IMPRESSED?

Publication1CROPPED400YOU SHOULDN’T BE!! These are simply pictures without a story behind them. All they prove is I’ve successfully developed muscles. They don’t measure my HEALTH, they don’t measure my HAPPINESS, they don’t measure my commitment to ANYTHING other than muscle development.

Aesthetics is a common GOAL of exercise. Clothes don’t fit…, mirrors become the enemy…, spouses, friends and family members begin gossiping about the ongoing weight gain they see in you.

This is the reason people begin to exercise. They’re not motivated by their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, borderline diabetes and fatty livers. They’re not motivated by their inability to perform basic tasks like walking upstairs or standing from a kneeling position. They falsely believe they’re motivated by desired aesthetic improvements.

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THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE!

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Aesthetics produce SHORT TERM results (if results are achieved at all.) Just like dieting, exercise becomes an act of futility.

WHY?

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AESTHETICS (for most people) is NOT ENOUGH to sustain healthy living. The willingness to follow a healthy lifestyle requires an EMOTIONAL and PHYSICAL commitment to oneself. If MOTIVATION is lacking, boredom, stress, complacency, or procrastination interferes with achieving long term results.

A (LONG TERM) improved aesthetic appearance requires a NEED for it! It is not enough to WANT it! When a lifestyle REQUIRES better muscle tone, better cardiovascular health, improved stress levels, improved stamina, etc…, the

END RESULT

becomes improved aesthetics. This is very different than making aesthetics the GOAL.

Over the last 58 years I have had to modify my lifestyle to adapt to the physical aging process. Those willing to modify lifestyles within reasonable boundaries are more likely to continue to enjoy quality living. Those striving to remain 20 years old forever, are more likely to create greater personal harm and speed up the aging process. This philosophy has provided me the opportunity to experience an ACTIVE enjoyable lifestyle which has been responsible for maintaining my “aesthetic” appearance over time.

More importantly, my lifestyle has provided me the GIFT of HEALTH. Living a life WITHOUT pharmaceutical dependence, without physical limitations from daily and recreational activity and without chronic diseases has given me a chance to live life under my terms.

The “muscles” are simply a byproduct of the lifestyle I’ve lived. They have NEVER been the source of my happiness or success in life.

I started this article by asking if you were IMPRESSED? A picture is such a small piece of the puzzle, it shouldn’t be enough to base your answer. If you are now impressed, however, I hope it’s based on greater clarity, better self awareness and a personal commitment to achieving better health YOURSELF! The aesthetic part is easy; live a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE and enjoy the aesthetic results.

NOW IT’S UP TO YOU!

 

 

 

 

46 comments

  1. Congrats, Dr. Jonathan. You look great and for all the right reasons. Well done!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’m so glad the readers accepted and understood the real meaning behind this post. I hope it provides incentives for those “dangling on the fence” to incorporate this piece of the puzzle. As you know, it adds so much quality to life!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Amen to that.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Not only do you look good you feel amazing I am sure. That in itself is impressive. Nicely done!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The “feeling good” has become the primary motive for living the lifestyle I have chosen. As we age, we begin to realize “big arms” are pretty worthless if the HEART isn’t functioning safely and effectively.
      Thank you for the kind compliment.

      Liked by 2 people

  3. am appreciating these short pithy posts … you look great for your age but it takes a consistent lifestyle effort to get there 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pretty challenging to keep them short and sweet without sacrificing content.

      I never intended to mislead people into thinking the path to quality health is easy. You are absolutely correct. Consistency is a very important part to achieving a successful outcome. It doesn’t, however, have to be as difficult as some may believe. Having a mentor also helps. As you may remember, Jack LaLanne was mine. His early morning exercise program influenced my life when I was only 5 years old. It was probably some of the earliest memories I have.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. wow that is amazing to have made such a big impression on a 5yo … so it truly is a lifetime habit for you 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I simply found him amazing and energetic. I never followed his exercise routines, I just remember watching the show. His delivery definitely made a HUGE impression at a very young age.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. and set you on a path to healing .. 🙂

            Like

  4. Looking good and for the right reasons…. Love your posts 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I was hoping people would see the “BIG PICTURE” and intent of this article. I’m very glad the message was well received.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Very nice post…..good

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you very much.

      Like

  6. Very impressed indeed. You don’t look any different than you did 8 years ago. Do you feel just as young? Maintenance can be difficult (well, okay, I find it is anyway, 🙂 ). You’re an inspiration.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve never thought in terms of feeling any particular age. I’ve always focused on doing what was necessary in order to live a VERY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE. Fortunately, I have not had to make many compromises.

