We men, as a general rule, are competitive.
Want proof? Look no further than the manly competition between Maverick and Ice Man in the classic ’80s movie “Top Gun” if you don’t believe me. Whether it’s flying by the seat of their pants in their F-14 Tomcats or their shirtless, oiled-up volleyball game on the beach, being a man is all about who wins and who loses.
And, presumably, who looks best doing it.
I say this after reading through the March edition of Men’s Health magazine, which is delivered to my home each month. A couple years ago, I asked my wife for a subscription as a Christmas gift, figuring that it would motivate me to get in better shape, eat better, work out harder.
After all, being a guy – and thus, competitive – shouldn’t I see a challenge to my manhood in each shirtless model, his impossibly perfect six-pack abs mocking my own, somewhat more rounded stomach?
The answer, apparently, is no.
Because for most average schmoes like myself, we’re about as likely to be Maverick’s wing man as we are to become a Men’s Health cover model.
Does that mean we should give up trying to get healthy? Definitely not – though we may be better off focusing on simply staying fit than trying to look like Matthew McConaughey (the March cover guy).
Especially for those of us who are getting a little older, it’s important to realize we might not be able to do everything we’d like to do physically (say, bench press a Volvo). That doesn’t mean we should just go back to sitting on the couch, a bag of chips in one hand, the remote control in the other as we watch Maverick and Ice Man duke it out in the skies for the hundredth time.
Colleen Specht, manager of the Martin Memorial Treasure Coast Health and Fitness Center, gives some tips on the Feb. 11 edition of Martin Memorial Healthcast that can help you set realistic goals to get and stay healthy.
You may not end up on the cover of a magazine, but you’ll feel better just the same.
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
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