First, my day started with speedwork. It was 71 and gorgeous but I forced myself to go to the treadmill. As boring as it is, it gets the job done when it comes to intervals.
I made my usual mistake of reading over the speedwork directions and thinking "oh, this doesn't sound too bad, it's only 3 miles". Naturally I forgot the warmup, cooldown, and jogging in between intervals, so it was actually 5.1. The speedwork portion was a 400, 800, and a 1200, with a 400 jog in between, then repeat the set. I did the intervals at 7:53 pace and was basically about to die at the end.
So after school I went to free yoga in our school gym. As I've mentioned, I am now massively in love with yoga (especially free yoga).
On the first day of class, the teacher pulled up her shirt to show us her "awesome" abs, which had apparently developed as a result of yoga. Not exactly very yogini of her, but whatev.
Since then, every class has included some sort of comment like "keep going, you want that bikini body!" "you're going to have the tiniest waist around!". Um, excuse me, first of all, are we in a 1982 aerobics class?
Second of all, maybe I'm mistaken, but who comes to a yoga class to get a bikini body? According to Wikipedia, "Yoga refers to traditional physical, mental, and spiritual....goal is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility".
Umm, ok, I'm not going that far, but my basic reasons for going to yoga are:
- it stretches me like crazy
- works random body parts that I didn't even know about
- totally relaxing (at the end)
Personally, back when I first realized that fitness existed back in high school, the bikini body (or in my mind, lack thereof) was the main motivation for me going to the gym. I mean I enjoyed working out and the endorphins and all, but the be all and end all was I knew fitness was good for me and I didn't want to be fat. That was probably the case up until recently, when my massive love affair with running began. Training for races changed my viewpoint from "I need to work out to burn x amount of calories because I ate so much crap this weekend" to "I need to do this workout to get faster/be able to run further/beat the strollers in the race/not drown during the triathlon, etc".
Obviously I've made some comments about having Michelle Obama's arms
or Gwen Stefani's abs
so it's not like I'mabove vanity or shallowness (or jealousy, for that matter). But I am really trying to get away from that mindset and of all types of exercise I would think yoga would be the number one on board! I really don't appreciate being told my abs need to get ready for bikini season when I am just trying to get some zen in my life.
But then on the other hand, if getting a hot body motivates people who wouldn't otherwise workout to get to the gym, is there anything wrong with it? If that's what pushes the majority of the class, maybe the instructor is right to hit that angle. (FYI, my yoga class today had two other participants besides me, both with hot bodies already, in my humble opinion.)
Why do you run or workout?
What's your main motivation?
Do you appreciate people yelling "bikini body" comments at you, or not?
I have come to the realization that I am never going to have a perfect "bikini body". And even though I am never going to get rid of my dimples or big bootie, I still run. It is my therapy, the endorphins make me feel so happy about life.
ReplyDeleteI feel like horse crap if I don't work out. That's my main motivation. But of course, my other motivation is to stay in shape. I wish I could "not eat that gallon of ice cream" and "enjoy a crouton and a large napkin" for dinner like some ladies...but alas I have the appetite of a man. A large hairy one.
ReplyDeleteI started running to lose weight! I have always been a "gym rat." Saying that I did NOT take it serious. Yea, I worked out 3-4 times a week for about 30-45 minutes, but not hard core to get fit and maintain weight! Now, I feel SUPER DUPER guilty if I don't workout or go run or do something that makes me sweat like a man! Running and working out to me now is a way to relieve stress and feel good about myself!
ReplyDeleteI started working out because I had gained about 50 pounds since I stopped playing basketball in college. YIKES! I was miserable with myself, so I started working out with a friend who was a personal trainer. I kept working out and running on my own after i finished working out with him because I loved the way it made me feel about myself. And, after a long day with 60ish kids, it's nice to do something for my self that doesn't take many brain cells.
ReplyDeletehahaha! i've only been to 2 yoga classes, but i'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to involve the instructor yelling at you. that's what jillian michaels is for.
ReplyDeleteGREAT post love.
ReplyDeleteHere's a FACT: If I wanted to lose weight, I would stop running. STOP. running.
As is, I am the worlds most expensive eater because I eat every single hour of the day. I am constantly hungry, constantly eating, topping out at about 3000 calories a day.
The more I run, the more I eat, and the more I weigh. I'll take it. I run because it feels SO GOOOOD
Umm...that yoga instructor needs to be kicked. She gave a shout-out to her abs? Really? (by the way, I'm in love with yoga now, too!)
ReplyDeleteI really like workout videos, but I HATE when there is a mention of "bikini body" or "fitting into the wedding dress". I'm a big fan of the videos that involve both genders. There is guaranteed to not be discussion of bikinis in those.
I work out to stay healthy, feel better, de-stress, AND look better. I set little goals for myself or challenge myself with new workouts to stay motivated. It's funny that you mention abs and arms because those are my current goals. When I put on shorts for the first time this year, I wasn't totally mortified, like I feel I normally am so now it's time to move on to a different body part.
I loved this post, by the way. (Kudos :)
I would probably stop going to a yoga class like that (even if it was free). Yoga is supposed to be about making peace with your body, not trying to "get shredded" (another annoying phrase).
ReplyDeleteBesides, I was born bikini ready :)
That's so strange that the instructor would use that kind of motivation in yoga. To each his own I guess, right?
ReplyDeleteI run because I'm obsessed with running. All of my other workouts are done purely to keep me in good running shape. Sad, but true.
I work out to a.)(try to) lose weight & b.) to push myself. I think if i only worked out to try & lose weight, i'd definitely become frustrated & give up. Running helps because there is always a new goal i can aim for.
ReplyDeleteI was BORN in a bikini body and than I started eating ;). Honestly I get into a bikini a few times a year, its more important to me not to have a muffin top in jeans I wear 50x a year
ReplyDelete