Surely personal pride, inter alia, would want a relatively young guy (I guess about 50) to try and keep his weight down! Or am I being a bit mean?
Not at all chap. I'm 35, and slimmer and fitter now than I was when I was 20 at university, and intend to try and keep it that way.
Whenever I visit my parents 'ooop north', I'm staggered to see the sheer numbers of people who have let themselves go in their teens and 20s. I'm convinced their idea of keeping in shape is realising that their clothes are a bit tight and popping into Primark to buy the next size up rather than eating less and being a bit more active. I call it the P-Plan Diet, and I'm sure it's now a British phenomenon rather than just a northern one.
I had an accident a couple of month back where I seriously damaged my shoulder and back, and as a result I have been off most forms of phys other than things like the step machines which are non impact / upper body weight bearing. As a result, I have had to modify my intake, watching what I eat and drink more than I would normally. I seriously doubt if many people you see waddling around our town centres these days would take the same approach. But frankly, I don't want to offend the world anymore than I already do with my presence by becoming a complete lard arse to boot.
Frankly, if I ever let myself go to that extent, I would rather go and get the Mess Webbley and put and end to the shame of it all.
Edited to add - before anyone says it, I acknowledge that I am not an Olympic specimen, and am more likely to appear on the Most Wanted List vice the cover of GQ or some other such glossy toilet paper. I just believe that above and beyond the requirement to pass a military fitness test, individuals should have enough pride (and desire to stay reasonably helathy) to look after themselves and keep in good order if for no other reason than to be able to enjoy life rather than spending it in the doctor's surgery with untold ailments and complaints brought on by a life of being lazy.