CrossFit as cultural embodiment
Introduction
The term “CrossFit” is a different name for a regimen of exercise that is not heavily reliant on weights, but emphasizes intensity and furthermore, fitness over strength. These workouts consist of standard functional and compound movements performed accurately and at a high intensity with minimal rest. CrossFit is now not only a diet and exercise program, it’s become a lifestyle for many who aspire live a life of optimal fitness on par with our ancestor who had no choice but to forage and hunt for food, i.e. a Paleolithic lifestyle. Advocates of CrossFit follow a Paleolithic style diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts and seeds. The idea behind this is that human genetics have …show more content…
As a result of the dietary nutrition of these people, obesity is entirely nonexistent along with diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease which are commonly associated with obesity. There are many parts of the world that would be considered industrialized and the majority of the population have jobs, homes, etc. When correlating these people to the general population the differences in general health in terms of diet and physiology, are quite apparent. Being nomadic hunters translates to daily activity and exertion in order to survive and never establish a permanent home as they follow stable food sources, the people who have permanent housing in relatively developed countries have reduced mobility and rely on the convenience of foods such as corn meal and milk. Consequently, this shift has led to obesity on a pandemic. These differences have negative health effects that go along with a sedentary lifestyle along with a diet lacking substantial nutritional …show more content…
Crossfit was just another avenue to fix a larger problem that seemed to be worsening as countries developed and it came at just the right time. With the frequency of modern day obesity related diseases rising and even impacting the youth, it becomes more crystal clear that a CrossFit style of exercise regimen and a Paleo based diet could be aid in curing and preventing these obesity related diseases. Although there exists evidence both for and against a Paleolithic diet being optimal for health and wellness, the exact science on the Paleo Diet is still up for debate. However, it remains clear that following the Paleo Diet and a regular exercise routine will certainly lead one to better health, and since, culturally speaking, food can be nostalgic and provide important connections to our family or our nation or be a bridge that helps immigrants find their place in a new society, Why can’t it be the Cultural motivator that gets people of their asses? Food can have a number of different meanings that might not be immediately apparent to us but can be the under estimated but single most important factor that causes a movement from obesity to optimal health. The fact of the matter is if you wanted an aesthetic or ‘fit’ body, 70% of your result would be due to what you chose to eat. The CrossFit template does however run under the primary objective of getting one to their