In the modern world fame has replaced religion in the public consciousness and those who do strive to be noticed by magazines or T.V. networks tend to believe that being "Buff" is half the job. No bingo wings or jelly bellies for today's wannabe's, Oh no! Real celebrity men and women are to be emulated in every way that is visual: people like Action film actor Jason Statham or Musician Usher and real women role models are built like Madonna or Kate beckinsale of Underworld fame who looks great in a skin-tight leather cat suit (very difficult for most regular people).
They are film stars and pop stars, still probably the ultimate celebrities and obviously several rungs on the superficiality ladder above reality T.V. stars but even the more subtly ambitious 'trophy wives' want to look like living Barbie dolls and are just as obsessive!
So as we probe the widening gap between what we have (not enough) and what we want (fame, glory, success, money and adoration) and as we helplessly chew our fingernails waiting for our big break, the next Pop Factor auditions or that elusive phone call from our agent we should at least focus our attention on what we can control-our weight and our body shape. Seriously though, wanting a nicer or slimmer body is not just the pursuit of the shallow and narcissistic. It really is valid and worthwhile as you will feel much better about yourself regardless of whether you make it in to the final rounds of The Voice or whatever.
Let's get straight to the point then; in a world obsessed with Winners and Losers, only a progressive weight training regime will improve your shape and give you that Hollywood-style tight biceps and buns. All the aerobics and calisthenics in the world may improve your cardiovascular system and increase flexibility, they may even help burn a few pounds off but if you start out as a pear shape you'll end up a slightly smaller pear shape. New, improved curves will only come with progressive and intense weight training. This goes definitively for women just as surely for as for men and here's why;
THE ALPHA EFFECTS:
Building new lean muscle tissue is the ultimate in anti-ageing. It will also reduce drastically the chances of serious illness such as Heart Attacks and Strokes if performed regularly and consistently. I can think of no adversarial problem we could be faced with in life, be it a divorce, loss of employment or even a bereavement where you will not cope with it better if you are in good physical shape. If you aspire to more than this then having the great body will help you to further believe in yourself. If you can change your physical body you can change anything-even become famous if you wish; remember some of our most illustrious household names came from the most obscure places and backgrounds. Being physically fitter and stronger will also make you more confident. Celebrities break the rules or make their own and that takes courage (of a kind) and being more physically energized will do wonders for your ego. Strong people don't ask for permission to live their lives as they want and even less seldom do they ask for forgiveness.
THE BETA EFFECTS:
These are the changes you and everyone else will notice. Loads more energy, improved posture, more strength, (as opposed to more muscle wastage) better pain-free joint movement, fewer colds and flu, better recovery, less stress (because you now have a real workout to channel it through!) less tiredness and greater concentration. The longer you continue your regime change, the more profound and noticeable the improvements. As a trainer of 20 years experience I have witnessed firsthand almost every indication of bodily degeneration reduce or disappears altogether with improved diet and regular and correctly performed weight training. All of this will help you formulate your plan to truly succeed and to do that you have to start thinking in the way modern corporations do: Grow or die.
So even if you are too old to be the next Justin Beiber or Lady Gaga, (and really, you wouldn't want to be; what use would they really be in a post-apocalyptic world, radiation canaries?) don't wait for a health scare or suffer the ravages of premature ageing before you take steps to improve your energy levels, your shape and build up your immune system-only a dumbbell doesn't use dumbbells in their workout regime!