Spring Break
Weighing the importance of perfection
Jhenene Louis
Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: Opinion
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I have always tried to stay in shape, until my freshman year of college. That's when I became all too familiar with the dreaded "freshman 15."
The summer of my sophomore year, I decided to head to the gym to try and shed some extra weight.
Weight gain has always seemed to sneak up on me every winter when the holidays come around.
It's like I go into hibernation mode.
Some of my girlfriends and I were sitting at my apartment, talking about the issue of weight and why we are so obsessed with having a body like Halle Berry or Jennifer Lopez.
Yes, it is true that the media have unrealistic standards of what beauty is - and makes it impossible for women to achieve these standards.
Is the media really responsible?
Why does weight matter?
Three bags of popcorn and two bowls of ice cream later, we all came up with our own theory, such as, women want to compete with other women for men's attention, and men like women who are slim and in shape.
As we went around the room, I realized that none of our answers had anything to do with us. It's like we want to stay in shape, because it makes us feel better, not because it is healthier.
Every answer had to do with men and what we think they want.
I told myself the next time I go to the gym it was going to be for me, not because I want to impress some guy with my new abs.
So my friend Gio and I decided to go to 24 Hour Fitness.
When I first walked in, I immediately felt out of place, with my oversized SJSU sweatshirt and the black sweats I've worn a million times, spotted with bleach.
The girls in the gym wore tight Nike Razor back tops with spandex bottoms. They were fit and toned.
My friend Gio, who is gorgeous and has the metabolism of a 10 year old, felt right at home.
Since when do I have to get in shape before I get into the gym?
As I made my way to the elliptical machine, with my pouched out tummy and flabby arms, the most humiliating thing happened.
A woman who had just spent 45 minutes on the bike beside me got off, touched my stomach and asked me when I was due!
I almost passed out.
I was so horrified by her question, so I went along with it and said in six months.
I was convinced that I was never going to the gym again.
I would just do my workout at home on Comcast On Demand "15 min workouts."
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