Great Minds Think Alike (but you already know that)

Highlights: Jen joined me for our first "gentle yoga" class at the Y. I was going to take it to see how it was while she was in the pool with Christy, but that fell through, so she came along. That was the first of two, the second being a, wait for it.... "senior" fitness class. Back to back, both of them dramatically reinforced what my friends Jess and Alex have been preaching to me about, let alone my son. Aging well requires a lot of effort and maintaining strength and flexibility. I was reminded this morning that I have none. It wasn't always like this, but it's been at least a decade since I made any consistent effort to follow a strong cardio routine, let alone maintain muscle strength. Situps, squats and pushups have gotten highly fragmented attention, too. I've said before that I do not typically like gyms. I must admit that, once there, I feel more focused and inspired to make more effort than I might at home with a set of weights. It's only day two, but I already have a few ideas for creating a sustainable routine that can slide gracefully into my mornings.

Insights: I suddenly feel old. In my mind, I'm stuck some­where between 17 and 25, while my body has been moving forward and succumbing to the force of gravity along the way. Physical limitations like neck issues have mandated a conservative approach to recreation, but that does not mean I can't stay fit and limber. In a way, it's all the more motivation to do so. I always took the stairs up and down, and recently resurrected that commitment. 30 minutes on an elliptical fly by while focused on an audiobook, pod­cast or other informative or entertaining content. (I have watched a few episodes of "Loudermilk" and "Afterlife" and enjoyed both while resisting the binging impulse. I am more interested in Nova's current programs on the origin and evolution of humans). My point is that I, of all people, am conscious of limited time, and I don't want limited mobility to be something I allow through apathy and laziness. My running days and "impact "days are over, but my simple goal going forward is to build back up to a point where a hike to Vernal Falls would not leave me winded or sore for days.

🛏️ 7:00 AM ⚖️188(0/-9.3) 🧘‍♂️21min 👣 7,439(3.3mi)🏃‍♂️117min ❤️63(59-123)