“I’ve been training all season to eat at Super Bowl party level”

Today’s the day! For some, it’s like Christmas. For others, the commercials are the real draw. For Ace Ventura, it meant coming to the rescue of Dan Marino and Snowflake the dolphin, but that’s a whole different story. It’s Super Bowl Sunday!

Ah, the big game. I love the Super Bowl. First, I love football, plain and simple. Second, I love food. Chris and I have started a tradition called, “Sushi Super Bowl Sunday” and I’m really psyched about it. But don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a blog where I drone on and on about how I love food. I think by now, we all know where I stand on food.

Not exactly the Super Bowl but, hey – On Wisconsin!

No, this seemed like a good opportunity to write about a topic I’ve been wanting to for awhile but just haven’t found the right link. About bodies and what a fit body looks like. The idea stemmed from a few uncool things I heard last year about two awesome female athletes – Serena Wiliams and Lindsey Vonn.

People have been saying unkind things about Serena for as long as I can remember. I guess her strength, speed and size is too awesome for some to handle. The worst though was reading and hearing people outright calling her “fat” after she won Wimbledon last summer.

Have you seen Serena Williams? That woman probably has less fat on her than most other women, nay, most men, in the galaxy. She’s strong, she’s fast, she’s incredibly athletic. Nothing but respect for her.

The Lindsey Vonn comments were on the same lines but directed right at her weight. She gave an interview where her weight was included, it was in the 170 pound range. Seems appropriate, she’s 5’ 10” and a pro athlete – I mean, the woman is so powerful and fast, she has to race on Men’s skis. Yet, people were shocked she weighed “that much.” Even though most comments weren’t outright nasty, why did everyone’s focus zero in on a number?

Somewhere along the lines, it was decided that fit and healthy meant one size. For women, that’s a small size that fits in a perfect little box. If you’re super strong like Serena or super fast like Lindsey, apparently you don’t fit into that box. I haven’t been able to figure this out for men yet; I don’t see as many asshole comments directed at the dudes and the window of what’s acceptable appears to be bigger. From Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw to Chris Pratt in Jurassic World to Ryan Reynolds in, well, everything, there seem to be a few examples of the ideal fit man– but I think there’s a level of unfairness to the guys too (don’t worry, I’m not trying to say the world is only cruel to the ladies).

I have the best illustration to prove a fit body comes in all sizes, builds and weights – and you can see it with your own eyes today. Watch the Super Bowl. Look at the athletes on the field, most of them the best at their respective positions, and you’ll see that a fit body comes in all sizes and all weight classes. Because we all have different body types and goals. The football field is no better example of this concept.

My pal, Cam and I are an example of very different body types but both strong runners

For example, wide receivers are often tall and lean so they can get down the field fast, make quick moves to fool defenders and jump up to match catches (think of popular players like Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson). Running backs, on the other hand, need big, powerful legs for explosive speed and to keep churning when they run into a wall of defenders (think of popular players like Eddie Lacy and Marshawn Lynch). If you need an instant visual, compare Demaryius Thomas to Jonathan Stewart in today’s game. Then there’s the offensive line, filled with guys that can only be described as brick shithouses (think of the famous Michael Oher). And, I know he’s not playing today, but Google Vince Wilfork. He’s one of the fastest, most athletic guys on any pro team – but you might not think it if you just judge him on his appearance.

Different goals and body types, all incredible athletes. I guess my point in all this is don’t worry if you don’t fit into the box. Keep doing, eating, lifting and living the way that’s right for you. Just something to chew on – along with all kinds of tasty Super Bowl, game day-approved treats today.

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