I am surrounded by self-destructive idiots.

[ladymirth]

Swear to God, if I come across one more woman who tells me she's on a "watermellon diet"/ eats only an apple for breakfast/ is eating only one meal a day, I am going to totally lose my shit and throttle her.

What the fuck is WRONG with you people?!

I'm not being a hypocrite. I worry about overeating and obsess over my flabby stomach too. But my solution is to eat moderately and folow a steady workout regimen. I also use those hours I do not spend on friggin' Facebook to use the famous information superhighway to do a bit of homework on how and how far I can lose weight and tone down.

These women? The very mention of gym is anathema to them, they reject any technique that won't lose them 30 pounds a month and they come up with crazy-ass techniques they concoct in their own little heads - like eating only watermelons for lunch. Why? Because going to the gym is "too hard" or "too expensive".

*kicks something*

*breathes*

You can't be bothered to go to the gym, or you can't afford to go to the gym, but you can afford to starve yourself to death? And if a gym IS truly beyond your budget, then why not just do some basic stretching and aerobic exercises every day for twenty minutes?

I'll tell you why. Because the women of our day and generation are not trained to give a rat's fart about actual, long-term health. What they ARE brainwashed into believing is that their lives are worth much less than a person who can look good in a sheathe dress.

Call me a grandma, but I don't understand the modern concept of beauty anymore. The stick-thin creatures that are allowed to strut down the catwalk on TV makes my stomach turn. They are gaunt and hollow-eyed, and look vaguely like Aushwitz survivors. How people can compare THAT to a round cheeked, bright-eyed girl with some meat on her bones, I have NO idea.

But that's just me. Yes, stick-thin is attractive to some people. Plump is attractive to others. That's because beauty is a subjective issue. It's all in the eye of the beholder.

What's NOT subjective is good health. A healthy person is someone whose every organ fuctions at optimum capacity, be it their immune system, flexibility or brain power. How each person arrives at this point is subjective to their own unique bio-chemical make-up. Methods that work well for some do not produce the same results for others.

Here's an article that can explain the basics of how to gauge your state of health better.

Bottom-line, the main reason you exercise or diet should be to BE HEALTHIER. Losing weight is not always indicative of better health.

The point of living is to enjoy ALL the good things in life, not just a two-piece swimsuit. What the hell is the point of looking good in a swimsuit if you can't ever binge on pizza or stuff your face with chocolate occasionally? (Actually, gorging on junk food once a week while on a diet IMPROVES your metabolism and makes your diet more effective.) And it's not just food. What about the thrill of discovering just how strong and lithe a machine your body is? What about the sense of acheivement that comes from pushing yourself to swim just that one more lap when you feel about to collapse, and the thrill when you can FINALLY touch your forehead to your knees? What about knowing you are pyshically strong enough to land a significant punch on a guy who can't get that "no" means "no"?

You are missing out on half your life. Why? Because you want a 28-inch waistline in 20 days. Or because everybody else and their grandma's poodle thinks you should have a 28 inch waist. Which is even worse.

I will say it again.

My dear, dear, sisters, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

Comments

[elluxion.livejournal.com]

It's almost as stupid as "pregorexics" who worry more about not gaining weight than the kid growing in their uterus. -_-"

This rant owns, btw. and kind of hits home because I'm guilty of some of the abovementioned irksome stupid things, sigh

I blame the media. We've been bombarded with images of starving women dressed in Versace for too long. I read this article once that detailed the HOW behind staying rail-thin in Hollywood, and it revealed that most of those actresses maintain their weight because they go on very unhealthy diets, do hardcore drugs or are chain smokers.

*eyes widen* You can touch your forehead to your TOES? Go you!!

oh & thanks for the info about gorging on junk food once a week. I gorged on Sunday and was feeling a bit guilty about it ever since, lol. xD

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

It's almost as stupid as "pregorexics" who worry more about not gaining weight than the kid growing in their uterus.

Well, there's not much that can top chain-smoking pregnant mothers.

it revealed that most of those actresses maintain their weight because they go on very unhealthy diets, do hardcore drugs or are chain smokers.

I know, right? Half these celebrity diets guaranteeing a six-pack have so little carbs that professional nutritionists do not recommend them if they can help it. CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY, PEOPLE! It's as stupid as trying to run a car with a minimal amount of fuel.

You can touch your forehead to your TOES? Go you!!

Crap. I meant knees. *facepalm* Sorry! I'm pretty flexible, but I've never heard of anybody being able to touch your forehead to your toes. Unless you were doing Yoga or something. *LOL*

oh & thanks for the info about gorging on junk food once a week. I gorged on Sunday and was feeling a bit guilty about it ever since, lol. xD

Here is the source.

Sanj, you might have been a bit stupid at one time, but I'll never stop admiring how you were strong enough to admit you had a problem and were so mature and pro-active about it. You give me hope for everyone else. *hugs*

[pgwfolc.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of anybody being able to touch your forehead to your toes.

I can! Can't touch forehead to knee, but my knees are flexible enough (from the habit I picked up from my big sister of sitting in half-lotus position) to bring my toes up those extra few inches. But I'm guessing that's not what you meant.

Anyway... good rant! I agree completely.

In a way, it's something the Onion touched on a few years ago.

And the thing is... Being healthy is sexy. It's good for you, and that's certainly way more important. But... even if you're just trying to look good... how about some muscle tone? We don't see much of it these days, but limbs with some curves to them are way hotter than these straight tubes I keep seeing. So if you're going to put looks above everything else (which is stupid, but so crammed down our throats that it's hard to avoid) at least do it right!

Sorry I don't have much intelligent to add. You've made all the best points already...

