Monday, September 6, 2010

Hobbies Sometimes Require you to Sit on your Bum!

So I know I've heard people say that fat people spend too much time in front of the television, or too much time playing video games, or just plain too much time sitting on their asses. Well I hate to tell them that sure there may be some people who spend too much time on their rumps, but for a lot of fatties I've seen...it's not so true.

I know a lot of fatties who are very active, they go to yoga, they bellydance, they quilt...yes I just said they quilt. I've heard people say that quilting is one of those relaxing hobbies that you sit down a lot for. And I can just hear that little voice in my head going, "Put down the needle and go running fat ass." Well no I hate running no matter how good it's supposed to be for me (not, it's harder on the knees than almost anything else), and I love quilting. And quilting isn't exactly all about sitting on your bum.

If you enjoy a hobby that isn't exactly physical (or doesn't seem physical to outside viewers) and you're fat that doesn't mean you're not allowed to do it. Anyone who says otherwise is full of poo. Because honestly most hobbies require some 'exercise' even if we don't realize it. I'll use quilting as an example, I don't just sit down and cut pieces of fabric apart and sew them together. First I have to go out and buy the fabric, and that can take an hour or more depending on what I'm doing. That's an hour or more on my feet wandering about fabric stores pulling out bolts of fabric and touching them, comparing colors and quality. Then I have to wash my fabric (some sources say you don't need to but I always do), and after the washing comes the ironing, and after the ironing comes cutting. Up to this point I haven't exactly sat down yet. After I finish ironing out the whole pieces of fabric and folding them properly I set them on my cutting mat and start cutting strips. Once I finish cutting strips I usually go back and iron out the fold in the middle.

From here I may go sit down and sew, it depends on what quilt I'm making. If I do go sit and sew from here I'm still going to get up later and cut some more. Or I continue cutting before I sit down and sew. And then before I finish the quilt I have to stand for an hour or more pressing blocks so the seams are in the proper position. And sit down and sew some more. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) Even before I get to sit down and sew I've probably spent 3 or more hours on my feet finding my fabric and cutting it.

So see quilting isn't exactly a sedentary hobby, I do get up and move. I may not move quickly and it may not make me sweat or make my heart go pitter-patter like I'm running a marathon, but I am up and moving. And still those who do not see all the preparatory work don't see all the movement, and therefore would continue to tell me, "Got off your ass and exercise fatty!"

But their opinions don't matter. What's important is that you enjoy it, and don't let others views on you and your hobby ruin your enjoyment.

1 comment:

  1. You know what? You don't have to exercise. There is no moral requirement to be "healthy". If you dig it and want to do it, that's fantastic. But nobody has to feel that they are obligated to live up to other people's expectations.

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