Why don't we spend more time discussing fitness and nutrition?

I count my calories, in order to maintain my weight. I don't really care what kind of foods I eat or what kind of calories they are, or if something is high in fat, cholesterol, sodium, etc. As long as it fits into my calories.

Not that I eat particularly bad things usually.

A lot of men in my family didn't live to be much older than I currently am. My dad was 56, his brother was 47. I just turned 46.

Hoping to break that trend.

 

Were your dad and uncle smokers, drinkers, and/or "meat & potato" kinda guys?
My dad was all three--deat at 54.

 

My dad was a cigarette smoker off and on as a young adult. I don't think he smoked after 34 though and was only a pack a day at most when he was smoking. I remember him saying he smoked as a teenager and then quit when he met my mom. Then he started up at some point again in his early 20's and quit briefly in between and then quit for good around 34. He was a heavy weed smoker his whole life. I doubt he went a day without smoking weed from his teenage years until he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

His brother was a cigarette smoker until he died, roughly a pack a day. I remember him saying he quit for a few years in his early 30's, then resumed the habit in his late 30's. He was also a big drinker from the time my grandmother died, up until he died. Which was about just shy of 20 years. Only beer though, not really anything other than beer. He had a heart attack right after his 47th birthday. Neither of them were overweight. There were many nights my uncle (I called him my cousin, as he was only 11 years older than me) didn't eat a whole lot and would just drink his beer. They were both in above average shape for men of their age at the time they died. Well my dad was until he got cancer a year before his death.

 

If not surfing, I run, or workout. Had I not stayed in relatively decent shape over the years, I would not have been able to begin surfing 4 1/2 years ago at 57.
I do mostly body weight or core exercises: pull-ups, push-ups, dips, squats with kettle balls. No longer use the heavier weights - no need to bulk up. For variety I'll get on the exercycle or rowing machine for a half hour.
Staying fit also has allowed me to do things with my grown "kids". Last month, my boys and I ran in a half marathon race in Williamsburg.
Need to work on my diet more though. Like my beer and pizza.

 

That's crazy, imo. I know people do it and really dig it, but to me... sorta pointless. Definitely not worth risking your life for.

 

The reason I ask is because it sounds as if "lifestyle" were responsible for your dads and uncles early demise, as it was for my dad. Point being, you need to fear LESS that this will be your fate as well, simply because you are avoiding the same lifestyle. In other words, unless they were told so, "familial cholesterolemia" (genetic cholesterol predisposition) is not necessarily the culprit, so you need not worry about it for yourself, or any children you may have. Again, my dad went out at 54; I am 66 thanks to my living a cleaner lifestyle, and my wife always insuring I eat well and go surfing, biking, walking, weights, in order to keep me around.
Keep up the good work.

 

Great recovery!!!

 

Lmao, That was awesome!

 

Yesterday I took a day long Bikram Yoga posture Clinic. The one message that came through and through is if you do not want to end up with a walker and eventually into the wheelchair then do yoga. While I believe that message about the yoga being helpful I do not think it is mutually exclusive. As long as we work our bones, joints, tendons, muscles, stretch, eat healthy, and stay active that will help us. With this American life of desktop jobs that most American's lead that leaves our bodies unused and ultimatley unable to function properly as we get older. Therefore many end up with the walker and ultimately the wheelchair. No thank you. If I had time to surf five days a week that is probably all that I would need. But our surf sucks here and I never have time to do that anymore. As we age we must work harder to overcome the eventual decline that happens to everybody. If we do that then we extend our chances of reaching the Fountain of Youth. We have all seen those old guys in the lineup, I want to be one of them!

 

Barry, if you don't mind.....sharing info.

You're a lifelong surfer. You lived in PR, surfed all the breaks there. Surfed many breaks, obviously, and settled or returned or stayed with New England.

What made you chuck it all at the age you did? Was it financial, time passing by, you realized you didn't have to work anymore, you took early Social Security, you took early payoff, you paid your house & now you're debt-free....

I would be confident in saying that there are many young'uns & maybe not-so-young'uns who could take a few tidbits from your story to apply to their own lives in a positive, productive sense.

Not putting you on the spot. But kinda putting you on the spot. Leadership from one who has the scar tissue & can share the lessons learned, so to speak.

