Misconceptions Based on Body Type

Countless studies out there have shown that when someone sees an overweight person, they view this individual as lazy, undiscplined, slob-like and lacking in the self-control department. Research has even gone so far as to prove that interviewers see potential employees as less hard-working and less organized when the interviewee is overweight. It's a subconscious thought--even the nicest, least-judgmental of us has no doubt experienced this sudden assumption of the character of an overweight person.

Personal trainers and other health professionals can fall into this same trap. We can assume that our clients, if overweight, are majorly lacking in discipline and lead ambitionless, disorganized lives. I would pose that perhaps it's not a discipline problem as much as it's a priority problem. Of course other things can be to blame--hormone imbalances, medications, emotional trauma, etc. But at first glance, we look at these overweight clients and say to ourselves, "Surely, if they wanted to lose weight, they would just DO IT already!" Take the recent story about personal trainer, Drew Manning, for example. He was a self-professed judgmental trainer. So, to put himself in his clients shoes, he took it upon himself to gain 70 pounds (see below), by foregoing his workouts and indulging in junk food. He learned that when the weight piles on, lots of mental changes happen too--feelings of insecurity, self-consiousness and lethargy to name a few--forcing him to relate to and understand his clients better. (He quickly lost the 70 pounds and is back to his former ripped self, but talk about a drastic form of professional development!)

Now, all you skinny people out there, don't think that you're not being judged too. A recent article in Glamour magazine, discussed the misconceptions women have based solely on other women's bodies. Again, fat people were viewed as lazy, disorganized, gluttonous, etc., as mentioned above. But the thin women were judged by their peers as being uptight, controlling, snobby, bitchy and self-centered, to name a few. The road goes both ways. Sadly, neither are true.

Do you find yourself judging people this way? In recent years through work, I've met countless overweight people who are also extremely hard-working, who are talented at balancing demanding careers and busy families, and who have climbed to successful positions in their careers due to their discipline and knowledge. On the flip side, I've known thin people who, due to amazing genetics, stay thin and muscular without putting in an ounce of time at the gym.

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect -and I don't live to be- but before you start pointing fingers...make sure you hands are clean!” -Bob Marley