Detours BODY

this is an important thing to establish. Anyone would assume that having real low levels of body fat where your abs are visible and you can see striations everywhere would make anyone assume that that body is fit and healthy. Some people strive to obtain those bodies in the most unhealthy ways, aiming to have the fitness model look - which lets face it looks great but unobtainable by the majority. Simply because they have dieted down for that look and most of them don’t look that lean 100% of the time, but the general public strive for that image because thats what we see on "fitness" magazines!

Some people are naturally lean and have an easier time getting and staying that way ‘with  some’ sacrifice to boot.

I met a lady who was a bodybuilder 10 years ago, her contest body was amazing, but seeing her in the gym she was anything but amazing, bigger (as you’d imagine off season) but she just didn’t look "healthy". She told me about her practices in the sport which I thought sounded horrific to put your body through for the sake of low body fat and vascularity and the rest.. the people who had died backstage because of the things they were taking to mask symptoms to tell them that things were not right with them, they looked great but dropped dead!

I can’t see why people sacrifice their life for the sport or the look that is hard to achieve and maintain. Actually I can - It looks amazing, you stand out from the crowd and have a notoriousness about you. We are human and want to be seen to have achieved things but who says that is healthy. I have seen some people who have more body fat on them than me but can swim a trillion more lengths in the pool than me, who can say that they are not fit?

We need to establish the difference between aesthetics and fitness and health. You can be fit and unhealthy as long as your body is conditioned to do the task. You can be  healthy but on the large side with no visible muscle. You can be muscular and unhappy.. endless.

The main thing is to not think that being lean is the only way to mark your fitness because it isn’t. Being strong also isn’t a mark of health, but a combination is more true. Find a happy medium which isn’t entirely extreme to a point where you are left with no energy but a body that "looks" good, you have to feel good too