I took my first real vacation in about 3 years. A full week on a beautiful lake with my wife of 20 years and my two teenage kids. We spent a lot of time swimming and hiking.
Everything seemed just about perfect until my 15 year old son and I decided to take a short hike up a small mountain. The trail was less than 2 miles long but steep. I had done it in the past without any problem. This year things would be different. About 10 minutes into the hike I knew I was in trouble. Sweating heavily, taking small steps, very labored breathing? What the hell was going on! Chest pains? Heart attack? No more than 15 minutes into it I had to stop. Yes STOP! I sat down on the edge of the trail. What was happening?
I knew that at 47 years old my pace had slowed but I had never had fatigue hit me so fast and so hard. Once the heart rate came down we continued on but my pace at some points made me feel like I was climbing Mt. Everest! I felt old and I didn’t like it!
When we got back from the climb I was upset at the poor performance but didn’t think too much else of it. It wasn’t until we returned home from vacation that it hit me. My wife took a number of digital pictures this trip. She happened to take some pictures of me without me knowing. Many of them I’m wearing a bathing suit. When she showed me the slide show it really hit me. I HAVE BECOME A FAT SLOB! There was no denying it. The photos didn’t lie. I honestly didn’t even recognize myself when I first saw the shots. My gut was extended over my waistline and I had tits! When the hell did this happen?!
I’m not sure if I can tell exactly when but I can tell you when I think it started. We all know that we become de-conditioned to this extent over a relatively long period of time. I’m guessing that it started for me about 5 years ago.
I had been into training since my teenage years. I had a long history of participation in sports and although I was never the most talented on the field, I always tried to be in the best condition possible. This attitude carried over into my adult life. I had kept training logs that went for years without having missed more than 4-5 training days a year. (usually due to work schedule or illness).
Sometime in my early 40’s things seemed to change. I suspect that some of this will ring true to some of the other “Over 35 Lifter” readers.
I had received promotions that meant more money but the work had no appeal. It involved more stress and involved aspects of my job that I had never really signed on for.
My children were getting to fascinating ages. They were at that point in their lives that they looked to their parents as the all knowing being that could explain life to them. I didn’t want to miss any of it and spending time with them was always a priority The lives of my children also took on a more social aspect that in addition to school involved all the extras of sports, lessons, school dances etc.
My house was starting to show it’s age and free time was relegated to home improvement and maintenance.
Little by little that hour I had always put aside for myself to train became less and less important. I knew I was starting on a downward slide but I always rationalized that a month of hard training could get me back.
The only problem is that 5 years went by and that month never came. There would be a week here and there that would start out with the best of intentions but something always would push “my hour” off the priority list.
I also noticed that my body wasn’t reacting the way it always had. In my mind I was still a 27 year old fitness fanatic but my body said otherwise. Delayed onset of muscles soreness took on a new meaning. What I thought was a light work out would have me limping into work the next day. But I still was kidding myself that I wasn’t that out of shape.
I saw a cartoon once that explained it well. It shows the difference between a man’s and woman’s self image. In the cartoon the woman is beautifully conditioned but she looks in the mirror and sees nothing but fat. The man on the other hand is an overweight mess but he sees his image in the mirror as fit and muscular.
It took the photographs and the hike to show me the real truth. Now I have to ask myself “What are you going to do about it?”.