      Maintenance, in most cases, is the most difficult part of health. Whether its weight control or exercise, the long term motivation must come from an ongoing GOAL. This is why I believe QUALITY HEALTH offers a great personal incentive. It becomes a “goal” to maintain quality health. This requires constant balancing of different lifestyle components. As a result, these constant adjustments prevent boredom; the number one reason people revert to old destructive patterns of behavior.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Excellent point and excellent way to look at it. I think now that I’m older and smarter, I’m trying to adopt that way of thinking. I want to be one of those old lady runners who’s still healthy and running in her 80s. Thank you for the information. ☺

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Something tells me you’ll achieve your goal. Hopefully, it takes a long, long, long time to do so! 😀

          Liked by 1 person

  7. Dr.J., muscles & good health! Way to go! I’m impressed. Good that you tell it like it is. 🌺🌷🌸Christine

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I thought it was important to convey that exercise was not merely about aesthetics. Long term commitment to healthy living provides a more realistic incentive to maintain an exercise regimen over time.
      By practicing what I preach, (I believe) it adds credibility to the message.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Good looking arms!✌️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was a package deal; they came with the body! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  9. You’re right. It makes so much sense to modify our lifestyles at each stage of life. For that, we need to have the right kind of information. Staying in shape is important, too. Having a fit body helps us to feel confident and positive, and that in turn helps us to work harder to reach our goals. I think it is difficult to maintain good aesthetics when we are destroyed on the inside. Keep up the good work, Dr Jon.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Your comment was expressed beautifully. I completely agree. Good health is a package deal. It includes the mind, the soul and the physical body. Attempting to create GOOD health without achieving BALANCE among all these components is likely impossible.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Awesome Doc!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Much appreciated.

      Like

  11. Brilliant post Jonathan !!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Lynne.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Still, I am impressed……great post….xxkat

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The hard part was superimposing my head on that guy’s body! 😀

      Thank you for the kind compliment.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. you make me smile…..

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Great post! I’m leaving a very physical job soon. I’ve already got some yoga activities in line to make up for the less physical job. I’ve also started a healthier, cleaner eating program. The job I’ve had for the last 6 months is not good for a making a healthy body! If I gain muscle, fine but that’s not my purpose with the yoga or clean eating. A healthy body and mind is my goal!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Your goal creates LONG TERM BENEFITS because it requires a long term commitment to achieve. These type of goals truly improve one’s quality of life. I wish you much success.

      Like

  14. thefitaccountant · · Reply

    Great post! You look very strong in you’re photos. Also, you you stated that some people don’t get in shape or change their health goals because of diabetes or heat conditions etc. My brother makes me really angry for the fact that he has had open heart surgery, lost his leg due to diabetes and still eats very unhealthy…… It drives me crazy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. People that VALUE their lives do not follow destructive lifestyles. Without knowing your brother I’ll bet there is a HUGE void in his life. Until he creates the right MINDSET, he is likely to continue following a path of self harm. The problem is rarely food; the pain, however, is commonly “treated” with food.
      I wish your brother success on discovering his “demon(s)” and overcoming his obstacles interfering with healthy choices and quality living.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. The goal to become fit may start with the desire to look good at first but hopefully folks learn along the way the empowerment a healthy, active lifestyle brings. Like you said, focusing purely on the aesthetics will fizzle out soon enough.

    Nice guns by the way! 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The reality is simple; big muscles on a man or quality definition on a woman (if this is her goal) doesn’t help either gender if their HEART or underlying HEALTH is damaged due to lifestyle!
      I appreciate your compliment as well. It’s amazing what photoshop can do! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  16. This is the right kind of motivation and it has definitely modified my take on healthy living.I have to say though, you look good for your age.well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I am glad this article has provided you a new approach to healthy living. I am very thankful for the positive and negative experiences life has shared with me. LEARNING is the key to avoiding repeating the same mistakes.

      I appreciate your compliment as well. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for adding your comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Totally agree. Great article. What do you think about consistency as the major key to maintaining your health and shape well into middle age?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Consistency is a major factor to achieving LONG TERM success. This is why I do NOT believe starting ANYTHING (including nutrition programs and exercise programs) at a pace that can’t be maintained over “40” years. A person eating salads daily will never maintain this dietary pattern for 40 years, therefore, (I believe) no one should attempt to lose weight eating salads daily. The same concept applies for exercising 6-7 days a week. It’s not realistic to expect the average person to maintain this frequency of exercise over 40 years.
      Those who pursue change using lifelong REALISTIC parameters have significantly improved LONG TERM success rates.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Yep… I was thinking along those same lines as well.

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Looking fit and fab Doc! Cheers to good heart and mental health. Stay happy☺

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I appreciate your compliment. As we age, the “muscles” take back stage to the HEART. From my years in the cadaver lab, I have never seen the benefit of large muscles when the heart no longer beats!
      Hoping your days are filled with joy and happiness as well! 🙂

      Like

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