Run, fat bitch, run.

Run, fat bitch, run.

No, I haven’t taken up a new – and rather rude – mantra for exercising in 2014. I’m just repeating the name of a book that’s come onto the health and fitness radar in the last few days of the new year.

Yes, it is actually called “Run Fat B!tch Run”. Subtle. I know.

It’s been written by a woman named Ruth Field, who is a 38-year-old criminal barrister and mother of twins. And if you think it sounds vaguely familiar, you’d be right.

The book was actually first published in 2012, but is getting another run across the media because of its re-release this month. Just in time to target all the women who made some kind of health or fitness-related New Year’s resolution.

What’s interesting about this book is that Field isn’t actually an expert in… well… anything. Well, presumably she’s an expert in criminal law. But in the fitness world – she’s not a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a dietician or a scientist.

In fact, Field is simply a woman who found herself putting on some weight after one too many lunches with other lawyers. Having never jogged before, she signed herself up for a marathon, and BAM!

She lost a whole lot of weight and, like many other opinionated individuals, decided she ought to share her philosophy with the world.

Essentially, Field’s message is simple. She tells you to stand in front of a mirror, naked, and take a long, hard look at yourself. Examine every lump and bump of fat. HATE every lump and bump of fat. And then get your butt off the couch and run, even if you hate it, because it’s all about just getting out there and losing those kilograms.

Incidentally, the book also incorporates an alter-ego named The Grit Doctor. The Grit Doctor is no fan of diets or detoxes or even the gym. The Doctor wants you to be hard on yourself. You must run. And not eat sweet things:

‘If you are consuming fizzy drinks, crisps and takeaways as part of your daily diet, this is the reason you are not losing as much weight as you would expect from running alone. Frankly, as an adult you should be ashamed of yourself if you are still buying sweets and fizzy drinks on a weekly basis. Stop it now.’

And the readers? Oh, the readers. They are divided. Strongly divided.

In the red corner, we have the Field Lovers. And here’s what they adore about the book:

–       That it’s (apparently) written in a humourous fashion

–       It’s a very no-nonsense approach and encourages no excuses

–       It’s very different to regular motivational diet or fitness books

–       It’s a kick in the arse

And in the blue corner – yelling quite a lot louder than the lovers – we have the Field Haters. And they point out MANY an excellent flaw about the book, including that:

–       Field has never been truly overweight, leaving her with no real understanding of what it actually means to be “fat”

–       It’s really not nice to throw the term “fat bitch” around, and yeah, it does hurt feelings

–       It trivialises and simplifies many issues related to weight, health and fitness

–       It’s full of contradictions – Field says not to diet, but also says to not eat anything sweet

–       It suggests that running is a one-size-fits-all solution and doesn’t acknowledge that there are, in fact, other ways to be healthy

–       It reckons that healthy = skinny and nothing else, ever.

And you know what? I’m firmly on the hating side of things.

I support anyone who encourages others to get active and incorporate more exercise into their lives. And I think that running is an excellent type of exercise… for some.

But at the end of the day? Running is not the be-all-and-end-all, magical solution to everyone’s problems. And I don’t think it should be promoted as such. Because NOTHING is the magical solution to everyone’s problems.

We are all different. Being skinny doesn’t necessarily equal happiness. Running on a regular basis doesn’t necessarily equal happiness. And standing in front of a mirror, telling yourself that you’re fat bitch, bringing yourself down on a daily basis in an attempt to make yourself lose weight, is DEFINITELY not going to bring you any happiness whatsoever.

So. If you’ve hit 2014, and you’re determined to get your health back on track?

Don’t diet. Listen to your body. Feed it good things. Move it when you can.

And most of all?

Be kind to yourself. Please.

Have you read Field’s book? What do you think of her message?