Does Lady Gaga’s tummy somehow affect your own weight loss goals?
February 14, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments
There’s a patient at my P.T. clinic (we’ll call her Laura) who’s always got something derogatory to say.
One day it was about how my gorgeous coworker’s hair looked “weird”. Another, it was mocking the posture of my other coworker who’s built like a Spartan warrior. Then, yet another time, it was me. Something about how I reminded her of “Scarecrow” from Wizard of Oz. (I’ll take it, I thought. Scarecrow’s fashion model slender and hilarious.) Then, one day, months after meeting her, I came to learn why. It actually happened just a few days ago. She pulled out a picture of Lady Gaga from the superbowl, telling me how “everyone is talking about her fat tummy”. When I replied that I thought the woman looked pretty good, she started explaining that she didn’t mean it to be mean – that she was relieved that this massively celebrated pop star was like her. That she too had a bit of a paunch. And that that was validating. Especially when she felt so helpless to get rid of her excess weight (because of the very injury she was being treated for by us). If Lady Gaga had flaws matching her own, then it wasn’t so bad, she surmised.
(The imaginary “fat” in question.
If I were a spider, I still wouldn’t have enough eyes to roll over this ridiculousness.)
That’s when it hit me.
Laura wasn’t being hurtful because she’s a bad person.
She was projecting. Because she’d been a victim to her own condition for so long. She felt fat. She felt poor postured. She felt crappy haired. And she’d felt it for so long that, she was putting it on everyone around her. I should’ve recognized it far sooner, too. Because, back when I had a foot injury and couldn’t run, it didn’t take me long to start doing the same damn thing. You wanna know the difference though? I got sick really quickly of feeling that way. Before long, I realized I didn’t wanna drag anyone down to my level – from pop stars to P.T. staff. I wanted to elevate myself to my highest level of inner and outer fitness. So, I started listening to people smarter than I was – and figuring out how to stay in shape, when a given limb that was out’ve commission. I kept my focus on the good in people. Why? Because when you begin nitpicking flaws, they become excuses to let your own flaws flow out’ve you – and ultimately define you. And not just your body – not just more of a tummy than you’d like – but your entire character. And the relationship between those two things is crucial. It’s a positive feedback loop. When you dredge up negativity against others, you feel it in yourself. In your own mind and body. And when you feel that negativity in yourself, the tendency to take care of yourself diminishes significantly. (Why would you take care of your self – when it’s just a receptacle for negativity?)
So, what’s the takeaway here?
How about this: let’s don’t focus on Gaga’s non-existent gut.
Let’s stop focusing on whether it makes us feel less or more worthy. Why? ’cause it’s got nada to do with us. If it makes us feel bad, then that’s us projecting insecurity. If it makes us feel better, then what happens when her body changes again? (Which it will, because that’s what humans do.) We’ll get upset and insecure anew. Instead, if we must focus attention on this celeb, let’s shift it toward the wonderful acts she – and people like her – try to do in the world. (I’ve heard oodles of stories about her random acts of charity – even when the cameras aren’t around.) What if we focus on her underdog tale of overcoming bullying? Focus on her diligence and commitment to her passion? What if we did that – not so that we can adulate yet another celebrity until we feel badly about ourselves – but so that it can inspire each of us to do the same for ourselves, in our own unique ways? Let’s let it inspire us to be fit in all areas of our lives. Because, in the end, it’s about balance. And, while this is a weight loss and health site, it’s pretty tough to fall in love with a sustainable, well balanced, consistent fitness path that allows for that – if we’re rocking a bad romance with our own damn souls…
(Me… descending my soap box, now):
