If you’re a regular gym-goer, these first few weeks following the New Year can be frustrating. Not only is the bench press tag-teamed by three or four guys at a time, but landing an open treadmill or elliptical machine seems next to impossible. Hundreds in our community will lace up their sneakers; gay men will put on their jockstraps (and actually use them for what they were intended for) and all for what? Getting in shape?

As the gym floods with new members and veterans return to rekindle their passion for the crunch – we have to ask ourselves, just what are we doing this for?

Five out of the top 10 New Year’s resolutions (depending on the source) center around improving health, with “getting fit” often number one or two on the list. Year after year, people struggle to lose weight, eat healthier, quit smoking and reduce their consumption of alcohol and recreational drugs.

The GLBT community is no exception. Pedal on down to any local gym and witness the slew of gay men and women bending, sweating, thrusting and pumping – all to achieve the perfect physique.

But why? Are we really striving to be healthier? Let’s be honest with ourselves: Isn’t our New Year’s resolution really “to look more attractive in 2005”?

OK, so perhaps that’s a grand generalization. Most of us want both. But dragging ourselves out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to hit the gym before work, or eating six eggs, two chicken breasts and a protein shake for lunch, is not really to prevent heart disease, is it? Today, more than ever, it’s all about looking good.

Who can blame us? In Southern California especially, the pressure to appear young, thin, muscular and attractive is everywhere. Magazines, television and pornography (to name but a few) gush with images that perpetuate the notion that there is an ideal body type. Just grabbing a drink at any of our local gay bars may seem defeating as young, masculine, Abercrombie-esque men continue to be revered. Shallow as this all may seem, San Diego’s gay male community in some respects does resemble a puddle.

Making a New Year’s resolution to be something we are not, and may never be, is anything but healthy. So before you strap yourself to a treadmill or make appointments to get sucked, lasered, filled, peeled and prodded, start simple and identify ways in which you can truly become healthier this year.

And what about our women? Though sporty and fit lesbians abound, there is far less encouragement in the lesbian community to succumb to the body myth – often at the expense of health, studies have shown obesity and alcoholism among lesbians continues to rise.

The first and most important step to better health is seeing your doctor. Similar to working out, this form of preventative medicine has the potential to prolong your life. Screening for diseases aims at the early identification of conditions for which early and timely interventions can lead to the elimination or reduction of mortality and disability.

Not to be a Debbie Downer (“SNL” reference), but thousands die each year because they refuse to see a doctor and get routine checkups.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, yet despite the statistics, many in our community still put off seeing a professional for regular breast exams and mammograms.

The Women’s Resource Center at The Center is holding a Women’s Wellness Fair on Jan. 22. Mutual breast examinations are not enough, ladies! Attend the fair and get a mammogram screening.

Women should also be screened annually for cervical cancer. Having a regular Pap smear could make all the difference. Those with invasive cervical cancer, not surprisingly, were less likely to have been screened regularly.

And the list continues. Both men and women are at risk of developing colon cancer, skin cancer, heart disease and STDs, etc. There is no better way to start off the New Year than knowing you’re healthy, so get tested!

Another recommendation for health and wellbeing this year is exploring alternative forms of exercise, such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi and outdoor recreation. These activities not only strengthen the body and increase flexibility, but can be done by people of most ages. These types of exercise also help people unwind, relax and manage stress. And remember: Mental and emotional health is just as important, if not more, to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

To find out more about preventative screening and to get a list of GLBT-friendly doctors in the area, contact The Center at (619) 692-2077. l