We joined Planet Fitness during the Christmas holidays!
I know, I know...EVERYONE joins The Club after the holidays
because they’ve got their New Year’s Resolutions to fulfill. And The Clubs
offer Special Deals!!!! Like PF offers a “No Commitment” Deal of $10 a month
and no commitment!
My observation is that not only are they being...sarcastic,
they’re being realistic. Sarcastic because how can you commit to a new
lifestyle if you don’t have to commit to it? They’re being realistic because I’m
sure that every New Year ushers in a rush of people who are Going To Get Fit
This Year.
My wife and I have BEEN those people more than once in our
lives, but This Time It’s Different! (I’m sure you’ve all heard that before...)
The thing is, is that this time it is
different. Why?
First of all, my wife is now an almost-four-year breast
cancer survivor. The initial surgeries are healed, the IV chemo is done, the
breast reconstruction is done, and she’s as healed on the outside as she’s
going to get.
Second: I had treatment for skin cancer in November and
December. This brought the concept of invasive disease more close to home than
it has ever been. It made me think. It made me shudder. It finally made me act
with an attitude SO cavalier that I doubt anyone knows how horrified I was.
Third: We have grandchildren. It has been my avowed intent
to be there for the weddings of my son and daughter-in-law's kids; and any that my
daughter and whomever she pairs with has. My wife joins me in that.
Fourth: We are AGING (gasp!) Things are harder to do because
the joints and muscles ain’t what they used to be. The benefits of even a MILD
exercise regimen are documented (http://www.livescience.com/42820-light-exercise-benefits.html)
and now that the nest is basically empty, two futures present themselves: we
can watch whatever TV we want to, go to whatever restaurants we want to, stay
at home and not have to interact with the world as much as we want to; or we
can start going to a non-threatening, and moderately inexpensive gym, learn
muscle-building and cardio workouts TAILORED to us and our age and condition
(with the Trainer who comes with The Club’s standard package and who actually
knows what she’s doing in general if not specifically when dealing with breast
cancer survivors). One will end in a matched set of couch potatoes. The other
will end in a matched set of sore, tired AFTER mild exercise, couch sweet potatoes (which are better for you
than regular potatoes, but not by much.)
Fifth and final: As long as we’re going to grow old
together, we might as well make sure that we’re doing things...together.
Exercise is new for us and instead of joining different exercise groups and
clubs and exclusive organizations, we’re going to do this...together. I love my
wife and we’ve raised two kids, advanced our careers with education and
experience, traveled together, worked together, and done everything else
together. Now we’re going to get as healthy as we can be together. I’m
certainly not going to win the Mr. Universe Pageant (http://www.thatslife.com.au/Article/Real-Life/Real-Life-Stories/Im-Mr-Universe-and-Im-60),
but together, me and my wife CAN be healthier. Exercise. Better diet. Lots of
talk. Classes. It all goes together.
And it’s what we’re going to do – TOGETHER!
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