Jenny Bruso Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /byline/jenny-bruso/ Live Bravely Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:08:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Jenny Bruso Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /byline/jenny-bruso/ 32 32 Plus-Size 国产吃瓜黑料rs You Should Follow /culture/books-media/plus-size-adventurers-you-should-follow/ Sat, 20 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/plus-size-adventurers-you-should-follow/ Plus-Size 国产吃瓜黑料rs You Should Follow

Badass athletes and outdoorspeople you've never heard of.

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Plus-Size 国产吃瓜黑料rs You Should Follow

Jenny Bruso is the founder of , an inclusive community highlighting the underrepresented outdoorsperson. Here, she鈥檒l share gear reviews for plus-size outdoor enthusiasts as well as her experiences battling stereotypes within the outdoor industry.

Who are your favorite plus-size outdoor adventurers?听I can wait while you think about it.听Just one. Name just one?

Alright, I鈥檓 not going to give you too hard of a time about it. As brands and outdoor news hubs continue to ramp up the conversation on diversity in the outdoors, there鈥檚 still a notable lack of body diversity represented. In fact, most brands don鈥檛 make plus-size clothing, let alone gear, which is the very first step in acknowledging that plus-size people are recreating outdoors.

When I started hiking, I definitely wasn鈥檛 seeing us at outdoor听conferences and events听or on听the outdoorsy social media accounts I followed, but I knew we were out there. This is why I started . I was desperate to connect with other plus-size adventurers and everyone who wasn鈥檛represented in ads and social media.

says, 鈥淐hange your feed, change your life.鈥 The importance of diversity in the outdoors should go without saying by now, but do your social media feeds reflect these values? If you aren鈥檛 following any plus-size adventurers, you have no more excuses! I鈥檝e done the work for you. These five plus-size outdoorspeople听are just a sampling of the many of us out there. And for you aspiring plus-size adventurers, the outdoors isn鈥檛 waiting on you to be anyone other than who you are right now, so don鈥檛 wait for it. These leaders听have some words just for you.

Mirna Valerio (@themirnavator)

Mirna Valerio is an ultramarathoner. Sometimes听she runs for days at a time. She is also an educator, opera singer, cross-country coach, , and the author of a memoir called听. She started running as a teenager, but after a health scare in 2008, Valerio听recommitted to the sport. Today, her presence in the athletic world is normalizing the image of the plus-size athlete. Seeing Valerio profiled in publications like the听 and 听is a huge win for representation.

鈥淲hen people ask me how they can move their bodies more, I tell them to just start with a walk around the block and to notice how their feet and legs feel, how things look and smell,鈥 Valerio says. 鈥淢ovement is about so much more than losing weight.鈥


Ashley Manning (@ashleysadventure)

Ashley Manning is a whitewater rafter and hiker. In 2018, she completed more than 1,000 miles of听the Appalachian Trail. Currently, she鈥檚 leading rafting trips on the Green River in Utah. Manning is a , where she writes about her experiences as a plus-size adventurer and offers tips on plus-size activewear and gear. In outdoor media, women and femmes aren鈥檛 always celebrated for their amazing feats,听but rather for how they look while doing what they do. Manning regularly posts photos听of her听wild rafting adventures and of听herself owning her body and sexuality, challenging the way plus-size bodies are desexualized and policed. 鈥淒o not let anyone鈥檚 words stop you from enjoying what you love,鈥 she says. 鈥淔or the most part, the outdoor community is full of lovely, accepting, and kind people.鈥


Jolie Varela (@indigenouswomenhike)

