Oh, Just Shut Up! a Seniors Rant at Young Health Nuts

First of All, let me state that this article was first published in December of 2017. But, it is just as valid a criticism of what the advertisers put in front of us today as it was then.

We Baby Boomers and other Seniors are tired of all of the advertisements for everything from Gyms to Smartphone Apps, to specialized books, that constantly flood the market attempting to hook people into the latest health fad.

I only ask one thing; just stop showing the "perfect bodies" prancing around on the screen, deceiving the public with your implications that they are examples of what you will look like if your take their bait.

First of all, those people you see are professional models. Typically, they were lucky enough genetically to be born with the bodies they have, and the maintenance of these bodies often requires very little work.

I guess the easiest way to say this is that they are not examples of the term "average". They, like other models, are actually an anomaly, physically, and they make their living showing off what they look like.

The really crappy thing about all of those ads we see every day are; from our perspective is that the reality of life gives us a body that is no longer what it was in our youth.

Commonly, those of us who broke bones, and tore muscles in our youth would never look like these professional models.

Models no more represent the average Senior than a statue of Adonis.

So just stop it, we Seniors and Boomers are tired of the attempts by companies to delude us into thinking we are much younger, physically, than we actually are, or on the other extreme a group of washed up geriatrics tied to wheelchairs.

It is the rare Senior who is capable of changing their physique into anything resembling that of the professional models used in the ads,

The vast majority of us are unable to actually perform the physical programs these advertisers espouse

And honestly, very few of us, if asked, would actually want to try to change our lifestyle to become an example of their money-grubbing dream, even if we could.

OK, What really burns me up is the fact that when I walk down the street, I see what we Engineers call typical samples of the worlds Bell Curve Distribution of people.

In case you never took a class in statistics; simply put, the theory of the Bell Curve is that if you make a large enough sample of a population of anything; and then you graphed the data, it would show a bell-shaped curve of the distribution of the measurements.

If the data you measure is truly random, then some measurements will be high, some will be low, and the majority will be in the center, Thus the bell-shaped curve of the data.

The same goes for people. If you are looking at their size for example, some will be large, some will be thin, and the majority will be distributed in the center.

But, what burns me up is the fact that we humans are not like those "perfect people" we see in the ads. A few of us are in great condition, a few are in horrible condition, and the vast MAJORITY are in average condition.

So, where are the REAL people in those gym ads, and those clothing ads, and those healthy food ads, etc.?

They imply that, all of us, the majority of the population, can be just like that small few that are way out there on the edge of the Bell Curve.

That's right, we Seniors may not have actually intentionally abused our bodies, but we "sure as Hell" wore them out.

Many of us worked jobs that took a physical toll on our bodies, to the point that although we may be walking around, looking normal and healthy, underneath the smiles, we are hurting somewhere, most of the time.

Oh, it might just be achy joints, or it might be a bad back, or it could just be a foot that was injured long ago and now is painful with every step. Even worse, it could be a constant Kidney, or Liver, or Heart, or Lung problem that requires constant medication and monitoring.

As you get older, you find out that the list of ailments seems endless as your body succumbs to numerous seemingly new pains.

So, when you see that old man or woman struggling down the sidewalk, often wit a cane or a "walker" give them room and maybe a smile.

You see, they might be hurting, but they are taking their life, literally "one step at a time".

And often their physical condition is a result putting in a lifetime working at a job that wore their bodies out. (Kind of like you? Maybe?)

And by the way, in the vast majority of cases, those jobs they labored at were not illegal. They were the norm for those days in industry, even though today such working conditions might not even be allowed due to the inherent dangers involved to the one who performed the job.

They lifted weights that are now illegal,

They worked around chemicals that are now illegal to be around,

They worked in temperatures and oxygen-deprived conditions that are now illegal.

They worked near or on equipments that could kill or at least maim, without safety standards to protect the worker.

But, they got the job done and they survived.

So, cut the Crap, please!

We may not look like your cute models, but overall we are in better shape than any generation of retirees in history. And, we are going to live longer.

And we Seniors that can get around, want to stay around,

So, it should be no surprise that we want to be able to exercise and extend their lives, as much as the youth of today do.

If you want to make a buck off of us, get your head out of your Butt, and give us what we want.

We don't want another pain pill, rather, we want a device or smart Body Management program that allows us to do more things that we love.

Take your fancy gym equipment that's designed for a twenty-something to attack with their still young bodies, and give us equipment that exercises worn and torn muscles and makes them work better, but doesn't tear them up in the process.

Give is a way to eat smarter, and even with our reduced metabolisms, maintain a healthy body, not necessarily a slim, muscled-up body. Those days are long gone.

We want a healthy body, and to Hell with our; bulging bellies, skinny legs, weak arms, etcetera, as long as we can do the things we love.

We want to Swim, Fish, play Golf, walk regularly, and more. And then, we want to go to a nice Tiki Bar and have a glass of w nice wine, and make fun of the young foxes chasing the girls around. Kind of like we once did. LOL!

Oh, and by the way, I'll let you young Gen-Xers or Millenials, or whatever you call yourselves as a group, in on a secret. We don't mind your laughing at us as we limp around and dance with our worn-out bodies. The reality is that we are usually the one who are laughing, at you.

You see, we Seniors know something you haven't stopped to realize, yet!

When you are our age, you will be in the same shape as us, and your bodies will be attacking you just like ours are are now attacking us.

That is, if you live to be our age! LOL!