Looking For Mr. Goodbody - In the Mirror

I wouldn’t say that I’ve had a weight problem all my life - but the aging process has brought along a few surprises, such as a slower metabolism leading to weight gain (that and being far too sedentary). Of course, we all have an ideal of what we’d like to look like and my personal, ideal physique resides somewhere in the past - I remember a ‘me’ that was rather more lithe and this used to be my ideal.

Not any more. The idea of being ‘thin’ in a ‘stick’ sense - is not what I would, at present, aim for.

This whole thing started a few years ago. Perhaps even longer. Here, let me explain.

I’d say that during, at least, the last 20 years, I’ve yo-yoed a bit when it comes to my weight. 
I’ve never been morbidly obese but I have tipped the scales at close to 200 lbs. Still, in the 100’s but getting up there.

This has never been fun. 
Nor has it made me very happy. 
But I always managed to bring things under control with diet and a bit of exercise, but no real life style changes - that is, until a couple of years ago.

I can’t remember exactly when it was (though, you would think,  something so momentous, I should.) but it was some time before either my 54th or 55th birthday - one of the 2.

Ah-ha!
Now, I remember! 
It was before my 55th birthday because that Summer, I was going to go to my family reunion - and as a birthday gift (June 27th, if any one is interested in sending me something…) my partner was taking me to Las Vegas.

Now, after a few years of having to expand my wardrobe, as my waistline did the same, I had begun to grow rather uncomfortable at the size of my girth - not to mention the necessity of altering or buying new clothes.

And then one day, it happened. 
I just got fed up. 
I was putting on a pair of trousers, that were fairly new (I’d only worn them once or twice), only to discover that they would not close! Oh, with much effort, not to mention discomfort, I did eventually manage to do them up - but they were tight and I was irritated.

How had it happened?

I know how - it was the slow creep of neglect - and one cannot be neglectful when one is no longer 18 - things can go awry.

Well, I resolved, on the spot, that this nonsense had to be put to an end. 

A conclusion. 

A full stop at the end of a rather bloated sentence.

And that’s when I began to exercise in earnest on a daily basis. Oh, it wasn’t easy, there at the beginning. I’d spend literally hours on the treadmill without seeing the results I felt I should have had. But slowly, and over time, the weight began to disappear. The more I lost, the more enthused I became about the working out.

And I discovered something else. At least for me. The whole ‘dieting thing’ was not ever going to work - without incorporating some movement along with it. 

Surprise, surprise - who knew!? 

I mean, you read this sort of thing all the time but sometimes these things don’t mean anything until you put them into practice and discover it on your own.

Well, after a year or so, I began thinking that perhaps a bit more than the treadmill should be done and I began to tentatively use some of the machines in the gym. I also discovered the pull-up bar and became rather addicted. 

I now had a routine which I performed every day and my body began to actually change shape. I discovered that I no longer wanted to be just thin - but I wanted to be fit. Like - really fit. 

Now, I’m not talking ‘body-builder’ here - but just well- muscled and not the former sylph-like self of my youth. No, I wanted big, man muscles - but not too big.

So, I’ve worked like a demon on my body and the funny thing is - I’m still thin and fit - but not so muscly.

What’s up with that!?

Here’s the beautiful thing: 

Our superintendent used to be a trainer and I think, a very good one. He worked with the Russian Olympic Weight-Lifting Team - or something like that - I’m not really sure. Anyway, I’ve spoken to him on more than one occasion about the fact that I work so hard but don’t seem to be gaining any muscle and he’s said that he would help me, time permitting.

Well, the other day, he popped into the gym to adjust the thermostat and called me over from the treadmill I was on. He immediately set out a number of exercises for me and told me to do them every week for the next 3 weeks or so at which point, he would bestow upon me, yet more exercises. See? Didn’t I tell you this was a beautiful thing!?  And I am ever so grateful to him.

I’ve only just begun doing them but, you know? I think I can already see a slight difference. Of course, I can feel it as well.

Yes, I think I’m finally on the road to becoming, at least physically, the person I’ve now got as an ideal - Mr. Goodbody.

I’ll let you know when I finally meet him…