A couple years ago, Jolie Varela, a听citizen of the N眉眉m眉 and Yokut Nations, was going through a deep depression and wanted to begin the work of healing and reconnecting with her homeland, Payah眉眉nad眉 (Bishop, California). Through her organization,听 (IWH), she shines听a light on issues many nonnatives don鈥檛 know about, like the epidemic. In 2018, Varela and other indiginous women听 their ancestral trade route, N眉眉m眉 Poyo, also known as the John Muir Trail, which ignited conversations about the whitewashing and colonization of many of our most beloved trails and publiclands. IWH is currently working on a gear library to give indigenous people, who are largely left out of the outdoor recreation narrative, access to gear. 鈥淭he land does not discriminate,鈥 Varela says.听鈥淵our beautiful body belongs on the beautiful land.鈥


Sam Ortiz (@samortizphoto and @biggirlsclimbtoo)

Sam Ortiz鈥檚 outdoor adventure life began only about five years ago, but she鈥檚 done a lot in that time. She hikes, mountaineers, climbs, and volunteers with search and rescue efforts in Washington. She launched a plus-size climbing event series at her local climbing gym after lobbying听for plus-size harnesses, which the gym agreed to. Ortiz recently began an Instagram community called 听to increase awareness of plus-size climbers and share information. Her mountaineering experience has landed Ortiz a cover of ,听and she鈥檚 modeled for big outdoor brands like REI and听Eddie Bauer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 OK to be slow. It鈥檚 OK to try and fail and try again. It鈥檚 OK to ask for help,鈥 Ortiz says. 鈥淵ou belong out there just as much as anyone else, at any pace, in any capacity that you desire.鈥


Megan Banker (@pdxoutdoorchiro)

Sometimes, being a leader is incidental. You鈥檙e just doing what you love, but there are so few of us that it sort of happens anyway. Megan Banker is one of those people. She鈥檚 a climber and mountaineer who regularly posts pictures of herself atop massive mountains, like Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens, as if it鈥檚 just what people do on the weekends. That isn鈥檛 to say Banker doesn鈥檛 regularly get real about what it听takes, even calling attention to flippant attitudes by climbing bros who act like there are 鈥渆asy鈥 ways to climb a mountain. It鈥檚 refreshing in this social media influencer age to see Banker just doing her. 鈥淏ecoming an outdoor adventurer takes curiosity, time, determination, and usually chocolate,鈥 she says. 鈥淣one of these things come with size restrictions.鈥 Rumor has it that听Banker will be starting her own plus-size climbing group in Portland, Oregon.听(Megan, I鈥檓 ready.)

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Don’t Call Nature a Cure-All /outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/outdoors-are-not-apolitical/ Sun, 12 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/outdoors-are-not-apolitical/ Don't Call Nature a Cure-All

Nature has powerful restorative effects鈥攁nd they're free.

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Don't Call Nature a Cure-All

Jenny Bruso is the founder of , an inclusive community highlighting the underrepresented outdoorsperson. Here, she鈥檒l share gear reviews for plus-size outdoor enthusiasts as well as her experiences battling stereotypes within the outdoor industry.

You鈥檝e seen it. You鈥檙e scrolling through Instagram and it鈥檚 one outdoor fantasy highlight after another. The picture-perfect remote landscape, shot from somewhere at a great height. It鈥檚 dusk or dawn, and there鈥檚 a woman: white, young, thin, tan, with effortlessly cascading hair, looking as though she was flown directly onto a peak or ledge and not at all like she just climbed an actual mountain. Or maybe the person is a man, also white, young, etc., standing on some precarious boulder protruding from a viewpoint. The caption is always some apolitical, inspirational message about good vibes and spreading positivity.

This has become the trope of outdoor social media, but whose life is actually like this? Mine isn鈥檛. I鈥檓 always looking for the folks who have something to say about what nature does for their real lives:听The people who utilize the outdoors as a part of their self-care practice, whose lives have been changed or even saved by nature. The people who go to the woods to grieve and heal, who hike to stay sober or to not kill themselves.

This isn鈥檛 hyperbole. Nature and hiking make my life livable.

