When it comes to physical fitness and exercise, I’ve always gone by the motto “no pain, no pain.” The decal on the back window of my car shows my preferred marathon distance: “0.0.”
Yep, I’m that guy.
But saying all that, I have made meager attempts to hit the gym in recent years. My record is spotty. I’ll hit the gym twice a week for a few weeks, then not go back for months.
In recent years, I’ve had some ongoing health issues that have been addressed by medical professionals with a stern admonishment to do some walking.
“You need to move more,” the doctor said.
Well, yeah.
I’ve got a boat load of excuses for my sedentary lifestyle in my hip pocket, but I think I’ve run out of alibis.
When I was a kid, I heard people laughing about “dunlap” disease, where their stomach had “done lapped over their belt.” Ha ha.
Well, my “front porch” has grown to the size of the White House portico. I need to be fitted for a manzier. Or is it a “bro?” I’m looking down the barrel of a Type 2 diabetes gun.
So, this week I showed up at my local fitness center for the first time since December. Twice.
And this time, I will stay after it.
I know what you are thinking. “Yeah, right.”
But it’s a promise I made to myself, and I intend to be a promise keeper.
I won’t be a stranger.
Jim Stafford's BlogOKC 
Howdy, Jim: I support your noble cause. My personal thinking — nothing wrong with exercise. Just don’t push it to the point where you injure yourself.
To borrow a phrase: “Never let them see you sweat.”
Take care, man.
Go, Jim! At least we have time to be regular exercisers now that there are no deadlines, except for those we set for ourselves. … Listening to a good book on my Kindle carries me through. Try it! I have the app on my phone and can read the historical fictions my sis purchases. … or walk the track w/ your grandson. he could skip ahead and run back.