I was driving through Long Branch, NJ, when I noticed this storefront with a business name that seemed more like a personal message: “Be Fit.” As a Gen X man with a few extra pounds, the idea of being fit has certainly been on my mind–and in my goals–for many years now. As each year goes by, and the pounds remain, the goal needs to move to the more-pressing list. I compare notes with some of my friends, and we’re all active: running, biking, swimming, hiking, rucking, and other activities in the pursuit of exercise and good health. But if most of us are simply maintaining our weight rather than losing weight, then it seems like the variable that needs more attention is the diet, and what we eat.
I think it’s safe to say we all know this last fact, but when it gets to diet, there are so many conflicting suggestions, especially on social media which blasts us with all the ideas that they know best what is the only way to actually get the results. Reduce carbs? Eat raw? Paleo? More protein? What really is the best diet? It seems the “expert” opinion changes almost every year.
One ridiculous example of social media telling me how to be fit was an account that said “men in their fifties don’t need to work out at the gym, or change their diet, all they need to do is Tai Chi walking and they’ll lose all the weight they want!” A closer inspection of the social media post revealed that the buff, shirtless middle-age man who was delivering this message was “an A.I. character.” What a crock of b.s. I was still curious as to what Tai Chi walking actually is, but any pursuit of more information on their post link only led to requests for my credit card number before giving any specifics. No thanks.
I still want to “be fit,” though, and my pursuit of that will continue.