Bengfort.com

Hey guys- this is a post from a few months ago that never got published!

As I was puffing along on the cross-trainer yesterday morning it suddenly struck me how strange working out really is. It’s one thing to work out to form some sort of specialization- to become a better basketball player, should that be a hobby or profession, to become stronger, faster, jump higher, etc. It’s another to work out solely for the goal of losing weight or being healthy enough to survive.

Those who work out for athletic purposes are most likely already as healthy as they need to be. They work out for the goal of specialization, and not just to be “healthy,” but also to be the best at what they do, in peak physical performance. Yet, for a lot of people, working out isn’t simply for the goal of physically training themselves- working out is for burning off excess fat or even to maintain a sufficient level of “health” they require in order to live longer. Beyond health, some people work out only to be skinnier- look better, more physically appealing, etc.

It certainly says something about a society when we have to push our bodies into labor with no result other than to burn excess energy (IE fat, carbs, etc.) We have so much energy that we have to find a way to expel it before it becomes stored in our bodies. I suppose that’s a privilege; too much energy is far better than too little. Yet if you really think about it, it’s extremely unnatural.