Living with a chronic gastroenterological condition means living with constant stomachaches, cramps, and lack of appetite. It meant that food and I had a complicated relationship, as consuming nearly anything was torture. And I was not alone in this experience, it was similar for nearly all people I knew living with a stomach that was highly uncooperative.
But, what saved me and made me feel energetic again was having juices, soda, and lactose free milkshakes. All loaded with sugar to fulfill my calorie needs. At the same time, the fitness industry, and the so called fitness gurus on Instagram swore against the healthiness of these, even when these were the only things making me capable of getting out of bed, and having the energy to complete tasks.
Liquids which may be high calorie are easy to digest and often necessary for those who are chronically ill. They give us the bursts of energy we need to get through our day. Demonizing them in general - makes us feel like shit cause of our dependency on them. Fitness has always been a term that has excluded disabled bodies, and mainstream fitness influencers set standards for the world that disabled bodies cannot achieve. How do I exercise my biceps when I have no energy to move? How do I have salads regularly when fibre makes my stomach hurt?
The fitness industry has and will always be ableist - in its pursuit of so called health, it leaves out diseased and ill bodies which actually seek health in their own ways, and makes them feel inadequate. So go on fitness influencers, post more about how drinking your sugar intake is bad. I'm going to be sipping my Rasna in bed, as I scroll through your feed - never built for someone like me anyway.
