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Old 04-23-09, 12:22 PM  
videofit
 
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Why are exercisers criticized and called obsessed?

If you work out regularly, you are called obsessed. People who play basketball, take dance classes or swim aren’t called obsessed. Yet we all enjoy physical activity. There also seems to be more of an edge to this criticism if you aren’t overweight. We've even seen it on this forum.

Do you think the accusers feel guilty because they do little to nothing? Are they jealous?

Looking and feeling good is the best revenge!
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Old 04-23-09, 12:33 PM  
MuscleGuy
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by videofit
Do you think the accusers feel guilty because they do little to nothing? Are they jealous?

Yes. Everyone who has ever said I am obsessed with exercise or comments to that effect could do with more than a little exercise themselves.

Tom Venuto addresses this is his "Body Fat Solution" book. He gives the fisherman's tale that if you catch a crab and put it in a bucket, you need to put a lid on because it will climb out. If you catch more than one crab and put it in a bucket, there is no need for the lid...whenever a crab tries to climb out, the others drag it back down into the bucket.


Adam
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Old 04-23-09, 12:34 PM  
Patti S.
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I think that "they" feel defensive because they don't exercise like we do and they project that defensiveness into being critical on us "nutty exercisers".
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Old 04-23-09, 12:41 PM  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by videofit

Do you think the accusers feel guilty because they do little to nothing? Are they jealous?

Looking and feeling good is the best revenge!
It really depends. It's so hard to generalize. I don't like to think of my routines of self-care as "revenge"--in any context, even if insults are hurdled my way. If I ever exercised as a form of revenge, I think that would be obsessive behavior. (I'm speaking for myself here.)

Accusations in general seem annoying. What business is my fitness routine to anyone else? But if a friend or family member is responding to signals that a fitness routine has somehow taken over, has become such a big focus that it detracts from other sources of happiness and makes a person isolated and miserable, I think it's fine to question these behaviors, to wonder if they're obsessive.

Good friends voice concerns. Bad friends belittle.
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Old 04-23-09, 12:44 PM  
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I exercise regularly, so I hope no one thinks ill of me when I say that to a certain point, I think some people can be a little fanatical. I have a friend, or example, who HAS to exercise every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. She cannot be flexible about this. So if I wanted her to go out with me on Friday evening, she can't go because it is workout night. Um, gee, can't you workout in the morning or put off the workout until Saturday? I just think she is a little too rigid in her approach to fitness. Oh, she also has to do the same thing every time she exercises--walk/run on treadmill for one hour, plus a little toning work with 3-lb. weights. She has been doing this same routine for years. (And don't get me started on her food issues!)

I am certainly not envious of my friend for sticking to a routine. I have a routine, too, but I'm not married to it.

Donna
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Old 04-23-09, 12:56 PM  
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Before I started to exercise, I viewed those that did as nutty because they enjoyed something that I hated so much. Before I hit my early 30's mostly my only experiences with exercise had been recess and PE at school, usually being forced to participate in something I was horrible at {such as baseball, or worse track and field}, to the jeers of my classmates. These experiences taught me that exercise wasn't something I excelled at, and should be avoided at all costs.

I haven't really come across anyone who was willing to tell me to my face that I exercise too much. Frankly, being a plus size woman, I'm not sure most people know or can tell that I exercise, unless I bring the subject up myself.
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Old 04-23-09, 12:56 PM  
Sarah-lara
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I've noticed it a little, aimed only at home exercisers. I guess for runners people might think you like getting outdoors. For basketball players, they might assume you enjoy the group activity. But it might be harder for some to understand someone actually enjoys using the stairmaster in the basement four times a week.
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Old 04-23-09, 12:59 PM  
dnna
 
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I don't think I am "obessed"- working out is my hobby and I love all the new releases-new forms of at home workouts. But..I am trying to get my son to be less obseesive- I prefer to say -have a more balanced approach, be a little more flexible, take some rest days. He ( and his father) get very tense and keyed up if they don't exercise. so it is an in family type conversation-
I can take a day off, even two but after that I get edgy-even a little worried/upset and want to be back on my schedule- so I guess I too fit into the category!! lol
donna
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Old 04-23-09, 01:13 PM  
Susan G.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by videofit
If you work out regularly, you are called obsessed. People who play basketball, take dance classes or swim aren’t called obsessed. Yet we all enjoy physical activity. There also seems to be more of an edge to this criticism if you aren’t overweight. We've even seen it on this forum.

Do you think the accusers feel guilty because they do little to nothing? Are they jealous?

Looking and feeling good is the best revenge!
I never realized before the cruel derision to which fit people are victim. When I was in shape I must have been lucky to escape this maliciousness.
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Old 04-23-09, 01:16 PM  
fluffydogfan
 
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In my workplace, anything that is good for you is mocked – not just generic exercise.
I’m taking a vacation day tomorrow, for example, to compete in a weight-lifting competition, and the comments from co-workers have been unrelenting. Ie, “Why would you take a vacation day to do that? That’s surely not a vacation.”
And when we had a workplace lunch on Tuesday, I ate the salad and chicken but declined the cheesecake. (I need to make my weight class for the competition.) You wouldn’t believe the ragging I took.
I’m not sure why this happens. I always try to be supportive of other’s healthy habits, but maybe that’s only because I know what it feels like to be made fun of for it. I don’t know. Human nature is strange.

Katie
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