Why is this even remotely controversial?

whierd

maybe i was unfair, maybe you have some definition of 'catty' that isn't familiar to me. i thought i just sounded peeved?

I was actually just messing with you and the catty comment was mostly to get a response.

However, there is a lot of truth to women being much harsher with other women than men are with either women or other men.

pcastagner

Are we seriously wondering why this is controversial, in a world where men take drugs to give themselves erections because they are no longer attracted to their partners?

It's controversial because she's hot and no pill would be required.

servilia

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't think it has the same import... Women are still assumed to be the primary caregivers so a man having children isn't seen by many as an obstacle to him working out etc (not to mention not going through the pregnancy, weight gain, recovery etc). For example (and unfortunately for me) when my husband goes to the gym after work in his mind it's just him coming home late from work but when I go to the gym and leave the baby with him, he's "babysitting". He does it happily but it's still seen as a favour on his part, whereas when I'm watching the baby while HE'S at the gym, I'm just doing "my job"..

Hauntinglyfit

Oh wow. People will make a huge deal out of everything. I've seen "what's your excuse?" inspirational posters countless times before.

Soo..let's see, what's different about this one?

1. She is a woman. - "She wants us to look like that, threat to feminism!" No. Feminists who see threats in everything and anything, and choose to focus on small, irrelevant (sometimes imagined)issues make the rest of us look bad. I am a feminist, and i am in no way offended by this image. It shows a strong willed woman, imo.
2. She's a mom. - "She must be a terrible mother if she takes the time to work out." That is absolutely rude. You don't stop being your own person just because you have kids. At least you shouldn't.
3. She is physically attractive.and wears make-up and workout clothes. "She is a sloot. Her babies have different dads." Talk about being a catty b*tch.

anemoneprose

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't think it has the same import... Women are still assumed to be the primary caregivers so a man having children isn't seen by many as an obstacle to him working out etc (not to mention not going through the pregnancy, weight gain, recovery etc). For example (and unfortunately for me) when my husband goes to the gym after work in his mind it's just him coming home late from work but when I go to the gym and leave the baby with him, he's "babysitting". He does it happily but it's still seen as a favour on his part, whereas when I'm watching the baby while HE'S at the gym, I'm just doing "my job"..

THIS -- inequality of caregiving/domestic/economic responsibilities & societal expectations - is why feminists should be annoyed, not that woman's hotness (i don't think?), which is basically indisputable. though i think someone found fault with her elbows (?!?).

@wheird - you got one, lol - it just was not funny, because i am not a haha person at all about these sorts of things. i would jest about pancakes probably any time.

pcastagner

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't think it has the same import... Women are still assumed to be the primary caregivers so a man having children isn't seen by many as an obstacle to him working out etc (not to mention not going through the pregnancy, weight gain, recovery etc). For example (and unfortunately for me) when my husband goes to the gym after work in his mind it's just him coming home late from work but when I go to the gym and leave the baby with him, he's "babysitting". He does it happily but it's still seen as a favour on his part, whereas when I'm watching the baby while HE'S at the gym, I'm just doing "my job"..

THIS -- inequality of caregiving/domestic/economic responsibilities & societal expectations - is why feminists should be annoyed, not that woman's hotness (i don't think?), which is basically indisputable. though i think someone found fault with her elbows (?!?).

@wheird - you got one, lol - it just was not funny, because i am not a haha person at all about these sorts of things. i would jest about pancakes probably any time.

That cuts both ways. A man who skips out of a meeting because his kid is sick in the nurse's office doesn't get the same treatment at the office as a woman doing the same.

anemoneprose

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't think it has the same import... Women are still assumed to be the primary caregivers so a man having children isn't seen by many as an obstacle to him working out etc (not to mention not going through the pregnancy, weight gain, recovery etc). For example (and unfortunately for me) when my husband goes to the gym after work in his mind it's just him coming home late from work but when I go to the gym and leave the baby with him, he's "babysitting". He does it happily but it's still seen as a favour on his part, whereas when I'm watching the baby while HE'S at the gym, I'm just doing "my job"..

