An inquiry into why we invest in or divest from fitness.
In our era, we have all of the tools, resources, and scientific information to live the healthiest, most embodied and vibrant lives possible. Yet, there seems to be a disconnect between this knowledge and the way most of us actually treat our bodies and judge how other’s treat theirs. This disconnect is not a simple one to grasp, explain or solve through obvious action; in fact I’ve re-written this article numerous times trying to simplify without success. However, our world seems to need this sort of thinking more than ever, so I’m going to try one more time.
Our perspective of fitness is tainted on all sides with the potentially negative emotions of jealousy, lust, obsession, and selfish pride. There is a misconception that extremely healthy or, “fit” people must be self-obsessed folks with no time for the cares of anyone else. On the other hand, there is a misconception that it’s impossible for everyone to reach an admirable state of fitness — what with genetics, stress, responsibilities to work, family or otherwise. Both perspectives tend to amplify the intertwined negative potentials of fitness: the endless grasping for impossible results, and the lack of belief in ourselves to achieve them.
The truth is, while there are certainly some self-obsessed fitness personalities out there with nothing much to share except the chiseled results of their efforts, there are plenty that demonstrate a healthy balance of self-development and the sharing of knowledge/encouragement for others to follow their paths. These sources of information on physical activity, diet, and emotional regulation / inner-work provide the blueprints necessary for almost anyone to reach a state of healthy physiology and self-perception. We simply must shift upwards our expectations for ourselves, learn the proper protocols, and get to work.
As the world grapples with a health crises of proportion not seen before in our era, most everyone is looking to the pharmaceutical companies and news for the proper advice on how to avoid infection & spread of this potentially deadly disease. Perhaps advice is the wrong word to use, it’s more like, “instructions” we’ve been given, and they are pretty simple. Wear a mask, limit contact with other humans, get the latest vaccinations, and watch the news daily to stay updated. That’s all well and good, but should it really end there?
Questionably, there has been almost no mass messaging of preventative ways that might actually increase our own levels of immunity. Are we to believe that exercise, proper diet, hydration, sleep and sunlight exposure have nothing to do with our susceptibility? One could venture into the realms of psychological wellness too. Might it help to have a meditation practice, a religious belief system or even regular therapy sessions? If the answer to these questions is an exclamatory, “no”, then I would half-heartedly submit the following question: What are we really getting fit for?
I suppose anyone trying to stay fit must truly be doing it for only shallow reasons. I suppose we are only getting fit so that sex is more enjoyable, so that we look better for photos posted to instagram, so that we can virtue signal to the opposite sex and get better online dating matches. I suppose we’re only getting fit so we can eat more junk food, do more drugs, and get away with it.
I’m not a doctor, so I cannot officially speak to any of this, but I will share my own reasons for getting and staying fit. I enjoy having more energy, for myself and others. I enjoy seeing the development of my body; not just in the muscular definition but also my ability to move in new ways. I enjoy the increased adaptability I have from my training — instead of tripping over a rock, I can shift my weight to the side and keep my walk going uninterrupted. I also feel that my mental creativity has increased in tandem with the variety of physical exercise that I perform. I feel more aligned, grounded, and embodied. I feel in touch with my body, my energy levels, and my own heart. I am able to connect deeper with my friends and family, with nature, and with my sense of purpose, too. True wellness truly reflects all around me.
God forbid I say something like, “I feel less fear around getting sick!” Yet it’s also true; ever since I’ve taken up a passionate pursuit of fitness, I have been healthier than ever in my life. Through experience I’ve gained the toolsets and embodied knowledge to trust the process, though I’m certainly not perfect. I fall into plenty of negative vices like smoking, drinking, the occasional bag of Cheetos and sides of ranch dressing. There are times when I feel lopsidedly selfish recovering from such overindulgences, but I’m only human, and I’ve worked to tip the balance towards sustainable health.
These are just some of the reasons I’m invested in my health & fitness. I could continue writing for hours about how it’s even informed my own spiritual path and sense of responsibility to my fellow humans, but that’s not my goal for this essay. I wanted to ask the question, “what are we really getting fit for” and I would hope you ask it to yourself, too.
Originally Posted on besage.medium.com Sept. 17, 2021
Cover Image from The Lazy Artist Gallery from Pexels