Slacking Off

... Continued ...

All good things come to an end. But then if you work hard enough, you can get them back.

Like I said earlier, I returned from South Africa in similar or better shape than I left in. And I kept that level of exercise up for a long time, and kept in shape for a long time. Over the years, I had a couple of friends I'd go to the gym with on a regular basis. Amanda and I formerly did that quite regularly, but we have slacked off a bit.

But eventually, life got the better of me, and I started to slack off and go to the gym less and less often. Then, I got a job that actually did serve as a great excuse for not getting to the gym, and then I had some other excuse, then some other, then some other.

So right now I find myself in a similar situation as to when I first met Lenora. But this time, I don't need a trainer, and the gym is one block from my house. What I need, rather, is the obsession. I need to get back the obsession with exercise that drives a person to the gym because it feels bad to have not been to the gym for a while.

This is not hard for me to do. I've been able to do that for periods of a couple of weeks, or a month, here and there over the last two years. My wife does the same thing. If she goes to the gym often enough, it becomes something she has to do. We've often done that together. We need to do that again.

The other thing I might need is a walk in the Kalahari with Lynne, or something similar, to act as motivation. Perhaps my brother's recent major open heart surgery can inspire me. He went under the knife a few weeks ago. I don't know if more exercise would have been good for him or not. But generally speaking, more exercise is better than less exercise.

That, and Huxley's starting to get heavy. Need to work on my biceps.

... Continued ...

More like this

... Continued ... I started out walking a good six feet behind her, to avoid the sand she was kicking up and the occasional thorn-lined branch that might swing back in the wake of anyone walking through the African Bush. We were traversing open country in the Kalahari, in an area sealed off from…
... Continued ... Obsession can be a good thing. And I'm not talking about some dumb-ass perfume. The Augrabies Ultra. 250 kilometers over five days. My field buddy was doing that every year. Stuck in the field without a gym for three weeks was going to be tough, but I worked out two ways to…
... Continued ... When it comes down to it, it is all a matter of just how hard you are willing to work. Then, you start with that and work harder. This guy had it easy. I got my six free sessions, and then I paid for a lot more. In the end, I've paid less for cars I've driven for years, but it…
... Continued ... Back from South Africa and with some time on my hands, I was hell bent on keeping the promise I had made to myself to get back into shape. For most people I know, this would mean eating better and going to the gym more often. But for me, it meant eating better and going to a gym…

This sentiment is all over twitter and facebook for me and my Minnesota and other upper Midwest buddies. Is it just the melting snow and upcoming Spring that's bringing out everyone's Must.Exercise.NAO. impulses?

Greg I've recently started working out for the first time in my life as well. Actually I'm drinking the protein shake I made after returning from the gym right now. I had no experience athletically what-so-ever, until last year when I began rowing crew quite spontaneously. I rowed enough to realize how out of shape I was. Hopefully I can keep this work up.

I must say that reading your last few entries have been inspiring, particularly when you mention that you can load a leg press up with 800 - 1100 pounds. Ridiculous.