I'll bet that we can all see ourselves in this paragraph:
Quote:
People starting a fitness and nutrition plan after a long period of sedentary living often have to cope with several issues that go well beyond losing a few pounds or eating more carrots. For example, they may actually be a player in a family or social psychodrama that depends on them being a stable identity, such as "the fat kid". Once change is initiated, family and friends may respond negatively to this disruption in interpersonal order. This response can range from passive aggressive negativity ("Aren't you getting a little obsessed with all that exercise stuff?") to outright sabotage ("Here, I baked you another tray of butter-iced brownies"). Or, the person themselves may have constructed an elaborate identity and justification for being "the fat kid" or "the person who is smart and thus is sooo above having to care about appearance" or "the person who is a bookworm and hates to associate with jocks" or "the person who has no self control" or "the person who isn't sexually attractive to other people" and so forth. When change occurs, the person unexpectedly has to confront these other issues. S/he may be unprepared and may backslide, reverting to the comfort of familiar surroundings, relationship dynamics, and behaviours. Screwups are often taken as reinforcing evidence that no change is possible, rather than as temporary setbacks.
Of course I had to chuckle at the bit about being 'obsessed' with exercise in light of our recent thread about obsession! People starting a fitness and nutrition plan after a long period of sedentary living often have to cope with several issues that go well beyond losing a few pounds or eating more carrots. For example, they may actually be a player in a family or social psychodrama that depends on them being a stable identity, such as "the fat kid". Once change is initiated, family and friends may respond negatively to this disruption in interpersonal order. This response can range from passive aggressive negativity ("Aren't you getting a little obsessed with all that exercise stuff?") to outright sabotage ("Here, I baked you another tray of butter-iced brownies"). Or, the person themselves may have constructed an elaborate identity and justification for being "the fat kid" or "the person who is smart and thus is sooo above having to care about appearance" or "the person who is a bookworm and hates to associate with jocks" or "the person who has no self control" or "the person who isn't sexually attractive to other people" and so forth. When change occurs, the person unexpectedly has to confront these other issues. S/he may be unprepared and may backslide, reverting to the comfort of familiar surroundings, relationship dynamics, and behaviours. Screwups are often taken as reinforcing evidence that no change is possible, rather than as temporary setbacks.
And she concludes by saying:
Quote:
... we need to develop a strong core - and I'm not talking about Pilates or jumping on vinyl balls. We need to develop, maintain, and care for a strong sense of internal self. Fitness is part of this project because it helps us test and surpass our limits. It teaches us skill and confidence, and it forces us to meet challenges. If we stick to it through difficulty, then we are rewarded in ways that are often hard to see.
I couldn't agree more about how fitness - learning to use and take care of our bodies - makes us strong in all areas of our lives.... we need to develop a strong core - and I'm not talking about Pilates or jumping on vinyl balls. We need to develop, maintain, and care for a strong sense of internal self. Fitness is part of this project because it helps us test and surpass our limits. It teaches us skill and confidence, and it forces us to meet challenges. If we stick to it through difficulty, then we are rewarded in ways that are often hard to see.
Check it out and let us know what you think!
, WOOHOO I thought, "I" CAN do it, I CAN!! So this week I am looking forward to getting into that pool again... The same with running tonight I ran really really well and thought "geez if I didn't have to rush home to make supper I'd continue"... I never thought when I started running that I would run a 5 or 10k easily... I never ever thought I would even THINK of doing a triathlon either 
... And before last week I was sure I wasn't going to do that triathlong because it seemed that I wasn't improving with my swimming, but now I'm feeling it, "it" being the strength that I CAN. 
MOI ... ATHLETIC!!! I was totally flabergasted, but totally flattered 
