Fitspiration: An Interview with Lauren B.

Do you think that humans find it difficult to achieve balance or a happy medium (are we naturally engineered to be obsessive?) – which results in the popularity of fad diets and fitness concepts, which don’t actually work in the long run?

I don’t believe that we are naturally engineered to be obsessive. I believe that anything that is ‘innate’ to us, is actually meant for our own self-preservation. However, in a society where ‘busyness’ is idolized and ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ has become a legitimate goal, we find ourselves anxious, overwhelmed, and stressed. And these feelings are easiest to forget or to ‘numb’ by distracting ourselves by obsessive behaviour – such as obsessive dieting/exercising.

In addition, I do believe genetics come into play. Some people, in my opinion, are predisposed to having more obsessive tendencies – whether that is in the form of an obsessive compulsive disorder, or in having an obsessive compulsive personality (which differs slightly from diagnosed OCD).

I do believe that because we are told constantly throughout the day that we need to work harder so we can earn more money to have a bigger house and a faster car and be happier; and to eat ‘healthier’ so we can lose weight so we can look better and be happier, and to exercise more so we can appear stronger and therefore more attractive and, again, be happier, it is very difficult for us to find balance because we are always told to do more, try harder, be better, and we are deceived into thinking that is what will make us happy.

And in our anxious, depressed society, we will do anything to try to regain our happiness. Sadly, these messages are just leading us in the wrong direction (actually, the opposite direction).

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