In our quest for better health and fitness, we’re up against a powerful, often overlooked force that shapes our behaviors more than we realize: social norms. These unwritten rules of society silently dictate what’s “normal” and “acceptable,” often at the expense of our physical well-being. Let’s explore how these norms, particularly around movement, food, effort, and clothing, hinder our path to optimal health.
The Invisible Cage: Movement Norms
Our bodies have evolved to require specific stimuli to maintain optimal health. Chief among these is regular, varied movement. Yet, our social norms have created an invisible cage that restricts when, where, and how we can move our bodies.
The Tyranny of “Appropriate” Exercise Spaces
We’ve collectively decided that exercise belongs in gyms, fitness classes, or designated sporting events. This norm severely limits our opportunities for movement throughout the day. Consider these scenarios:
- Doing push-ups while waiting for a train? You’ll likely get strange looks.
- Pull-ups on a playground swing set while watching your kids? Prepare for raised eyebrows.
- Stretching or yoga in a public park? Often seen as attention-seeking behavior.
These social judgments create a powerful deterrent, even when we know the movement would benefit us. We’ve essentially cordoned off physical activity into specific times and places, ignoring the fact that our bodies are designed for constant, varied movement throughout the day.
The Floor: Charged with Stigma
Another pervasive norm is our attachment to chairs and couches. Sitting on the floor, despite its numerous benefits for hip mobility and core strength, is often seen as childish or uncivilized in adult settings.
Imagine visiting a friend’s house and choosing to sit on the floor instead of the offered couch. The discomfort this choice would create is palpable, yet sitting on the floor with good posture can significantly improve our physical health. Our modern lifestyle, the victory of our natural instincts over our biological needs, has led us to prioritize comfort over health, and our social norms reinforce this choice.
Yet Social Norms Around Food are Even More Negative for Us
Our food choices are heavily influenced by social norms, often to the detriment of our health.
The Ubiquity of Processed Foods
Trying to avoid processed foods in social settings can be a Herculean task. From office parties to family gatherings, processed snacks and meals are the norm. Bringing your own healthier options is often seen as strange or even rude. This social pressure makes it incredibly challenging to maintain a whole food diet, even when we know it’s better for our health.
The Sugar Paradox
While awareness about the harmful effects of excessive sugar consumption is growing, our social norms haven’t caught up. Birthday parties, holidays, and celebrations are still centered around sugary treats. Opting for fruit instead of cake at a party is often met with resistance or concern. Our instincts, shaped by our evolutionary past, drive us towards these sweet, energy-dense foods, and our social norms reinforce this preference.
The Persistence of Junk Food Culture
Despite increasing health consciousness, junk food remains deeply ingrained in our culture. Fast food is celebrated for its convenience, and indulgent, calorie-laden meals are often glorified on social media. This normalization of unhealthy eating habits makes it difficult for individuals to make healthier choices without feeling like they’re missing out or going against the grain.
The Effort Conundrum: When Easy Isn’t Better
Our society has developed a strong aversion to unnecessary effort, a norm that directly conflicts with our need for physical activity.
The Path of Least Resistance
Choosing the more physically demanding option is often seen as strange or inefficient. Examples abound:
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator? You might be perceived as a fitness fanatic or show-off.
- Carrying extra weight in your backpack for added exercise? This goes against our instinct to conserve energy and is often met with confusion.
- Walking to an earlier bus stop for extra movement? Most people would question why you’re “wasting” time and energy.
These norms discourage us from incorporating more movement into our daily lives, even when these small efforts could significantly improve our health over time.
Fashion Over Function: How Clothing Norms Restrict Movement
Our clothing choices, heavily influenced by social norms, often prioritize appearance over functionality and movement potential.
Fashionable Footwear
Many popular shoe styles prioritize aesthetics over foot health and movement capability. High heels, narrow dress shoes, and even some casual footwear restrict natural foot movement and can lead to long-term health issues. Yet, choosing more functional footwear in professional or social settings often comes with a social cost.
Restrictive Clothing
Our everyday clothing, from suits to dresses, is designed more for sitting and standing than for a full range of human movement. Try doing a deep squat or climbing a tree in typical work attire, and you’ll quickly see how our clothing norms limit our movement potential. This restriction subtly encourages us to move less throughout the day, contributing to our overall sedentary lifestyle.
Free Yourself by Questioning the Norms
If we look at the vast majority of the norms in our modern societies through the Foresighted lens, it’s quite clear they are actively preventing us from reaching our peak in terms of health & fitness.
We generally know this for the obvious ones (processed food, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) but we may not realize how pervasive they are.
It’s also not conspiracy theory: we just used those big brains of ours to try and solve the problems our instincts are urging us to solve. And we’ve succeeded beyond measure into creating an environment that doesn’t require any effort to live, and gives an abundance of calories to consume as we want.
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