Aesthetics and Training

A client once said to me,

"I don't care about how I function or how I feel, I just want to look good."

I appreciated what this guy told me.  He'd successfully lost over 20 lbs of fat and was in the process of packing on significant amounts of muscle.  He was finally at a place where he was confident in his appearance. . . and he sure didn't mind the positive attention that it brought him from his wife, his children and his peers.  But I countered with something along the line of,

"What good will 'looking good' do you if you can't play with your kids or simply stand up out of a chair because your body is out of balance and not functioning properly?" (As if I would ever let that happen. . . :))

Even today, with all information emphasizing the importance of training for improved performance, there are countless individuals still training themselves with a "bodybuilder mentality" -- and focusing a majority of their thoughts on aesthetics as opposed to function. 

I'm all for the idea of "training for improved appearance."  After all, it's one of the major perks of a good exercise and nutrition protocol.  Just make sure that you're enhancing (not ignoring or sacrificing) your body's health and functional capacities in the process.