Yes, there are some exceptions to this.
Achieving visible abs as a woman is unfortunately seen as the “gold standard” of fitness.
How do I know?
I would smile and say thank you, a little flattered and a little embarrassed.
Mostly, though, I just felt like a big phony.
I often imagined the response I would get if I answered those envious questions with the truth.
Or drinking Diet Coke to suppress my hunger?
No one wanted to hear that.
Except I wasn’t healthy at all.
As a matter of fact, I was the least healthy I’d ever been in my entire life.
I felt exhausted and weak, my hair was falling out, and my relationships were suffering.
But the constant positive reinforcement I received from outsiders made it nearly impossible for me to regain true health.
I liked feeling powerful.
I had found the one thing that I was awesome at.
Here’s the truth
Having a six-pack is not necessarily a sign of health.
Having a six-pack is not necessarily a sign of strength.
Those models probably missed social events, friendships, and relationships to pursue their aesthetic goals.
They are also spray-tanned, flexed, and Photoshopped to perfection.
They are not real life.