It was only seven years ago that I went on the hike that would change the course of my mental wellness. I was wearing clubwear, cowboy boots, and a full face of makeup, feeling really self-conscious about sweating and breathing heavily with other people around. It was 2012, and I was in one of the deepest depressive states I鈥檇 ever been in. I had been听using meds and therapy off and on up to that point for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Both treatments helped me tremendously听but rarely with lasting results. As whatever medication I was on stopped working, or my insurance changed, or the therapist I was seeing stopped working at the free clinic I was going to鈥攖hings you deal with when you鈥檙e poor and without proper health care鈥擨鈥檇 slip back down the rabbit hole until the lights were nearly out,听to听a听place where I did not want to be in the world anymore.

As I made my way up the biggest incline of the trail, pausing regularly to catch my breath and talk myself into continuing, I felt something inside loosen, like a fist unclenching. Despite my labored breathing, I was aware of the sensation of my lungs filling all the way up. Anxiety makes my breathing short and arrhythmic鈥攕ometimes听I catch myself holding my breath altogether for seconds at a time. Despite self-consciousness, I felt more in my body than I possibly ever had, noticing the way it moved on this new terrain. My body and breathing were in tandem, machinelike. All of my senses were engaged. It didn鈥檛 leave a lot of room for cyclical negative thoughts. Every turn revealed something different. What could happen next? This curiosity engaged my creativity. When I reached the highest point of my trek, the turnaround point, I felt like I鈥檇 done something so good for myself. I鈥檇 found something I needed.

This isn鈥檛 hyperbole. Nature and hiking make my life livable.

Under the tall trees, I discovered the bliss of how microscopic I am in the universe听but also undeniably a part of everything that is. My pain and problems took a back seat to thinking about my body鈥檚 needs: water, food, do I need to go to the bathroom? The outdoors has space for me in ways that don鈥檛 exist in my daily life among the barrage of messaging about how bodies should look and move, about how women should be. The trail is indifferent to me, to my size, trauma, the stupid things I鈥檝e said or done, the way I鈥檝e hurt people and myself. In nature, I found forgiveness for myself and others.

Nature mirrors what I know to be true: our differences are what make us beautiful and special. The biggest and strangest things are often the most precious. Sameness doesn鈥檛 actually exist. Everything changes, everything has a season. I no longer feel shiftless and untethered the way I did growing up. I grew up fast, foregoing many years where my peers still played and felt safe and free. In the outdoors, I rediscovered play and the fun of exploring. It inspires my creativity.

Hiking and being outdoors has become one of the biggest and most consistent tools in my arsenal for managing anxiety and depression. Having the knowledge that I can access this by just going outside, regardless of what I鈥檓 going through, is a kind of freedom. Sometimes听this freedom only lasts the duration of my time out, but often I鈥檝e been able to take this clarity with me.

There are some stupid memes on social media showing two side-by-side photos of a forest and pills of varying colors and shapes pouring out onto a counter. The forest image contains the words听鈥渢he only antidepressant I need.鈥 Messaging like this minimizes the very real mental-health crises many of us are going through on a day-to-day basis, especially for . The outdoors is not a cure-all or a substitute for professional mental health care, but it can help. Currently, I鈥檓 back on meds, and I鈥檓 often about two crises away from getting back into therapy.

We鈥檙e overworked, overbooked, and so stressed that we鈥檇 rather zone out on our phones or stream internet television to soothe us than find听time to get outdoors, understandably so. Getting outdoors requires time and resources that some of us don鈥檛 have: the lowest-income people are often living in areas . Still, with a little creativity, I鈥檓 certain we can all find ways to engage with nature, in whatever form that takes, within these constraints. Here are some things that can help:

