Never give up

[Ironweb]

To all you folks out there still hitting it hard after the age of 30 I salute you. It takes true grit to keep pushing it and not giving up.

It amazes me when I walk around and look at other people (yes I guess as a bb I tend to compare at times) how out of shape most people really are. Especially in the 30 plus. I go to my kids baseball games and all you see is saggy shoulders and beer bellies. People will come up and ask me do you work out. I say yes and they say something like I should too but I do not have time. It is a matter of prority. I am 34 and when people ask how old I am I say how do you think I am. I usually get 25/26. I truly believe it is the exercise that does that for me. Keep it up guys and never give up...

[righton]

After 10+ years, for me it's more of a way of life. And i just have to look at my older brothers and see the bikes sitting in the garage and their Total Gyms and Ab Rockers covered with dust that makes me laugh. And when ppl say " All that muscle will turn to fat when you stop" well ppl, i ain't never gonna stop until i'm a little old (well built) man or dead!! Whichever comes first.

[Tarzan]

It's all about choices, some of us chouse to be fit others chouse to let themselves slip.
If you are looking for quality of life when you are old. You have to make the time when you are young to keep in shape.
It's just so sad to see all the fat out of shape adults, It's even more tragic to see how fat and out of shape some of there kids are. As a parent you have to set a good example. Wait and see how much this will cost our health care providers in 10 or 20 years. And us fit ones will have to pay our share. If we committed to good health as a nation, I think we would be far better off in the future.

So keep pumping

[Ajax]

Originally posted by Ironweb
they say something like I should too but I do not have time. It is a matter of prority

I hear you IronWeb!

I have a really problem with the general "victim" mentality that permeates our society. People get lazy and weak in a myriad of ways and proffer nothing but excuses as to why they are in the sad shape they are in.

Life is what you make of it. If you settle for mediocre, that's the best you will do.

I hate excuses. Always have. Made me a son-of-a-bitch to work for!

[Kaz]

Originally posted by righton
....." All that muscle will turn to fat when you stop" .....

A popular misconception among those who dont work out

Now if only we can work out a way to turn love handles into muslce!! We may have some odd looking people but at least it wont be fat!

As for me the gym is a way of life, a part of who and what I am. Sure Ill stop one day, and about 5 days later they will plant my ass and grow daisies on me

[iron4life79]

beautiful thread ironweb,
I SALUTE YOU BRO........
you are right on the mark talking about the procrastination that permeates our society, "i should do this.....or i should stop that". but actually doing it is a totally different story.
to tell the truth, i think every post on this thread has made a great point, theres so much to be said for lifestyle of fitness and well being, that we probably dont have enough room here for all of it. good job to all the brothers who have posted here, your words ring true..........

peace bb79

[goatscrot]

Living in Bangkok I see many guys who do nothing but DRINK!!!! Their health goes in the toilet quickly especially if they are 40+ in age. I love the fact that I "do not look my age" mainly due to working out and good genetics. When these guys are in wheelchairs I will still be out chasing the "pooying (gal in Thai)" around......
As far as lifestyle is concerned, I do find myself very "set " in my ways. I have little patience for those that do not take care of themselves...
GS

[ironmike7000]

I've been lifting since 1979 and I don't plan on quitting anytime soon. I've met alot of people over the years by going to the gym and working out and it amazes me when I run into some of them later on and they have quit working out. Quite a few of them were at one time were well built and now they are fat and out of shape. Going to the gym and lifting helps keep me feeling young and from what people tell me looking young too. Plus most of the people at my gym are in the 20-30 year old crowd so being around and talking to them helps me feel young too. Even though I'm more around their parents ages they treat me like one of the guys and I enjoy that.

[Mrs. T]

Most people think that I am 10 years younger than I am and I like that alot. Owning a gym, people for some reason always feel obligated to say, "I need to come over to your place and work out!" But they've never been seen in a gym. Everyone needs to work out in order to have a quality life. They sure as heck don't have to come to my gym to do it - there's another one on the other side of town. You don't have to go to a gym at all - you can walk, run, ride a bicycle, play tennis, racquetball - whatever. But you have to do it 3 to 4 days a week and put everything you have into it while you're at it. That's all it takes to have a high quality life with fewer doctor bills. Oh well - too sad that the only people we can convince are the people who already do it!

[Ajax]

Right on Diesel!

I have HUGE respect for any person that is out of shape and goes to the gym and sticks it out. That takes guts. It's very hard to walk into the gym with a lot of fat and/or little muscle and be silently judged (people do do it!) and, even though you are gettig funky stares and maybe even rude comments, going at it with all they have until they get into shape.

GoatScrot, I hear that too! In Bangkok is filled with sad old white guys sitting in the bars every night, drinking beer and 'waving around a gray or two' (thousand baht notes are gray) to get a girls attention--which , in Bangkok at least, will get them what they want in the short term.

All the better for us GoatScrot, we stand out all the more for being fit!

(FYI: GoatScrot and I are 'farangs'; that's what the Thais call white-skinned foreigners.

Originally posted by goatscrot
When these guys are in wheelchairs I will still be out chasing the "pooying (gal in Thai)" around......

Hell, there are guys here in wheelchairs still chasing pooying; they all hang out in the lobby of Nana Hotel!

Personally, I think that being fit is a manifestation of several important qualities such as drive, ambition and discipline. My deepest admiration is for the guy (or gal!) that has a good career, a good relationship, a good family and a good physique. That's a person that has set his priorities and balanced his life so he can succeed in many areas!

[Ironweb]

Everyone on this thread makes a great point. I too have tremendous respect for the very out of shape person hitting it hard. It makes me work even harder. It is a lifestyle and one I love.

This may sound wierd but I find a spritual aspect to it. What I mean by that you are really tuning into yourself and it is the journy of shelf improvement that keeps me going. I can let go of everything in life and for that time not have any pressures except pushing out one more rep.

[Kaz]

Originally posted by Ironweb
....This may sound wierd but I find a spritual aspect to it. What I mean by that you are really tuning into yourself and it is the journy of shelf improvement that keeps me going. ....

Not sure about the DIY aspect of improving my shelves but I completely agree with the rest of it!

Joking aside, Im in complete agreemant with you. The time spent in the gym is a personal time, a time when my body gets to meditate. Everything is shut off and my body does its thing. I also meditate for my mind later on in the day but to me the two are very close.

[Ironweb]

Originally posted by Kaz


Not sure about the DIY aspect of improving my shelves but I completely agree with the rest of it!

Joking aside, Im in complete agreemant with you. The time spent in the gym is a personal time, a time when my body gets to meditate. Everything is shut off and my body does its thing. I also meditate for my mind later on in the day but to me the two are very close.