This is not a post about fashion

Ok – this is going to be a different one.

As I write this, I’m in Brazil. I’m getting ready to get on a plane to go home, but I have a few minutes to spare in the morning, and I really want to get this out.

I’ve lived in the US for almost 10 years by now. There are some clothing items that I never buy in the US because I just can’t find something that fits my style, and I guess I’ll always be stocking up when I’m here. But there are some other things that I’ve always just preferred to get here. It’s always just been easier in terms of finding options I liked, I knew where to get them and it was always a sure thing.

Lately that hasn’t been the case – but if you think this post is about fashion, you’re very wrong.

Yesterday I went to the mall (a place where I’d always get clothes) because I need new jeans. I was looking for boot cut low waist jeans. Those were my only requirements, but it might have been easier to find a gold horned unicorn. There is no such thing as low waist here anymore, and everything is skinny or flare.

Whatever. Fine, I guess I can live with that, I’ll just have to keep looking.

But what really, really upset me was how the pants fit me when I was trying them on. They tended to be very tight on my legs (I could barely get them up, bending the knees wasn’t an option) and at least one size too big on the waist.

What does that mean?

It means the fashion industry is adjusting to new body standards. I don’t mean they’re trying to only make cute clothing that only looks good on skinny people, I mean they’ve seen the pattern of how people’s bodies are changing.

And how have they changed?

Oh, they’re wimpy legs and fatty waist.

I’m not body shaming anyone. You do you. Honestly, I’ve said several times that I wish I could be “happily chubby” and not care less, but I guess I’m just too vain. I do me.

But what I’m getting to is this: if weak and overweight is the new normal, something is very wrong. I’m talking about health, people. Long and productive life spans. You want those? You need to work for them, plain and simple.

I sometimes marvel at how far medicine has come. We live longer than we have ever before, and that’s despite the daily damage we do to our bodies. Can you imagine how long we’d live if we actually took care of ourselves?

I always try to end my posts on a good note. I do this mostly for myself. But I think that I need to end this one with some sort of a gentle warning. A request. An appeal.

Please take care of yourself. Every day counts. Don’t think that you can just make up for it later – some of that damage is irreversible. Set yourself up for victory. Eat well. Work out. Get some sun. Don’t stress too much. Hang out with friends and family. Love people, life and yourself. Lay the ground for a long, happy, productive life.

You can do it. I can do it. Let’s go be the best centenarians we can be.