  • . Studies show it can improve your mood. A green space is anything not built by humans: an impressive tree at a bus stop, an area with your houseplants, a place where birds are chirping, etc.
  • Do you have a yard? Even a little patch of dirt to sit on? ! Which explains why I feel a significant boost caring for my houseplants and why the smell of wet earth has such an effect on me.
  • 听lessens the activity in the part of our brain associated with depression and repetitive negative thinking.
  • Don鈥檛 have 90 minutes or easy access to nature? 鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 have to be outside鈥攃an lower cortisol levels, the hormone created from stress. Elevated cortisol can suppress your immune system, lead to insomnia, depression, digestive problems, and other issues.
  • Being too busy isn鈥檛 good for us, but some of us are in positions where that can鈥檛 be improved (kids, bills to pay, etc.). If you can find even a little wiggle room, schedule your self-care time. I鈥檓 not talking about baths or ,听just scheduled time to do something that makes you feel cared for.

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Winter Layering for the Plus-Size Hiker /outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/plus-size-winter-layering/ Fri, 25 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/plus-size-winter-layering/ Winter Layering for the Plus-Size Hiker

Yes, there are layers out there for you, and yes, they're good.

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Winter Layering for the Plus-Size Hiker

Jenny Bruso is the founder of , an inclusive community highlighting the underrepresented outdoorsperson. Here, she鈥檒l share gear reviews for plus-size outdoor enthusiasts as well as her experiences battling stereotypes within the outdoor industry.

Being an out, proud, and loud-about-it fat hiker, I receive a lot of questions from other plus-size women and femmes (feminine-presenting people who don鈥檛 necessarily identify as women), and most of the time it鈥檚 about clothing. Where did you get your jacket? What would you wear snowshoeing? Does plus-size snow gear even exist?

Until recently, I dreaded these questions, because I didn鈥檛 know how to answer them. I鈥檇 never worn good, functional, attractive plus-size winter wear, because I didn鈥檛 see it in stores. The outdoor industry hasn鈥檛 done enough to meet the needs of plus-size women and femmes. Many brands only offer larger sizes online, and many only up to a size听3X or a 22鈥24. All of that听on top of the fact that technical gear is expensive and than our thinner peers.

As another winter approached, I couldn鈥檛 stand the idea of wearing the same ugly,听ill-fitting men鈥檚 winter clothing I鈥檇 been wearing for the last few years. It makes me feel unattractive and听less confident. No matter what size you are, you deserve gear that鈥檚 functional and aesthetically pleasing. Things that fit. And layers!

I tested new plus-size offerings from Columbia, REI, and Smartwool on a recent trip to the Grand Canyon and northern Arizona, where temperatures dipped down to ten听degrees. These options are now available in many stores, as opposed to only being available online, and sizing is more uniform (though note that not all of these items go above a size 3X).

How to Layer鈥擶ait, What Is Layering?

I didn鈥檛 even know what a base layer was until this year. Now I know that layering is about more than staying warm. Wearing the right materials helps regulate your comfort as your activity level听or the weather changes. When you get sweaty and stop for a break or a snack, you can get cold fast. Worse, you run the risk of hypothermia, especially in windy conditions. And just in case some know-it-all outdoorist hasn鈥檛 told you yet: no cotton! It clings when you sweat and doesn鈥檛 dry as quickly as wool or synthetic materials, leaving you shivering in听cold, soggy layers longer. Here are some more basic terminology and tips:

  • Base layer: A听thin, lightweight, moisture-wicking layer between your skin and winter wear to keep you from steeping in your own sweat. Think听long-sleeved tops and legging-style pants that conform to听your body but aren鈥檛 too tight or restrictive.
  • Midlayer: Clothing that听holds your body heat in. What听types of midlayer you choose, if any, are听a little more dependent on weather conditions: How cold is it? How long will you be out?听Think听flannels, fleeces, wool sweaters, light jackets, and puffy vests.
  • Outer layer:听Designed to听keep听the water and wind out. Think听puffy coats and waterproof pants. The warmness level听of puffy coats varies听based on their fill. If it鈥檚 not pouring rain, I prefer a rain-resistant pant, which is lighter and more breathable. Snow pants are too warm for me, but they鈥檙e a good idea if you run cold or if you鈥檙e participating in听snow sports rather than hiking snowy trails.
  • Shell:听A piece that shields you from rain, wind, and snow. A hooded waterproof jacket is essential. My jam? A puffy coat under a rainjacket, which are generally thin and only protect from wind and rain. Waterproof puffy coats also exist. Make sure your shell is big enough to fit over all your layers.
  • Accessories: I听suggest wearing a knit cap long enough to cover your ears or a fleece-lined cold-weather headband. Waterproof gloves are a must. I prefer the kind that transition from mittens to fingerless gloves for dexterity. A Buff is great for face coverage, especially in the wind.

