Fitness Motivation - You're Doing It Wrong!

I was recently floored by a facebook comment written by a male fan on the photograph of a female physique competitor.  It was meant as a compliment, I'm sure, but it reveals so much about the writer beyond his adoration of said competitor:

I would love to have someone like you in my life...Out going and in shape..That way I would have inspiration to keep fit and healthy...I have no positive influence behind me.

Wait, what?!?!

Increasing the length of your life is not an inspiration to keep fit and healthy?  Improving the quality of your life (including your capacity to do work and to deal with stress) is not an inspiration to keep fit and healthy?

Then, this:  "I have no positive influence behind me."  Nonsense.  God gives you life every day sir, and it is not His fault if you have squandered it, hanging out at Golden Corral rather than the local gym!

I went to his facebook page to see what he looked like and, sure enough, he is a very out-of-shape guy with dozens (or hundreds) of pictures of very in-shape bikini girls on his Timeline.  His facebook Timeline is, in fact, a mere chronicle of the photos of women he has lusted after over the years, conveniently arranged in chronological order.

Dear fawning admirer of fit women:  YOU'RE DOING IT BACKWARDS!  First, man up and get yourself in shape ... not so bikini girls will look at you, but because it is the right thing to do!  AFTER you get in shape, or during the process, some of these "inspirational" women may enter your life.

I speak from experience.  I was always out of shape as a kid, as a teen, and in my early twenties.  At the age of 26, I started lifting weights seriously, and began to run more seriously for fitness.  A year later, I was engaged to a very fit and beautiful girl who has now been my wife for over 27 years, and who is now a Personal Trainer, helping others to become physically fit.

Had I waited for the appropriately inspiring, fit, and beautiful woman to come into my life before beginning to change myself through exercise, I'd still be a bitter, single, out-of-shape guy, waiting around for some external force to inspire me.