I really do love reading Thought Catalog because it feels like a more realistic, less-teenager-y version of BuzzFeed. I don’t have to consider Thought Catalog a guilty pleasure, whereas if anyone asks, BuzzFeed makes me gag. Every time I read a Thought Catalog article though, I have a slight trepidation that this article would be the one that made me lose interest. Unfortunately, ladies and gentleman, that day has come.
I’m currently drinking my “morning” coffee and eating “breakfast” at noon with no shame because it’s summer. Before I begin actually being productive with my online summer classes, I obviously was scrolling through Twitter. I stumbled upon an article by Thought Catalog called “Almond Butter Tastes Like Sandpaper And 16 Other Truths About Dieting You Should Know” and I almost gasped.
There are many truths about dieting that one must know, but I could eat almond butter with a spoon, diet or no diet. That stuff is simply delicious. In my confusion by this writer’s taste buds, I decided to read the list and I was thoroughly disappointed.
I understand that dieting can be difficult and annoying and it includes a lot of self-doubt and feeling self-conscious. I get that as much as any other 20-something-year-old does, but this list, in my opinion, pushed people away from trying to change to a healthy lifestyle more than anything else.
Yes, it does suck seeing people at the gym and it will always happen. This is true. Can we at least put a positive spin on it? They see you too and that means the thought that goes through their head is likely the same one that goes through yours, which in my case is: “she/he works out? That’s awesome.” Knowing other people think that about you when they see you working out overrides the fear of seeing those people in the first place.
Today, I am going back to my first hot yoga class in over a year, and I will say I’m a bit nervous, but standing up for hot yoga is more important than standing up for almond butter. Yoga is much more than just physical exercise. It is relaxing, it is spiritual, and it has just as many mental benefits as it does physical. If you attend your first hot yoga class and it is very difficult, and likely it will be, that is totally okay. When the going gets rough in hot yoga, you simply go into Child’s Pose. Plain and simple and no one will judge you. People at Planet Fitness say there is no judgement in a gym, but let’s be honest, it’s just a spot where people go to judge–this could be other people or themselves. Yoga genuinely isn’t like that. If you are focused on anything outside the confines of your mat, then you aren’t even doing it right. It’s likely that most people in the class with you are there to focus on themselves, not the people around them. Take a step back and remember that the world doesn’t revolve around you so that you can soak in that hot, calming, yogi air.
For those of you who hate running, I’ll make one suggestion that will make running a million times easier and you’ll realize how people get addicted to it: all you have to do is breathe while you run. Actively think about it. While you’re running, breathe in counting one-two-three and breathe out counting one-two-three. Just try it. It will blow you away, you’ll feel like you could run for days. Running and actively breathing almost feels like yoga, and when you reach that runner’s high, you’ll also fulfill the question in your head that has always wondered how Forrest actually ran for as long as he did.
Thought Catalog, I haven’t completely disowned you and I won’t unfollow you on Twitter, but I will say I’m not pleased. There is no “bitches” after Namaste. It’s never going to happen. Please don’t discourage your readers.
rimamandwee 