[...] a strange feeling I may have mentioned it in last week’s links post, but Tony Gentilcore wrote a fantastic article about it this week.  It’s good to know people like Tony remain firmly behind the women’s [...]

wow. 37 years old and she already has osteopenia, what really scares me is I just saw a so called “fitness routine” to get your body beach ready in a few days, by wait for it Tracy Anderson where she has women using a standard 20oz water bottle for a weight.
do I even need to say more!

I suddenly find the need to change the 5 gallon water jug on our poland spring bubler

I can’t understand the logic. Women have to lift 20-50 pound children on a regular basis, but why is it when we suddenly call it “exercise” a woman wants to use tiny weights?

Well said as usual, Tony!

I found the same irony re: going on the rickets errrr…. macrobiotic diet and lemon cleanse and not questioning its safety but being afraid of a couple of rays of sunshine…

I ranted about it on diet blog http://www.diet-blog.com/10/gwyneth_paltrows_brittle_bones_is_extreme_dieting_to_blame.php

In the first 4 comments I was accused of being racist (against vampires?!), vindictive, lazy and stupid.

@ Mike - ah yes…..Jen Sinkler sent me the article that you wrote, which spurred me to weigh in on the situation as well. *internet high five*

While I agree that Tracey Anderson is a knob, I think her “never lift more than 3lbs” rule is related to a particular look that her clients seem to want - skeletally thin, with no hint of muscle definition (because that’s too “masculine”) - basically, the look of an anorexis. Now, I don’t see why anyone would WANT to look that way, but apparently some people do, and perhaps Tracey’s method delivers on it. I don’t know for sure, though. Did you ever read Leigh Peele’s articleson what “too muscular” means, to lots of woman? Apparently some women think that a cut of definition anywhere on their bodies will make them look like a man. It’s pretty sick that some women are so scared of looking “masculine” that they’re striving to be underweight and undernourished, to the point where they’re gladly willing to risk osteoporosis.

I guess expectant mothers are supposed to hire a (male) nanny, since at birth a baby already weighs 2X to 3X Tracy’s max allowed weight. Presumably, hospitals are filled with new Moms who have broken their backs trying to pick up their 9-month-old.

Celebrities aren’t known for their intelligence. And Paltrow? Oh God, where do I start? When Oprah had her on and Paltrow carried on about her awesome trainer and “working out” in a room hotter than a sauna (which accomplishes… what???) I remember thinking wtf? GP is dumb as a box of rocks.

Brilliant post Tony!

This is the kind of push back women get if they -do- decide to lift heavy weights, so it’s unsurprising that you’re having to deal with it as a trainer as well.

The only time I’ve ever used a 3lb weight on its own was when I’d just broken my elbows and started doing weights in week two as a form of strength/physio. I moved off the 3lb weights by week three or four though… perhaps Tracy thinks all women have broken elbows/arms (they will do by the time they’re 80 if that’s all they’ve ever lifted).

@Nick When I was an anorexic couch potato I looked a lot like Tracy. :) Notice how skinny her legs are? Check out her thin, but soft tummy and her weak looking forearms, too. This is the kind of body I got when I was starving. Now that I eat and lift, I look a lot better.

I love this article! Not only is a “real” workout and meal healthy for your body, but it’s great for your mind. It helps you de-stress, think clearly, and feel empowered. It’s great to see so many people doing their best to make sure us women get to have that experience.