THIS -- inequality of caregiving/domestic/economic responsibilities & societal expectations - is why feminists should be annoyed, not that woman's hotness (i don't think?), which is basically indisputable. though i think someone found fault with her elbows (?!?).

@wheird - you got one, lol - it just was not funny, because i am not a haha person at all about these sorts of things. i would jest about pancakes probably any time.

That cuts both ways. A man who skips out of a meeting because his kid is sick in the nurse's office doesn't get the same treatment at the office as a woman doing the same.

Absolutely. What I think is, both paternal and maternal leave should be mandatory, so employers can't bully men out of it. And that way, both people split the risk of lost opportunity for advancement, as well as the joy of parenthood. It'd probably be more complicated than that in practice, but that's my working proposal.

and yeah both should get protected time for family emergencies, etc

LorinaLynn

This is going to be on Good Morning America soon. Unless I already missed it... I haven't been in the same room as the tv.

My take: Three years ago, before I joined here, I would have wanted to throat punch her. I thought weight loss and achieving fitness was really hard and took a lot of time and dedication.

I was right about the dedication. But the time? Not really. It doesn't take any more time for me to cook and eat right than it does to cook and eat poorly. And it doesn't take eating minimally or perfectly. Enough of a calorie deficit to lose, and enough total calories to have energy and not feel like poop.

Exercise doesn't really take all that long, either, once you find a routine that works for you. I know people who've been struggling with their weight for ages, and they're all focusing on cardio, cardio, cardio, and getting nowhere. Like going to the gym twice a day and spending HOURS on the elliptical. I'm not saying cardio is pointless. I still love running and do it three times a week on average. But I also found that lifting weights made the biggest difference between looking smaller and looking FIT. I spend probably about a half hour to at absolute MOST an hour (if I'm running 10k) on exercise a day. Probably about 4 hours a week. I spend that much time watching Colbert Report and Daily Show a week. Before I joined here, I spent more time than that playing Farmville and Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook. I also saved up money I would have spent on a gym membership, and bought weights. Since I do all my running outside, and lifting at home, that saves time that I'd spend driving to and from the gym.

Edit: The promo for this clip on GMA showed her doing squats in the playground while holding her toddler. Another great way to save time! Sometimes I stop during a run to do pullups on the monkeybars at a playground.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

This is still going? And not locked? Impressive.

Also, I got up at 5:30 this morning. Made coffee, put a load if laundry in, set out school clothes for my 3 kids (my husband will take them) and am off to the gym for the first time in over a month (been lifting at home), partly inspired by this post. Hell I might even do cardio.

yoovie

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

it is not even comparable, dudes are not expected to invest the same amount of time in childrearing; their bodies aren't completely messed with by the invasion of another creature, there is not the same unreasonable expectation to maintain youthful beauty all through life, and the accusation of laziness if that doesn't happen (and men are thought attractive into their later years even if they don't work out), etc etc etc.

it is not problematic because women are "catty", jesus effing.

if a male cover model had a pretty face, though, some men might cut him down by calling him a pretty boy (and taking that where it often goes). if he was more rugged looking and tough, or else just cool, they would want to be more like him.

women are no longer expected to spend most of their time child rearing - and dads are a million times more involved than they were before the 70s and 80s - they are doing their dangedest to do at least half the work and girls are STILL morning about how much work they have to do to be a mom - when being a mom is all they ever wanted in their tiny little world. then they get what they want and its like ermergerd too much work. TOO BAD. This is everything youve been dreaming about since you found someone willing to put a ring on it -_-

It IS problematic because women are catty and we've evolved over the last 500 years in competition with each other. And yes - women do hold their weight differently and deal with different kinds of hormonal effects and yes we can grow a person inside of us - but its not freaking mandatory to have kids. And there's no rule saying you cant be healthy and exercise WHILE youre pregnant and you dont have to wait until maternity leave is over to get in a workout here and there or eat right - especially if youre going to breastfeed.

