Maybe I’m a hater, but I kind of understand the sh!tstorm resulting from this photo:
Yes, Maria Kang is a beautiful woman. Yes, she’s got a smoking hot bod that she should be proud of. Yes, it’s almost unbelievable that she manages to maintain that figure with three small children. No, she absolutely does not deserve the personal attacks I’ve been reading in the blogosphere.
I’m sure she worked incredibly hard to be in that great of shape. She’s probably made all kinds of sacrifices to exercise, eat right, make time for such a healthy lifestyle. But why the word “excuse”?
ex·cuse
The word “excuse” is positively loaded with judgment. The implication there is that if anyone that doesn’t look as fantastic as she does, it’s merely because she isn’t trying hard enough. That kind of approach might work for teenage boys that want to make varsity, but in the adult world, there are tons of reasons why we’re overweight, overwhelmed, and kind of pissed off when someone blames it all on our “excuses”. Look, I wake up at 4:30am 6 days a week to work out, and I’m still annoyed with the word “excuse”. Why not caption this photo with “Hard Work”? or “You Can Do It Too!”? or “Living the Best Life I Can”? or even “HaHa, High School B!tches”?
I totally get that this lady is proud of herself – If I were her, I’d be flaunting that figure too. I just don’t know why she has made her accomplishments our failures by suggesting that we don’t have that physique because of an “excuse”. What a great opportunity she had to offer support, encouragement, and solutions.
But never fear, I am here to step into the breach! We all have excuses reasons we don’t exercise, but maybe these options will help you out.
- Short on time? Here’s a routine that you can do in 25 minutes a day. Here’s a series of 10-minute workouts – do 2 or 3 in a row, or sneak them in when you can.
- Broke? Here’s a workout routine that’s only $20. And here’s another one.
- Have no idea what High Intensity Internal Training is? Here’s an at-home program. No equipment necessary.
- Just starting out with exercise? Here’s a fun routine for beginners.
- Have you plateaued? Bust through with this.
- Insatiable sweet tooth? Have this instead of Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts (okay, I’m talking to myself with this one)
- Don’t know much about nutrition? Here’s a good start, and all the programs listed above come with detailed nutrition plans.
Do you have a workout routine that fits your busy lifestyle? Tell us about it in the comments!
Don’t forget! P90X Challenge pack is on sale until October 31
I guess I just don’t understand why people are taking it so personally. I think she ment it as motivation. like you showed at the last part of your post there are plenty of ways to make changes and they don’t always take up a lot of time. replacing that side of macaroni with a salad and 20 min of jogging or even walking after sinner. there is a lot of free information out there! I guess my advice is to take her challenge and “show” her that you can do it too! most importantly be healthy for yourself!
sorry about the lack of caps I’m on my phone and its hard to edit.
I wonder how much of the controversy was self-generated. She is a businesswoman, after all, and this a ton of free, world-wide publicity.
That’s the ‘Kris-Jenner” business plan for you!!!
You bring up a great point. If instead of “what’s your excuse?” the slogan had been something about it being the result of her hard work, dedication, whatever, I think it would sit well with people. Also, some people have some pretty damn good excuses. The single mother working two jobs to feed her children, for example, shouldn’t be made to feel like she’s lazy for not working out like Maria. Thanks for all of these links. I am going to check some of these out!
I hope you find a product there that interests you!
you know what i thought? “she probably has three nannies.”
i practice bikram yoga but it does take up lots of time. i have four different things going on (jobs and projects, it’s five if i’m including blogging;;) right now, it is difficult to find time to go to studio although it’s one of my favorite things that actually works great for my body and mind. no, i’m making excuses. 😉
It’s tough fitting in the healthy-life stuff when you’ve got a lot else going on. Healthy living takes a lot of TIME.
I totally agree with you Wendy! She doesn’t deserve the haters, but she could have worded it differently. I try to run on the treadmill or do hot yoga twice a week. In a pinch I use my wii dance/Zumba videos to try to get a workout in
how do you like hot yoga? my sister wants us to try it but I’m not feeling a workout in a 120-degree room.
great post Wendy!
I dont take it personally nor do I feel you are a hater.
The only thing about this pic is- it is very pompous!
It shows that she is proud(and she has the right to be so) But, she just cannot behave that ‘cos’ she did it she has the license to be so loud about it Maybe had she been a little humble it would have been not criticised .
On contrary, there are many pictures on net, with people who disabilities and are working out, with the caption same as hers(whats your excuse?)
The only thing is that is sort of an eye-opener and this sort of makes you envious.
Hope it made sense lol
(My email add- slenderisingme@gmail..com)
The one I fill below is not my regular mail 😉 lol
There’s a man in one of the P90X videos that has one leg and he’s in the hardest workout! “No excuses” from him is probably more acceptable. 😉
You know I have to agree..I always feel the same when I see these motivational images on Pinterest and co…it might not be ment as offense but it´s not as if every person is the same and we should be pushed into working out just because we feel obligated to do it the same as e..g this women with 3 kids….I like working out because of the energy I get and the motivation it gives me from within, not because I feel the need to be as good or better as many of these semi-pro fitness women! Great post!
http://jezzdallasmakeup.blogspot.com/
Good point – she’s does fitness competitions so this is sort of her job!
I love your point of view. Excuse is negative and shecoud have taken on more of a positive take. I have to wonder what kind of chidcare has.
Maybe a gym with a babysitter? I don’t know but I can’t imagine 3 small boys sitting around patiently while Mom does pilates!
I can kind of see both sides of this issue but…I kind of agree with what you said about about self-generated publicity.
I hope she gets and agent and runs with it!
Great post. As a nurse I have always chastising people about health issues has the most destructive effect, and people are more likely to engage with you if they are given choices which are relevant to them and are realistic. I found you via the blog hop and have followed you on bloglovin.
“given choices which are relevant to them and are realistic” love this. You do catch-more-flies-with-honey-than-vinegar
Small, step-by-step changes=big results! Thank you for this positive blog!!!!
Great take on this controversy, you are right it is the word excuse that really got people riled up. I just don’t think a lot of people were able to discern that is what bothered them. She is the type of personal trainer that I hate, some people respond well to be chastised and treated badly but the vast majority of women I know want positive reinforcement.
Yeah, I’m just not a big fan of blaming and shaming.
I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel bad, but asking myself what my excuses were is what got me working out. I saw that picture, and I thought it was awesome. I guess I always see the positive and not the negative connotation. What kills me is that people are all up in arms in her dressing “inappropriately” in front of her boys. I showered my my mom when I was little, so I don’t think an exercise outfit is remotely bad. Great tips, and great way to spark some conversation!
I don’t think her outfit is bad either? What a strange critique.
Kudos to Maria Kang. She is calling it as it is. Excuses do exist but you either surpass them or you don’t. It doesn’t mean there can’t be an excuse but people are taking this picture WAY to literally. Anyone ever see the paraplegic with one leg and is in amazing shape and over the picture it says what is your excuse. Thats inspirational that people who have these photos with captions hovered over what their excuse COULD be the decided to not let themselves have excuses and preserve. If you really want to change your lifestyle and become fit you will. You will find time. You will get up earlier or you will utilize your lunch break to get extra activity in. It comes down to if you want it or if you don’t. If you don’t want it that is your prerogative and it is perfectly okay! Maria nor anyone else wasn’t trying to make anyone feel less of themselves but just calling it out without sugar coating.
Great post! I totally agree. Also, genetics plays a huge role!! What do her parents look like?