Comments on: Thoughts on being part of a fitness and nutrition counterculture.

By: TrailGrrl

TrailGrrl — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:56:09 +0000

We are having a “Wellness Day” at work next week. I don’t engage in any of the so-called “healthy eating.” No muffins, fruit, or mocktails. I’ve been Primalized and eat a ton of meat and fat. My friends are like what are you doing? A lot of cardio? No. Working out a lot? No. I eat a LOT of MEAT. And FULL FAT food. I don’t eat cereal or much bread. That’s about it. And now I have to buy smaller clothes again! I just bought 8′s in jeans (first time back in single digits!) in December. And today I was shopping and can fit into 6′s. I’m afraid to overbuy (which is a good thing!). I do sort of need a new suit for my work trip in May, so I may start looking next week. And I still eat pizza, beer, and nachos on the weekend.

TrailGrrl

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:48:41 +0000

Great post. It’s all too easy to get dogmatic about the truths that work for you and extend their applicability to the wider world. It’s especially tempting to do so when you are part of the minority and fighting for respect (essentially responding in kind to the close-mindedness of the keepers of the current dominant worldview).

Most things are more complicated than we can readily understand as laypeople. Developing helpful rubrics like “Is it primal?” is a good way of simplifying complex issues into manageable decisions based on solid general principles. However, that doesn’t translate well into absolutism, because simplifying rubrics by their very nature ignore the details of specific situations.

Sometimes it helps to take a step back and look with open eyes at what other people have pulled out of the black box and see where it fits in with your own perspective (whether we’re talking fitness or diet or economics, for that matter). The CF approach of adopting what works only functions as long as you keep an open mind with respect to other methods, differing goals, and individual experience.

By: James CFAddiction

James CFAddiction — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:27:27 +0000

Anything that goes mainstream gets watered down. Paleo and CrossFit for the masses would just be another fad diet and exercise program for people who like to try everything while new (P90-X, MMA, Billy Banks Tae-Bo, step class, spin class, hot yoga, pilates, kettlebells, soloflex, bowflex, need I go on?).

Then after a few weeks of half-assed effort, they’d write it off and go on to the next thing. I’m a purist and it should be only for the most dedicated. Snob it up you elitist crossfit/paleo athletes! And come train with us!!

“Forging Elitist Fitness”

By: Gubernatrix

Gubernatrix — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:29:33 +0000

Moot article, great stuff! I am both guilty of the smug thing and frustrated by it.

Jessica also makes a good point that what is good for general fitness is not what is optimal for sports performance – especially extreme events like Ironman. I am reminded of Alwyn Cosgrove’s pithy comment: “fat people finish marathons all the time”.

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:07:25 +0000

Chris/Rayna;

Bummer you can’t make the Fest, we’ll definitely be thinking of you guys.
You get to Vegas, I hope you’re going to climb Red Rock.

Post pic’s

Jay

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:18:27 +0000

Great post! As an endurance athlete, I feel pulled in 2 different directions and I agree that we must always remember that what is good for general fitness is not what is optimal for sports performance!
I wish more people would look towards the primal lifestyle when they are ready to develop better fitness and/or lose weight. THEN, after general fitness is achieved, they can pursue sport specific training if it appeals to them. Instead, I see lots of overweight people with very poor eating habits taking on Ironman training. Yes, they can do an Ironman in under 17 hours and get the medal, but they aren’t any better off for it. Its very frustrating to watch.
I’m rambling. We all need to remember that the ultimate goal should be to teach others when we are asked to share. The goal is NOT to be “better” than anyone else and to hoard wisdom, it is to SHARE!

By: Crabby McSlacker

Crabby McSlacker — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:35:11 +0000

What a thoughtful post!

I’m too skeptical (and lazy) to embrace any one theory of fitness wholeheartedly; I think everyone is different and we all need to find out what works for us. Pendulums swing back and forth, and I rarely swing all the way no matter which way they go.

And it’s interesting to think, whatever our fitness perspective, of what it would be like if everyone suddenly agreed with us and actually followed through and got fit and healthy.

I think I’d miss having something to complain about!

By: Jedidja

Jedidja — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:43:49 +0000

I totally agree – we should keep things in perspective at all times. It’s far too easy to become religious/fanatic/ about something and forget that there are good ideas outside your own small area of interest.

By: SmoketheBlowfish

SmoketheBlowfish — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:46:41 +0000

Great read! I know that I get the snob thing going sometimes at the gym. I do everything I can to keep my mouth shut (which can get extremely difficult). The one thing I am sure of is that there is no perfect system for everyone, but there is a good system for each one of us…we just have to figure out what works best. For me, HIIT works great. It’s the only system that has allowed me to drop bodyfat..along with proper nutrition, ever changing workouts, and a bit of common sense.

By: Son of Grok

Son of Grok — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:20:51 +0000

Oh I forgot to add that I think I am better than everyone else lol

The SoG