Working Out – Day One

August 4, 2016

Reality hit hard when I was standing in the buffet line of the cruise ship. I am no waistline denier, but I know my belly has gotten to the point where tucking in my shirt can never be pulled off effectively. Thank God there are fashionable tropical shirts and the overall decline of dress styles that have taken over the American male dress scene. Dressing for success no longer requires a suit and a tucked-in shirt and slacks, but a Tommy Bahama shirt can get you by in most situations.

So, there I was in the buffet line, looking around at my fellow men and the quantity of food being piled onto their plates. I don't know how these cruise ships stay afloat when they have to haul this much food and carry the load of thousands of buffet line eaters. Men were piling their plates so high as if they were hibernating for six months. When I got home, I knew that I was going to get to work in the gym.

The last year has been rough on my body but good for my brain. My wife and I have been hooking up with a group of folks whose source of fun revolves around dining.  Don't get me wrong, the quality of food I have eaten has often been delicious, but consuming dessert late in the evening will eventually take its toll. Somewhere and somehow, I know I have to get this body moving and strengthened. The saddest thing I saw on the cruise ship was all men over forty carrying the barrel around their waist and not looking very healthy. The question is, how does an older person work out.

Most of the information I see on the internet, and the magazine rack about fitness is geared for younger guys and gals. I also can't see myself doing CrossFit or some torture in the form of Tough Mudder. I don't have a desire to crawl under barbed wire or climb a wall with a rope.  For one thing, I would blow out a knee, then I would be down for the count and would most certainly turn into Jabba the Hut.

Where am I starting; my height is 6'2," and I weigh 225 pounds. I am not sure what the ideal weight is, but I know muscle must replace fat, and inches need to come off. Secondly, I need to strengthen the core, become more flexible, and have better balance.  When you hit fifty years old, the goal is not to have big muscle arms and a six-pack of abs (of course, we all desire it) but to gain physical strength and perform the sports and activities that I enjoy.

Day one is probably consisting of lifting some weights, some squats, some cardio, and stretching. I am sure all the fitness experts can tell me dozens of things to do, but I know I need to ease into this. I want to enjoy the road to better physical fitness this time around versus making it drudgery and just another thing you have to do to survive. My goal is to get in great shape and reap the benefits of improving my tennis, golf, baseball, and bicycling endeavors.  I also want to run a marathon soon before it's too late. So here I go, join me in the pursuit of becoming one of the people you don't see in the cruise buffet line.