Funny Fitness Friday: Lessons from Goofy

Watch this oldie but goody. Goofy cracks me up in this classic cartoon. But there are a few lessons in here as well.

1) Achieving fitness has been a goal (and a struggle) for many generations. This cartoon is from the early 1940s - before my parents were even born. Sometimes I think my struggles are unique, or that it is just today's media that is obsessed with a certain body type. But no, every generation has had that pressure. And while this cartoon is over 75 years old, I'm willing to bet in another 75 years - when I am long dead - there will be another blogger (or future equivalent) angsting about her figure.

2) We all come home our jobs tired, and would rather enjoy our easy chair than go work out. Those slick advertisements promising a better body in 20 days, or ten minutes a day, or have been around a LONG time. They will stay around because their premise is tempting, and the claims they make of their results, if true - well - how can we pass that up? Again, 75 years from now - these extreme body makeover programs will still be around - and will still be making grandiose claims.

3) Goofy is trusting and optimistic. That translates into gullible here. The advertising of fitness products has really stepped up its game from the old days of newspaper print ads. Infomercials, viral marketing, product placement in movies and television, social media promotions, and more blitz the fit and the wanna-be-fit alike. We need to be discerning consumers and take a skeptical look at promised claims. We need to find friends in real life (or online) and ask lots of questions. I see "x" product worked for you, how long did you use it? Would you buy "x" again? Did you do anything else in addition to using "x"? It is one reason I am a big fan of fitness and running blogs.  I love to read honest reviews by REAL people.  And it also just one more reason I love the support I get from an online group, Endurance Sports Connection.  We can get immediate feedback on questions - about products, endurance events, fitness websites, and more.  Once again, I'm more likely to trust a real person - not a paid actor.

4) Results will come. But the magic pill or workout in a box doesn't contain it. DG and I have both been struggling with weight loss, me more than him. I sometimes look at informercials and get sucked into the sales pitch, the perfect bodies, the bass-thumping music, and the urgency to order now! now! now! I once owned an Ab-Roller, a Thigh-Master, a Flex-Ab belt, and more complete sets of entire fitness fads on DVDs than I care to admit... But I am more cautious now. Results don't happen in "Just Ten Minutes a Day". Only hard (REALLY HARD) work, consistency, and TIME will yield results.

Go get your fitness on, kids! It's FRIDAY! DB