f00die wrote:every endeavor is enveloped with shortcomings
as fire is enveloped with smoke
ppl can decide what costs they will endure
for the benefits they want
for example,
sarcopenia vs stress incontinence
frailty is a major source of disability and low quality of life
while stress incontinence is not as disabling comparatively
choices
You present this as if it's an either/or, like there is no middle ground. Don't you think it's possible for women to do healthy amounts of weight bearing exercise without stressing themselves to the point of incontinence? He even made this point in the video - he's not encouraging women to be couch potatoes, he just doesn't think women should be killing themselves training so hard to the point of health problems.
I found this video intriguing. Admittedly when I saw the title to your post I internally rolled my eyes a bit. However, I think it was exactly what I needed to see. Even though I'm not a woman, I do think there is something to be said about the current fitness culture at large. There have been times where I certainly got caught up in the craze of exercising in excess. I've never been one to just do cardio for hours on end, and I've always spread my activity out between different ventures, which helps. But waking up and going biking for 25 miles, then going and playing basketball for hours, then going and doing yoga or dancing or partner acrobatics in the evening can certainly add up to 4+ hours of pretty intense physical activity in one day. Sometimes I feel good doing it, other times it totally drains me the next day or 2. Not to mention that I end up having to eat an absurd amount of food to sustain myself when I'm this active, which leads to GI issues due to sheer volume.
This video made me ask myself, "why am I doing these things?" At the end of the day, I think about all these intense endurance athletes who train for hours on end. Are these people really healthy? I'm not just talking about from a physical standpoint - are these people mentally, emotionally, spiritually ok? I'm not so sure. It seems to me that this form of training and exercise is another way of hiding from ones problems. I speak from personal experience on this one, and I have friends in a similar boat who would echo the same sentiments. I'm not saying this is universally true, and certainly exercise is a healthier "coping" mechanism than drugs, alcohol, smoking, gambling, etc.
I have long admired and looked up to some of the plant-based athletes in our movement, but I'm not sure I will look at these athletes as models of good health to aspire towards any longer. I want to develop a healthier relationship with being physically active, and spend more time on the best part of life - developing fulfilling and nourishing relationships with other people.