When many people decide to get into shape, they turn over a new
leaf. Maybe it's at the start of a year and this is their new year's
resolution. I'm going to get in shape!
Well, it's time to get that health club membership. If I'm
paying $30-50 bucks a month, surely I'll be guilted into staying on the
program! The 200 dollar signup should seal the deal! I'll feel good
in my new workout clothes that make me look sexy but hide the body I
need to reshape. Spandex next year, baby!
Maybe I'll buy a Bowflex or some stupid invention from late night TV ads.
Maybe
there are blessings to my hard knock life. Joining a gym was never an
option for me and I knew myself well enough that I would never5 go. I
bought a used weight bench and barbells on the cheap. It was so long
ago, I don't even remember how I found them. Classified ad in the
newspaper? Ad at my local grocery store? An online bulletin board?
Play It Again Sports, used sports equipment store? Maybe a little of
each. I know the weights came from PIAS and some extras came from a
guy who had them in his basement. They are a hodgepodge of metal and
concrete wrapped in a plastic casing. They do the job. A few months
after getting them, I was fairly cut. Now, I'll be happy to just be
well toned. here's really no excuse for not being cut though. 42
isn't too old to be studly.
The exercise bike came from Craig's List (www.craigslist.org, if you've been living under a rock). Cheap at $50.
Sit ups and push ups I do in front of the television on those rare occasions I find I can indulge.
We have a treadmill we got from my sister. She must have bought
a proper clothes drying rack and didn't need it anymore. Since my
knees are shot it's been holding up laundry for us. I'll unload it
soon unless my kids want to give it a go.
No
stairmaster for me. Stairs are available at my building and I had the
previously misfortunate circumstance of being near the top of my
building and everything I need to get to being in the lower levels.
That makes accumulating stairs workouts easy enough if I simply
refrain from pushing elevator buttons.
The heavy bag was the only new equipment I got. A
gift from Dyingwife. I'm hard to shop for. She'd been grateful I
asked. It blocks the way to the drying rack /treadmill now but I do
use it, so she's not TOO mad.
Anyone
wishing to start and exercise program might to fine with the bells and
whistles and the impositions they put on themselves with new equipment,
wardrobe, and memberships, but some of you just may need to DO IT. The
Push ups and sit ups cost nothing. Many of you have access to stairs
you can hit on a lunch break... I even did that stupid trick of
parking my car farther from the building to get 10 minutes walking in a
few times.
The entirety of the solution is
commitment and I don't have a strong one, but for me it's never been
about teh toys and places. The obstacle has been time. Time I need
and time I deprive myself because I promise I'll do things and I don't
and a wish to do things I find more enjoyable, but not so good for my
health. Iron will is the best piece of equipment you'll use for an
exercise program.
If only it were for sale.
*DM
Next:
THE CHART:
This Week's Fitness Activities:
Strokes on Bike (daily average) 20
Bench Presses (daily average) 2
Curls (daily average) 0
Lifts (daily average) 0
Stairs (flights per day) 10
Walking (minutes per day) 6
Heavy bag (seconds per day) 0
Dancing (minutes per day) 0
Push Ups (per day) 4
Sit-ups (per day) 2
Effort Grade: C
Pulse: 70
Blood Pressure: 105/69 10/3/08
BMI 25 (barely overweight)
Workout Partner's Progress: Position Vacant
RECENT SYMPTOMS : None
ONGOING SYMPTOMS: Clicking knees, Pain in right knee when kneeling and shifting knee to the right. Hyperhidrosis.
DIAGNOSIS: Unknown injury to right knee, possible impact from small stumble (c. 2006) onto landing of concrete stairs. Injured knee joints from sprinting (c. 2007)
DRUG REGIMEN: Aspartame. (3 diet sodas daily) Caffeine (three cups of coffee daily. two colas.)ONGOING TREATMENT: Tri-Annual dental visits.
PROGNOSIS: Gradual decay of knee function.
POTENTIAL TREATMENTS: Fish Oil supplements. Axillary vacuum curettage.
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