Fitness columnist Emmet Rushe tackles the online comments over Lady Gaga's tiny tum at the Super Bowl.

Last Sunday was ‘Super Bowl Sunday’.
If the Super Bowl is famous for something other than American Football, it is the half time show.

One of the biggest spectacles of the year in the US, with hundreds of stars all vying for the chance to play on the Half Time show.

This year was the turn of Lady Gaga, and she didn’t disappoint.
She did a 12-minute performance that included dance routines, playing piano, high wire acts and costume changes. (Watch the entire set here)

The last costume change however, seemed to cause a bit of controversy.
Twitter was set alight after with comments about her midsection, of all things.

Out of an outstanding 12-minute performance, people felt the need to profess their disgust and disappointment that she had, what could only be described as the tiniest bit of a tummy, that over hung her shorts, when she moved in certain positions.

If she was heavily overweight and the outfit was completely inappropriate, you may, may have understood the comments, (I’m using this very loosely here), but she wasn’t, not in any way shape or form.
Her ‘tummy’ was very similar to the image below. So you get why the comments are ridiculous.

This leads us to the point of the article.

People and their opinions

This isn’t just confined to celebrities, I’m sure that there are hundreds of you reading this who have been the subject of someone else’s unwanted opinion.

I know that many of my female clients have had to listen to others commenting on their food, weight, clothing, choice of exercise, when they embark on their health and fitness journeys.

People seem to think that they are entitled to their opinion, even if it is an unwanted one, and I’m sorry to say, but you are not.

  • You do not have the right to comment on someone’s weight.
  • You do not have the right to comment on someone’s food
  • You do not have the right to comment on how a person exercises
  • You do not have the right to make someone feel bad about their choice to try and better themselves and make themselves healthier.

The reason that people like to give their opinions, is because of discomfort.

  • It makes them uncomfortable to see you losing weight, when they have not.
  • It makes them uncomfortable to see someone working towards their exercise goals, when they have given up.
  • It makes them uncomfortable to see someone becoming more, when they are scared to step outside of their comfort zone.

So, they voice this discomfort through comments and remarks.
Then, if they cannot steer you off course, they try and get others to agree with their story.
They feel that strength in numbers gives merit to what they are saying, but it does not.

Do not worry about other people’s opinions, because they do not matter in the least.
You may have to grow a thick skin.
You may have to find new friends if the ones you currently have don’t support you.
You may find that you start to eat lunch with different people, because your current lunch mates keep trying to steer you from your goals.

But this is all part of the process.

To change, you must be willing to change.

Sometimes you may have to change more than your diet and lifestyle.
Sometimes, you may have to change your social circle also.

If your friends are really friends, this won’t have to happen.
If it does……….
#TrainSmart