Monday, October 28, 2013

An Honest Fitness Magazine?

Found on Pinterest; here's where this originated from.

I'd love to subscribe to this magazine, if only it existed.  While I realize that many people get inspiration from fitness magazines, I think a lot more of us end up feeling inadequate and frumpy instead.  For example, I see magazine pictures of women running and they look great.   Hair flowing, face made up, not a drop of sweat to be seen.  I see race pictures of myself running, and my thighs look like they have been taken over by the saggy baggy elephant, especially if the photographer happens to catch me when my foot is striking the ground - it's like a visual earthquake rolling from the knee upward.  My face is red with exertion, my body is dripping with sweat, and I'm definitely not wearing make up.  It's not quite the picture in my head that I imagine myself to look like when I run, that's for sure...but that is what Runner Shelley looks like, and since I'm usually in my happy place when I'm running, I can accept that image.

Last week, Jeff and I were at the grocery store - I was picking out an onion and heard someone say hello to Jeff.  I turned to see a beautiful woman with gorgeous curly hair standing there...I figured she must be someone he works with and waited for a break in the conversation so I could introduce myself.  Then I noticed her husband nearby, and realized he was from our running club - which meant that the woman with the gorgeous hair?  I knew her.  Only I'm used to seeing her at 5:30 in the morning, when everyone has recently rolled out of bed, thrown on some running clothes, slapped a hat on/put hair in a pony tail, and shown up, bleary-eyed and ready to run.  And after the run?  No longer bleary-eyed, but usually a sweaty, red-faced mess of exhilaration and exhaustion.  We joke that we don't recognize each other when we're wearing dressed for a regular day, and that is proof. 

While I'm not sure a fitness magazine would sell very well with a sweaty person on the cover, I'd buy it.  Because that's what most people who exercise look like, and that's definitely the reality that I can relate to.

25 comments:

  1. I would buy that magazine too. I get the red tomato face (or should I say glow) too easily after exercising

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love it, I would buy it too. I look awful when I run. Race photo's are never good, you think I'm in a lot of pain or something when you see them. I don't smile. My face is red. But like you I don't care because (usually) running makes me happy, I'm doing it for me and if someone doesn't like what he/she sees: look the other way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They probably should just take pictures at the very beginning of the race, when people are peppy and excited and not all red and sweaty. Might actually sell some that way!

      Delete
  3. Love that realistic magazine cover.

    My neighbor didn't recognize me at my brother's awards ceremony last year because I was dressed up ...she normally sees me in workout clothes and zero make up haha!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd buy that magazine just to see the article on the 18 unrealistic body ideals. Because even fairly good magazines tend to put the fittest/skinniest people on their covers. Those people never look like me!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So true! I can't believe how "hot" some of my running friends are after they clean up, haha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We usually have a quick gush session at a group dinner - it's fun to see everyone all cleaned up!

      Delete
  6. I would love that magazine! Kind of goes along with my idea of motivational workout memes with REAL people in them, not airbrushed fitness models. I know I don't look like any model when I'm running, and it'd be awesome if there was a magazine out there that recognized that and celebrated "real" people running :)

    I happened to bump into my trainer in the neighborhood recently, and she totally didn't recognize me with my hair down and make-up on - it's such a huge difference, and kind of funny that we've known each other for 2 years, but she didn't really know what I look like most of the time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too funny that your trainer didn't recognize you! But yeah, shows how different we look when we're working out!

      Delete
  7. I have happy(?) memories of buying the latest Shape magazine and reading it avidly while eating my big brownie and classic coke. I loved the success stories. And of course, daydreaming about looking like one of those imaginary cover girls.

    Love your written description of your thighs as you run--doesn't that photographer know that the only pic he should snap is with both legs in mid-air?

    So is Jessica Ennis the cover girl here? She still looks pretty dang good. I need to do a magazine called "Aging Gracefully" with real life close-up pics of 60 year olds. Ooh, that makes me mad all over again when I used to watch shows with stars that had obviously had a lot of work done, and the MC would say "this is what 60 looks like today!" Harumph. (shaking cane in air)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The woman pictured on the magazine cover is Laura Fountain, who also created that cover - her blog is linked in the photo caption. I agree, she does look good, in a normal runner way (but she's British, I'm guessing they don't have to deal with quite as much heat as we do, hence less sweating?).

      LOL on your Shape mag memories!!! And I am right with you on the 50- and 60-something actresses representing what women of that age really look like. Um, no.

      Delete
  8. Well crud. Blogger just ate my comment. I said that it seems like there is a big interest in this kind of magazine, so why doesn't this exist??? Surely we in the blogger world know someone who could make this happen?!? Right? I'm not even a runner and I would still subscribe to this magazine. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seriously, there should be a magazine like this...hey, we could start a movement!

      Delete
  9. I could not agree more Shelley - but unfortunately those magazines get in the heads of our teenagers and I think it sets them up for failure from the get go because the bar is so set unrealistically high. I'd buy that magazine above for sure!

    Happy Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would love to see a magazine like that - no celebs, no ads, just real-life people working hard!!
    Funny about not recognizing the running club lady - it's amazing what a shower and a little effort can do to a runner/athlete!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Amen to a magazine with no celebrities just real people with real stories. Maybe we should start one. There are enough real stories among all the bloggers that we could do such a thing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Haha, good thing her hubby was along, or you would have been introducing yourself! So funny. But I guess it's a runner thing & she would have understood.
    Did Jeff have any problems id'ing her, or was the hubby his clue as well?
    No fair that the guys are totally recognizable...same hair (well, close & they probs wear hats) & same face just less red. And less sweaty. I hope.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've been staying away from fitness magazine for a while now since there wasn't really much new, and I couldn't relate to models. I would absolutely buy the above magazine!

    ReplyDelete
  14. One reason why there is a cap in my bike bag. I know how hideous my hair is from riding and sweating under my helmet LOL! When we went for our usual Wed bagel and didn't bike - the worker didn't recognize us as usual because we were all showered and in normal clothes :D

    I have stopped reading all fitness mags and stay away from most of the pinterest health boards. I end up feeling fat and inadequate - and ain't nobody got time for that!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I don't read the fitness magazines either. More time for exercise that way :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are now moderated to prevent spammers from leaving, well, spam - but rest assured that as soon as I read a real comment, I will publish it. So please, comment away, even though the blog is officially closed. Thanks!