I recently renewed my wife’s and mine’s membership to the local L.A. Fitness Health Club. We went together this past Monday and I did a brisk walk on the treadmill for thirty minutes and a few sets of Pec / Shoulder flys with low weight just to stretch my upper body some.  I’m just had my 45th B-day a month back and the pains of old age are trying to settle in, so I concentrated on stretching those areas and re-introducing them to what’s to come.  Last, but not least, I couldn’t pass up shooting the roundball a bit. That’s one of the reasons I chose L.A. Fitness. I love to play basketball, even though I was winded just chasing after my own rebounds. It’s kinda embarassing to be that out of shape, but it wasn’t that many guys in the gym and at the level they were playing, I’d give them fits for the first 2-3 minutes.

Feel free to write a comment. It’s encouraged and I could really use the helpful input…

So, Ive been looking for that home workout that I could do consistently here in my apartment. I use the resistance bands, but needed something for the lower body. I work the graveyard shift, so my sleep pattern is kinda crazy. I basically nap in the morning when I get off and nap again at around 7pm, until it’s time to go to work.  My wife usually goes to the track at the High School around 7pm because it’s not as hot outside. I would love to do that, but I have to get my rest before work, so I’m kinda stuck as far as cardio. We’re trying to cut cost, so we don’t belong to a gym and the treadmill at the apartment complex gym is always busted. I totally lack the motivation to go to a public park and walk after work, cause I’d be sleep driving there. The graveyard shift is rough!!! By the time I wake up around noon, it’s blazing hot here in Atlanta. Still in all, I’m gonna have to make the time to go out and do some cardio, but for the meanwhile, I discovered the “stability ball“. You know, that’s that big rubbery hippity hoppity ball you used to bounce on when you was a kid (at least back in the day), except this doesn’t have handles. I searched “Youtube” and found instructional videos on how to use the ball and different variations of exercises that I can do. Looks fairly easy.

I found out my ability to maintain stability is lacking. I’d roll off the ball. I’d slide off the ball. I’d go back to my computer and watch the videos again. I’d roll and slide off again and again. I don’t know why everthing’s so hard for me.  My daughter watches me and just cracks up.  I was able to do the crunches where you lay on your back with your legs up on the ball, looking like I fell off a chair and couldn’t get up. I also straighten out my legs with the back of my ankles up on the ball and do pelvic thrusts. I thought it looked kinda funny, but the next day, my hammys were tight and on fire. I’m going to conquer that stability thing, because I have to admit, you can get a good workout from the stability ball and the resistance bands.

Once I can get used to ball / bands, I’ll dust off the Tony Horton’s “10 Minute Trainer” or the “P90x” videos, or maybe even the “Hip Hop Abs” . I have a whole collection of videos that I don’t use. But again, baby steps. I gotta get my mind right in order to get my body tight. Hey, I like that. That just rolled off the tongue. Maybe that”ll be my catch phrase.

Alright, let’s keep it real!! My knees are killing me, my belt’s too tight and walking up a flight of stairs is breathtaking, literally! Being fat is totally wack, but being fat over 40 is like being a crab at the bottom of the bucket. Chances for survival is slim. Being obese creates a hardship on family and an overall way of life. You get a certain size and you no longer want to buy clothes or go out because you don’t have clothes that fit. More so, you have clothes that don’t fit, but you wear them thinking that they do fit. Sometimes you don’t see yourself realistically or as other people see you. Confidence and reality are sometimes two different objectives.

Hopefully, my weightloss journey will be successful and maybe inspire someone else’s, as I have found inspiration from others who chronicled their own.

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