The Long Road

I fully realize that you have priorities. There are things in your life that are more important than riding a stationary bike. You have responsibilities and commitments, you have a family and a job. You have bills to pay and lawns to mow. Between the morning crossword and the evening news there is stuff to get done. I understand. 

As does your body. No longer needing as many calories to fuel your exercise, the absolute genius of its design is to store them for later use. Your body will blow through carbohydrate, both simple and complex, during your metabolic activities, such as walking to the parking lot, pacing to and from your cube, breathing, teaching your mouse to behave and repping 12 oz arm curls. Everything else goes to storage. You know where. 

With the passage of time this becomes your ritual. You have decided that money is more important than your health. You kinda like being a Fat Cat. Your kids like their toys and gadgets and the sigother likes the trips to Paris and club membership. The BMW is shiny and why would you ever want to walk instead of driving the golf cart?

More time passes. Your doctor suggests a diet. There are occasional life style issues. You can't keep up. Vitality, energy, endurance, performance slipping away like the memory of your glory days in High School or at the U. You have made a successful segue to the middle. A day dawns that you realize you can no longer touch your toes. You go through denial. Your doctor now prescribes a diet with exercise. 

More time passes if you are lucky. If you haven't had some form of heart disease, diabetes or disabling injury, there is precious little time. You begin the long, slow, painful, merciless journey back to good health, pleased that you had the wisdom to see the folly in your initial priority ranking. 

Your fortune has been made. Your kingdom built. Your family raised. You have the respect of the business world and complete acceptance in your community. You are on rehabilitation road. The way back. Bravo.

You have priorities. Please place your health and fitness at the top. There is no one else that can make this decision for you. It is all on you. Please reconsider and act appropriately. Today. 

That road back? It is a long one.