Gay body positivity (especially after 40)
We welcome back Aaron Guy, the powerhouse behind Queer Money®, Elite Personal Trainer, and esteemed bodybuilder. Today, Aaron shares invaluable fitness insights explicitly tailored for men aged 40 and above, empowering gay individuals to embrace body positivity and achieve their fitness goals confidently.
40-year-old fitness with Aaron Guy
Remember when The Telegraph declared ‘Why 40 Is The New Age of Fitness’? It seems like just yesterday, right? In the UK, hitting the big 4-0 means trading beer bellies for six-pack abs. Who knew? It’s like the whole world collectively decided to swap out the “dad bod” for something more… aerodynamic.
We couldn’t help but chuckle at that Will & Grace episode dissecting the fine line between “straight fat” and “skinny fat.” But seriously, it’s like even we gay guys have collectively shrugged and said, “Eh, close enough,” compared to the body-obsessed ’90s and ’00s. Aaron Guy’s got the lowdown from the gym scenes of Los Angeles to the hustle of Chicago, spanning both the queer and straight crowds.
As we navigate our own 40s, we’re finding ourselves in a bit of a fitness pickle. And hey, we’re pretty sure we’re not alone in this struggle. We’re spilling the beans on our gym misadventures, the exercises we’re sweating over, and those we’re pretty sure were designed by our 20-year-old selves to mess with us.
But fear not! Aaron’s here to set us straight… or not so straight, but you get the idea. From debunking old workout myths to dishing out age-appropriate exercises, he’s got the roadmap back to beach body glory. So, tune in to this episode of Queer Money®, and let’s make our 40s fabulous again, one squat at a time.
Aaron Guy on Queer Money®:
But do gay men have unhealthy gay body positivity expectations?
Back in the day, if you were a gay man born in the ’70s like us, the ideal body image was basically etched into our psyche by the HIV/AIDS era. I mean, hitting the gym wasn’t just a hobby; it was practically a survival skill! Muscle shakes were the new cocktails, and steroids were like… well, let’s say they were the ultimate accessory in the fight against looking like a deflated balloon animal.
But fast forward to today, and it’s all about body positivity, right? “Love yourself, flaunt those curves, embrace the jiggle!” We’ve got mantras for days, and if you dare to disagree, you’re about as popular as a dentist’s office in a candy store.
But let’s be honest here: Have we evolved? Or are we just slapping some lovey-dovey slogans on our Instagram posts while secretly judging ourselves in the mirror? We did a little detective work in a massive gay Facebook group, and guess what? The top reason for not living our best lives? Yup, you guessed it: our bodies. We’re all auditioning for a never-ending episode of Gay Baywatch.
As business owners, we’ve cracked the code: Want clicks? Slap on a pair of abs and watch those numbers soar! It’s like catnip for social media. But hey, if we were truly enlightened beings, we wouldn’t be sweating buckets over our love handles or scrolling past posts featuring guys who look like they’ve never met a donut.
So here’s the deal, folks: Let’s stop the body shaming circus, both for ourselves and others. We’re all just trying to navigate this crazy thing called life, and honestly, none of us have the manual. So, let’s swap judgment for a little more compassion and remember, we’re all in this together… muffin tops and all.
Get more truth about gay body positivity in the gay community on this Queer Money Follow-Up:
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We’re David and John Auten-Schneider, the founders of Debt Free Guys and creators of the Queer Money® podcast. We help queer people (and allies) achieve financial, relationship, time, and location freedom by helping them design their Wealth Builder’s Pyramid.