Your Goal : Fitness or Looks ?

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  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
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    Both
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
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    All my life I have hated running and exercise. I was in the Army--couldn't even run a mile without walking and breathing heavy. By the end of Basic Training I could run 7 miles fine. Not fast, but no walking. I still didnt like exercising though. I got out of the Army and just started eating and being lazy. Gained about 100lbs. My goal now is to be able to walk into any store and find my size. I hate that I have been a plus size and my clothing choices are limited. With that being said--I actually love exercising now. I push myself as hard as I can. I want to be able to run 60 minutes straight. I don't care about the distance. I just want to be able to run without stopping. So, long story short--I want both.
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    yes
  • mybelovedrebel
    mybelovedrebel Posts: 24 Member
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    I think that to be successful it helps to have a bit of both. I started off the day after I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. my A1C level went from 5.7 to 10.1. That is a massive jump and I "achieved" diabetes through a very strict regemine of considering 1 package of sweets 1 serving, not exercising at all, and lying in bed being depressed a lot. All in the span of 4 months. What an achievement!

    The diagnosis scared the uhuminahumina out of me because my Mom has terrible type 2 diabetes and is largely confined to bed with muscle wasting and depression. Her own father died of...you guessed it, complications from diabetes from lying in bed from depression. I promised myself my son wouldn't grow up spending time in the hospital watching his grandparents suffer, but guess what...it is happening, though I am handling it better with him than my Mom did for me. Standing over my mother's bedside I realized I couldn't control that my kid sees my Mom sick and suffering. I can, however, control whether my son stands over MY bed watching me, his Mommy disintegrate, feeling torn between caring for me and caring for his children and hating to shortchange anyone. I therefore got my sorry tush out of bed, got meds for my anxiety that doesn't have a weight gain side effect and got to it. My goal was an A1C lower than I had ever had before and I came in at 5.6, which is .1 lower than I had ever come under before. I am 50 pounds down through calorie counting, exercising, getting support (my YMCA offers a program called In It To Lose It that I highly recommend if it is offered locally) and taking that damn pill that lightened my emotional load quite a bit. 50 pounds down and at least 100 more to go, I feel great, I am doing intervals on the treadmill the faster of which involve running, and I am happier.

    Now my son does Bollywood Dance videos with me, pushing me to get extra exercise videos in. When we go to the playground to kick a ball around it is effortless. He is my extra personal trainer. He likes to go to the local football/soccer field and run up and down the stands. I follow him up, follow him down, follow him around the track. It is very motivating because truthfully my main driver is my health right now.

    Having said that, I can also now wear a shift dress without looking like a jolly Buddha in a dress (nothing against the Buddha, but he just couldn't carry off a shift dress, and neither could I.) I am almost at the point where I can buy professional suits in regular stores, which is helpful because I am looking for a more professional job right now. I know all too well that weight changes the way people talk to you and I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to be seen for my professional skills until or unless I am at least "average." That is not nice, but it is the truth. I am a woman, I managed a business successfully for six years, but people see "plump secretary" when they see me. That has to end.

    Having said all that, my DH has noticed my body changes and loves them, and I love that he loves them. That would be incentive enough. That is all I will say about that.

    So mostly health, mostly for the sake of my husband, son, and career with the side benefit of feeling better than I actually knew was possible, which is a gift I give to myself.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Both. I am loving the way I look and that I can sprint up the stairs and not get winded or carry 12 bags of groceries on one arm.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    Fitness, looks only help you for so long till your skin and body breakdown. Fitness keeps muscle & bone health in better shape down the road. Rather be active 50 years down the road then being skinny now and being broken down in 30-40 years.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    Does anyone actually work out solely to be more "generally fit"? I mean, if weight lifting/running/etc. made absolutely no difference in a person's appearance, no one would be in the gym.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Answer honestly please..... I'm seeing far too many posts focusing on how people want to 'look' and the transporter to it is excercise/diet. It's almost as if they're abusing their fitness skills.

