Richard Rayner, MD
“You… look… MAH-ve-lous!” Billy Crystal would claim in his parody of Fernando Lamas years ago on Saturday Night Live. People began saying it everywhere!
I sometimes quip with my patients similarly with “it’s more important to look good than to feel good.” This tongue-in-cheek commentary typically follows a discussion with a woman about the woes of fashionable, but uncomfortable, attire. Of course I am joking with them, but often the choice is made to prioritize physical appearance over practicality or comfort.
While there are definitely times when exchanging the sweat shirt and yoga pants for more formal attire is entirely appropriate, perhaps it’s wise to consider our motivation for our attempts to keep our weight down or to exercise. A shift in emphasis from looks to health is wise during any stage of life, but especially as the birthdays add up. Cher aside, things are bound to change!
Often the motivation for our exercise or dietary choices is to look good. We have in mind a certain waist size, dress size, or number on the scale as a validation of our efforts. ‘If I just get to ___ (pounds, size, etc.) it will be all worth it and I’ll be happy.’ It’s certainly not an entirely bad motivation, but, if looking good is the only finish line in the distance, we could end up feeling depressed and unsatisfied. A better emphasis would be not just looking good, but rather feeling good and being able to do what we love — having the ability to move about and engage in life.
When I talk with older folks about their struggles in life, often the first complaint is not being able to move about and do the things they need to do or would enjoy doing. These aches and pains, such as painful joints, back pain, and shortness of breath, often have their origin in destructive habits that began decades before. While considering the short-term goal of looking good, there was little long-term planning for feeling good.
Financial planning often involves making regular, small deposits into a 401(k) plan. If we borrow that same approach in the area of health, we should consider each time we make a wise decision about eating, or take the time to do that workout, as a small deposit in our physical and emotional 401(k). While we may not see an immediate result from those decisions, the positive effects will be cumulative and beneficial. We may not be able to quantify the results as a simple number or size, but it will qualitatively pay off with the increased quality of life and the activities for which you’ve been yearning.
Looking marvelous is, well, marvelous! But, while we’re aiming for marvelous, consider going for healthy, and enjoy the results for a lifetime.
The added bonus — has a healthy person ever looked bad? Anyone who feels great is almost guaranteed to look MAH-ve-lous!
