The other day I was thinking about why I am Fatty McFat Fat and why my brothers are not. We have the same genes yet I’ve turned out chubbily when they are all quite fit. All three of them are excellent athletes and played varsity baseball at least one year in high school. My brother JT played four years of baseball. My brother Ronald also ran track and cross country. They are all extremely athletic guys.
I only managed one year as an “athlete” in high school, playing tennis in the very last varsity spot on the team my freshman year. After that my athletic endeavors dwindled from recreation softball to nothing until I started working out again in college. My brothers had the opposite experience. They played sports throughout high school and have stayed active since going to college.
I wonder sometimes why we had such different experiences. My brother JT has the same build as me and the same sweet tooth. He eats more candy and food than I could imagine eating. He could just as easily have become the fat kid. But he didn’t. He is still in shape (muscular even) while my shape sometimes could be categorized as “round.”
When I think about my siblings more I realize this profound difference in how we turned out doesn’t make me sad about my own situation. It gives me hope. When I look at my athletic brothers and then back at myself and wonder, Why can’t I be an athlete? I realize there is no answer.
There is nothing that makes me different from my brothers. I could be just as fit as they are if I had not previously chosen other endeavors over fitness (mainly, eating and reading). But if I want to be an athlete now – I will be. I will never be a pro athlete or even super competitive at a sport, but I sure as hell can play.
I can definitely be like my brothers who are all at a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle. The only thing that has been stopping me is myself. My mind. Because that is the only difference between my brothers and I. But my mindset regarding life, fitness, daily exercise is changing. I’m going to be like my little brothers and be as athletic as my body allows. Maybe one day I will even beat one of them at a race or other sport.
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I love the positive spin you put on this! ^_^ You *are* an athlete, you are in training right now. I do think that boys are given more positive reinforcement for being athletic than girls in high school, I know at my high school there were many more boys teams than girls teams. I have a question for you, what sport do you *wish* you could play?
Meg’s last blog post..Hitting my stride
GREAT POST. Yes you can! You can!!
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I was never the skinniest girl by any mean and most of the time the most “big boned” girl on my sport teams. So even though I was overweight I was active which kind of confused me but I was good at sports and worked hard at being fit and got to my healthiest in high school. After high school I got less active and I ended up gaining all my weight back. I think I am more frustrated now because I was an athlete and fit but just didn’t continue it. Now I have regained the desire to be more athletic and healthy because I know I can do it. I have also coached many girls that started off with just the desire to be an athlete and by the end of the season they were a bonified athlete and I was there to help and I was proud. You definitely can do this too even if you don’t want to actually be in a sport just exercising is a sport. My sister’s trainer said to her when she was just starting out her mission..you use to be an athlete practicing at least 5 days a week with a game maybe on the 6 so you know you can do it. I realized that I can do this.
Vanessa
TheFitMission’s latest blog http://www.thefitmission.com
@Meg
You are definitely right about boys getting more positive reinforcement for being athletic. I wasn’t discouraged persay, but I definitely did not recieve the same kind of encouragement.
I guess my sport I wish I did was triathlons. I don’t know why but they just seem like such a cool thing as well as challenging. Maybe one day soon I will do one! But it’s not really a “play” kind of sport though. I would also love to go back to playing softball which I did on and off when I was younger. Very fun. :)
Love this post. And really enjoy the family comparisons. I’m the oldest of 4 girls and find it so frustrating that they range from super fit & skinny to voluptuous in a sexy size 10 way.
I remember how much it came home when I got married. I was wearing a size 24 and they were two size 4s and a size 6.
But it’s starting to change. I’ve been down to a size 18. At the last wedding they were two size 8s and a size 10.
Maybe by the next wedding we’ll all be size 12 and under.
RunningLarge’s last blog post..Running Fat & Slow (but with a partner)
You can definitely be an athlete! We all can! You don’t have to be talented to take part in something…
I think the biggest disservice we do to ourselves is to stop playing sport and being active at some point. This influences our hormones and may cause some of us to gain weight. Others get sick. Remember, even though your brother may be fitter than you are, if he’s eating junk he’s compromising his health!
Ha! Yeah, we all can – even people with missing limbs/blind/paralysed take part in athletic events, so we can too!
Fat[free]Me’s last blog post..3 Days to 5K
You can totally be an athlete. I mean I play sports every Sunday and I’m definitely not the fittest, fastest, or strongest. All it takes is to do it :)
FLG’s last blog post..Little Things
I am a HORRIBLE athlete. When I was in elem school they sent me to a special ed for GYM because I’m so uncoordinated and I’m just as bad now lol. No one in my family is particuarly athletic, although my brother is a pretty good dancer. Even though I’m a super klutz I still have fun going to things like kickboxing class where I laugh at myself for messing up all the combos that everyone else is dancing to. Just have fun with it.
Absolutely! It takes the action. You can do it and you ARE.
Sagan’s last blog post..Maintaining a Healthy and Realistic Attitude toward Body Image during the Summer Months
I think you answered your question yourself. It is just a lifestyle change. If you want to be an athlete, you just gotta start living like an athlete. Good post.
South Beach Steve’s last blog post..Day 239 – Long Day, Short Post
I’m so used to losing to the boys in the family its ingrained! Especially this afternoon at both badminton and cricket! It’s all about your definition of an athlete I guess. I know I’ll never be an athlete but I think I equate athlete with like famous people. *shrugs* Don’t know why…
But good luck to you missus!
wildfluffysheep’s last blog post..the sun is shining and things are looking up…..
love this post, I totally agree! I’ve always been an athlete, and so were my sisters, but I am/was fat and they have always been thin. I don’t understand it. But being an athlete is so satisfying, no matter your size! I’m actually looking forward to being able to exercise again.
I am 5’5 135lbs…no matter what i do i can’t make the scale budge. i’m an athlete i try to run at least 3 times a week for an hour and lift light weights a couple of time a week…what can i do?!?! i’ve hit the wall.. help me.
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