Channeling this article to the emphasis of 'being in shape' and not generally being healthy....
Many people who go to the gym are in great health, but they may still be looking to achieve a more balanced shape—perhaps reducing chubbiness or, for those who are slim, either maintaining their size or adding some curves to certain parts of their body. This concern is particularly common among women.
I believe that both dieting and rigorous exercise should be adopted to achieve these goals.
If you visit a standard gym, the trainer there typically suggests these two approaches as the key to success, and neither can be neglected.
Personally, I haven’t been to any gym to pursue these goals, as I consider myself to be in good shape, even though I’m slim. However, I once worked with a group of four ladies who attended a gym every morning before coming to work. Two of them were mesomorphic, and the other two were ectomorphic. According to them, they weren’t going to the gym to lose weight—they didn’t need to—but rather to exercise so their shape (particularly their hips and curves) would become more pronounced, aiming for that “figure 8” look.
Our workplace was an eatery, and every time these women returned from the gym, they would head straight to the kitchen for a meal. But it wasn’t just a light morning snack; they would sit down and eat a heavy “swallow” meal because that’s what was usually left over in the kitchen in the morning.
We often questioned them about why they were eating such heavy meals after coming back from the gym, especially since they’d been advised to be mindful of their food choices and avoid heavy meals like “swallow.” Their response was always along the lines of, “Do you think it’s possible to go through all that jogging and stretching and then settle for tea and an orange in the morning?” We’d laugh at their reasoning, but eventually, they stopped going to the gym because they weren’t seeing the results they wanted. They blamed the gym instructor for not doing his job well, but in reality, it was their lack of adherence to the rules that hindered their progress.
While it’s possible to focus on just one approach—either dieting or exercising—strict measures must be applied. I have female friends who are extremely mindful of what they eat, when they eat, and how much they eat. I’m always amazed and commend them for their dedication because it’s not easy. Imagine being hungry and choosing not to eat just because you’re watching your weight. I know it’s demanding, and I’m very thankful that I haven’t had to deal with such a situation.
Some of my friends don’t eat dinner—they only drink water, and that’s it. Can you imagine that?
Rigorous exercise is something I don’t see many people engaging in. I think exercising has a significant impact on staying in shape because it involves burning fat more effectively. With regular exercise, you don’t need to go to the extreme lengths of a “hunger strike,” like those who rely solely on dieting.
Thanks for reading.
