One of the most pervasive and idiotic things I read on a regular basis is that we’re all the same. Of course we don’t all look the same, or act the same. We have different family histories, different genetics; we live in different environments and experience the world in different ways. And yet there is this ubiquitous idea that our bodies all function exactly the same.
I don’t believe it. I don’t believe for one second that your body operates the same as mine. Sure, our hearts beat and our lungs breathe, our vital organs do the things that vital organs are supposed to do (hopefully/usually). But when it comes to fuel and movement, our bodies are very different.
My body? It likes to hold on to the calories I feed it. I work out now more than I ever have in my entire life, and I don’t get skinny. I’ve been told by several doctors and a nutritionist that I’m likely not eating enough calories for the amount of exercise I do, which sounds pretty counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? Surely if I’m burning more calories than I’m eating, I should be dropping weight like mad, right? But metabolism is an extremely complex thing, and clearly mine doesn’t operate like it “should.” I don’t go through my days feeling starved or hungry, either. Whatever the amount of calories I’m averaging, it keeps me full. The idea of eating even more food on a daily basis, as the doctors suggest I should, seems impossible. Occasionally, sure, who doesn’t like to indulge? But it’s not a food lifestyle I can maintain.
Now, the people who think all of our bodies operate exactly the same are going to call me a big fat (heh) liar. Obviously I’m eating more than I think I am, and I’m not exercising as much as I say – or not very hard, anyway. It’s absolutely fascinating to me how other people, including many who have never met me, are experts on my life and my body. To them, I can only say: Move along. Nothing to see here. That kind of judgement and unfounded criticism is not welcome here.
But “calories in, calories out!” people insist. It’s basic thermodynamics! Sure, if my body was a completely closed system that operated perfectly. In reality, we process calories differently. Don’t believe me? Think about your friends. If you all ate exactly the same food and worked out the same amount for several months, what would happen? Chances are, some of you would lose weight, some would gain, and some would stay the same. Because we are different.
So, to get back (finally) to the title of this post, here are the things I don’t know about you – and that you don’t know about me:
I don’t know what you eat.
I don’t know how you move.
I don’t know how your body processes food.
I don’t know how your body expends energy.
And here’s what I do know about you – and that, hopefully, you know about me:
You are strong when you can be.
You are healthy when you choose to be.
You are doing your best.
You are loved.
There are so many people who will never believe that our bodies are different in fundamental ways, that people are naturally disposed to being fat, or thin, or in between. They will always believe that fat is a moral failing. As mad as I get at those people, I also feel sad for them. Their ignorance will prevent them from enjoying all of the variety and beauty there is in humanity. What a narrow-minded world. I’m glad I don’t live there.
