When healthy lifestyle is deemed uncool!!

For the most part of my life I was oblivious to taking care of my body and sailed along with all kinds of unhealthy habits. Perhaps the illusion of invincibility during youth does that to you. I made a switch to be watchful only very recently, and I say this to convey that I am not here to judge or demean the characters I seek to highlight here.

India Gate Quinoa Ads

This is the playlist of the India Gate Quinoa ad. A guy hogging on a bowlful of kebabs and thinking of paying his dues by early morning cardio. A lady having had three bowls of halwa and considering eating oats for breakfast, doing yoga, and paying the price by wearing salwar-kameez instead of jeans and t shirt. Another hero calculating a juicy burger's keemat with gym at 5 am, green tea, take his dog out for a walk/run. And all of them educate us ignorant masses that everything is under control because they are eating stuff made of quinoa!!! Nothing can touch them now!!!

I find this wrong and offensive at SO many levels. And I find it very unfortunate that a food brand actively reinforces so many unhealthy misconceptions.

My primary objection is to the whole idea that doing exercise is a punishment that detracts you from better things in life. Doing yoga, cardio, going to gym is NOT a huge sacrifice. It actually feels good after a workout people!!! To someone who is just beginning to exercise, it will seem like a torture session. That is just the mind's inertia. Once you cross that hurdle, in a few weeks time, you will look forward to your workout session.

Secondly, I am dismayed with the projection that just because something is made of quinoa, one can eat like there is no tomorrow. Ask any health or fitness professional, they will tell you this - there is no super-food that will keep you immune to piling on weight. It is a combination of smart choices, eating in moderation and exercising.If three bowls of moong dal halwa is wrong, so is three bowls of quinoa halwa. Period.

And finally, I am completely against the shaming of certain type of people. What is so uncool about salwar kameez? And why is jeans and tshirt superior? Why should the woman worry about her husband's roving eye to the sexy neighbour? Why does a man without six pack and with a paunch have to take his girlfriend to more expensive dates? When did these body types become so wrong? We are all normal people and we are all imperfect as per the mirage of perfect body that is thrust down our throats by media. Do this over and over again in digital and print media, you have a generation of people who only like to 'look' good and are not bothered about their physical and mental health.

I would love to see brands making ads within the framework of the greater good! Sell your quinoa, am not against marketing and branding. But do it the responsible way. Do not feed into the fears and insecurities of your audience and seek mileage out of it!

I would love to know your thoughts on this!