I don’t visit many fitness sites. Not because I’m a runner snob or purist, but because I don’t like the ‘business’ side of ‘fitness’. Those who instantly ‘get’ what I’m talking about separates the ‘fitness’ minded from the FITNESS minded.
I’m not the running riddler, but the reason I don’t go to lots of fitness sites is because I really don’t like the hypocrisy of it all. I’m a straight-shooter, telling it like it is, kinda gal. ’12 Minutes to FLAT ABs’…’Workout in 8mins or less!’
EIGHT minutes? Seriously? I don’t even consider 8 minutes enough time for a proper warm-up. So I guess I should define what a workout is. I’m not talking about a ‘follow-up’ core routine, stretching, weight circuit. For a runner or anyone who is truly FITNESS minded some of those routines can certainly be on the quicker side, maybe all you need IS 8 minutes because you busted your butt doing 800’s and cardio earlier.
When I’m talking workout I mean EVERYTHING. Start to finish, if you do double sessions, those minutes count as rollover. Newsflash: the ‘fitness’ celebrities touting those ‘8 minutes is ALL you need!’ workouts, they for DARN sure don’t do THEIR workouts in only 8 minutes.
It’s the business that peeves me. If you’re going to tell people what to do, be upfront. Yes, I know the MAJORITY of Americans DO NOT want to hear they’ve got to bust a sweat doing cardio for at least 30 minutes and follow it up with some core and ab work. Waaaa…I’d rather be watching the Kardashian! Well, you could do both running on a treadmill…haha.
So the 12 and 8 minutes things sell, they are hot keywords, they attract the masses like flies to a bush post runner emergency dive. The same also applies to the warped food pictures and supposed meals ‘fitness’ websites promote. Have you seen the Instagram pictures of a scant sliver of chicken with a side of five sliced cucumbers? If that was my meal I’d wind up eating my foot. Actually on those, I just don’t understand, is that seriously all they eat? But who knows, who really cares (well, actually tons of people do…it comes back to the business thing I guess)…but the fact that it really makes me question brings me right back to my biggest issue…
I’m a straight-shooter, I like to be upfront. I expect and appreciate that from my readers and everyone else, so I like to do the same. If you want to run your best, if you want to race to PR’s…because da** THAT feels good, it takes work. Lots.of.work.
It will hurt. Workouts will make you wonder why in the flip you have this sick fascination with pushing yourself. Your brain will even try to lie to you and say you really don’t care, that if you just stopped you’d be okay with that. But those are LIES.
Running tests you more mentally than it will physically. Well, maybe a tie, lactic acid sure does hurt physically. But that’s the POINT. Anything worth it takes work. It isn’t done in 8 minutes or less. It isn’t ‘easy, painless, quick’ or any of the other keywords picked up by Google by the ‘fitness’ masses.
We’re runners, or if you totally get what I’m talking about, we’re FITNESS minded. We want to bust our own @$$es because the rewards good… eight minutes be da**ed!
1) What are the majority of websites and blogs that you visit?
2) What is your definition of a workout?
3) What’s your take on the Instagram foodie reverse porn? I think the follow-up snap should be them wolfing down the half gallon of ice cream at 12 midnight. 😉
Well… races hurt. We don’t run and train so we don’t hurt in races. We run and train so we can deal with the hurt.
As far as the 8 minute workouts and things like that go, I don’t so much have an issue with that (8 minutes *is* long enough for a workout if your workout is an ab circuit, after all) as I do the fads such as body wraps or supplements that burn extra fat, etc, with NO work.
I think with food it’s best to stay off social media. I’m munching on my pop tart this morning because that’s what I eat before I run. I know it’s not the healthiest thing, but it works for me. It’s quick and doesn’t bother my digestion. Sometimes I think the food posts are very “I’m better than you” ish.
races hurt for sure, and there’s that extra gratification afterwards knowing we pushed and SURVIVED that hurt…makes us feel all the tougher. 🙂
Well put Cait!
websites:
competitorrunning.com – for inspiration and motivation
caitchock.com – for inspiration and motivation 🙂 ekhartyoga.com – $12.50/month home yoga practice
asanadiagostics.com – yoga teacher resource
blogs: Marcia’s Healthy Slice, Jill Will Run, Shut up and run
Workout = At least 30 minutes of concentrated effort with a goal in mind. I want to say exertion, but I also consider a supine yoga session with the goal of loosening up the hips and getting into the fascia a workout.
