My mind is 25 but my body is 50!
In my mind I still feel 25 years old, but like so many middle age people I had neglected regular exercise and proper diet the last 15 years. I had played 3 varsity sports in high school and a year of college football and I’d run 3-6 miles daily. I was fit, trim and could eat just about anything... I was a calorie-consuming machine! Now I am 50!
Things changed as work and family commitments (5 little girls) took most of my time. I still tried to run and in fact in the past have run probably (25) 10K and 8 mini-marathons. At age 40 I had a gallbladder surgery that had complications to the point that I ended up with a bothersome stomach hernia. I found that running distance aggravated it and lifting weights made me weak and very sore. In retrospect I was probably overdoing it, but instead of tapering-off… I gradually just gave up.
The end result has been fatigue, becoming 40 pounds overweight and elevated blood pressure. In addition to my condition my pretty wife Linda had put on the extra pounds and was depressed by her appearance. She would come home from her job as a financial secretary at a local middle school, eat dinner and want to go to bed at 8:30. I give this background, because there are thousands of baby-boomers caught up in this same type of lifestyle. We made a pact to try and change so that we can hopefully enjoy the next 50 years. We signed up Fitness facility. In addition, we also signed on for a Personal Training program.
We were assigned to personal trainer Shelley an, athletic young lady with a great personality and smile that makes you want to smile back. She took our measurements and started us on a weekly workout program. She said “Congratulations on one of the best but toughest decisions you could make.” Boy was she right. I knew my wife would struggle with this new regime, I just didn’t realize how hard it would be for me. After the second workout we were both depressed and Linda said to me, "Is this really worth it"? I replied, "Let’s see how we’re feeling in a month." We realize that we had a long way to go to get back to our optimum fitness. It was a struggle, but we tried and with Shelley's encouragement and determination when we lacked it, we got there.
Shortly, after we had the thoughts of "quiting" I was working out. I was dripping sweat and sore. Those same stupid thoughts crept into my mind…"This is just silly, you’re trying too hard. Why are you pushing yourself"? As I walked to the stairs to go home I glanced over to a young man in his twenties in a wheel chair. He was bent over in his wheelchair with the cable handle in his left hand and his right arm folded in his stomach. This kid was pulling with ever fiber of his being…. trying to pull that handle down. It was not a lot of weight, but as soon as he would get it down, he would slowly release it back up and go again. I didn’t want to stare, but I watched him for at least two minutes. I wanted to go over and encourage him, but I also thought that I might start to get emotional, so I just left.
I am not going to feel sorry for myself anymore. This young man taught me again what a blessing it is to have your health and that to really enjoy life you have to struggle. It is not enough to try hard. I must start to feel appreciative about trying hard. I must be grateful for the opportunity to workout… it is a gift. Life is a celebration.
Bill and Linda
In my mind I still feel 25 years old, but like so many middle age people I had neglected regular exercise and proper diet the last 15 years. I had played 3 varsity sports in high school and a year of college football and I’d run 3-6 miles daily. I was fit, trim and could eat just about anything... I was a calorie-consuming machine! Now I am 50!
Things changed as work and family commitments (5 little girls) took most of my time. I still tried to run and in fact in the past have run probably (25) 10K and 8 mini-marathons. At age 40 I had a gallbladder surgery that had complications to the point that I ended up with a bothersome stomach hernia. I found that running distance aggravated it and lifting weights made me weak and very sore. In retrospect I was probably overdoing it, but instead of tapering-off… I gradually just gave up.
The end result has been fatigue, becoming 40 pounds overweight and elevated blood pressure. In addition to my condition my pretty wife Linda had put on the extra pounds and was depressed by her appearance. She would come home from her job as a financial secretary at a local middle school, eat dinner and want to go to bed at 8:30. I give this background, because there are thousands of baby-boomers caught up in this same type of lifestyle. We made a pact to try and change so that we can hopefully enjoy the next 50 years. We signed up Fitness facility. In addition, we also signed on for a Personal Training program.
We were assigned to personal trainer Shelley an, athletic young lady with a great personality and smile that makes you want to smile back. She took our measurements and started us on a weekly workout program. She said “Congratulations on one of the best but toughest decisions you could make.” Boy was she right. I knew my wife would struggle with this new regime, I just didn’t realize how hard it would be for me. After the second workout we were both depressed and Linda said to me, "Is this really worth it"? I replied, "Let’s see how we’re feeling in a month." We realize that we had a long way to go to get back to our optimum fitness. It was a struggle, but we tried and with Shelley's encouragement and determination when we lacked it, we got there.
Shortly, after we had the thoughts of "quiting" I was working out. I was dripping sweat and sore. Those same stupid thoughts crept into my mind…"This is just silly, you’re trying too hard. Why are you pushing yourself"? As I walked to the stairs to go home I glanced over to a young man in his twenties in a wheel chair. He was bent over in his wheelchair with the cable handle in his left hand and his right arm folded in his stomach. This kid was pulling with ever fiber of his being…. trying to pull that handle down. It was not a lot of weight, but as soon as he would get it down, he would slowly release it back up and go again. I didn’t want to stare, but I watched him for at least two minutes. I wanted to go over and encourage him, but I also thought that I might start to get emotional, so I just left.
I am not going to feel sorry for myself anymore. This young man taught me again what a blessing it is to have your health and that to really enjoy life you have to struggle. It is not enough to try hard. I must start to feel appreciative about trying hard. I must be grateful for the opportunity to workout… it is a gift. Life is a celebration.
Bill and Linda
