But I’m Not 52 Yet…

Last week I found myself at a local gym, signing a yearlong contract, attempting to find the motivation to get myself into some semblance of shape. Today, I found myself BACK at said gym, getting visual computer support as an in-house physical specialist plugged my stats into a desktop. At 5’11”, 207 lbs and close to 45 years of age, I’m not in HORRIBLE shape…but I won’t be winning any body building contests either. So…I plopped down another $125 a month for 3 months (on top of the yearly membership, that brings this adventure to about $850) and got myself a weekly 30 minute trainer. I figure if you’re gonna go whole hog, ya gotta pay the piper. And in this case, the piper is a 24 year old dude named Cody. Cody is gonna be my aid into getting me back on the healthy bandwagon. And why? Why am I all of a sudden dead set on getting my body back to the svelte poundage of 191? Well…

Basketball is calling me.

I know, I know…I’m too old for that sport. At my age I guess I should be taking up badminton or playing cards or golf or something. But not basketball. According to my gym computer report, my current health age is 52. This is not a good thing. I’m 44…pushing 45. NOT 52. The goal I’m reaching for is a healthy 42. I think I can manage that. So…42 and 191 lbs sounds pretty damn good to me!

So…back to basketball. A couple weeks ago, I read an article from Playboy writer, Mike Sager. Yes…I WAS reading an article that was in Playboy. But it was online and there weren’t any pictures in it! Well…except for this one…

This photo hardly classifies as sexy. Anyway…so I’m reading this article and I realize that I’ve given up too easily. I still love to play basketball. You can take the boy out of the gym, but you can’t take the gym out of the man. And this gym HAS a basketball court. And I want to use it! Recently I played ball with a couple of work friends. It was awesome! I missed it so much! But it was a test getting up & down the court. I got winded easily and found myself getting burned on defense. Let’s be fair…I can still ball. I can still shoot and pass as well as I ever have. But I gotta get back into RUNNING shape. And that is going to take losing some weight and getting into better overall shape.

I can do this…I know it. And this time it’s NOT going to be like the last time. This time I’m going to make myself work. I want this. I can feel it. And it’s time that I do it. For myself and for my family. Wish me luck!