No im not a mom. No Im not married. No I dont have kids. No i dont think that if i was married with a kid, would i have the right answers - of course not - i know im not perfect.

but i do know that ive been living a very healthy active lifestyle for many years now and that when / if i do end up in a situation with kid(s) in my life - then i will still be active (more active because kids) still be eating healthy (healthier because kids).

because im the kind of person who looks for all the possible ways of making something happen. Im NOT the kind of person that would rather sit around and talk about all the reasons it wouldnt work for me, all the people who wouldnt have success, all the things that could pop up and throw me off course, all the what if's and buts and exceptions that i keep stockpiling to prove that i cant be successful.

and also - regarding those comments yesterday - if Im ever at the beach, building sandcastles with the kids and getting all grimy and someone tells me im creepy for being in a bikini when im playing with my kids on the beach - i would slap them across the face so hard that they'd break through a plateau and hit a mini goal.

Only people who already have something psychologically wrong up there - would accuse a mother of being creepy with her own children, just because she's hanging out with them and wearing a two piece.

The fact that youve had children does not revoke your right to being sexy or provocative. If anything, you're allowed to be sexier than regular girls.

If you put as much effort into taking action and working with the plan you found that does work for you - as the amount of effort that people put in here - spending hours talking about everything that doesnt work (facepalm - in what universe is that productive) or wont work or why it wont work - yall would all be able to look back at this ad and mental high five yourself for not having excuses either.

People who have legitimate reasons for not being in the best shape they can be - or not being able to work toward it - probably wont be offended by this picture because she obviously wasnt aiming it at people with REASONS. She was aiming it at people who have EXCUSES - and sure enough - just like every time you bring up that word, the ones that get hell bent out of shape are the ones that arent making much progress - if any, who are famous for writing long explanations of why they cant do anything, who are always complaining about not wanting to work out or are always forgiving themselves for a binge and saying its a NEW DAY! (its NOT, by the way, a new day - your body is the same one it was yesterday, with the same binge in your intestines) or who are too afraid to work out where someone might see them giving a frak. They have angry bitter mugshot profile pictures (or flowers, field or a cat) and instead of just walking past something that doesnt motivate them or doesnt apply to them, they pop a squat, sink into a big old lazyboy, grab their keyboard, move their snacks to the side, crack their knuckles and smile to themselves and get ready to shoot down every optimistic person who makes the mistake of walking into this thread and having the nerve to believe in themselves - or WORSE - to be a walking example that it IS possible.

Because its not - and there are a lot of people here on MFP who are only here to keep people from seeing any success. because they arent seeing any.

What's my excuse?

I dont have any. Im kicking tush, Maria. High Five!

LuLuChick78

Exercise doesn't really take all that long, either, once you find a routine that works for you. I know people who've been struggling with their weight for ages, and they're all focusing on cardio, cardio, cardio, and getting nowhere. Like going to the gym twice a day and spending HOURS on the elliptical. I'm not saying cardio is pointless. I still love running and do it three times a week on average. But I also found that lifting weights made the biggest difference between looking smaller and looking FIT. I spend probably about a half hour to at absolute MOST an hour (if I'm running 10k) on exercise a day. Probably about 4 hours a week. I spend that much time watching Colbert Report and Daily Show a week. Before I joined here, I spent more time than that playing Farmville and Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook. I also saved up money I would have spent on a gym membership, and bought weights. Since I do all my running outside, and lifting at home, that saves time that I'd spend driving to and from the gym.

Edit: The promo for this clip on GMA showed her doing squats in the playground while holding her toddler. Another great way to save time! Sometimes I stop during a run to do pullups on the monkeybars at a playground.

I agree with you. My boyfriend and I recently took our two daughters to the playground. We were the only ones actually playing WITH our children. We were using the monkey bars, climbing, swinging and running around. We all had a great time (and a great calorie burn to boot). EVERY other parent was sitting on the benches and either watching their children play or was on their phone. I am not saying you need to be up there playing the entire time, but a little effort would have been nice to see. I work full time, travel an hour each way to work 5 days a week, have two small daughters, hit the gym 4-5 times per week, etc, etc, etc....I find the time because I MAKE time. I make my health a priority.

