Just do it

This past weekend was the one year anniversary of my most recent foray into physical fitness. I feel like saying something to mark this occasion because it really does mean a lot to me and has had a huge impact on my entire sense of wellbeing, but I don’t want to be one of those annoying screechy preachy types who, after finding their One True Way, keep telling you how you’re living your life all wrong. There are some who’d say I do enough of that with the whole chastity denial thing as it is.

I admit, I’m fortunate because I’m able to hire a professional to kick my ass several times a week. Even on those days when I don’t want to drag myself out of bed, I do because there’s a dude I already gave money to waiting for me at the gym. I’m not, therefore, a typical example. But. What I can say is, trainer aside, I know I’ll be active for the rest of the time my body will let me. Every day, I crave the activity. I crave the treadmill or the weights or just sweating. I want to run more than my legs will take me. I want to lift more than my joints will allow. If only I had started doing this ten years ago. Or twenty.

And that, I guess, is the thing. I’m 45 and might be in the best shape of my life right now. Maybe. I’ve been in OK shape before, but it’s likely that, big picture, I’ve never been fitter. I have actual muscles in places that have never shown them in the past and my resting heart rate is in the mid to high fifties (not bad – could be better). I’m losing weight, though not as quickly as I’d like. Still, it’s heading in the right direction. Problem with the weight thing is, all the charts say my maximum healthy weight is 188 pounds or so. I’ve been that low in my adult life, but I was a skinny punk. I can’t see how muscly me will ever be that low.

But whatever. What I’m saying is, if you’re unhappy with your appearance or are tired of feeling tired and old, now is the time. Not tomorrow. Not next month. Now. It doesn’t matter what shape you’re in or your age or anything. Start small. There are pretty cheap of gyms out there (like Snap or Anytime) and you can go in and do lower-impact stuff like the elliptical or bike for half an hour three times a week. Eventually, you could work with a trainer (they usually have them on staff) even if it’s just once a week (my trainer has several once-a-week clients). If you do that and stick to it, I guarantee your body will start to ask for more. Your cloths will start fitting different and you’ll see a new person in the mirror and people who see you every day will say something. It works. You’ll go from being tired for no reason to being tired from making yourself move. That’s the best tired there is. And even so, you’ll crave more.

And, since this blog is purportedly about sex, I’ll tell you it improves that, too, no matter how you take it. Belle seems especially affected by my arms now. So much so that I am now certain when a chick sees a muscly guy and tells you, “Well, I don’t like men with too many muscles,” they are probably lying. Also, when you and your partner are feeling more energetic and overall better about your self images, chances are you’re likely to want to be naked together and do naked stuff.

A typical day with the FuelBandThe final thing I’ll say on this topic (for now) is to recommend the Nike FuelBand. In a nutshell, this is a little gizmo that measures your activity during the day (like the FitBit  or Jawbone Up or a few others) but it also does some kind of proprietary mumbo jumbo that turns that into something called NikeFuel. Basically, a point system. It’s not the conversion of activity into points all by itself that’s genius. The genius part is the accompanying iPhone app and/or website. You can set a daily goal for yourself and make tracking your activity level into a game. I have, in the past, made a point to go to the gym because my Fuel was too low and I wanted to keep my string of achieved daily goals in tact. In fact, even though my calves were aching last night and I really should be taking the day off today to recoup, I’m thinking of doing it again today because I’m only at 816 at 1:00 and I need 3,500 before the end of the day and have managed to make my goal six days in a row. Anyway, there are a bunch of devices on the market now like this and I’ve tried several of them. The FuelBand is the only one I really like (even though it doesn’t track sleeping like the FitBit or Up). It syncs wirelessly with my phone and looks good on my wrist. I like it so much, I got one for Belle and my son, too.

One of the greatest, most perfect slogans in the history of marketing and advertising is Nike’s “Just Do It.” You can’t even understand how good it is until you take its advice and get up off your butt and do something. Listen to it and you’ll be thankful you did.

Preachy bit over.

9 Replies to “Just do it”

  1. “So much so that I am now certain when a chick sees a muscly guy and tells you, “Well, I don’t like men with too many muscles,” they are probably lying”

    I’m not so sure, Thumper. I can’t speak for all women, of course, but I personally think a man can be too muscular. John went down the same path you went down some years ago and I’m forever glad he did — he’s just turned 48 and has a six pack and is pretty well developed in that way.

    But he’s not built like some of those bodybuilding freaks you see. I think they really are ugly, seriously (I guess an analogy might be how a woman with overly large breasts or pouty-lips crosses that line from attractive to absurd caricature).

    Sarah x

    1. Well, yes, there’s awesomely sexy (like me and John) and there’s freakishly rippled. Not sure where the attraction for that comes from, but it does take all kinds.

  2. Thumper, I really appreciate your advice, and I personally think it is all valid. I really hope it will help to motivate many people to do likewise. A fit and trim male, locked in chastity – I think this to be the top for his keyholder.

  3. *waits patiently for (more) photos…*

    I mean, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but I can’t possibly objectify your ‘awesomely sexy’ body, and be all super inspired without photos…!!

    Torso shot, pretty please: Adonis belt *swoon*, abs, arms…

    Ferns

  4. Ditto what Sarah said. There’s a big difference between ‘defined’ and ‘disgusting’.

    And ditto Ferns on the ‘more pictures, please’ sentiment. Looking forward to the next gun show. 😉

  5. Ha, well, the abs are where the old me has decided to make its last stand. There will be no photos of that area forthcoming any time soon. A work in progress.

  6. Hah – now you know how my blog slowly turned into a diet/fitness blog. Making changes to your body is a slow process, and it’s easy to become a little obsessed as you fine tune things.

    Kudos on keeping up with the program.

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