not sofie

We should NEVER concede health and fitness to the right. Fitness and taking care of one’s overall health are important, not to demonstrate genetic or class superiority, but to improve health and quality of life as much as possible. Anyone who follows me on IG knows how much I love to work out. I genuinely enjoy it but I also want to live a long and happy life. Throwing metal around at the gym helps me get there. I even have a degree in exercise physiology. I was attracted to the field because of the countless ways exercise can be medicinal. Capitalism is the enemy. Not fitness. I want access to health and fitness (and thus a longer, healthier life) FOR EVERYONE. This shouldn’t be something only the rich get to have. Poorer populations suffer disproportionately from chronic disease in part because they’re more likely to live in polluted environments, have less access to nutritious food and have less time and fewer resources for sports and exercise between soul-sucking shifts at work. My dad worked a low-paying job that ate away his time his entire life. I watched him slowly lose his ability to walk while suffering from diabetes, due to a mix of unlucky genetics and a lifetime of work that left him little time or energy to eat well, exercise and take care of himself. Strength, cardiovascular fitness, mobility, good nutrition. These things can help us stay functional and independent for longer as we age. I wanted that for my Dad. I want it for myself. I want it for EVERYONE. The response to a society where health has become a symbol of wealth and privilege shouldn’t be to demean fitness as a form of eugenics and fascism. Instead we need to fight for a system where everyone has the leisure time, resources, good food and clean environment necessary to be as healthy as they can be 💪🏽