Kim Brittingham is a fat chick who isn’t afraid to get on YouTube. I liked the humor in this short about exercise; I also think the shirt with the back pocket is cool.
She’s also posted other videos, including 2 shorts on … shoes. I have Aravons myself, though not exactly the ones she features. ;)
[Video transcripts are available here.]
Living ~400lbs 
Okay, you KNOW I like this one. Awesome.
I thought you would. The “Pong” reference was wonderful :)
She’s awesome!
She is awesome. And I am SO GLAD she said where to get the exercise clothes she was wearing–I spent the first half of the video going “man, I want that outfit…”
Awesome and inspiring!
Oh, but I have so many whiny excuses! (I’ll look like an idiot – if it’s not totally hurting all the time it won’t do may huge body any good – what if it doesn’t work?)
Love the video though.
what if it doesn’t work?
This is where it can help to think through what you mean by “work” ;)
Work? You mean make you skinny?
Prolly not. Gradually make you feel better and get you stronger? Yeppers.
Well, not necessarily. There is actually some research (to which I lost the darned link… if I find it I’ll post) saying that there is a tiny, but very real percentage of the population that actually doesn’t respond to exercise. Some don’t gain muscle strength (though they may gain size) others don’t gain size, though they gain strength and still others don’t get a noticeable increase in VO2 max, despite aerobic training. Obviously, it’s a way smaller group than the group that won’t lose weight, but since we’re busting stereotypes here, I thought it was worth mentioning.
While I look for the link googling something like “exercise non-responders” might work.
Cassi, the link I’ve used before is http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9406EEDE113CF931A25751C0A9649C8B63&sec=health&pagewanted=print
But even the low responders might get other benefits, such as enjoying what they’re doing or mood improvements.
Sweet, thanks! I hate when I want to comment on some “science” and can’t find the link, because without the research it’s just so much “oh yeah, well my cousin’s best friend’s mother once read an article that said…”
I complete agree that there are huge benefits to exercise and for me, lifting depression is the number one reason to do it, but I always hate when fitness buffs swear up and down that if only so-and-so would exercise they’d lose weight, so I have to figure that those that exercise but don’t gain strength or aerobic capacity wouldn’t enjoy hearing someone say that they will. It’s just part of my general idea that projecting our experiences on to other’s lives is generally a bad idea. (which, of course, is EXACTLY what I did in the sentence before, so that goes to show you how bad I am at this! Oh well)
Hee! Yes, I get you.
To summarize what I’ve read:
MOST people who exercise improve their cardiovascular system, get stronger, and/or become more efficient (walking further with less effort etc) at what they’re doing.
MANY also get enjoyment out of the activity itself (depending on their likes/dislikes) or mood benefits.
FEW lose a significant amount of weight; those that do are frequently exercising a lot more than the amounts needed simply to improve health.
I think the problem is that so many people assume that exercise causes weight loss first and foremost!
I really like that video but for one thing, why is she equating reading with eating ice cream? I don’t really appreciate that sentiment. However the rest is awesome and I think she has a valuable message to give. Certainly always equating exercise with a goal of losing weight is a negative consequence of our weight obsessed culture.
I don’t think she meant you had to eat ice cream to read. But on a hot sunny day, why not?
(I also noted that she shows herself weight lifting while reading, too :)
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What I really like about this video is that Kim put herself out there in public (on U-tube0 with a message. Maybe everyone can not afford or is not comfortable doing the same things that she did, but there are activities that will all can do as a beginning.