A reader sent me an email last week with a pointed and important criticism about my Feb. 10 article, "Do you train or exercise?"
She was concerned that my initial motivation to exercise, as I wrote, was driven by a dislike of what I saw in the mirror. She felt this reflected poorly on me and would negatively influence young women and their desire to maintain a certain weight and shape. The following is her letter in full.
Hi Kris,
I came across your article in the Vancouver Courier, and reading the first line, I thought you would be talking about training as a form of eating disorder or about body image. I am a bit critical of your article that you cite the main reason for racing and being a serious athlete was a negative body image. I don't know if it is necessary that you highlight this reason as it makes your article very superficial, and a bit concerning that this was your reason at 15, especially if you were still thin and it was not a health issue, a lot of young girls are uncomfortable with weight gain that coincides with puberty and go to extreme measures. I agree with the rest of your article, about training and workouts, I am trying to be a competitive runner and train with a coach, it is just the beginning that irked me.
I agree with the reader that we must be mindful of sending the wrong message, especially when it comes to body image. Disordered eating and extreme exercise are a big concern for both women and men but so too is obesity, living a sedentary life and a generally lacking fitness. As a trainer and coach for the past 10 years I have witnessed the extremes of both, so I struggled to decide whether or not I should tell my readers what prompted me to start exercising in fear they may get the wrong impression.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, our society's preoccupation with body image is reflected in the fact that, at any given time, at least seven in 10 women and three in 10 men are dieting. Disordered eating kills more people than any other mental illness, and this is an alarming reality given that up to five per cent of Canadian women between the ages of 15 and 25 report being anorexic or bulimic.
The CMHA also states that, despite their collective label, these disorders are not about food. They are strategies to cope with deeper problems, stress, abuse or trauma and often signal difficulties with identity and self-esteem.
The woman who wrote me believed that by telling Courier readers I was unhappy with my body made my column superficial. However, I had three reasons to start my column in such a way.
One, I don't think being unhappy with your body or having the desire to make it better (stronger, faster, leaner, healthier) is the problem. The problem comes with how you choose to change it. I chose to change my body with exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Two, I wanted my readers to know that starting to exercise was a choice that I consciously made to improve my life.
Three, I think we are too afraid to tell it like it is. We are so afraid our children will develop a poor body image that we have forgotten to teach them how to be healthy, which includes regular exercise. Incorporating fitness or sport into daily life not only produces natural endorphins, but also helps develop positive selfesteem and self-confidence, which both adolescents and adults are looking for.
As a child and teenager, I wasn't given the opportunity to play sports in school and I was never taught the importance of regular exercise or how to nourish and care for my body. Being unhappy with my body was the catalyst and once I started, exercise soon became a natural part of my life.
Twenty-one years later I continue to train and exercise not only because I love the benefits, but because I have developed a deep passion for sports, which includes the desire to coach and teach others.
Many people start exercising for the sole purpose of changing their body. And if that is what it takes to get them started, all I can hope for is that they also learn to love the benefits of living a healthy, balanced lifestyle in the process.
Kristina Bangma is a coach, personal trainer and writer with a love of riding and racing. Email questions to kris@ getfitwithkris.com.
