The Wellness Antichrist

By Rupert Truscott-Hughes on August 27, 2014 in Other

Everywhere I look it’s activated almonds this, kombucha that. My social media feeds (yes, I’m getting into this social media thing) are filled with toned body selfies, green smoothies and yoga poses that should not be humanly possible. But has the whole healthy living thing gone a bit too far, and should I feel bad about possessing a slight paunch, drinking too much red wine and finding most of the aforementioned fabulous health foods rather wretch-worthy?

The answer, of course, is no, but the reality is often quite different. A big part of me wants to drink whizzed up vegetables, swim in the ocean each morning and work out at least every second day. I call that part of me my imagination. Unfortunately reality is a stronger virtue and it has me eating chocolate and cheese, drinking wine, spending too much time in front of the television and getting my daily Vitamin D intake through Eugene from Aquabumps’ photos.

Is it wrong that I’d rather sit back and watch a box set of Game of Thrones than do box jumps at the local Crossfit joint? How would people react if all I posted to Instagram were snaps of me sitting on my chubby butt, eating decadently and just generally behaving in an ‘unhealthy’ fashion? I could become the wellness antichrist. How refreshing. I actually might be on to something here.

In my opinion, the funniest thing about this health fad that is sweeping the nation is the desire of its advocates to share their exploits with everyone via social media. Vanity and narcissism have been taken to a whole new level and I often wonder if the goal of these health freaks is to actually be healthy, or if it is simply to look better in their Instagram shots in order to garner more followers, acquire more likes and inflate their fragile egos.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have a rig worthy of flaunting on Facebook, but even if I did look as though I’d been chiseled from solid marble (like a large portion of my Point Piper pile), I don’t think that I’d be shooting photos of myself in the bathroom mirror and posting the shots for all to see. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned. And maybe I’m little bit scared of the lack of ‘likes’ my followers will throw my way – it is far more likely that I’ll cop a pasting in the comments section from my friends who think I’m going through yet another midlife crisis.

Let’s be honest though, we’re all going to die eventually, so we might as well do what we love while we slowly perish. If going to the gym, eating kale, exploring your spirituality and taking photos of your ‘journey’ gets the endorphins flowing, who am I to argue. Just don’t look down on me as I tuck into a bottle of Burgundy and a wheel of Brie in front of the latest series of House of Cards (watched back-to-back).