The Delusion of Exercise

So you’ve stretched, pushed, pulled, pumped and pounded on your muscles. For hours, over months and months you have sweated and gasped your way through pain and palpitations and probably at times, you almost collapsed; but now, you feel the benefit.

“Look” you say, “I’m feeling good. I can move my body more; well all except for; this arm, this leg, knee or shoulder; it still gives me problems and pain. But look, I’ve lost lots of weight; well all except for; this bit here, (be it; your stomach, hips, waist, underarms or chin). Somehow there, the “fat” will not move away.”

“My skin looks good, it’s taught with a “waxy” look; well all except for; some places that remain droopy, crapey or dry; while other bits are still wrinkling, on my arms and thighs.”

And now you say, “I have more energy, well all except for; if I don’t exercise regularly, then actually, I feel dreadful. I feel achy, listless and fatigued. Now, I “have to exercise” just to feel normal, because if I don’t, then I just know, that I’ll seize up.”

You look good, even other people say so; well all except for; you are still “lop-sided”. Your head is not straight, one side of your neck is thicker than the other, one shoulder is still higher than the other, one side of your waist is still thicker than the other.

Even your muscles have started to grow; well all except for; the muscles in this arm, this leg. Somehow there, the bulk won’t grow. But the rest are growing and beginning to show. Taught muscles lines with a permanent contour; well all except for; these large veins which are bulging through, while other veins pattern your skin with the colour blue.

So, my question to you would be, “Are you really going to do this amount of exercise, every week of every year for the rest of your life?”

Because you already know, as soon as the exercise regime stops; then your weight will pile back on, only more; and within 12 months your aches, pains, cramps and numbness will all be back again, only more. Thousands of “ex-fit” and now, “overweight and pain ridden” athletes, body builders, sports players, entertainers, soldiers, policemen, keep fit experts and ordinary people, can all attest to this.

“Muscle turns to fat”, is claimed as an excuse, by many of the once fit, muscle bulging, body building and contact sport, young men; who are all now, the fattest, middle-aged ones. No it doesn’t. Muscle does not turn to fat, anymore than bone turns to liver or brain turns to kidney.

So, you have made all that effort, for what?  The long term benefit is zero.

In fact, the long term benefit is not zero but negative.

Because, all this “unnatural” exercise has created “unnatural”, internal damage.

Damage that takes 5 years, to manifest and reveal itself to you.

Long after your gym instructor or keep-fit expert has left your life. So long after, that you will remember the good, old days of “fitness” and not even associate your past, exercise regime with your now, more than “natural and normal”, internal, muscle damage with its symptomatic; posture distortion, aches, pains, vascular deterioration, blood circulation problems and also with that “excessive”, body bulk; now drooping in front of those muscles which you exercised, the most.

(To understand why, “well, all except for” read The Truth of Exercise)

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Learn much more at www.youarenotfat.com

The ideas expressed in this blog are the original concept of Linda Dodds.

All rights reserved. Copyright © Linda Dodds 2008.