I was in the mom-mentality for a few years. My mother still complains that she has 20 lbs to lose because she had kids...so I grew up thinking that is what happens - you have kids and you struggle the rest of your life with your weight. This is not true at all and I am glad I realized it sooner rather than later. Once I stopped making excuses I found reasons to just do it.

yoovie

Wonder how this would have went if it was a dude that posted a pic and stated the same thing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I don't think it has the same import... Women are still assumed to be the primary caregivers so a man having children isn't seen by many as an obstacle to him working out etc (not to mention not going through the pregnancy, weight gain, recovery etc). For example (and unfortunately for me) when my husband goes to the gym after work in his mind it's just him coming home late from work but when I go to the gym and leave the baby with him, he's "babysitting". He does it happily but it's still seen as a favour on his part, whereas when I'm watching the baby while HE'S at the gym, I'm just doing "my job"..

THIS -- inequality of caregiving/domestic/economic responsibilities & societal expectations - is why feminists should be annoyed, not that woman's hotness (i don't think?), which is basically indisputable. though i think someone found fault with her elbows (?!?).

@wheird - you got one, lol - it just was not funny, because i am not a haha person at all about these sorts of things. i would jest about pancakes probably any time.

That cuts both ways. A man who skips out of a meeting because his kid is sick in the nurse's office doesn't get the same treatment at the office as a woman doing the same.

parents are lucky - single chicks cant get out of work for jack

rml_16

You can tell her kids are not by the same man.

this is a disgusting attack. She explains why the kids don't all look alike. They look like a mix of herself and her husband. Cheese whiz, people. Any reason to attack someone else... ridiculous.

ETA: even if they were kids from different dads, who CARES?!? That does not take away from the obvious hard work she put in living a healthy lifestyle.

I just cannot get past that statement! Oy.

My aunt and uncle have four children. Two of them look EXACTLY like their father. I mean EXACTLY. One looks just like my grandfather (aunt's father) and the fourth sort of looks like them, but his face is different and I'm not really sure who he looks like.

What I am sure of is that they all have the same parents.

The little boy on the right in the photo has skin a bit darker than the others, but the mom has a darker complexion so I would just assume he takes after her and the other two are more their father.

rml_16

I was in the mom-mentality for a few years. My mother still complains that she has 20 lbs to lose because she had kids...so I grew up thinking that is what happens - you have kids and you struggle the rest of your life with your weight. This is not true at all and I am glad I realized it sooner rather than later. Once I stopped making excuses I found reasons to just do it.

I wish I could blame my weight gain on having a baby. :frown:

I was back in my pre-pregnancy clothes within six months and she's 19 now and I weigh almost what I did the day I delivered.

Forget it. I'm just blaming pregnancy. I'll feel better that way!

LorinaLynn

Between this and the backlash against the pregnant woman weight lifting a few weeks ago... it seems like there's a helluva lot of "bullying" towards fit women, by calling them bullies, irresponsible, bad mothers, etc.

TheRoadDog

Stumbled upon this thread. Saw all the negativity and took a moment to open the original thread and read the first post.

How does the original post morph into this kind of dissacociated arguing?

yoovie

Between this and the backlash against the pregnant woman weight lifting a few weeks ago... it seems like there's a helluva lot of "bullying" towards fit women, by calling them bullies, irresponsible, bad mothers, etc.

We know this is the normal pattern for MFP.

Out of shape women are the most vicious demographic on the planet. (more specifically - out of shape moms - are the most vicious demographic ever)

We should put them ALL on anti-terrorism detail

Nickle526

This is still going? And not locked? Impressive.

Also, I got up at 5:30 this morning. Made coffee, put a load if laundry in, set out school clothes for my 3 kids (my husband will take them) and am off to the gym for the first time in over a month (been lifting at home), partly inspired by this post. Hell I might even do cardio.

DamePiglet

Stumbled upon this thread. Saw all the negativity and took a moment to open the original thread and read the first post.

How does the original post morph into this kind of dissacociated arguing?

Yeah, wild how things blow up, huh?

Slacker16

(...)
not that woman's hotness (i don't think?), which is basically indisputable. though i think someone found fault with her elbows (?!?).

That was me and it was a joke.
Look up "elbows too pointy meme".

Edit:
On a somewhat more constructive note, I really wonder why people find it creepy that she's posing with her kids while wearing a training bra and gym shorts. Is it also creepy to take your kids to the beach?