A grain of hope beyond a receding hairline

Vanity, a cardinal sin... at least to some. As for myself I consider small amounts of vanity to be healthy to maintain some decent appearance. Not necessarily you'd have to look like Mr. Universe or a swimsuit model, but at least a level above looking like somebody who got eaten and shat out. After all, we do live in a society that tends to judge people by the appearances first, even though the majority in open and plain hypocrisy say “it is the inside that matters”. Do I hear anybody here say balls?

I've been going to the gym for a while now. Unfortunately, my genetic disposition has never allowed me to eat carelessly and in any quantity without paying the toll of becoming a pancake house. And certainly now with age, I seem to be paying even more and discovering a growing intolerance to certain foods that I years earlier would have no problems consuming. It's sad, but what can I do? However, I have successfully established a routine to keep the pancake house at bay. Going there in the mornings I do see people of various ages and sizes. You have the Sporty spice type of guys and girls, and then you have the ones that look like that they were gang raped by a box of donuts. And while that does sound a bit harsh, I do applaud them for getting up early as they do to try to combat the pancake house. It is after all our vanity that takes us to the gym. Well... that and the constant propaganda in the media.

There is one man there that I always see. He is in his late 60s or early 70s I believe, but the man is without doubt in incredible shape. If somebody told me that he came out of his mother's cunt riding a bike, or already participating in an ironman competition, I would believe them. He comes in with the sweatpants and shirt and looks like platinum Oscar statue. Seeing him though, it made me wonder, when is it alright and acceptable to simply say “Fuck it, I'm old and fat and that's the end of it.”. At what point are we supposed to draw the line and stop hearken on to our vanity? Is there an age where we are too old to stay fit and good looking?