Early Check Out

January 8, 2017 – 

Well as you know, George Michael has passed away at 53 years old.  WHAM! This morning a friend came and put his own playlist on out of respect for this mans music.  It was an hour of memories for me as well.  I’d had my ear pierced in a strip mall in Los Angeles as a teenager, because ‘it was the cool thing to do’ (I thought.)  Yes, I was a trendsetter indeed!

While the music played I recalled some of my dreams about who I wanted to be as an adult and what I wanted to do. It feels good, as I have lived up to many of my hopes and dreams.  All of this led me to Google ‘things people regret the most before they die’ and I found it interesting that below was number 3 on the list.

3. I wish I’d taken better care of myself. – Premature health problems or ageing always makes you wonder if you’d eaten healthier, exercised more and been less stressed, would you be where you are today?

As for you and your life … is taking better care of yourself in the top 3, or at least the top 10?  For those of us in our 50’s I think it is certainly time to look at your own personal “Things I Wish I Had Done” list and maybe re-prioritize the numbers.

I was talking to another friend recently who told me his ‘longevity’ story.  He explained how his older brother had passed away and his older sister happened to suggest he ‘take a break from the stringent vegan lifestyle for the holidays and live a little bit’.  My friend went on to explain his perspective, that ‘his decisions of eating clean and exercising now are to lay the foundation for a longer, more alert life later’.  He did not want to ‘check out early’ or spend a handful of years in pain, on support, or become a burden on his family or society.  He wants to keep his health, his mind, and his freedoms.  Certainly ‘taking better care of himself’ is in his top 3.

Where does self-care place in your list?

I do know from the fitness perspective, the longer we wait to shape up the longer it takes, the harder it is, and faster we lose the improvements.  Time is constantly turned on and we only have about a million heartbeats a lifetime.  Just recently Carrie Fisher, best known as Star Wars‘ Princess Leia Organa, died after suffering a heart attack. She was 60.

Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them, or they would be on their way to the gym right now!  Health and Fitness is a journey, a lifestyle of good decisions and active practices.  For 2017 I have one challenge for you; do not gain one pound this year.  If you are 196 pounds, be that or less in one year.  Go for it!!  Get FIT!

In good health,

Bob

“You’ll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.” –  George Michael