Friday, April 9, 2010

What I'm "F'D Up" about Today!: Why Do We Do These Studies?


We live in a world of excuses. Honestly, if there is a reason not to do something I won't if I can attach a reasonable excuse to it. "I don't feel like working out today. . .because I have laryngitis." Last time I checked, unless I'm doing intenSati, there isn't a need to use my voice while I'm working out. I'm just being lazy.

I saw this study about fruits and veggies on The Huffington Post. Eating fruits and veggies don't have that big an affect on reducing cancer risks. But if you scroll down to the bottom of the article, it DOES say that fruits and veggies are helpful with stroke and heart disease. Well, those are kind of important to fight against too, right? But the way that the article is worded it seems to give credence that is is okay to not eat your veggies because they don't make that big of a difference to your health.

Why do we print reports like these? I know studies are important. Sure. They tell us what to do and what not to do. . .and then what to do and then what not to do. If I had to count the number of times I've read not to drink coffee and then it's okay to drink coffee I would NEED some coffee to stop the headache! Fruits and veggies are important. We need them. I would hate to think that some poor person reads this study and then decides to screw it and just get the fries.

Do these studies and the way they are worded do more harm than good? Are they really informative or are they adding to the collective consciousness that already doesn't like being told what do to and just gives fuel to the fire? Bob Harper mentioned this Time Magazine article at his yoga class I attended: "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." The author talks about how working out doesn't really help you lose weight because it makes you hungry and leads you to eat more. As you read you discover that it's WHAT you are eating and drinking after you work out that make the difference. If you choose a scone from Starbucks over an apple with peanut butter and a bottle of Gatorade over a bottle of water, the calorie expenditure from the exercise is negated by the heavy calorie content of the snack.


It took me a long time to realize that if I work out hard I shouldn't "reward" myself with something unhealthy to eat because I "earned" it. The working out is the reward, the gift of health! I am 5'4", I weight 158 pounds, I have a 30 inch waist and DDD boobs. I'm small, muscular, and curvy. I'm never going to be a size 4 (I'm a size 8). But I KNOW that working out and eating right works. I used to weigh over 200 pounds. I was a size 18! A study or an article that tells people it's okay not to take care of yourself because it's not going to make a difference really is just wrong. And it's not helpful to our country that really needs the not so gentle shove in the healthy direction.

3 comments:

  1. WOW! Amazing how u went from a size 18 to 8....hope to accomplish the same. Then I think I was always a size 12 in adult life, before gaining all the weight.

    But I hear you on the excercise, and then reward, I tend to do that, and have to stop it, cause will see much better results :-)

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  2. You tell them girl!!

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  3. THANK YOU! I saw that article last week too and it made me so mad. What was their intention with the way that was written? Seriously! I got the same vibe from it you did.

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