Tag: weight

Rekindled

slimjimsilversLeave a comment
I ran 17 laps over the course of two hours, I was winded, but hardly exhausted. These were the days I lived for. I was in first grade when I first participated in the Terry Fox run, an annual international charity track event meant to raise funds for cancer research in honor of Canadian hero, Terry Fox. This event is where I believe my relationship with sports or athletics in general really began, racing my friends across the long stretches of the track until we collapsed on the grassy ditch to catch our breath, just to do it again countless times.
 
For the next three years, my passion for sports grew even further. At school I participated in badminton, dodgeball, fitness, swimming, everything they had to offer. I was by no means a stellar student-athlete; outside of school my childhood consisted of next to no physical activity, having busy parents, no siblings, and neighbors I was unfamiliar with, my outdoor activities consisted solely of digging holes in the backyard. All of that aside, I still loved physical activity, making sure to fill my recess with as much tag and soccer as I possibly could.
 
In fourth grade, however, I found that my affinity to athletics had shifted towards food instead, and as I slowly gained an appreciation for eating, I slowly lost interest and ability to participate in sports. I began an exponential weight gain that lasted, thankfully, only five years, but took a tremendous toll on my body. At my peak in seventh grade, I would strain myself climbing the stairs, I’d wear shirts two sizes too big to conceal everything I could, and I was eating a family-sized bag of chips every day. So to sum things up, things weren’t looking too hot for me. In those five years, my relationship with athletics had become estranged and I intentionally belittled sports as primitive to somehow justify to myself my current condition. However, being the aspiring hypocrite that I was, I still tried desperately to get onto every sports team offered at my school, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, whatever team sport that would have me, but unsurprisingly, every time, I was nowhere to be seen on the lists.
 
Even after I got my weight problem under control and ended up going too far in the other direction I found the same issues with sports. I had no strength, no energy, no agility to participate in any activity apart from golf, but I was awful at golf so that was out of the question for me anyway. In the last four years, I’m proud to say I’ve finally gotten my weight under control, I no longer count every calorie that enters my body out of fear of losing control again. I know what went wrong and how to avoid those same mistakes.
 
Basketball is where I’ve been able to express this change the most. My freshman year I had 12 minutes of playing time the entire season. I can’t blame my coach for any of that, I was 6’4 inches of skin and bone, I didn’t have the strength to shoot a basketball from the free-throw line, and I could jump maybe a foot off the ground. The past few years, I’ve grown taller and stronger and I’ve trained relentlessly. I’m by no means the MVP I had hoped I would be. But now being one of the main contributors to my basketball team after my tenuous past with sports, I can finally look back and feel proud about my athletic ability, something that once meant so much to me, for the first time in nearly 10 years.

The Year Everyone Was Offended By Everythi

mushuooLeave a comment

As I grow older, I continue to notice more about those around me. This year, I have taken particular attention to the issues with body image and gender debates and have noticed that in every aspect of these subjects, people seem to become greatly offended.

Having a “positive body image” is all about loving yourself no matter how much you weigh or what jean size you wear, yet people on both sides of the spectrum are constantly critiquing each other.

Words like “fat” and “anorexic” and “overweight” have become sensitive, and it no longer matters if you are skinny, overweight, chubby, or just average; you WILL be criticized for your weight. The irony in this is everyone is preaching having a positive body image, when in reality, we continue to criticize those who are not of an ideal weight.

Secondly, the gender debates. Recently, two UCLA women publicized their opinions on gender neutral bathrooms stating “Transgenderism is a mental disorder”, “get your agenda out of my bathroom”, and “there are only two genders”. While many may agree or disagree, these are their opinions, and they are entitled to share them.

The issue here is that no matter what, people will always have different opinions, the issue at hand is to cease the mass amounts of sensitivity towards these subjects. Understandably, people have strong opinions on these subjects, but this is not a reason to push personal opinions onto everyone around us.

Just my opinion.

PHOTO: 

The Dailey Method

yrreskrap1 Comment

With summer (and graduation) just around the corner, I have been trying to get fit. My goal is to lose about 5 pounds and get muscle tone.

Well, this weekend was a good step towards achieving my goal.

This morning, I went to the Dailey Method in Santa Barbara with my friend Emmy for the first time. I thought this class would be a breeze but boy was I wrong.

The Dailey Method kicked my butt (or, if i wanted to use proper Dailey Method terminology, it had kicked my seat).

The Dailey Method is a system that combines barre, core, yoga, and orthopedic exercises. There are multiple Dailey Method locations all around America, although many are concentrated in California.

What drew me to the Dailey Method was the way it toned your body to keep it in alignment. I have scoliosis in my upper and lower back that often makes me very tense. The end result of this tough workout was, surprisingly, a more relaxed body. My back feels great and I am not sore at all.

I only wish that they had a location in Boston, where I hope to go to college. For now, I will try to go to as many classes as I can!

Please check out the website: http://www.thedaileymethod.com/index.html

And the video:

Mauritania Wants Obesity

vabenissimoLeave a comment

“You are fat.”

I am almost certain that most women around the world want to avoid this title except for the ones in the northwestern region of Africa.

Fascinatingly, Mauritania considers obesity as an intricate beauty symbol.

Since young age, females from this place are pressured to stuff themselves with fattening foods. Their parents encourage them to gain weight constantly. Believe or not, vomit is even considered to be “natural” and “good.” They also intentionally increase their weight before marriage to satiate their “lovers’” taste.

This practice seems odd. However, this tradition is something to be reflected much more gravely.

An increasing number of these women are experiencing health threats and are becoming mentally traumatized by the societal demands.

Thankfully, younger generation seems to be less committed to this practice and some organizations initiated their help to educate these victims the healthy ways to live.

Unfortunately, this case divulges no vast difference from the case of most young women from other nations where the desire to thin out is choking numerous women out of their lives.

Please girls and women,  you decide the right ways to live.