Robin Bailey, we applaud you.
You’ve reminded us that it doesn’t matter if a little bit of breeze can blow between our legs, the thigh gap is a ridiculous concept that we don’t need to strive for. Because we’re better than that.
This week, The Well was all about what we’ve learned so far. The listeners, AND the hosts.
And last month’s exercise episode, where Bec ended up in tears over never feeling like her body shape was good enough for society at large, spoke to work-out-mad Robin, too.
“I have lots of eating issues… and all of that was about being a size that was socially acceptable,’ Robin says.
‘It was exhausting.’
It wasn't until Rebecca Sparrow's comment that it really sunk in. The thigh gap? Not that important.
'Of course it isn't!' says Robin.
'I know that. I'm a very smart woman. And yet why was I adhering to something about having a thigh gap?'
Listen: Robin Bailey shares her exercise revelation.
'Do I love exercise because it gives me a body that's socially acceptable? Or do I love exercise because I love it?' Robin wonders. 'So now I don't exercise everyday.'
All this time and effort goes into obsessively trying to meet those elusive social standards. But for what? Does it make us any happier? Absolutely not.
While for Robin, happiness came in the form of exercising less, for Bec it was exercising more. She says wearing a Fitbit to try to walk her 10,000 steps a day is certainly making her happier and healthier.
The learnings haven't only been about thigh gaps and the lack thereof.