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Body Image of Young Girls

A few weeks ago I was swimming at the gym and a young girl (I’m guessing 8-years-old) stopped me and said, “If you want I can teach you how to swim so that you’ll actually lose weight.” After my initial embarrassment (because everyone in the pool heard), I laughed it off. I assumed that she thought I looked so awkward swimming that I was getting nothing out of it.  And, I may be reading too much into it, but I think there is a valid discussion point here.

(Picture to left: Me, today with the body of someone an 8-year-old thinks should lose weight.)

I posted the comment on Facebook and told my classes about it. People had differing views but many were really upset. And it got me thinking about young girls and body image.

First of all, there is the good point that I wasn’t swimming to lose weight. I was training for a triathlon. And I swim because it’s good for my joints and keeps me running. Lots of people swim because they enjoy it. Losing weight is certainly not the […]

Body Image of Young Girls2017-10-25T15:49:51-04:00

Triathlon Training Part IV: I Have Exercise ADHD

The third time I hop in the pool to train for my triathlon, I’m not fast. I’m not sure I’ll ever be fast. I was back up to 25-minutes again, but I definitely didn’t push myself as hard. Not because I couldn’t, but because I kept getting distracted. I’m the same way when I walk. I fall into a leisurely pace. I actually have to think, walk faster, walk faster, in order to walk faster or I naturally slow down. I’m not sure if speed walkers need a constant reminder to keep going. It’s the same thing with swimming for me. The second my mind wonders, my speed disappears. But my mind wanders a lot—from what I’m going to do in a class, to how cool Mark Twain is, to what I’ll eat later.

I think my exercise ADHD will hold me back from ever winning a race. And I’m totally okay with that.

Instead of speed, I worked on not touching the sides so that I don’t get that brief second of having a security blanket. I think I’ll be okay in the open water, even though everyone tells me that is what I should be nervous about. It’s […]

Triathlon Training Part IV: I Have Exercise ADHD2017-09-12T19:34:24-04:00

Triathlon Trainin Part III

I have to admit, there was a piece of me that was happy I’d done something I’d never done before—swimming till my heart felt like it would burst.  It made me feel good to know I’d done it, but I was still dreading more.

So begrudgingly I forced myself back into the pool—for the workout and the commitment, not because I wanted to.  A friend on Facebook told me that if I could get in the pool one or two more times before the race I’d see a huge difference.  I didn’t believe him a lick.

I shoved my earplugs in, swam and swam, and looked at the clock.  Better time.  I did it in 21-minutes and it felt awful but not excruciating like the last time.  I only had a couple of moments where I felt like I would drown in four feet of water.  And I didn’t have to stop and do the backstroke for a lap.  (Note: by the way…the back stroke […]
Triathlon Trainin Part III2017-09-12T19:34:24-04:00

Triathlon Training Part II

I got my lazy behind to the gym, with the realization that I had completely ruled out learning how to do the crawl before August 4th.  I will be doing this tri with the breast stroke.  I’m not out to win it, just finish, so my stroke really doesn’t matter.  Multiple friends provided tips on how to do the breast stroke more effectively.  For example, apparently your body should be as vertical as possible.  It should not go through the water, like mine, at an angle that creates drag. 

I shoved ear plugs in my ears because I hate getting water in my ears—that neurosis stems from multiple ear infections as a kid.

Within a half a lap I came to the realization that I had never, in my entire life, attempted to swim hard.  I had only ever gone swimming recreationally.  Even if I raced anyone it was to the other side of an above ground pool—less than half a lap […]
Triathlon Training Part II2017-09-12T19:34:24-04:00

Triathlon Training: Part I

So earlier this year I signed up to do a small triathlon (swim a half mile, bike about 12 miles, run a 5k).  A triathlon isn’t exactly on my bucket list. I more just want to be able to say I’ve done one.  And I thought it would keep me honest.  Having something to train for would force me to train after a reasonably lazy winter.

Except it didn’t work out that way.  The triathlon is Aug 4th and around July 4th I realized that I probably needed to start training.  I’d been running because I run anyway.  But I hadn’t gone biking once.  And while I try to get in the pool each week, I didn’t even know how far a half a mile was.

So I got on the horn.  I called the gym and I asked them how many laps equals a half a mile.  Twenty-two laps (there and back) is the answer.  I […]
Triathlon Training: Part I2017-09-12T19:34:24-04:00
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