Filed under Exercise …

Read ‘em: Elsewhere in beauty standards

Check out the Women of Color and Beauty Carnival on the yennenga LJ community. This looks like an awesome carnival, and I’m really excited to read all the linked posts. You’ll recognize Julia’s excellent post at Fatshionista, which we’ve been discussing around here; some of her posts on LJ are linked as well. Via Racialicious … Continue reading »

The Duh Truck Rides Again

Okay, every Shapeling and their grandma has sent me a version of this news, so I’d better get on it. (Thanks, everybody, and sorry I’m slow!)  A new study suggests that a surprising number of overweight people — about half — have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while an equally startling number of trim … Continue reading »

Quick hit: Olympic-level bodies

Via Broadsheet, check out this NYT slideshow of several Olympian athletes. As Catherine Price of Broadsheet says, “it’s nice to see proof that being strong takes all kinds.” This version is almost like an Olympic addendum to the BMI slideshow, though we’ll have to do the calculating ourselves. I love the picture of Cheryl Haworth, … Continue reading »

Those lazy kids and their hours of exercise

This morning’s paper had a wire story about a study showing that kids get less exercise as they get older. Obviously it’s full of the nonsense you’ve come to expect; the headline I read talked about “lazy” kids, the article says that teenagers are “sluggish.” There’s no mention made of the piles of work and … Continue reading »

On Problems to Be Solved

So, the headline of this AP article is okay: “Europe plans free fruit, veggies for school kids.” Nothing wrong with that — in fact, I think it’s a swell idea. But you do know what’s coming next, right? An estimated 22 million children in the 27-nation bloc of nearly 500 million people are overweight because … Continue reading »

Guest Blogger Ellie: Trying Tai Chi

Remember how back in January, I said I was going to try a bunch of exercise classes and report back here? And how, after five months, I’ve only written up belly dancing and Pilates? (Still haven’t gotten around to writing up water aerobics, but who better than an otter to tell you about that?) But … Continue reading »

Bring in the noise, bring in the fat

I had my first belly dance performance last weekend. Let me tell you, nothing tests your body-positivity more than having your belly out on stage alongside 14 identically-dressed women, all of whom are smaller than you. I wanted to come through that with flying colors and then post right afterwards about how size acceptance had … Continue reading »

“Weird Moods”

Since I know some of you out there are current or aspiring yoga or pilates teachers, I’m gonna give you a tip for free. (I would imagine this tip would also apply to tai chi instructors, and anyone else teaching a mind/body discipline.) Here’s the tip: SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UUUUUUUUUUP. Especially when working … Continue reading »

Exercise Experiment #2: Pilates

Hey, remember my new year’s pledge to try a bunch of different exercise classes for the first time and report back? Well, I haven’t forgotten, even if I haven’t written one up since January. One of these days, I’m going to write up water aerobics (short answer: LOVE IT), but right now, my first experience … Continue reading »