In these days of social media, The (money hungry) Influencers, and eye-candy-click-bait everywhere, it is a challenge for most of us to avoid the comparison trap.
Unfortunately, I hear it more often from my female clients:
“I’d love to be able to eat the way SHE does!”
”She’s so lucky to have a body like that.”
”I wish I could run as fast as that woman.”
”She eats candy every day and is still so skinny!”
…and on we go with the comparison chatter.
Of course, we could say it’s normal and ‘just’ human to compare ourselves to others. This article from Psychology Today sheds some interesting insight and tips, along with a few reflection questions such as “What are your values and preferences in the absence of anybody knowing about them? Can you be proud of the person you are who isn't publicly posted?” Good thinking homework.
But something I’ve noticed over the years is how women compare themselves to men, even in the nutrition/food and body composition context.
I’d be rolling in the massive money pit if I had a dollar each time I heard a woman say:
“He can eat whatever he wants and yet he stays so lean!”
“He can run 5 miles everyday and has no trouble at all!”
“He just has to look at a barbell and gains 2 pounds of solid muscle!”
This kind of comparison definitely needs to stop, not only because it’s silly talk, but because women ARE different from men in many ways.
Gals, have you found yourself caught in the Comparison web with a male friend, spouse/partner, or training buddy?
Stay tuned for Part 2 where I’ll give a few reasons why we should cease and desist our tendencies to compare men to women, especially in a nutrition and athletic training context.
You be you,
Dina