At the gym recently, I decided to grab a magazine prior to getting on the treadmill. As I perused the many choices of available magazines I noticed a pattern. For every woman's magazine, there was a plethora of articles on how to lose fat fast, get beautiful skin in 14 days or how to be dress to impress. I then looked at several men's magazines. I saw articles like, no-nonsense ab exercises, enjoying life more or starting a new hobby.
Then it hit me. As women, we're constantly reading about all our "issues." Bad skin, flabby thighs, out of control kids, messy homes, stress and fluctuating hormones. Instead of being encouraged, we see super thin women, and a laundry list of all the must-haves that we need to be beautiful. In other words, we see all our inadequacies. I'm convinced reading these subliminal messages sends a message to our brains that says no matter what we do it really doesn't matter. We'll never be pretty enough or thin enough. It's no wonder why women feel so frustrated in their attempts to get healthier.
Well, what magazine did I choose? The men's magazine of course. It was so liberating and stress free reading material without being bombarded with beauty ads or promises of quick fixes. I didn't feel compelled to run to Nordstrom after my workout to buy the next "best" tweezers, or trash my current skin care regimen. I got off the treadmill, informed and inspired without guilt.
I look forward to my next (men's) magazine.
Valerie C. Merriweather
Discovery Health Fitness Expert
Read a Men's Magazine
- By trainer_valerie4life · February 8, 2009 at 11:39 pm · 5 replies
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- By mbermea
- Reply 72494
- February 9, 2009 at 12:40 am
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what a coincidence i went and bought 3 magazines all for womens health and fitness. just to give me a boost. in evry one of them there are so many diet pill ads it was scary. do they not think we can't do this without them. they preach health, exercise and nutrition but they push those pills so much. i fell asleep thinking of which pill should i pick, knowing i am not going to take them because i am to scared. (shoot i am so big i am scared i would have a heart attack.)
- By Faynilla
- Reply 72504
- February 9, 2009 at 1:20 am
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thats a pretty good observation. its sickening really, but we buy it! man, do we buy it. not only that but we buy INTO it .
we need more encouraging articles and less about how BAD we all look. did you see the piece on jessica simpson????! UP TO a size 8, and people are freaking out. what kind of message does THAT send? that if you are more than a size 8 you are garbage? they had blown up pictures of her fat rolls. are you kidding me??!!!!
if they want pictures of fat rolls they need to go to a supermarket and get a pic of a bucket of lard. leave the woman alone. of course they can show pictures of baby suri, and apple, and peach fuzz etc, but a girl who is beautiful and successful, wears a funky outfit and is a little bloated they freak out on her and call her fat. ridiculous.
- By monerika
- Reply 72531
- February 9, 2009 at 7:33 am
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I have to agree with everything said and the comments validates the feelings I have had about women's magazines and the media in general. I saw the caption about Jessica Simpson while waiting on line at the supermarket on saturday but I did not read it. In fact, I refuse to read any of these distructive articles about women and as women we need to send the message to these magazines by not buying them. They "trash" these so called celebrities about their appearance and seems that these women just cannot seem to get it right. If Jessica loses weight then there will be articles about how thin she is so the bottom line is there is no winning with these people. The real issue is how we have been "tainted" to somehow get pleasure from what is preceived as other women's shortcomings. We need to stop supporting "forces" that dimishes us as women and to learn how to accept ourselves and fit into anyone's ideal of what we should look like. I want to lose weight for me. For a long time it was about everything but me. I want to eat properly and exercise so that I can be strong and healthy and live the best life possible. I can no longer read these women's magazines because each time I do I feel demoralize, so I guess it will be mens' magazines for me from now on. Have a great day everyone.
- By lifesaver814
- Reply 73522
- February 11, 2009 at 1:25 pm
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Trainer_valerie 4life,
What you just described is what's called 'The Law of Attraction'. That which you think about, you attract, or THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS!!
For EVERYONE who reads this post, I seriously suggest you look at THE SECRET. This DVD changed my life as well as the way I think about everything!
Be Positive,Think Positive and Positive will be drawn to you. Try it. It works!
William A. Ricks
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I was recently given a stack of women's magazine and had to laugh. Every single cover was promoting the newest breakthrough in weight loss. No wonder we are so confused, 52 "newest breakthroughs" a year x roughly 150 magazines, that's a possible 7800 discoveries a year. So why are we obese?