From looksmaxxing to healthmaxxing
It started with looksmaxxing.
Years ago, it was a fringe subculture discussed only in certain online forums. Then a few influencers carried it into mainstream consciousness. The most famous of them has recently been charged with sexual assault of a minor, so I would rather not mention his name.
According to Wikipedia, looksmaxxing is a self-improvement practice in the manosphere that focuses on maximizing male physical attractiveness. Its methods range from the benign, like skincare routines and gym use, to the extreme: invasive cosmetic surgery and injections of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and other peptides.
The criticism is fair. It rates a person’s appearance without any concern for overall well-being, and that can lead to body dysmorphia and even suicidal ideation. By every indication, looksmaxxing is an extreme that carries very unhealthy results. Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer saw this danger long ago: “The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness, whether it be for gain, advancement, learning, or fame.”
Now contrast it with what I would call healthmaxxing.
I believe this trend was fueled largely by the Covid pandemic. People from all walks of life fell ill and died, including the rich and famous who were supposed to have access to the best healthcare. Suddenly, we realized that health, not money, is the most important currency there is. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it plainly in The Conduct of Life: “The first wealth is health.”
That is why health podcasts and science-minded influencers rose to fame during that period. Running, triathlons and Hyrox followed, and their growth has been exponential. Gyms and health clubs became the new nightclubs. Wellness and sports travel became the more meaningful way to spend our vacations. Hybrid athlete Nick Bare, who turned his own training into a brand, argues that this discipline never stays in the gym. He says: “The way that you do anything is the way you do everything.”
So what does healthmaxxing entail? Simply put, it means optimizing fitness, health and longevity. We eat well. We choose sports that showcase not just looks but strength and endurance.
Socrates would have approved for it was he who said: “It is a shame for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” And we fix everything in our lifestyle, including giving up alcohol, late nights, smoking/vaping, in pursuit of the most radical life possible.
The market tells the story. Alcohol sales have dipped sharply, nightclubs are closing, and smoking and vaping are becoming unfashionable. Meanwhile, supplements, peptides, therapies and businesses that sell experiences are surging.
Some say healthmaxxing is just vanity by another name, as superficial as looksmaxxing. I understand the skepticism, and I will concede one point: it can be taken too far. Not every supplement works, not every wellness trend is backed by science, and anyone who turns a training plan into a source of anxiety has missed the point.
The primary difference is this. Looksmaxxing asks, “how do I look to other people?” Healthmaxxing asks, “how well can my body serve me, and for how long?” The first is a performance for an audience. The second is an investment in oneself. One chases approval, the other chases capacity: the strength to carry one’s own groceries at 80, the endurance to keep up with our grandchildren, the clarity to enjoy the decades until we pass on.
A finish-line photo may be a happy by-product, but it is never the goal. The goal is more years, and better ones.