I rarely put on all of these things at the outset of a hike. Usually, I start out with my base layer, midlayer, rain-resistant pants or, if it鈥檚 raining or snowing, a shell and rainpants. When I get moving, I heat up fast. I put on my top-half outer layers as I need them. Don鈥檛 let yourself get soaked before putting them on!

Base Layers

(Courtesy Columbia)

Columbia Midweight Stretch Long Sleeve Shirt and Tight ($65 each)

This is true to size鈥攁nd stretchy! I was certain the Omni-Heat thermal-reflective lining would be some sort of outer-space-looking gimmick, but it really does create a shield of breathable warmth. I was amazed at how toasty听and comfortable I was walking for hours in 25-degree weather.


(Courtesy Smartwool)

Smartwool 250 Base Layers ($95 and up)

I wanted to love 听because they鈥檙e so good looking and the 250-gram merino wool is soft, breathable, and odor resistant. However, the bottoms bear all听the signs of the manufacturer sizing up from the original straight sizes鈥攁nd that just doesn鈥檛 cut it. They鈥檙e too short-waisted for my round, high butt, and the waistband is a little too firm, so it folds over every time I sit down. It鈥檚 not uncomfortable, but I don鈥檛 like messing with it constantly. I will keep the , though; they fit beautifully,听they look like they鈥檙e expensive,听and听they make me feel like a fancy B.

听听


Midlayers

(Courtesy Columbia)

Columbia Glacial Crew Shirt ($40)

The throwback, classic style of the Glacial Crew shirt makes it one of my favorite pieces. It鈥檚 cute enough to wear with street clothes, which is rare with function-first clothing, though I鈥檇 love to see it in funkier colors. While plus-size outdoor wear is clearly making leaps and bounds, the design and color options are still often far too muted. Believe it or not, we don鈥檛 all want to hide behind our clothes! Regardless, I love this great-fitting, light microfleece shirt, because it听keeps me perfectly warm without overheating.

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(Courtesy REI)

REI Co-op 650 Down Vest听($55 and up)

Until I tried the REI Co-op 650 Down vest, I didn鈥檛 understand puffy vests. (If you need the warmth of a puffy jacket, why would you wear one without sleeves?) Turns out, keeping your core warm radiates heat to the rest of your body without getting you overheated, and as a person who naturally runs hot, this is a game changer. Throwing this over a long-sleeved midlayer is about all the coverage I need while I鈥檓 hiking or snowshoeing, so I don鈥檛 feel bound up in jackets. In extreme cold, wear it with a long-sleeved midlayer under a puffy and shell for maximum warmth.

Unavailable


(Courtesy Columbia)

Columbia OuterSpaced III Half Zip Fleece听($50)

Superstretchy, wool-like (but really synthetic), and created with cute design details in many different colors, the OuterSpaced III Half Zip fleece is true to size, lightweight, and breathable. It could also be worn as a base layer.听I鈥檒l take one of each, thank you!

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Outer Layers

(Courtesy Columbia)

Columbia Anytime Casual Pull On Pant听($55)

Hi, these are my favorite. I didn鈥檛 believe in anything other than leggings to hike in until I tried the . Rain repelling, lightweight, and breathable, it听also fits well over a base layer. Plus, it鈥檚听not ugly and overly techy looking, like I鈥檓 about to pull an entire chainsaw out of my pocket. I can鈥檛 say enough good things about it.


