Dr. Life and His Unbelievable Six-Pack

About a week ago, I noticed these ads on my Hubs, other people's Hubs, and pretty much every site I visited that day. I kid you not; the guy was everywhere. At first I thought it was an overactive imagination (mine). But the very next day, as I was surfing (the net) for something else, I saw them again. Every single site I visited had one of his ads. Not one who usually clicks on ads, I decided if the guy was that tenacious I ought to go see what the fuss was about.

First, though, I have to tell you that the ad itself kind of creeped me out (see pic below). The guy is 72 years old. And he has that body? The first thing that struck me was how bizarre it looked. Next thought was, "Dang! If I was dating a guy that age and he took off his shirt, I'm pretty sure I'd hightail it outta there." Just the idea of a man that age with a body like that gave me the heebie-jeebies. Then, of course, I had to step back and ask myself WHY? Why did I have such a reaction to someone who apparently cares enough to conquer the myth that aging equals erosion? That in itself was enough to investigate further.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with getting and staying fit, at any age. In fact, just the other day I wrote about the whole aging thing in a Hub I titled, "Chin Hairs and Other Nasty Surprises: The Art of Aging". (In my not-so-humble opinion, it's worth reading. But then, ofcourse I'd say that. I wrote it. Sheesh!) I was talking about how important it is to maintain a sense of humor about the whole process. It wasn't about the "how-to" age well so much as it was about our perspectives. (If you go read the article, you'll see. But wait...I'm not done here yet.)

I think it's terrific that Dr. Life (yes. That really is his name) has devoted his energy and knowledge to inspire the rest of the world to get off their butts and to show that it is possible to achieve and maintain a strong, lean physique. I also think there are lots and lots (and LOTS) of people who can benefit from his offerings. We (Americans) are a country of over-weight, under-active sloths. The numbers are growing as fast as our bellies. Even our kids are precariously perched on the edge of obesity. It is an epidemic of epic proportions that's literally killing us. Not the best forecast for a nation that was once at the top of the heap in physical fitness.

As with so many others who came before him, Dr. Life is confident that his "program" will change your life and lend to an even longer stay on the planet. From what I found on his site, Cenegenics, it's not about buying supplements, special foods, new equipment, etc. It appears there are two options: buy his book and figure it out yourself OR make an appointment at one of the Cenegenics Medical Centers (to date, there are more than 16 in the U.S., with more opening this year), get yourself tested and then follow the guidelines to the newer, healthier, fitter You.

Whether or not the stuff works, it's hard to dismiss his proclamations, simply because of the proof he happily flaunts (his physique). I mean, if you looked at the photos and chopped the head out of the picture, you'd think the guy was in his mid-twenties, not in his early seventies. That has to count for something, right? Or...has he somehow managed to Photoshop his way to the TV broadcasts? I'd say it would be a pretty tricky feat. I watched various clips from various interviews and there didn't seem to be any trickery going on. So why the skepticism (on my part)?

Truth be told, I'm not at all happy about my reaction to all this. It's really not like me. I'm the gal who's always talking about how age has nothing to do with it. I'm the one who believes that attitude is more important than what the calendar reads. I'm the gal who still climbs trees and stomps through puddles in the rain, gleefully dancing about like a lunatic while strangers look at me with disdain. I do not believe that time has to affect the quality of our lives. But maybe there's some kind of glitch in my program. Maybe I'm not as liberated (from past teachings) as I think. Maybe...I'm still stuck in the ever-running loop of a tape that's been playing for too long.

To be sure, these are things I've been thinking about since I first saw Dr. Life's ads splattered all over the internet. I've been examining my beliefs and just how honest I'm being with myself. I've also been re-evaluating whether or not I've gotten any better at not judging. Because it seems to me that (judging) has a whole lot to do with my apparent discomfort with this man and his body. Is that crazy or WHUT?

I'm no saint. Much as I like to think I've made progress with the whole judgment thang, I'm still guilty (sometimes) of sitting on my high horse and using the eyes of a puny human who thinks she's smarter or wiser or more evolved than the rest. I don't mean to, but it happens. And when it does, the best I can do is take a step back and ask myself why I feel the need. It's not always pretty, but little by little I'm chipping away at those old habits and replacing them with more compassion. In the interim, there are people like Dr. Life who rise up and challenge me to delve a little deeper at my own biases. And maybe even grow a little for the delving.