Pro Diets...Newsletter 14

I'm A Liar

I need to make a confession.

I've been living a lie, but I don't like lying. The embarrassment of being caught is enough to stop me before I start. But in one particular case, it is necessary for me to lie. And it's all because I choose a healthy, fit lifestyle.

You see, I occasionally work as a fitness model, and photographers, or their clients, need to work with an "age range." I subtract a full ten years from my chronological age to get the jobs.

It isn't vanity. The truth is, there's no way I can play someone in my real age range. No one would accept it. No one ever believes it. That probably sounds immodestly gauche, but I believe that it's more out of the fact that there's an inherent prejudice concerning anyone who's 40-something. I'm guilty of it myself. A woman wrote to me, mentioned that she was in her forties, and I immediately conjured up the image of an "older" woman. How unfair! Or is it?

In many cases, 40 is damn old!!! That's because so many people accept the fact that aging is inevitable and concede to it's effects which, in turn, accelerates the process. There's a tremendous disparity between a "young" 40 and an "old" 40. It's the difference between Heather Locklear and your Aunt Trudy. Same age, different look. Why???

Well, of course, cosmetic surgery comes into play, but there are a few other secrets. Attitude is one. Having a passion for something is paramount to maintaining a youthful exuberance. Diet and, especially, proper supplementation are crucial and, in my opinion, very underrated factors. Sleep is critical. But the most important factor is, unquestionably, exercise - specifically, weight training. Passion? Nutrition? Concern for one's appearance? These elements are the very essence of a healthy, fit lifestyle.

Am I obsessed? I've been told that before. But, I like to see it as being smart. Some people say, "Why can't you just accept the natural process?" Well, 50 years ago, it was "natural" for millions of children to develop polio. Should that have remained "acceptable?" No!

Improvement is noble, but not if you're just going to admire yourself in the mirror. You have to do something with your life. I'm enjoying things that most people "my age" can only think about...and I love it!!!

I'm finally getting comfortable with my age. Whenever I tell someone how old I am, I inevitably get the response, "Wow! You look good for your age!" To which my response is, "No I don't - I just look good."

And when people try to give me grief because I choose to take care of myself, when they ask me why it is necessary for me to exercise instead of accepting the aging process, I direct them to their own pathetic existence. I point to the mounds of fat they have attached to their body and say, "Because I don't want to look like you!"

Whenever I see some old guy who is out of shape and out of touch, I can't help but think, "He had his chance - move over Pops, let me do my thing." The irony is that, very often, the guy is younger than me!

Now that we have entered the new millennium, I'm reminded of that infamous Biblical quote, "The meek shall inherit the earth." Well, that has never been the case - and it never will be the case. It's the young who inherit the earth. The young and the strong. So you can grow old graciously if you want. I like running with the pack.

Am I living a lie? Maybe. But I'm getting away with it.

Dr. Diet

You can contact Dr. Diet via e-mail with any questions at drdiet@prodiets.com.