and I that I totally want her abs. Then I forgot about it until the internet starting spewing hate. Suddenly, every blog, article and talk show had an opinion about poor Maria Kang and her simple picture. Obviously, I do, too, but its not one I've heard yet. What is wrong with people?! All I have read and heard is that Maria should be ashamed.
How dare she? SHE is what is causing such bad body image today! She is a BULLY who is FAT SHAMING women. Who is SHE to tell me what I should look like? Those aren't even her kids! She is promoting eating disorders! What's my excuse- Fibromyalsia, B*tch! How dare YOU make ME feel worse about my body?
....and so on, and so on. It just gets worse from there.
That's the joy of the internet. You can target random strangers and vent all your insecurities, hatred and negativity all over them with no consequences. You can take one picture and judge everything about them. Last year, I went through something similar when I took a picture of Halloween candy in the trash. Believe it or not, I got mild death threats over it. (If you really want to read all the crazy, check it out here. )
Apparently, this picture made everyone extremely uncomfortable. Seeing a beautiful, muscular woman exposing her midriff after 3 kids hit some nerves. But I take serious exception to anyone saying, "She MADE women feel bad about themselves!" When did it become acceptable to have zero responsibility for your own emotions? If I look at this picture and I feel rage and insecurity and depression, then those are issues that I need to deal with personally. Maria Kang did not break into my house, put me in a headlock, drag me to a mirror naked, point at every roll of fat and scream, "LOOK! LOOK AT HOW UGLY AND FAT YOU ARE!! YOU ARE WORTHLESS AS A PERSON AND MOM!" If she had done that, then I would understand getting on her case. Then, she might have some personal responsibility for how she made me feel. Since as far as I know, she hasn't done that to a single woman in America, no one has the rights to claim that she MADE them do or feel anything.
When you are in fitness, you hear a lot of excuses. Everyone has them. I have them, too, but I try to recognize them when I tell them to myself. Sooner or later, you realize that you can cling to your excuses or your can do something to change what is making you unhappy. If its important enough, you'll find a way. If its not, then you won't. It IS as simple as that. Simple. Not easy. There is a big difference. If you are bound and determined to blame other people and your circumstances, then you aren't ready to change. Period.
What I really love about this chick is that even with all this controversy, she has not apologized like everyone expects her to. She totally owns her body, her lifestyle and her business and she is not letting this ridiculousness change that.
Now, on the other extreme, I woke up to this in my Facebook Feed this morning:
Which prompted a big discussion about how someone promoting fitness should actually look fit. I'm just glad no one ever grabbed a picture of me when I first started teaching and did this to it. The only thing saving me from this kind of humiliation is the fact that they didn't make instructor clothing in my size at the time. I was embarrassed to tell people I was instructor for this very reason. Whenever I did mentioned it, people would glance their gaze up and down my body (quickly, like I wouldn't notice) and then usually follow it up with something lame like, "good for you!" which always sounded so condescending.
But every time I thought about quitting, I would remind myself of all the people I DID help. The students who told me that I inspired them. The people who tried my class because I was less intimidating then someone who "looked like an instructor" or because they noticed the changes in my body and saw that it was working. It was never easy to walk to the front of the class when I was still very heavy, but I'm glad I suffered through that painful period. It would have been a shame to wait until I was perfect. I'd still be waiting.
I guess my point is that you can't please everyone. Especially not on the internet. Whether you look fit or you look fat, if you are in fitness, you are going to have people hating on your body either way. As soon as you put yourself out there and try to help anyone get healthy, others feel obligated to tear you down. As cheesy as it sounds, I just want to yell, "Can't we all just get along?" I don't care if you are 100 lbs overweight and just trying to walk your first mile or if you are trying to put on 3% more muscle for a fitness competition; if you are a crossfit junkie, a triathalon or working your way up to the senior Yoga class. I say, "Keep Going!" Rock your body wherever you are on your journey. Tune out the haters and put a little more love out into the world.
Sweat. Smile. Love.
But every time I thought about quitting, I would remind myself of all the people I DID help. The students who told me that I inspired them. The people who tried my class because I was less intimidating then someone who "looked like an instructor" or because they noticed the changes in my body and saw that it was working. It was never easy to walk to the front of the class when I was still very heavy, but I'm glad I suffered through that painful period. It would have been a shame to wait until I was perfect. I'd still be waiting.
I guess my point is that you can't please everyone. Especially not on the internet. Whether you look fit or you look fat, if you are in fitness, you are going to have people hating on your body either way. As soon as you put yourself out there and try to help anyone get healthy, others feel obligated to tear you down. As cheesy as it sounds, I just want to yell, "Can't we all just get along?" I don't care if you are 100 lbs overweight and just trying to walk your first mile or if you are trying to put on 3% more muscle for a fitness competition; if you are a crossfit junkie, a triathalon or working your way up to the senior Yoga class. I say, "Keep Going!" Rock your body wherever you are on your journey. Tune out the haters and put a little more love out into the world.
Sweat. Smile. Love.
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