Is It Finally Cool to Exercise?
Credit: Ali Samieivafa, Flickr
It’s weird. When I was growing up, “exercise” wasn’t something I remember people really liking to do. It was a means to an end (losing weight, looking a certain way), not really a way of life or something that was considered “cool.” Exercise was more synonymous with dread and a have-to instead of excitement and a want-to. Heck, even in 2008 when we started FBG, Zumba was just starting to get really mainstream, The Biggest Loser hadn’t been around long and doing something like a half or — gasp — a full marathon was something just for fitness freaks. But in the last year or two, I think that’s changed. And is continuing to change.
Guys, I think working out might actually be seen as “cool” now. (Winner, winner kale-and-chicken dinner!)
I mean, I still see the funny I-hate-to-exercise cartoons that seem to pop up on email chains and Facebook feeds, but I’m more likely to see people posting how many steps they logged on their FitBit or how they’re doing the Couch to 5K or how they need an ugly sweater for a run or how they’re making a healthy recipe they saw on Pinterest. I’m seeing people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels having fun with healthy living. They’re dressing up for races, bragging about PRs, getting excited about new running shoes, talking about their favorite WODs and swapping their favorite smoothie ingredients.
These do not seem to be the days of yesteryear when healthy food meant cardboard and exercise meant boring torture. Granted, I run a fitness blog and surround myself with a lot of fit peeps, but still. I feel like the tide is turning. And that now it’s not just socially acceptable to work out, but it’s also pretty darn rad to get sweaty and give it your all. Working out is en vogue. Trendy. Super cool. Way fashionable. (And hopefully not in that fad type of way where you look back at photos of your hair from 10 years ago and wonder, “What the heck was I thinking?” … )
So my question to you is: Do you agree? Is it finally cool to exercise? Or am I just running in circles that make it seem like that? —Jenn