02/01/2015
So - for this week, I was not able to be as productive in miles as I did last week. First, the twelve miles I ran last Sunday made me so tired I had to rest two days. By Wednesday, I had to cover for a co-worker and a full 8 hour job does not stimulate my desire to work-out intensely. I was able to manage a simple weight lifting session but until Friday I just could not find the time to run or work-out. Thankfully by Saturday (yesterday) I had a day off so I pulled a very slow jog of 8 miles in am and surprisingly pulled another 2 miles of walking in the evening. I got spectacular photos of Lake Worth too in the evening.
Now allow me to share with you my thoughts as I was running yesterday. You know what I am talking about : when I exercise, I also think. My thoughts can be scattered, but very comforting and stimulating nevertheless.
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All I need is 15 minutes. Yes, in these chilly mornings, the last thing I want to do is rush out the door at 6 am and run 5 or 6 miles or hit the gym. It is so damn cold. But if I force myself and repeat this mantra…”All I need is 15 minutes to rev the engine”...it usually works. After the 15 minute hurdle, my joints become limber, my body a little warmer and I start running (or jogging away).
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If all desire to walk or run disappears in one day, there is the gym to resort to. The gym is perhaps the best option for an unmotivated exercise person. Obviously you have to be in a very serious gym for this to work. First, people who work out around you tend to increase your motivation. Second those mirrors around the gym unwittingly compares yourself with others - and as far I am concerned, my current looks tell me to work harder :). Remember, you must be working out seriously in a serious gym.
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I really need to be patient nowadays as far as weight control is concerned. At 52, my metabolism seems to be as slow as a slug. We all know the saying: Body shape is carved as much in the kitchen as in the gym.
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Then there is the issue of Nutrition. Since I started downsizing and living more and more in a controlled existence (meaning, less disruptions and distractions) I make sure that when I can, I eat more veggies, less carbs, increase water and eat on time. I am compliant maybe 50 percent of the time.
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You know what really scares me? It is not getting old. What scares me is being deprived of a good quality life. I can be the wealthiest man in the world but if I were confined in a wheelchair because I had a massive stroke, or I were bedridden due to complex medical problems or could not breath due to lung condition or… As a hospital worker I have seen far too many patients who would do and give anything so they could take 2 or 3 steps just so they could get out of their bed or sit on the toilet or shower and dress up or climb that bus, and that is a very poor quality of life. You know why I love walking or running? It is the idea that I can still do it without pain or slowness or weakness or worse, neuropathy and paralysis. I celebrate everyday and I make sure each of step or stride is worth it.
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It is true, yes it is true. Age affects the sharpness of the brain, it erodes the enamel, demineralizes bones, inflames the joints, lessens hearing, blurs vision, wrinkles the skin, lowers endurance, muscle strength and balance. Aging requires a lot of re-definitions and new normalcy. Now I know why Francis of Assisi prayed, “Give me the strength to change the things I can and accept the things I cannot.” Suddenly, I can no longer imagine myself getting ahead of the pack. Suddenly, I am slow to figure out and act on things. Suddenly I tilt my head more to hear clearly. Suddenly reading a book causes a strain on my eyes. Suddenly my patience is longer but my temper short. There are many subtle things I am realizing that I choose to ignore and deny but they are there. All I can do now is to give the best I can within the framework of my increasing limitations. The word growth is getting less and less important compared to the word stability. Increasing retirement investment is more important than increasing working hours to support a cool lifestyle. I am accepting of reality and truth.