Why Do We Feel the Need to Self-Identify in the Fitness Industry?
I’ve been noticing a few things lately and it has me scratching my head. Why do people in the fitness industry feel the need to self-identify? It’s as if they are trying to find their way in society and need to plaster across their social media and with everyone they speak to about their lifestyle. Maybe it’s just me, but who the hell cares? Am I missing something here? What’s the purpose?
Self-identify through updated profile status
I want each of you to just browse your friends on social media. I’m willing to bet that there are quite a few within our industry who you are friends with that plaster their social media pages with the words “vegan” or “CrossFit.” It’s as if these hold some type of merit in society that you need to get it out there like a badge of honor. Do you get to be in some sort of cool kid’s club or cult if you self-identify and put “vegan” on your Facebook profile? Did I miss a memo that said if you wanted to be cool and gain followers you need to put these terms in your profiles? Now, these are only two examples of the laundry list of ridiculous things I’ve seen on social media platforms—and they are the most prevalent of them all.
So, should I put “carnivore” and “I pick things up and put them down” on my social media profiles to self-identify? Will I overnight gain thousands of followers or have people thinking I’m smart? I’m at a loss for words on this. I actually had a shirt a few years back that was a joke saying “eat meat” with a huge raw slab of meat on the front. This was simply a joke, yet you would be surprised how many people were offended by it in the vegan community—that’s how serious they take their lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with being serious, but some people need to lighten up a little bit on their agendas.
A vegan and CrossFitter walk into a bar…
There’s a joke floating around that goes something like this (I suck at jokes so I might butcher this): A vegan and a CrossFitter walk into a bar… How do you know? They tell everyone. I’d like to think this is truly a joke, but it’s real life—you can’t make this stuff up. They self-identify. It’s like walking into a steakhouse and then asking the waitress where the vegan-friendly items are. I mean, I don’t go to a rock concert and ask when the jazz music will start.
This past weekend I was in Richmond for a bachelor party. My brother-in-law is big into craft beer so all of the groomsmen surprised him with a trip down to hit up the best breweries in Richmond, VA—The Veil Brewing Company was top on his list of places to visit. If you know me, I engage with everyone. So, there I am mingling with people, asking where they are from and their story—not to be nosey, just to strike up a conversation. Being in the health and fitness industry I’d also mention that they appear to be in good shape and asked if they work out. Many of them did. And some of them decided to tell me about how found a love for CrossFit. Some said they decided to eat “healthier” and became a vegan. Some even said they drink beer every day and simply have good genetics—good for them!
Click here to continue reading…
*Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links or ads, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. These commissions help support the operation and maintenance of our website, allowing us to continue producing free valuable content. Your support is genuinely appreciated, whether you choose to use our links or not. Thank you for being a part of our community and enjoying our content.
PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING THIS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP OTHERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC. SIMPLY CLICK BELOW!