(Courtesy REI)

REI Co-Op 650 Down Jacket听($69 and up)

Like the vest, but with sleeves, this is rain repelling and light, great on its own or over layers. Its classic style and good fit are听suitable for most adventures.

(Courtesy Columbia)

Columbia Pike Lake Hooded Vest听($130)

More of that Omni-Tech witchcraft, but superquilted and thick, the Columbia Pike Lake Hooded vest鈥檚 synthetic fill means it dries fast听in wet weatherand doesn鈥檛 decompress, which keeps you warm. It鈥檚 too thick to be a midlayer, but it can be worn well over a lightweight down jacket. I love the hood and overall chicness of the design. This has become a go-to of mine.

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Shells听

(Courtesy REI)

REI Co-Op Rainier Rain Jacket听($45 and up)

I could just say REI听makes the best plus-size shells and stop here,but let鈥檚 dig a little deeper. The 听is your classic听light-wind听waterproof jacket. It comes in many different colors, including bright ones! I love the hidden collar underneath the hood for extra protection.


(Courtesy REI)

REI Co-Op XeroDry GTX Pants and Jacket听($95 and up each)

The real heroes of the rainjacket game are the XeroDry GTX听 and听. They are full-on function, with rain- and snow-proof听cinchable wrists, ankles, hems, etc., for maximum protection. I feel so secure in these pieces (though not exactly attractive). The billowing, wide legs of the pants don鈥檛 do anything for my figure, but it means I can wear them over a lot of layers, and this is a good thing. I feel like I can do anything in the Xero Dry GTX set. Sometimes, and I say this begrudgingly, function is a tad more important than fashion, especially when it comes to snowy conditions.

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I Don’t Hike to Lose Weight. I Hike Because I Love It. /culture/opinion/i-hike-because-i-love-it-not-lose-weight/ Thu, 03 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/i-hike-because-i-love-it-not-lose-weight/ I Don't Hike to Lose Weight. I Hike Because I Love It.

I asked my plus-size hiker friends about their experiences in outdoor culture, beyond clothing, gear, and representation issues鈥攁nd what they had to say was mostly about interactions with other hikers.

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I Don't Hike to Lose Weight. I Hike Because I Love It.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e almost there! It will be worth it.鈥

鈥淚s this your first time out here?鈥

鈥淵ou look like you could use a break.鈥

鈥淎re you okay?鈥

These are just a few of the comments I get while hiking. They seem pretty harmless, right? Supportive, even. Except I can鈥檛 help but wonder: Would people say these things to a thinner, more athletic-looking person? I don鈥檛 think so.

I鈥檓 a fat hiker who started hiking about six years ago. To say I didn鈥檛 grow up outdoorsy is a massive understatement. I lived in Portland, Oregon, for years before I did anything more than visit a waterfall on the side of the road. My partner took me on a hike for one of our first dates, and I never could鈥檝e guessed it would become my thing. Soon, I was doing it all the time. This eventually led to the creation of , an Instagram platform featuring the underrepresented outdoorist. This includes people of size (I prefer 鈥渇at,鈥 but not everyone else does), people of color, queer, trans, gender nonbinary folks, and people with disabilities.

When it comes to talking about plus-size hikers, lack of clothing and gear and representation are getting a little more airtime from the outdoor media, as they should. But there are many ways still finds its way into our lives. I asked my plus-size hiker friends about their experiences in outdoor culture鈥攂eyond the clothing, gear, or representation issues鈥攁nd many cited interactions with other hikers as the thing that made them feel most judged. I get it: I often notice the disbelieving looks I regularly get from men as I pass them on trail with a friendly 鈥渉ello.鈥

As I processed all this feedback, I couldn鈥檛 help but think about how so many straight-sized hikers might not even realize they鈥檙e saying things that are听demeaning.So I put together this guide to help.

