It’s not OK to be fat in the Army military fitness instructor says: According to a fitness instructor in the British Army, the “body positivity” trend is contributing to the rise in obesity rates among new recruits and is softening them up.
According to a serving member of the Queen’s Guard, the initiative has resulted in recruits “shying away” from hard labor and completing below-average physical work as a result.
Lance Sergeant Farren Morgan, 36, who works as a physical training teacher for the Coldstream Guards in Westminster, London, urged that young people should stop acting like it is “OK” to be overweight. Morgan is employed by the Coldstream Guards.
LSgt Morgan said: “Recruits and candidates who are influenced by a lifestyle that promotes body positivity are more likely to forget how important it is to continually maintain an active and healthy lifestyle, which leads to a reduction in their physical performance.
They avoid the high-intensity workouts that are necessary to excel as a soldier, and as a result, they have difficulty keeping up with other troops during military drills. “They don’t train as regularly as they should in their spare time.”
The fitness teacher for the Army also said: “This is the case with many folks I know who are now serving in the Army. These young men, some of whom are only 16 or 17 years old, are responsible for this.
“I am aware that kids spend each and every day glued to the television. After eight years of instructing young soldiers, I’ve seen that their minds are extremely receptive to new information.
“They are exposed to images in the media that promote an unhealthy way of life, such as celebrities stating that it is acceptable to eat anything you want as long as you are happy. They will carry that false information with them throughout their lives and continue to spread it.”
He went on: “The message that is conveyed to recruits via the media and internet is radically different, and it is potentially harmful. The recruits are exposed to folks all over the place promoting an unhealthy lifestyle known as “body positivity.”
“Body positivity is a way of life that encourages laziness and is harmful to the lives of young soldiers and recruits,”
The instructor of physical fitness is concerned that unhealthy lifestyles could impair troops’ ability to make decisions in the field and leave them weary.
However, Lance Sergeant Morgan did emphasise that it was only his view and that the Army has stringent training and vetting procedures that ensure all serving soldiers finish up in peak physical shape regardless of the state in which the new recruits enter the service.
On the other hand, he claimed that one could not say the same thing of the people of Britain.
“People are often talking about body positivity, saying things like “being huge is OK” and other such things. That seems to me to be encouraging obesity “he stated.
The soldier maintained that a culture of quick gratification characterised by the use of takeaway apps was also a contributing factor in this tragedy.
Instead of gorging themselves on unhealthy takeout pizzas and junk food, he suggested that young people learn how to prepare meals that are healthier and less rich in calories.
In the same way that the super-thin image of the ’90s has been rightfully recognised as unrealistic and unhealthy, the lance sergeant believes that more has to be done to clamp down on disordered eating and overweight people.
People who are “triggered” when they are pushed to lose weight or when they see calories on menus should “man up and get over it,” he urged those people.
“They were suggesting that with calories on menus, some people with eating disorders would be put off eating the meal if they saw how many calories are in it,” he said. “They were saying that with calories on menus.”
“But I believe that we are too afraid to simply look at what is happening and deal with it.
“Just get some balls already. Despite the fact that we’ve been through two world wars, it seems like we’ll find something to complain about no matter what.”
The following is what the Army said in a statement: “We are aware of a story that has been published in a number of different media sites recently about some statements made by a member of the Coldstream Guards on their health and fitness.
“These articles represent the viewpoint of the individual who was involved, not the viewpoint of the chain of command; the British Army was not approached for their perspective on the matter.
“Because it is committed to diversity and inclusion, the Army must take care not to stigmatise its own soldiers. The evaluations that are carried out do not focus on looks but rather on the potential dangers to health and function.
“Members of the Army community are encouraged and supported in their efforts to make wise decisions regarding their health.”