    I don't understand why this is an either/or and I must certainly don't comprehend the concept of "abusing one's fitness skills". Everyone has their own personal goals and each is equally valid as the next person's goals.

    This
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
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    Both...plus fitting into clothing sizes (especially up top) that I haven't seen since 8th grade. :)
  • shafstar
    shafstar Posts: 36
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    Does anyone actually work out solely to be more "generally fit"? I mean, if weight lifting/running/etc. made absolutely no difference in a person's appearance, no one would be in the gym.

    Athletes or semi-pros do hence the nature of the question.

    I'm confident that most of us can hit decent fitness levels but how many of us would push further is the question. To a certain degree you've hit the nail as most of us are more inclined to stop once we've reached appearance goals.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    In most cases if one wants to excel in fitness (which also requires correct nutrition), then looks will usually be a good byproduct from it.
    I always tell my clients to get fit first. This usually ends up in a better look for them in the end.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
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    Fitness first, then looks.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Fit & healthy!!! Looking better is an added perk.
  • Thorbjornn
    Thorbjornn Posts: 329 Member
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    I used to train powerlifting style, run and mountain bike ride. After back and shoulder surgeries, I've had to re-think my weight training. I'm not unfit, but the looks aren't there (yet) because I out-ate my workouts. Powerlifting is no excuse to get fat. I have the fitness and muscle, now I need to get rid of the fat for the look I want.
  • UndoneTwo
    UndoneTwo Posts: 41
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    "Answer honestly" then "I'm seeing far too many people with 'x' opinion"... Are you sure you want an honest answer? lol :P

    Well, you asked for it! For me, the motivating factor is definitely looks. Shallow and vain? Maybe. But honest. I like the way I look when I am thin and toned. And liking the way I look is good for my mental health! :) For better or worse, the idea of fitness is a distant second.

    <3 Please don't lynch me. <3
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I dance because I love it. So that is for art, and I guess you could say the fitness and looks are just a bonus. A very important bonus that I love.

    I lift weights for extra strength, I like it, and for looks. Looks is the reason I decided to lift weights. Being stronger makes it fun. Looks keep me interested and motivated to continue.

    Of course also health and having fun with my kids are things I enjoy as well.

    So my main motivation, goal, and reason is to have an enjoyable, and happy life. And there are many elements in that.
  • PrettyPearl88
    PrettyPearl88 Posts: 368 Member
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    Definitely both :-) I certainly want to feel healthier - I like being able to play harder, jog longer, hike further, etc, and I want to live a looong, healthy, and happy life - but I readily admit that I also really enjoy looking better! I have more fun shopping for clothes (or going to the beach, of a ton of other situations) when I am more fit. And, the way our society works, like it or not, being more attractive (this includes presenting oneself with confidence) has significant benefits in both personal and professional/work interactions. Fair? No... but fact? Yes.

    Bottom line - both fitness and looks are important factors in becoming healthier and maintaining a good level of health. And, I'm okay with that - both reasons help with my motivation to be healthy, so as long as not taken to an unhealthy level, both are beneficial to my goals of being fit and healthy :-)

    ^ Basically this. I'd be lying if I didn't say both! :laugh:
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    My goal was to get my measurements into a certain range and I had (and still have) fitness goals...like to do regular pushups and chin ups etc., so I guess a little of both.

    I have to say I am loving the results of my hard work though...both aesthetically and the way I feel all day. :)
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,369 Member
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    Both and neither. Multifaceted goal, if you wish.

    My #1 motivator is health, however. I want to increase/maintain cardiovascular health and bone density. I also read some scary stuff about how fast women lose muscle mass in menopause and wanted to preserve that as much as possible.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Both and neither. Multifaceted goal, if you wish.

    My #1 motivator is health, however. I want to increase/maintain cardiovascular health and bone density. I also read some scary stuff about how fast women lose muscle mass in menopause and wanted to preserve that as much as possible.

    Yeah! These are all motivating reasons for me as well. Bone density and maintaining muscle now and as I age, and being youthful (in looks and ability) and healthy.

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