Dr. Feelgood

When you’re 40-ish and are old enough that you grew up listening to Motley Crue, there is a pretty good chance you are now listening to a different Dr. Feelgood.

That song came out in 1989 if you can believe that. Here it is for your nostalgia or education – I’m sure you’ve at least heard it before…

Dr. Feelgood at 40ish

Usually when I go to the Dr., I hate it – not for reasons you might think…

I just hate sitting in an office where I know most people are sick and I’m trying really hard not to breathe much… In general the patients/crowd are a very Motley Crew… It is enough to make Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil look healthy and it is well documented the kind of body crushing lives they led for a long time in the 80’s and 90’s.

Also, you hear so many ads on the radio, internet, and TV about modern day 40-ish Dr. Feelgoods… Estrogen/Testosterone replacement, Diet pills, cures for Thyroid problems (highly technical, medical term…) and any number of quick fixes to make you feel good.

I keep expecting one of these ads to break out and go straight for the lyrics:

He’s the one they call Dr. Feelgood
He’s the one that makes ya feel all right

It just makes me feel NOT good about ever going for checkups.

Because I’m Happy

I had a routine appointment today and I was dreading it… Even though I wasn’t there to make myself better, I came away not just ok, but downright HAPPY. Got back in my car and Pherrell was on with that annoying song and I didn’t even change the station.

Why so happy? Because I looked around while I was there and most of the people were older than me, but not that much older and some looked close to my age… AND they looked like walking death.

I am not one of those people who get satisfaction from other people’s suffering. I would like to see everyone strong and healthy, eating right and in the gym daily! But, it did make me stop and think about my own situation:

My usual conversations with myself go something like this…

• Aggressive Me – You need to lose some weight and get shredded
• Normal Me – I know, but…
• Aggressive Me – No but’s, just eat right and push your limits, oh and it wouldn’t hurt you to do some more cardio…
• Normal Me – I know, but…
• Aggressive Me – STFU and drink that protein shake and think about what you’ve done to me.
• Normal Me – But YOU are ME…
• AGGRESSIVE ME – Dammit I said no but’s, #Hulk #BeastMode in 3, 2…

Well, you get the idea – I am insane, but I have some great conversations…

Anyway, like I said, I don’t rejoice in the suffering of others. I do appreciate what I have and what I’ve accomplished and one way to do that is compare yourself to your peers and the rest of the population.

Looking around that doctor’s office, almost everyone was obese.

Some hadn’t touched a weight in years, if ever.

Some had serious medical issues. Very serious.

None had much muscle mass to speak of – one guy looked about my age and in relatively decent shape, but in cardio only shape – you know what I mean…

I looked like Arnold compared to these guys – the prime time Arnold, not former governor Arnold, although that isn’t bad at all…

I felt a small sense of accomplishment. Not proud to take off my shirt at the pool next to ‘That Guy’ yet, but didn’t look like I had one foot in the grave either.

Give yourself a pat on the back

If you are 40-ish and workout at all and are like the rest of us you probably don’t celebrate the small victories in life as much as you should.

So today, stop and look around at your peer group.

If you fit in, make a change (unless your peer group is bodybuilders or fitness models). If it makes you uncomfortable because you are out of shape then choose to do something about it.

If you feel good compared to your peers, then stop, take a second to reflect on how good your body and life really are and pat yourself on the back. Better yet, get your workout partner to pat you on the back… but not while you are squatting or doing bench press – that would just be weird.

And if all else fails, there are plenty of modern day Dr. Feelgood’s pushing their legalized goods. Even if you are suffering in a Theatre of Pain, you can still be NotSoAverage…

Leave a comment and let us know how you deal with your own Dr. Feelgood or Motley Crew.

Later.
NotSoAverage Joe