Why Exercise is Crucial, Getting off your ass

I don't know about you, but the idea of becoming a Randy from The Trailer Park Boys is far, far from appealing to 99.99% of everyone I talk to. As we get older, and especially I find for myself, my body metabolism is slowing down a bit.

When I jumped out of my bed back in 1987, I owned the world, hell, I was 17. Now, approaching almost 50, my joints are fucking shot on my knees, I can't run for shit, but I can build up strength and endurance and maybe some cardio.

I've been using my gym membership at work each day (M-F) for an hour. It's given me something to look forward to in the day: I used to dread working out in the past, it was a bit boring and I never really applied myself. It has all changed this time for me, I have some goals like increasing my leg strength & flexibility.

Last year I had a badly broken leg (due to a not-so-epic skateboarding fall). It took me almost 4 months before I could walk without crutches. I have a decent write-up about it in my 2018 September blog page, just look for the date.

In my two weeks working out, I've noticed my body is starting to lose a little weight, my muscles are getting more defined, and I feel faster on the walk outside. I can out sprint most people now on the street without busting a sweat.

My workout regimen isn't something I would call aggressive: Some cardio on an elliptical machine, followed by free weights, kegel bells, fixed weight machines and near the end a walk on the treadmill or add an extra exercise to the list, such as rowing-pulls.

I tried to get a younger guy at work (mid 20's) to join the gym and workout too, but he doesn't want to. So I changed my approach, and asked a VP if he wanted to join, but he didn't want to either "I'm too old for that!" he said. He's about 60 years old.

You're never too old to exercise. Even 3x a week is enough to keep you healthy. I've stopped doing the pushups each day, I might re-take doing some in the future. I seriously over-trained my right bicept and left shoulder. I think if I progressed further I would have caused tendonitis or some more serious damage like ripped muscles.

So you want to work out but you never have time. Make time. Just stop and take an hour or even a half hour of your day and commit to some kind of exercise: Walking, pushups, free weights, whatever as long as you are exercising your body and getting the muscles moving.

It sucks at first, I won't be sugar coating it. Your body will ache for the first few weeks you begin a workout regimen. Over time, you'll start to lose this feeling and a sudden momentum of "strength" or "power" will slowly creep up on you.

Lifting 20 pounds of potatoes used to be hard for you. Now? An easy lift. Cranking that Tim Horton's door open, but it's very tough & you need all your strength? That disappears when you work out. Your arms turn into powerful tools. Sometimes you may even accidentally use your strength and go too far.

Get out, go, and exercise.

GODDAMMIT!