Reverse food porn = stupid. Thank you messed up society and negative body image for encouraging people to consider starving themselves a brag-worthy accomplishment! As with many runners I run for the sense of accomplishment, but I also run for wine and steak and dark beer and scones and cookies!
i love competitor too!! and you are so awesome, thanks for adding my name to the list! 🙂 i’ll have to check out the yoga sites and i’m also a fan of Shut up and Run. 🙂
yea, reverse food porn is just idiotic and i’m right there with you…we EARN those cookies!! 🙂
I agree with you 100%!! I have never been into the fads or gimmicks that so many people use to try to promote either a product or themselves!!!
I’m one of those people that think hard work is the only way to go! Even at 44, I still consider myself an athlete and I train hard – usually at least an hour, 6 days a week. Some days it is a little less and other days it is much more. I also think that the intensity is important. If I’m going to spend the time, I want it to count and not just putz around!!!
The food – I’m not the healthiest eater so I have nothing – I eat what I like in as healthy way as possible but I also enjoy my wine and other junk food!
you sure as heck ARE an athlete!! and i love your site (well, and you in general of course! hehe) because you’re ALWAYS on the same page as me. i will never start promoting the stupid gimmicks and hard work is the only way to go. but as for your eating, i think that IS the healthiest mindset, eat in a healthy way and that includes the foods that feed the tongue and the mind/soul as well. 🙂 #workedforit
Sing it, sister! I love the “try showing me her prs” photo. This is precisely why I hate “fit mom” and fitspo in general – it’s all about looks and not able what you can actually do with that “hot” body. And even if it was all about how you look, you’re not going to look like a hardcore athlete unless you workout like one, which as you said is going to take a heckuva a lot longer than 8:00 a day or even half an hour a day!
thank you and i KNEW i could count on my Salty Sisters to be right there sharing my same thoughts and message. glad you liked that fitspo piece…some of that stuff out there is just so ridiculous. loved that last point, you’ll never look hardcore if you’re ‘hardcore’ is 8 mins a day, end of story! 🙂
I mostly read blogs that are running-related. But I feel like you get a lot of other random stuff from running blogs, because running becomes a part of your life. So people end up sharing about all the other stuff in their life.
you know what i LOVE what you bring up here in that you get so much ‘random’ things reading about running because it’s so true, it’s a part of a whole life, a whole state of mind and way of thinking. it’s funny how many ways it seeps into ourselves and we aren’t even aware of it…we just think it’s the ‘norm’. 🙂
Oh how I agree with you! In fact, I have completely lost all patience for all of those sites that make those claims. And, the whole trend towards “burn an extra 300 calories and then slash your calories 200 at each meal and lose five lbs immediately!!!!” makes me nauseous. And hungry. And tired. No wonder so many people either fail at weight loss, running or lose weight only to gain back more. Like you, I would be eating my feet if I had to stick to the two-bite plate. This is also why I can’t talk to most people about fitness and diet trends- I get all worked up about it! And hungry.
we’re SOOO on the same page!! and also you bring up actually talking/giving advice in person. when i hear people at the gym or grocery store or anywhere talking about these fads and crazes, i just want to suckerpunch them. haha. nawww, but i roll my eyes and leave because it is really too irritating. 😛
My 10th grade geography teacher said one thing over and over: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” (clearly she said it enough to stick with me). It applies in fitness and running too. Results (PRs!!!) don’t come easy and they certainly aren’t free, they come with dedication and hard work…a lot more than 8-12 minutes per workout!
And I too would eat my foot if all I had to eat was a slice of chicken and cucumber. That would be an appetizer! 😉
haha…PERFECT slogan, “there’s no such thing as a free PR!” love it! 🙂
and yea, seriously people?!?! 😉