Debbie Hatch | Family & F.I.T.
Unless you follow Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), you might not know who Ronda Rousey is. That said; the girl is making some noise in many areas so you might have heard of her regardless.
This is not about fighting, well not the kind you’re thinking of anyway, so if that’s not really your thing, please keep reading for just a second.
This is about fighting for a positive female body image.
Ronda is a 28 year old mixed martial artist. She is the first, and current UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion as well as the last Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She smashed down the door, and is leading the way for Women’s MMA in the United States. So far she’s been unbeatable. Ronda was the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in Judo. That was at the Summer Olympics in Bejing in 2008.
People love her or hate her; there is no in-between. She definitely evokes very strong emotions.
I applaud Ronda for this interview where she talks about posing in a bikini. http://espn.go.com/espnw/video/12529578/rousey-compares-body-swimsuit-issues
“I walk around at 135 for a couple hours a year JUST before a fight, after cutting weight. The way I look on the scale [for a fight] is not the way I look in real life. It’s not realistic or healthy for me. I don’t want to do a photo shoot like that. I don’t want people to believe that’s how I really look.”
“I want to be able to take off my clothes right now and get in front of the camera.” Just the way I am!! Not the way I look after I’ve “prepared”!!
A-friggin-men!!!!!
Although you’d hear very few of them ever say it, the largest percentage of body builders, figure and bikini competitors, and models you see in magazines have “prepared”. They have been air-brushed, photo shopped, and have cut weight for the shoot. They don’t really look like that.
If you don’t already know, cutting weight involves significantly decreasing carbohydrates, calories, sodium, and water for a few days or a week prior to a certain date (that could be weigh-in for a fight, or the competition date). It is an extreme method of losing weight very quickly. It may also involve sitting in a sauna and/or taking hot baths as a way to drop as much weight as possible by sweating out all of the body’s sub-dermal water. There is an ambulance at every bodybuilding competition and never a shortage of people who have cramped up or passed out behind stage. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
Please also note: LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT THE SAME AS LOSING FAT!!!!
I have cut weight for a competition. I’ve helped my son do it for a fight and clients do it for competition as well as wrestling meets.
It’s not fun. It’s NOT healthy.
I have also had the self-induced headache for two days due to severe dehydration and brain fog for close to a week. Super low carb intake was responsible for that. As bad of a reputation as they’ve been given, your essential body systems – like brain functioning! – require carbohydrates!!!!
****** THIS is precisely why all of those 3-30 day detox “miracles” you see advertised cause people to “lose weight”. They really do work.
****** They work just long enough for the after photo to be snapped.
****** One glass of water and 8 hours later, there is NO weight loss!! There never was any fat loss!!
***** Ask to see the AFTER after pictures!!!!!!!!!! Ask to look at the photos that were taken 2-5 days later. You’ll find ZERO long-lasting change.
Women in these magazines have been portrayed as the “perfect” for all of us. How many young girls, adolescents, and women look at those pictures and believe that is what they are supposed to look like??? How many young boys, teens, and men look at those pictures and believe that is what women are supposed to look like???
I can tell you this: I did! I can tell you this: my daughter did! I can tell you this: many of the women I work with now: did!
And I can tell you this, too: many people still believe they are “supposed” to look like that or they’re simply not good enough.
Ronda kicks some major booty (and breaks arms) in the ring but this is one fight she might need some help with!
I’m joining the fight – and you should too.
I want you to be happy with yourself. I want you to be able to walk on the beach, or run if you prefer; to play with your children and grandchildren; to be strong enough to take care of yourself. I want you to be healthy for a long time!!! There is no perfect size, shape, or weight. You most certainly don’t need to look like those ladies in your magazines. Especially since most of them don’t even look that way.
xo