Relationships June 19, 2018
Will perfect abs bring you happiness?
The United States already has an obsession with toned, often glossy abs. Now, Chinese women also want abs. But they call it majia xian, meaning vest lines.
CNN noted some trending topics.
Weibo (China’s Twitter) has topics such as:
MajiaXian VS Fat Tiger”
“Follow Victoria Secret Models to have Majia Xian”
“If you don’t lose weight in May, only sadness will be left in June”
The trends sound like exercise is correlated to weather! June gloom.
The United States may have one of the highest obesity rates, but there is certainly not a shortage of gyms and fitness centers.
If you’re in LA, you will see ubiquitous LA Fitness gyms. The gyms in L.A. are full of people with body dysmorphia and people who just want to people-watch. It’s not a place solely for fitness; it’s a place of entertainment.
So, what is going on here? Are people just choosing to get abs, or is there more? You guessed it! There’s more. Gyms are not just a place to get in shape, but gyms are also a huge money market.
Also noted by The Economist: “Explanations based on the potential rewards of swelling biceps and flat tummies assume that, at some level, gym-going is motivated by the rational pursuit of happiness. ”
Perhaps this happiness-ab correlation may be taking over China.
When someone walks into the gym, they are bombarded by physical stimuli, both mental and tangible. Testosterone teems in the weight area and sweat with serotonin emanates from the cardio area. There’s so much going on, and people are simultaneously looking at everyone while trying to pretend like they are focused on their own workout.
Sure, some people really do go to the gym for a good workout. But, the gym is definitely distracting.
Like the Chinese women who want #MajiaXian, many people are unhappy with their bodies.
The Economist notes that
Research suggests that twenty-somethings are more dissatisfied with their bodies than anybody else, although they tend to be in the best condition”
This fact is reinforced by the flimsy promise that gyms will actually get you in better shape. The marketing material by gyms overlooks the crucial components of stress level and diet. So many gyms seem to make the promise that if you just show up, you’ll lose weight.
Well, unfortunately that’s not how the body works.
Due to incessant photoshopping and strategic angling, people, especially young girls, are immersed in the sea of fake social media photography. Of course the photo looks beautiful and aesthetic – it was created to catch your eye.
Young people are developing body dysmorphia by grappling to attain fiction in their own reality.
And, there is another fitness disorder called rhabdomyolysis, where a person’s body is in a life threatening condition due to excess exercise.
So, just remember: don’t sweat the small stuff. Choose to love your body regardless of what it looks like. Health is wealth! Go to the gym if you want to feel better by improving your health and exercise endurance.
