BahamaMan’s BodyBlog

            I remember talking to some single guys before I got married.  I remember them saying things like, “I just can’t imagine waking up next to the same person for 50 years.” 

As a 25-year old, my response was something like, “I can’t imagine waking up next to a 75 year old woman either, but right now future wifey  is HOT and I’m VERY into the idea of waking up next to her.” 

            Fast forward about six years from wedding day and I’m holding our little girl in my hands.  Before that moment, friends warned wifey and me about the terrible twos, puberty, boyfriends, etc.  But AT THAT MOMENT all I remember thinking about was how beautiful and perfect she was.

            My point in relating these stories is two-fold with respect to the quest of many people to get fit and healthy.   

            First, when analyzed with a calculator, who in their right mind would attempt to get and stay fit (or for that matter, get and stay married or become a parent)!  For instance, imagine having the following conversation with yourself before your first workout, “Let’s see, I’m 30 now and I want to stay in really good shape until I’m at least 70.  In order to do that, I’ll need to workout three times a week.  Three workouts times 52 weeks a year for the next 40 years: (click, click, click) 6, 240 workouts.”  Or, “Okay, because eggs and breakfast are really good for me, I’m going to have 3 eggs for breakfast everyday for the next 40 years.  Three eggs times 365 times 40:  (click, click, click) 43,800 eggs.”  Real buzz kill, right?

            Second, what if someone with a crystal ball was able to tell you that during the next 40 years you will have to deal with the following:  blown knee, two pregnancies, bad back, teenage kid with issues, death of several loved ones, arthritis, and elderly parents.  Why try to stay fit and healthy?  There’s clearly going to be WAY TOO MUCH OTHER STUFF GOING ON to get in 3 workouts and 21 eggs a week, right?!

            But just like with marriage and parenting, if you don’t take getting and then staying fit one day at a time, you may never start.  You know what they say about journeys of 1000 miles. 

            And so who cares if at 35, you blow out your knee right after your second pregnancy and gain 40 pounds.  Do you know how sweet it’s going to feel to work that 40 and then some off!  And how cool is it going to be at 45, to be able to play some one-on-one with your teenager while the two of you work thru his issues.  And when your best friend dies of a heart attack at 55 because he was overweight and smoked; you aren’t, you don’t, YOU WIN!

            So, take the fitness journey one day at a time.  Before you know it you’ll be that 75 year old Enjoy all the benefits and perks of looking and feeling great while those around you are sinking deeper and deeper into the couch…or worse.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 5:10 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.