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

I thought of the lotus position afterwards, but yeah, that was not what I meant. Congrats though! I can do it too, but unentagling myself after is a bit tricky. =D

Haha. Gotta love the Onion. I particularly enjoyed their "Harry Potter is Satanic" article a couple of years back.

But haven't you heard, Paul? Muscles are just so unattractive in a woman. And besides, you actually have to lift weights and stuff. Torture!

Humanity, I despair of you.

[pgwfolc.livejournal.com]

I haven't been able to do full lotus since I was a kid, but half lotus is actually rather comfortable.

Onion does some good work. Sorry if I've linked this particular article before. I have a sneaking suspicion that I did the last time you posted on this subject.

I probably also mentioned then, though I'll say it again, that things could be worse. It wasn't so many generations ago that women around here were using arsenic the way they use make-up these days. Not that they put it on their face, but it was that common, and taken to get that fine porcelain skin that was popular at the time. Standard prescription? "Just enough that you're only fainting once or twice a day." At least we've moved past that.

As for muscles... *sigh* I really miss women having actual muscle tone. Not that I'm asking for giant man-crushing muscles like you'd see on Chyna (pro wrestler) or Wonder Woman or She-Hulk or whatever. Just some firmness and curvature would be nice.

But hey... We survived arsenic and moved on. And now, instead of being wiltingly feminine flowers swooning at the drop of a hat, modern women are actually integrated into the workforce. Not fully, but quite significantly. There's progress...

[kemidra.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to come around to this point of view. I can see it off in the distance, but it's getting closer.

Have you seen this? It's corny but good. Kind of helped switch my viewpoint a little.

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

My computer has a virus that won't let me open YouTube directly. I CAN open it through searching via Google video though. Can you tell me the title of the video?

[kemidra.livejournal.com]

Sure - Do a search for Fat Rant. It should be the top one. She has a couple others with the same name - the one I'm talking about starts with her driving in a car with a girl talking about smoking.

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

ZOMG, I am in love with that woman! Yes, yes, yes, and WORD to everything she says!

And you know, the first things that came to my mind when I looked at her was not that she's overweight. In fact, I refuse to believe that she IS over-weight. She's just heavily built. And I'd bet anything that that 224 pound woman is WAY more athletic than my puny 110 pound ass has ever been in my entire life.

I'm watching the ENTIRE SERIES and linking them on a separate post. That way, when the stupid hits the roof I can re-watch them to remind me that intelligent life on earth is not yet extinct.

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

Did I mention that she's gorgeous?

[kemidra.livejournal.com]

She really is. "Hot," to use my boyfriend's word.

She reminds me of an old friend of the family. She's got the same kind of build but her hair and makeup is always flawless and she wears such awesome clothes that she looks gorgeous. And men were actually usually more into her than my beautiful slim sister, because Jen carried herself like a woman who knows she's sexy, whereas my sister always sort of hid in herself.

[mrsmosley.livejournal.com]

I agree with all of the above! The only consolation I can offer is that a good number of those women will eventually gain some sense. Unfortunately, some won't, and I feel so sorry for them.

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

The only consolation I can offer is that a good number of those women will eventually gain some sense.

They will? Really?

But will they see sense before the rehab clinic or after? That is the question.

[k-maedae.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what happened to the time when being skinny meant you were poor and sickly? And being a healthy, sizable woman meant you were healthy, wealthy and would bear healthy children. And when it was ok to not have a tan. Ahh... I miss those days.

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

Well, hello! I added you back. Out of curiosity, how did you find me though?

I think the social commentary here is that beauty belongs to rich people, who can afford to have dieticians and trainers and adventure sports and long tropical vacations. The rich people in the old days could afford to stay inside and preserve their complexions and eat well.

In essence, beauty is where the money's at. =(

[k-maedae.livejournal.com]

Hey! I think I found you through.... uhhh.... well crap. I dont really remember. You commented on someones blog about something. Real specific right?

And too true about the money. Too bad all over slightly overweight people are poor. At least I try to run every other morning. That doesnt cost anything.

[betgirl.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you. As someone who's been struggling with weight issues for most of my life, I would still like to be thin, not stick-thin, but thin. But I would rather be overweight for the rest of my life than to sacrifice my health for that. I swim and I will eat not so healthy foods every once in a while. I do obsess about these things, some days more than others, but I'm happy I don't let it rule my life.

It's sad to see that a lot of women out there value being thin at all costs more than they do being a good person and doing good things...

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

I know. Never mind being better people, and give to the homeless, what can really make your Christmas is losing ten pounds. Argh.

Hear, hear!

[monicawoe.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you! For me this is a highly personal issue as well. I have friends at work that seem to think the only purpose of a gym is to lose weight, and that aggravates me too. The point isn't to weigh less, the point is to take care of your body.
Furthermore I am absolutely aggravated by the inherent hypocrisy of our gender striving for equality and simultaneously idolizing a stick-figure body. Tell me, how are you ever going to be self-sufficient when you starve yourselves to the point of frailty?

Re: Hear, hear!

[ladymirth.livejournal.com]

I hear you. The first reaction I get when I tell people that I go to the gym regularly is, "But Hasini, you're not fat!". It makes me want to tear my hair out.

The crux of the matter is that our society can no longer differentiate between "image-conscious" and "health-conscious". So then, we have miguided counter-campaigns telling people who are unhealthily obese to "be proud of their body". And on the other end of the issue, "thin-stereotyping" begins as an off-shoot of "fat acceptance" (much like male-bashing became an off-shoot of feminism) and genetically thin people get bullied. All of this while scientists keep trying to standardize body weight and declare people to be overweight, regardless of how they're built or whether they're just big-boned.

It's just one big fat mess. Pun intended. =)

Out of curiosity, how did you find me? I think legoline is the only mutual friend we have.