Think About What Your Comment Really Says

Many comments from other hikers鈥攅ven something seemingly innocuous like 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing a great job!鈥濃攁re meant to be supportive and encouraging, but they don鈥檛 always come off that way. These comments are, sometimes indirectly, about our bodies. An othering is happening. There is surprise about our abilities, concern about what may be interpreted as lack of ability, and sometimes straight-up rudeness. Many people I talked to expressed having moments where they were treated as if they were in the way of another hiker. These interactions don鈥檛 allow us to simply be hikers on a trail.

On a good day, I just smile and say 鈥淭hank you鈥 or give an overly jovial 鈥淥h yeah, I鈥檝e done this trail many times,鈥 when what I really want to say is 鈥淵eah, I know. I鈥檝e probably done this trail more times than you will in your life.鈥 Fellow fat hiker Ashley Manning, trail name YardSale, is currently thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. She had this to say on her recent : 鈥淎 guy came up to me today as I was pumping water and said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e more badass than any of us. I鈥檓 not trying to be rude, but you don鈥檛 see people your size out here.鈥欌f there鈥檚 one thing I鈥檝e learned already, it鈥檚 that the trail knocks people on their asses. No matter what size you are, it鈥檚 hard. I鈥檓 no more of a badass than that guy, because it鈥檚 so damn hard. I鈥檓 proud of everyone out here.鈥

If you want to be encouraging, a simple 鈥淗i, have a great hike!鈥 does wonders.

Don鈥檛 Assume We Want to Change Our Bodies

Another assumption many people make about plus-size hikers is that we鈥檙e doing physical activity because we want to lose weight. The way exercise has become synonymous with weight loss in dominant culture removes the joy from moving and inhabiting our bodies, regardless of one鈥檚 size. I鈥檓 outside because I want to enjoy the outdoors, revere nature, and appreciate the gift of my body taking me places. I choose hiking over the gym to get away from diet and fitness culture. Also, many of us don鈥檛 actually want to lose weight. Many of us don鈥檛 feel bad about being fat.

What would our relationships with ourselves and each other look like if we removed moral capital and essentialism from exercising, food, and bodies? I think we鈥檇 all be happier and make healthier choices all around.

Give Us Space on the Trail

Bear with me鈥攖his one is complicated. Straight-sized people have an innate sense of liberty with their bodies that many people of size don鈥檛. They tend to make bigger movements, sit with their legs wider, or stop dead in their tracks in public places. People of size are often super aware of the space they inhabit, because we receive frequent messages that we don鈥檛 fit (belong). Roxane Gay wrote in her recent memoir, Hunger, 鈥淭he bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.鈥 Chairs are often not made for us (constricting arms, 200-pound weight limits, etc.), tables in restaurants are too close together, and don鈥檛 get me started on airplane seats.

Don鈥檛 crowd people, fat or not, who are moving at a slower pace, especially when going up- or downhill. A breezy 鈥淐oming up on your left/right!鈥 is all it takes. On a narrow track, give us more room to pass, and only pass when there is actually room. Sure, your small body might be able to squeeze up against the side of a cliff with ease, but can my bigger body? We all deserve to be on the trail, and we all deserve to fully inhabit our bodies.

Assume Nothing

Better yet, listen when we tell you about our experiences. Resist asking questions or making statements鈥攅ven with good intention鈥攍aced with bias or assumptions about our bodies. I lead multiple group hikes every month that are attended by people of all body types and speeds. You don鈥檛 know what someone is capable of just by looking at them. Being bigger doesn鈥檛 automatically mean someone is slower.

And sure, being strong and fast is cool, but no one is getting the gold. Doing something slower or differently is still doing it. I take just as many steps as the person who does the trail in two-thirds the time.

The post I Don’t Hike to Lose Weight. I Hike Because I Love It. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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