Tuesday, 11 November 2008
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Looking Good vs. Feeling Good
Looking good is important these days, isn’t it? But good health is even more important….right? At least it should be. It’s a superficial world out there, so it’s sometimes hard to balance out the reasons why we exercise and eat right. Sure, we want to live a better quality of life, but it’s nice to have people ogle at our total hawtness.
I see a lot of people at the gym who make it pretty obvious as to why they work out. They’re tan (a fake one, mind you), they’re talking on their cell phones, their hair is perfectly styled, they stare at themselves in the mirror more than any normal person should. They’re not sweating or panting, yet they seem to be in perfect shape. Pan over to Sam, the sickly pale hairy guy with sweaty man tits and you might just be overcome with a sense of pity and sorrow.
This was at least the scene at the rec center in college. I’ve since taken my moist jugs over to a smaller 24-hour gym, where I’m free to work on my fitness without judgment. I won’t lie though – the superficial aspect of exercising outweighs the health aspect. My clothes fit better and my confidence is higher when I work out regularly. On a scale from 1 to 10, looking better rates about a 9, while feeling better rates about a 7.
What about you? Why do you exercise and/or diet? You can be honest here. I won’t tell anyone as long as you don’t look at the wet bags of sand seeping through my shirt.
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Comments (30)
That's why I refuse to go the gym here at school, even if it's just across the street. I dislike being looked at when I work out.
I try to eat healthy, but I'm addicted to soda, especially coke.When I do work out, I feel really great about myself, probably 9/10, although, mostly because, I know I'll look better.
Since I started working out regularly again I've noticed that I feel really awesome but have only noticed slight physical changes.
So right now feeling good is higher than looking good, but I think both are important :)
I pretty much work out because I feel better when I am moving. I also have more energy if I exercise regularly. Like, I wouldn't be falling asleep at the keyboard if I had been going to the gym the past few days instead of sitting on my butt...Perhaps I shall go now.
I love how I feel when I'm eating right and exercising regularly. So that's a 9/10. Losing weight is a plus- 6/10.
At least you aren't shaped liked a lineman. No matter how strong I get, no matter how many crunches, curls, and push ups I do, I don't get cut. I look like a big fa ass except for the part where everything is thick muscle.
Also, if you're serious about gaining strength, people get annoyed with you. I had too many complaints against me at the gym because I grunted too loudly while lifting weights.
Pardon me, but I'll be as loud as the hell I want when I'm trying to keep 500 pounds off the ground, plz k thnx.
" Pan over to Sam" LOL AHAHAHAHA
wow you weren't kidding when you said you like to vary up your words. I love that. hahaha I like to do that too. It makes me laugh seeing peoples weird looks
Yeah, I exercise and diet to feel gooood.
I'm not too unhappy with my appearance, I even hope not to lose TOO much curve. To me it's about getting my stamina up. Walk up stairs without feeling out of breath, and sing a song while talking and still being able to breathe are my concerns lol.
ahaha fabio...
I have never worked out ever (okay, like twice but very, very begrudgingly). Gym-style exercise is so unbearably boring to me. If I could just find me a rock wall, I'd be all over that thing.
I think it goes hand in hand. If you don't feel good then you don't really care to make an effort to look good.
@awokenfatality@xanga - I bet if you can go two weeks without a soda and then try one, it won't taste near as good as you thought it did. At least that's how I am now. I'll maybe have a soda ever two weeks if I'm craving one, but otherwise they don't taste good to me at all.
@mileyfan08@xanga - Do it! Go!
@another_rebel_without_a_cause@xanga - haha yeah, plus I thought most people wore headphones in the gym these days.
@AlterEgo909@xanga - the important thing is do you sing while you work out?
@tenigee@xanga - I need to try me a rock wall one of these days.
@streetcarnamed__desire@xanga - very true.
@sam - Hmmm, gooood point! lol
Good morning! I love when I'm eating right and working out super regularly, because then not only is my body working and feeling great, but I just generally feel awesome, beautiful and in control! My whole life I was overweight, and then college only made it worse. But once I graduated, I was determined to teach myself how to be healthy. I started eating right and working out regularly, and I lost almost 50 lbs! Over the past year and a half I've gained 10 back, so now I'm determined to get that off plus another 20 to be at my goal. I ran my first half marathon a couple months ago and was shocked at myself for being able to do it. I've been kinda lazy since then, but I just joined a gym last night (since its too cold to run outside anymore), so woo hoo!
@sam - Huh, I'll try it.
exercise = live longer, enjoy a better life.
I think I prefer the looking better than the feeling better even. cuz somedays when I'm done working out, I wanna puke and that doesn't feel great.
it's funny because since I shed 60 lbs, I look like the person in my head when I was 60 lbs overweight. I'm finding bones I didn't know I had - my clavicle is making a reappearance, I can feel my hipbone, my shoulders aren't chunks of lard. I actually have a shape instead of being shapeless. there's a definite difference between being curvy and being a blob o lard. I kinda think I'm a fan of curvy. and with these last 40 lbs to go I think those cuves will be even more defined and I will feel even better because I'll look even better. so working out is great and the more I do, the more ways I find to workout outside the gym. it's fun.
For me it's a pretty even combination of wanting to be healthier and wanting to look better.
I have a confession. I dont work out. I am naturally small and thanks for graves disease, I dont need to diet. lol
I work out to keep up with the guys. Last year, I was still taller than most, and I could out run them all. This year, they are all 3+ inches taller than me, and could probably beat me in a speed race.
(jk...) Erm. 
Also, I like my hot belly. You should see the pics on the camera.
Mostly because I want(ed) to join the Marine Corps when I turn 18, but it seems less likely with the president elect. Personal reasons. *cough* Anyway. I work out also because it makes me feel better, especially when I can look at my neighbor and say he's a weak little boy.
@tenigee@xanga - Look them up online. You may have to go out of your way to find one "near" you, but you won't regret it when you get there.
-source- rock climbing since I was 11...
I exercise by cleaning a four bedroom monstrosity of a house, and you've seen my recipes, so you know dieting isn't a priority, though I learned from my mother that five bites of anything should be sufficient. One day, when I'm waddling down the street, coughing, with my backside being towed in a wheelbarrow behind me, you'll sprint by and look smug. I'll prpbably resent you, but a twinkie and some boiled peanuts will make me feel better.
I exercise for both reasons: feeling good and looking better. I feel a lot less stressed after a work-out, and that's usually what I need after five exams in a row. And it doesn't hurt that with feeling good comes looking slightly better (which then boosts that feeling good emotion.) =D
It's okay to be superficial, this is America. I workout so that I can look insanely sexy haha. Unfortunately I'm still far from that. =/ Bad eating habits+lazyness=no results.
@Red_foxes_rock@xanga - I've been wanting to for years, and I think now I'll actually do it. I'm excited!
I think if I feel good I probably look better because I'm in a good mood and yeah.
i'm fortunate enough to be at a pretty good weight/body composition, so i guess feeling good and knowing that i'm taking care of myself is the purpose of me eating right and going to the gym.
i DO feel like i get a lot of dirty looks from girls who aren't as small as me, like 'what are you doing here? you don't need to lose weight!' and at that point, the dietitian in me wants to say, "i'm here to be healthy! stop looking at me!" LOL.