It's Time To Do Fitness Better
EVOLVE may look like a lot of other gyms. We have barbells, weight plates, kettlebells, dumbbells, rowers, and assault bikes ( what one of our members prefers to call “ass bikes”). But here’s the thing: We aren’t the same. Here’s why: We don’t have, scales, mirrors, transformation challenges, or diets. Oh, and we did this on purpose. Weird right?
We actually don’t care about how much you weigh or what you look like. We care about your goals. No, not weight loss goals. We care about your real goals. Like the fact that you want to run your first 5K. Or heal from an injury so you can run your next 50K. Or that you want to be able to squat your body weight because it makes you feel strong. Or maybe you want to be a part of a community. Or you struggle with depression and exercise is helpful.
We do this because EVOLVE is so much more than just a gym. We care about you. Your actual health, NOT what you look like. Exercise has many more benefits than its ability to possibly change your body. It is downright a disgrace when exercise is cheapened to just that. Something to change the way you look. Some of the benefits of exercise are: decreased risk of chronic illness, increased strength (which decreases your risk of injury), improvement in symptoms of mental health disorders, improved sleep, increased energy, and, oh yeah, it may make you feel like a badass.
And don’t even get us started on nutrition. Typical gym traditions of pushing everyone to do Whole 30 at the beginning of the year, or everyone jumping on a low-carb/keto/IF/whatever train will never be found here. We believe in a few core things at EVOLVE with regard to nutrition: eat more plants, eat protein, eat carbs, eat fats, and eat foods that make you happy. Also, newsflash, foods don’t have morality. There aren’t good” or “bad” foods, food is just, food. Of course, nutrition is really complex, and should be specific to you, but this is a good place to start.
Fitness culture and gym life is riddled with guilt, comparisons, and shame. Frankly, we are over it. There is a mounting body of evidence that indicates that diets ARE harmful. To your physical health, to your mental state, and to your relationships. Consider:
Those who diet are 5x more likely to develop an eating disorder. Those who practice restriction such as elimination diets are 18x more likely to develop an eating disorder (1).
Did you know that weight cycling, or more commonly known as “yo-yo” dieting has the same impacts on our health as “obesity”? Conditions that are often associated with being “over-weight” such as high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, elevated heart rate (2), and reduced resting metabolic rate (3), are all increased by weight cycling.
Dieting in teens is associated with elevated rates of body dissatisfaction, depression, and substance use ( 4).
STOP making exercise small. STOP making nutrition small. Nutrition isn’t calories in/calories out. If it was our Registered Dietitian wouldn’t have spent the last 7+ years studying it’s nuances. Exercise isn’t just to get “toned”. It is one of the most powerful tools we have to change our physiology, prevent injuries, and combat chronic pain.
Your health is not defined by your weight or your body appearance. Your health is impacted by your consistent behaviors over time. Which behaviors? Getting out of breath, training your muscles to be strong, having a community, dealing with stress, treating injuries and illnesses, managing mental health conditions, coping skills, limiting substances, and eating well.
Changing your body won’t make you happy. What can? Changing your habits, behaviors, nutrition, and community (and possibly therapy).
Fitness culture and diet culture are harmful. But they don’t have to be.
If you’re a fitness professional, health professional, or have a large following; know that your words matter. Your actions matter. And it’s time to do better. To be better for yourself, and for your clients.
If you’re a member of a gym with a toxic culture or looking for a positive community to be a part of, drop us a line. We’d love to welcome you in.
References
Golden NH, Schneider M, Wood C, COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION, COMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENCE, SECTION ON OBESITY. Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1649
Montani J-P, Schutz Y, Dulloo AG. Dieting and weight cycling as risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases: who is really at risk? Obes Rev. 2015;16(S1):7-18. doi:10.1111/obr.12251
Wadden TA, Foster GD, Letizia KA, Mullen JL. Long-term Effects of Dieting on Resting Metabolic Rate in Obese Outpatients. JAMA. 1990;264(6):707-711. doi:10.1001/jama.1990.03450060053028
Crow S, Eisenberg ME, Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D. Psychosocial and behavioral correlates of dieting among overweight and non-overweight adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2006;38(5):569-574. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.05.019