the body is a losing proposition

Our bodies are not perfectible. Face it. No matter how much we exercise, moisturize, hydrate, and diet, eventually we will sag, wrinkle, and decay. I say this not to be morbid, but as a plain truth. The body is just a losing proposition. All it is ultimately useful for is as a vehicle. And the place to go with it is to enlightenment -- ultimate happiness -- nirvana -- heaven on earth -- whatever you want to call it. How? First - reinvest the sacred into your world. Treat EVERYTHING as sacred. Eat and exercise not for your vanity, but so that your body can support your spiritual development -- so that you can be a being who helps others. View every interaction, every experience, as a lesson to help you realize the true nature of reality. The person who cuts you off in traffic is teaching you patience and compassion. Losses are lessons in impermanence. Etc. Second, meditate EVERY DAY! 10 minutes a day is better than 30 minutes once in a while. Meditation is the only way you are going to be able to look at and dissect the obstacles you have that get in the way of your own happiness. And you need to figure this out right away, because you can't show people the way out of a burning building if you haven't found the exit. Third, examine your thoughts and actions all the time, every day. Stop gossiping and talking ill of people. As the Buddha said, to be aware of a single shortcoming in yourself is more useful than being aware of 1000 in someone else. Be scrupulously truthful and honest. Whenever you want something in your life - make sure someone else gets it first. If you don't want something in your life, help other people eliminate it from theirs.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but it's a start. Being tight bodied, wrinkle free, wealthy, successful are EMPTY of happiness in and of themselves. They are not guarantees of joy. Only your mind can bring that to you.