Blowing Stereotypes out of the Water

"why plus size women shouldn't do yoga"Agency: lg2 for Penningtonshttp://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/penningtons_yoga
Posted by Ads of the World on Thursday, January 14, 2016

I love this ad. I love that the woman in the ad is beautiful, and that she is unapologetic in her pursuit of health, strength, and flexibility. I used to be so intimidated by the gym and by the anticipated judgment from the other people in the gym. I used that intimidation as an excuse for not taking care of myself for years, and it took me until my 40s to say--to hell with you, judgy people! I care more about my health than about your opinion. I am grateful that I can say that with confidence now. There is no shame in ANY body type. Judgment has no place in the gym or on a hiking trail or in any other venue where people are striving for good things for themselves.

What's In An Average?

This is one of the most interesting articles I have ever read about body image and how we see ourselves: http://nicolepartridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MC05_FEAT_70kg.pdf. It's by Nicole Partridge and from Marie Claire magazine, of all places. I generally despise Marie Claire for photoshopping the women on their covers to near-unreconizability. However, this is pretty great. Each of these woman weighs 154 pounds, which is average in Australia. The article includes an interview with each one about how she feels about her body. Worth a read for sure.

Notes on Body Types

When I did my initial weigh in, the trainer who weighed me took one look at me and declared me an endomorph--he said that this means carbs are my personal enemy and that I should focus on strength training over cardio. I am just now getting around to doing some reading on this topic.

This site has what looks like a good analysis, and a quiz that helps you figure out your body type and how best to train for it: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

I took the quiz, and these were my results:

Traits
Endomorph: 38%
Mesomorph: 63%
Ectomorph: 0%

Your body is between an endomorph and a mesomorph.

Endomorph: Your biggest concern should be losing fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it off. Strength training should be done to get a better muscle-to-fat ratio, which will help to boost your metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast training pace, allowing for very little rest between sets and exercises. Lower your calorie intake and eat frequent but small meals to make sure you're still getting adequate nutrition. Eliminate sugar, sweets, and junk food from your diet. Get your heart pumping by engaging in some form of daily activity such as brisk walking or biking. 

Mesomorph: You have a naturally fit body but, to maintain or improve it, you should adopt an exercise and diet regimen that compliments your build. You can strength train more often and for longer periods of time, but be careful not to overdo it. Train with moderate to heavy weighs and keep a moderate pace, making sure not to rest too long between sets. You'll find you gain muscle quite easily. Don't fear; you won't get "bulky." When you're happy with your muscle size, simply train to maintain. Stick to a good, healthy diet to stay lean and muscular, and watch for any slow-creeping fat gains. Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, but be careful not to overdo it.

I would actually have guessed that I was more endomorph with a smattering of mesomorph. Lord knows that I always have a pretty high body fat percentage. However, I also have thin wrists and ankles, and it's easy for me to build muscle mass if I try at all. I can already tell a huge difference in my arms and legs after just over a month of strength training. If I wanted to become a body builder, as I actually thought about doing when I was in high school, I think that would be an easy path for me. However, I really, really, do NOT want to get bulky. Strong yes, bulky, no.

So it seems to me that what I am doing is about right. Watch the calories, avoid too many carbs, keep the sugar to a minimum, try to focus on building strength and muscle mass, and do some cardio, but not too much with super high heart rates that could be burning that carefully built muscle. It seems to me like the walking is probably better in the long run than the Zumba, but the Zumba is just too fun to stop, and it keeps me motivated. It's all about balance, right?

True Story

This totally, 100% happened to me after having two babies via C-section. This article is a hilarious look at a very annoying problem I battle ever single day:

An Open Letter To My Weird Post-Pregnancy Belly Flap