Two weeks ago I wrote a guest blog for Diets in Review. It was an entertaining blog in which I discussed cellulite and the ways to diminish it. The inspiration for the cellulite blog came from a conversation I had with my wife, Pam, before a presentation I was to give on the subject in 2007.
Pam has once again ignited something that has compelled me to share some valuable information.
On Saturday, March 12, Pam and I were having lunch, and I mentioned how I had received a lot of positive feedback and emails on the cellulite blog. I told her I could have gone into a lot more technical detail on what cellulite is. Here’s how the conversation went:
Me: It felt good to get the positive feedback on that blog. I wanted to set the record straight on cellulite, but in reality I could have given a more thorough analysis of cellulite.
Pam: Women don’t give a sh*t!
Me: (Thinking to myself Pam doesn’t swear often so obviously I struck a chord. Keep my mouth shut and listen.)
Pam: We don’t give a sh*t about that stuff. We don’t want a lot of technical nonsense. We won’t read it. Women like things simple, easy to read and entertaining. Don’t go on forever and ever on a subject. We want quick tips and the bottom line. Why do you think women’s magazines are so popular? We know we can get quick and easy tips, and they make it fun.
Me: (Nodding in agreement but more important, keeping my mouth shut and listening.)
Pam: …And another thing – we want our diets to be like that, too. Don’t take every treat away from us. We want to lose weight but we don’t want to go on some sort of fanatical freak diet where we think we can’t ever go off the diet. That’s why Weight Watchers is so successful. We know we can have treats and build them into our program. We’re not asking for a lot. We can do just about any diet out there, but don’t deny us an occasional glass of wine or some chips or whatever our favorite treat is. We need those things as part of a smart weight-loss program.
Me: What about women who stay on extreme diets like I do when I’m getting ready for a bodybuilding show?
Pam: They’re freaks just like you. The average woman doesn’t want to think she can’t leave the house because she has to stay on her diet, or that she’s a failure if she has 4-5 chips with her lunch.
Me: (Laughing because she called me a freak)
Pam: You follow these guidelines and women will love you. They’ll know that you “get them”
Me: It makes sense too. It’s really just living life as it should be led.
Something about that conversation made me think that maybe we’re all making this much harder than it has to be. Keep things simple, find activity that makes you feel happy, stay consistent on your nutrition plan and build in the occasional treat so you don’t feel like you’re ready to scream.
Exercise and diets: Not complicated, not overly restrictive, fun – yeah, I like it.
12 Comments to "Women Don’t Give A Sh*t!"
Paula says:
March 14, 2011 at 8:47 am -
Ha ha! I like your wife already! BTW, great restraint by you, with the shutting up, listening and nodding. You should get extra points for that.
I am the “freak” in my family. My kids and hubby just voted on that this past weekend, with me tracking my macros like a rabid beagle.
Love your bloggin, Raphael! Keep up the good work.
T says:
March 14, 2011 at 8:59 am -
I’m just now learning the last part (insert hysterical laughter) – that this should be easy and we should be active in things we enjoy – I already knew that I was a freak! There’s a woman who knows how to get to the point!
I can’t remember who, but I was reading about a figure competitor who said she NEVER used any cardio equipment because it was boring. She loved boxing and.. I think she said Zumba. But you would never catch her on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical. That spoke to me. At what point in our lives did we stop playing and start boring our selves to death?
I LOVE, LOVE your realness here RC! That also is what people want to see and connect with!
((((((((((((((((((((((BIG BEAR HUGS))))))))))))))))))))
Nancy says:
March 14, 2011 at 9:17 am -
“Keep things simple, find activity that makes you feel happy, stay consistent on your nutrition plan and build in the occasional treat so you don’t feel like you’re ready to scream.”
Amen!
Elizabeth Irwin says:
March 14, 2011 at 9:19 am -
Raphael, I honestly don’t mind some science thrown in with my practicality. When it comes to cellulite I know why it’s there and that it’s really hard to get rid of completely and that there’s no magic bullet. And I know that 25 years ago if someone had explained to me all about calories in – calories out and that my body can’t function right on only 800 calories a day, I wouldn’t have embarked on a half a lifetime of sluggish metabolism and disordered eating. But when it comes to fixing the “problem” – I’m all about simple and honest. Such as, “You can do X workout, but it might take you a little longer to get the weight off” or “At your age, Y workout will be most effective and it’s fun so it doesn’t feel like exercise.” And I believe it’s possible to be realistic and still be healthy with diets. I agree with Pam on that one – the more restrictive I get and the more math I have to do, the more irritable I get and the less likely I am to stick with a plan. 🙂
Karen says:
March 14, 2011 at 9:34 am -
Well, Well! Looks like you’d better hire her cause she ain’t gonna keep givin this up for free 😉
Thanks for this RC & Thank Pam for me she rocks! Love that she calls you a “freak” lmao!
Raphael says:
March 14, 2011 at 11:28 am -
Paula – The rabid beagle! Ha ha! I love that. Yes, you’re one of the freaks for sure and I mean that in the highest regard!
T – I like that quote, “At what point did we stop playing and start boring ourselves to death”. Thanks so much for your great comments. You rock, T!
Nancy – Amen
Liz – Thanks for that great feedback. Some people like more analysis than others. I’ve found that being able to teach bits of information over time to be a very effective system for some people. As you allude to, the key is to find what works and doesn’t make you miserable. Thanks so much for reading and always great to hear from you.
Karen – She’s too expensive! I’ll show her your post. She’ll appreciate it.
KCLAnderson (Karen) says:
March 14, 2011 at 12:15 pm -
You know I love this! I’m not exactly sure why, but as I read this post I started thinking about the hugely unrealistic vision I used to have for myself: that if I lost XX pounds and weighed XXX, then I’d look like a supermodel. Seriously. No wonder I was resistant. Now that I am more realistic, not worried, and am having fun (not to mention a lot of other things), I am happier, relaxed and able to enjoy myself right now. And the weight is coming off…
Raphael says:
March 14, 2011 at 12:29 pm -
Karen – That about sums it up. Thanks for posting this!
Pratty says:
March 14, 2011 at 12:41 pm -
is Pam taking clients? I would sign up with her 😛
Raphael says:
March 14, 2011 at 12:56 pm -
Pratty – Heh heh. She’s expensive!
Cathy W says:
March 15, 2011 at 2:53 pm -
I like a bit of techno-speak so I can picture how things work … but not huuuggggge words that require a medical dictionary to read.
Amen on the fun factor. I just bought a rubber playground ball for MYSELF because it used to be my favorite toy in 2nd grade. We played a kind of hopscotch game against the wall.
Raphael says:
March 15, 2011 at 3:32 pm -
Cathy, do you mean like the article I wrote on Diets in Review? That baby was twice as long when I first wrote it. A lot more I could have said.
Fun, yep it’s gotta be fun. Or at least tolerable. Thanks for posting.