Thursday, February 17, 2011

Are you a health snob?

From blogs to books and everything in between, this world we live in is completely inundated with health and wellness. From the latest and greatest equipment to the best-of-the-best exercises, from well-branded shoes to clothes that epitomize cool—and we all really, truly want to be cool—we just can't get away from it. So we buy into the hype. We sign up for the latest diets and the most popular fitness classes. We dress ourselves in the hottest gym gear, carry the fanciest gym bag, then we head to the gym and work hard. And when we're done, we hit up a restaurant with friends and order the healthiest meal possible. Because that's what fit people do, right?

Right. But sometimes we get lost in all that shuffle and we start playing keep-up. He's got those shoes, mine are no longer good enough. She's wearing that brand, I can't possibly wear these old shorts again. He's lifting those weights, I'll just give up right now. But really, who cares. I say this: stop judging yourself.

And on the flip side, stop judging others. That is what turns you into a health snob. If you repeatedly look at others and question their fitness, pick apart every last muscle you either see or don't see, or if you condemn them for ordering something slightly unhealthy (or super healthy) at a meal—if you do this, or if you ever catch yourself doing this, ask yourself why you've let it happen. Is it justified, or are you just projecting a personal issue onto an innocent bystander?

We all have our own way of participating when it comes to health and wellness. I can't tell you what to do (unless you're my client, ha) and you can't tell me what to do. My body, my mind and my soul are all completely different from yours. And that's what makes personal relationships so beautiful. Even at the gym. We can all learn from each other. We can all coexist. So harness that negative, health-snob energy when you feel it coming to fruition. Make it positive and talk to the subject of your thoughts. Does she really look like a man, or are you totally envious of her slim and sleek (and totally strong) physique? Does it really annoy you when someone orders a salad, or are you regretting your lack of willpower in the burger department? Again, talk to the subject of your thoughts. You might discover a new trick of the health and wellness trade.

And if you're lucky, you might even discover something about yourself.

Speaking of burgers...nah, just kidding! I don't have a burger recipe for you. I could devour a turkey burger right about now, though. One that's fresh off the grill, maybe with a side of corn on the cob. It's all this warm weather we've been having. And when I think about warm weather, I think about our grill. And turkey burgers.

Love them. Don't you?

Question: Are you a health snob?

4 comments:

Hally Bell said...

Sorry, but I sort of have to disagree with you about one thing. And that 'thing' is when it comes to food. I've noticed my attitude and thoughts about food have changed drastically over the past 6 months, so much so that I DO take note when friends or family order something or cook something that isn't healthy. I think its your/our duty as enlightened new and now healthy people to encourage others to make better choices. Just because I think inside my own head that I wish my sister would knock it off with the Taco Bell doesnt make me snob, it makes me care about her, her body, and her self esteem.

TARA said...

Thanks for reading, Hally! I totally agree with you. As healthy eaters, we should always be inclined to encourage our peers. It never hurts to give someone a friendly piece of advice...to educate them. But there's a huge difference between education (translation: encouragement) and judgement, and it's the judgement part that (in my opinion) makes one a "health snob" because the truth is—indulging in a meal at Taco Bell does not make a person worthy of ill will. You might not be the type of person to judge a Taco Bell eater, but other people out there might. And I hope to inspire their way of thinking with my (and now your) thoughts above.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes my husband will ask for my advice when ordering from a menu, and sometimes he will order the nachos. ;-)

InsidersHealth said...

We here at InsidersHealth support a healthy lifestyle and natural medicine, so in a backwards way, we support the “health snob.” Because of this, we thought it’d be fun to poke at the trend (and at ourselves) and did this short video on YouTube. http://youtu.be/5iIFpTwcaak Hope you enjoy it and have a healthy and happy day!

www.insidershealth.com

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