Like a still pond, a sedentary body becomes a breeding ground for decay and disease.
However, the concept of exercise has been taken to an extreme, evolving into a multi-billion dollar industry. It has been monetized from every angle—memberships, apparel, coaching programs, workout supplements, and more.
Simply walking in nature, arguably the best exercise and also free, is useless from an economic standpoint. On the other hand, subscribing to a specific, heavily marketed activity that releases dopamine, feeds vanity, and helps create a pre-packaged identity generates substantial profit for many.
Jogging, bodybuilding, and most other forms of exercise, when pursued solely for their own sake, represent wasted energy—not directed towards building something lasting or meaningful, such as relationships, businesses, or art. If these “sports” had never been normalized, most people wouldn’t engage in them instinctively.
They serve as distractions, preventing millions from channeling vital energy into their true vocations. Exercise can become a surrogate method for producing the brain chemistry associated with “giving your all” to something meaningful, which is hardwired into us. Ironically, these pursuits consume an excessive amount of time and energy without genuinely enhancing anyone else’s life—except perhaps sports-related business owners. Ultimately, the human body decays and dies, regardless of how intensely it is pushed.
Moreover, many fitness enthusiasts ironically sustain injuries while participating in activities intended to promote health and fitness.
In bodybuilding, some binge on foods they believe to be healthy to bulk up, driven by insecurity and a need for validation that their efforts are driving results.
A little over a century ago, if you were seen running through parks or lifting heavy objects, people might have thought you were being chased, late for an appointment, or mentally ill.
Despite this so-called “lack of exercise,” archival footage reveals that people from that era appeared relatively fit and healthy. They walked instead of driving, avoided processed foods, and were less exposed to heavy metals, EMFs, and endocrine disruptors. Additionally, they could converse in multiple languages, read books, play musical instruments, and engage in meaningful daily conversations.
Generally, they seemed more civilized, well-rounded, and free from body dysmorphia.
While bicycles existed, they were primarily a means of transportation, not tools for exercise. Physical activity was often a byproduct of daily tasks rather than the main focus.
I, too, fell victim to the fitness industry. I lifted weights 4-5 days a week for five years. During that time, my self-delusion was at its peak. I believed I was robust and healthy because I had muscle mass, inflated by creatine, despite being out of balance in body, mind, and spirit.
At the end of the day, having muscle tone and fat in the right places is more about balanced hormones than physical activity. Achieving a balanced hormonal state and an attractive physique relies on:
- A diet of meat from healthy animals, fish, and local, seasonal fruits and vegetables
- Normal iodine levels
- A clean colon
- Sun exposure
- Sufficient sleep
- Keeping stress to a minimum
- Natural movement (walking, gardening, playing with children, real work, etc.).
Once these foundations are in place, an aesthetic physique seems to fall into place almost effortlessly. This approach frees up time to contemplate what you genuinely want to do with your life, rather than merely following a trend.
I understand that for some, the gym provides structure, community, and weight loss. However, if you have seborrheic dermatitis, it’s likely that extreme exercise is not motivated by these innocent intentions, but rather as a distraction from deeper issues that need addressing.