If Only I Wasn't so Old!
Anyone over 45 ever think this? Come on raise your hands, you know you have. But when we are under 45 we think to ourselves I have time!! I am not even middle aged yet. Then one day you wake up feeling like crap and you realize it isn't going to be easy from here on out. What do we do in this scenario? I would venture to say many of us give up and go into the YOLO mode. That's a great way to think if you don't have kids and grandkids or a significant other who loves you and wants you to hang around for a while.
If I might share with you a lesson or two I have learned over the last 4 years.
It's never too late
The damage isn't done it just hurts more now
Pain is a clue that you are working those muscles and body parts
Doing something is way better than doing nothing
Find a form of exercise that brings you joy
Don't exercise to lose weight. You can't outrun your fork and you will see exercise as punishment (some will for sure)
The longer you put it off the harder it gets to rebuild
YOU CAN REBUILD
Allow me to tell you my story. At 49 I had a heart attack. Not a major one but it should have been my wake up call. It wasn't. I continued down the road of bad lifestyle for 8 more years. Not thinking about the damage I was doing. I mean, I was on pills to correct the issues so no big deal. Just take the pills and do as I please. The Doctor can fix it. Then I started looking at the side effects of the medications. I knew i had to get rid of them. Exercise was out being almost 200 pounds and having 2 stents in my heart. So I started the program Joan was already doing and lost the weight fast. Luckily my cardiologist was into daily workouts and told me I needed to start doing something. With some reluctance I did, I have never been much of a gym rat and I am still not one to go to a gym to exercise. I prefer being outside in nature. I tried the gym but it just wasn't for me. Here's the thing I am now 62 years old, the stents are still there and here is a list of the things going on with this body as I write this
Torn Labrum on the right shoulder
Neuropathy of my right big toe
Scoliosis
Sciatica pain down my left leg
Blistering on my hands from paddling with a change in equipment ( I get the next week off from this due to our International Convention)
But you know what? I get up every morning and exercise now. I either go out and paddle for 3 to 4 miles or walk that distance. Why you might ask?
Simple
Because I am not old enough yet!!
How old would you like to be?