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Taylor Daukas's avatar

I know the culture that she she writes against, as we all do. I see it in my parents who do “75 hard” challenges in a desire to be thinner and then push themselves in sickness and on hurt body parts when what their body (and doctor!) is asking for us some rest.

But I know that thinness isn’t the only reason they exercise. They both live stressful lives and regular exercise, or “movement” really is a good outlet for them and has helped their mental health.

I appreciate the caution to perpetuate “all or nothingness”. I appreciate that reasonable exercise looks different for everyone. I’m so out of shape and I battle chronic pain - if I were to start weight lifting I’d be in bed for days. Walking is how I get myself to exercise again, not to be or remain thin, but because regular, low-impact exercise is the only known pain reducer for fibromyalgia.

I also struggle with eating enough and my younger sister has anorexia. I wish that my parents, and others, would stop excusing their fatphobia and jokes about starving themselves by pointing out that regular exercise / eating fresh foods is just good body practice (it is!).

Overall, it’s a good distinction you make here not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Just because some people co-opt the practice of regular exercise to cover their unhealthy relationship with their bodies, doesn’t mean that regular exercise as a concept is inherently fat-phobic!

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nelson's avatar

I find deadlifts to be immensely satisfying.

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