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[Warren DeMontague]

3. I dunno. I wonder if the prevalence of impossibly fit people in make-believe cinema land tracks with

the general slide in the US, particularly in some states, towards obesity, even morbid obesity.

Now, I personally think there are several factors or more that may be at play in that; I'm not one to say "blame the couch potatoes and their xboxes", or whatever- I do think diet is part of it, the chemical sludge which constitutes mass produced, factory farmed "food" is part of it, I think other environmental toxins and factors may be part of it too (which might be why; spookily; lab animals are getting fatter too) ....

that said, I don't know if I really buy the idea that these idealized bodies on screen are causing men- or women- to "feel bad"... If that phenomenon is really happening across the board, I don't know if it's translating into a big drive for fitness or weight lifting or any of that. Seems most people (judging by the infomercials) want a quick and easy 'magic' solution to fitness or weight loss, and the reality seems to be that it's a lot of work, and for some people it may be exceedingly difficult to maintain.

That said, I'm fairly happy with where my middle-aged body is at, and after years of consciously trying to get and stay in shape, It's paid off in appearance, health and most importantly how I feel. I don't have a washboard but at least the spare tire is mostly deflated.