Dr David Okorie
In this digital perception-driven world we live in, there is a giant wall dividing people into two opposing camps. The “Fit-Fam” vs the “I cannot coman kee myself” crew, the ‘Six-pack’ vs the “Amusement/One pack” gang, The “slim and curvy” vs “The big, bold and beautiful (BBB)” clique, with both parties existing with an array of verbal weapons freely used in thier latent social conflict, including but not limited to words like “Body Positivity”, “Carb cycling”, “Slim teas”, “Keto dieting”, “Fat burning pills’ e.t.c
However, let us for a moment take into account the three body types : Ectomorphs : Lean and long, with difficulty building muscle; Endomorphs: Big, often pear-shaped, with a high tendency to store body fat and the Mesomorphs: Muscular and well-built, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle cells. Amazing how much a paradox it is, Ectomorphs wishing they were endomorphs, Endomorphs wishing they were Mesomorphs (for males) and for females, anatomically favoured Ectomorphs (i.e. Slim and tall, with fat in the right places, above and below). The quest of this pot of gold, has surely exposed many people to dangers from unnecessary or improperly executed interventions. And worse, the quality of their health sacrificed.
This begs the question, what really is acceptable? Does it lie in the photoshopped pictures that grace the covers of fashion magazines or is it determined by personal comfort in one’s own reflection? History fondly speaks of a certain Princess Qajar of Persia who once had thirteen men kill themselves, primary because she rejected their proposal for her hand in marriage. At that time, she was seen as the epitome of beauty, even though she had a glaring mustache and was an exuberant endomorph; certainly not picturesque, going by today’s standards.
These days, with the constant pressure from social media, many often forget that, regardless of one’s body type, what truly matters is “Quality Health and Fitness”, as there are many aesthetically appealing men who can’t even pull their weight in work and endurance, in comparison to their plus-sized counterparts.
Does this give an excuse for one to wittingly give in to his/her culinary urges, No!!, However if one is of the Endomorph gang where on the mere thought of pizza or simple admiration of a bucket of ice-cream, he/she had already packed a few pounds (sadly, which doesn’t reflect as a bank alert), it is necessary to be cautious with diet and attention paid to quality exercise, endeavoring to stay within the acceptable BMI (Body Mass Index) range.
So, speaking from the “I cannot coman kee myself” side of the fence, Life is to be lived and Life is to be Loved and for one to truly live, one has to be at peace with self.
In concluthe sion, pursuit for fitness should be paramount but only when there are no shapes or sizes, but rather, strength, stamina and emotional health are the standards through which we abide and are summarily judged.
