I'm not sure if any of you follow Charlotte Andersen's blog, The Great Fitness Experiment but it's a must read for me. Charlotte writes articulately and sensitively about her past experiences with ED, as well as abuse, but also shares hilarious stories about her monthly experiments with different kinds of fitness regimens and observations of human behavior.
One of her posts earlier this week was particularly interesting. She explores how society feels about food and sex, and which get looked down on more. I can't say it any better than she does, so I'll post the link and hope some of you find it as interesting as I did.
Thanks so much for this, Jen. I really relate to these observations. In fact, just prior to reading your post & going to this woman's blog, I'd just written this in a post here on 3FC.
Quote:
This may just be how it feels to me, but some diets have made me feel as though I'm pledging myself to a religious sect when I embark upon them. There are texts to consult, to interpret the true words of the diet's leading evangelist. If I don't adhere strictly to the ritual or if I lapse in my strict practice, I feel like a failed acolyte. So it's less like science to me -- which is what I am kind of hoping for -- than like religion.
This woman is really onto something. I am sure of it.
"If magazines are any indication, every woman in America would rather be known for being promiscuous than being a porker."
That is so true. If you look at a lot of magazines geared to women in their twenties (which I am), they feature headlines like, "How to be Great in Bed" right next to one that says, "The Secret to a Lean Tummy". Inside, there are articles full of sex tips, women writing in talking about their multiple sex partners, and ads for diet pills and exercise programs. I used to read Cosmo for the beauty product reviews and sometimes interesting celebrity interviews, but stopped my subscription because I couldn't read one more story about how to "satisfy men in the sack."
The test of the thesis would be to ask any starlet or celebutante what she'd dread more:
1) NY Post story on her private sex tape which has made its way onto the Internet
2) Unflattering photo of her recent weight gain on cover of National Inquirer
Which one would enhance her career? Which one could sink it?
Really thought-provoking blog post