 

I have an exercise bike in my room, which I try to do for an hour a day, but I don't get a chance with my work schedule. Which is okay, because when I'm at work, I'm on my feet all day and I burn a ton more calories than I would with an hour on the bike. When I have off in Spring/Summer, I do make sure to do an hour on the bike every day and when I'm going to the beach or surfing in town, I use a bicycle or even walk sometimes. It's less than a 10 minute bike ride and less than a 20 minute walk to the beach, so there's no need to drive. Parking is a rip off anyway and hard to find, on top of that. So whenever I'm just going to the beach in town, even if not surfing, I ride my bicycle. Even when I surf in the Winter in town, I usually take my bicycle, unless I'm pressed for time and I have an inkling that it might not be worth surfing in town. I can take my truck up there and get out and check, then get back in the truck and drive somewhere out of town directly from there. I just did an hour on my bike tonight.

I definitely live a cleaner lifestyle than them. I do think we have some heart issues for some of the male's in the less immediate family on my dad's side, but the lifestyles of those individuals wasn't the best. I just saw my brother this weekend when I was out West on business, he's almost a whole 11 years younger than me. He just turned 35 and while walking, he gets winded much faster than I do. He's very thin, but he's a heavy smoker. One thing I used to do and still do when I have time is walk around a mall, particularly in the Summer when it's hot. Because I can walk 5 or 6 miles inside the mall just by doing laps in circles and it's climate controlled. Much better than walking around on those 85 degree and hazy, hot and humid days in the Summer. I remember taking him when I was late 20's at the time and he was like 16 or 17 and he wouldn't even walk more than 2 laps around. Here we are close to 20 years later, and his conditioning is very poor for a thin 35 year old.

On my mom's side, there's a lot of obesity and overweight people. Though the lifespan on that side is surprisingly high. I was very overweight in my late teens to mid 20's.

 

Well, to answer that, and I am willing to do so, what do you mean by "chuck it all"?? Throw it away?? Give up?
If that is what you meant, I haven't given up--as my friends know, that just isn't me.
However, as you enter your 60s (age), priorities change. Family has always been my #1 priority. I know it is a sore issue with you, and frankly understandably so, but my success at continuing (having more than enough until I reach 100 or better for the 2 of us) enjoying what I do is due to my wife. Not once in 46 years did I ever hear, "You cannot do that". I come home from work, there is a 3 course dinner (home cooked) waiting for me. I come home from surfing, " there is a 3 course dinner (home cooked) waiting for me". And all the other benefits.....
That has been like that since I was 22, and continues today--I have no reason to chuck it. In that domain, I hit the jackpot.
Finances--invest, and start as early as you can; if you realize this late? Invest--just add more to the pot monthly, if you can. And take an interest in your investments, and stay with dividend producing stocks- MRK, PFE, DOW, XOM,etc. Bonds funds--try a PIMCO fund. I have been in one called PONDX since inception--. And do not cash out every time the market burps or even vomits. A quick glance at the S&P 500 chart from 1929 on tells you all you need to know about the markets direction.
Surfing has always been a priority, but 2nd to family. I usually take one surfing trip destination (my choice) per year, and one non-surfing trip a year (wifes choice). We just scheduled a trip to France (Paris and Provence) for this Fall. Will I miss a couple of weeks of the best swell time in NH?? Perhaps, but the ocean will still be there when I get back. And so will the "I come home from work, there is a 3 course dinner (home cooked) waiting for me." Sharing, it works for us.

On the surfing points, my friends here in NH, many have told me they started surfing larger swells only after seeing me go out in them. I say, "Meh, I was used to it from PR". Actually surfing large waves is easier than surfing smaller waves--you have more playground to carve with , more energy to make the board work easier, etc. Of course, you can pay a greater penalty on making an error, but that passes within 15 seconds usually. Get good at carving small waves is good prep, but even when you are ready for bigger waves, make sure you retain some fear and respect--it will keep you analyzing what you are doing out there. No fear=no brains on very large days. The best surfers STOP and analyze a large break BEFORE going out; they take their time doing so, and so should we.

I am retired now. I probably have seen the last of places like Tres Palmas on its bigger days. But that is okay; been there, done that. I am happy now with head high days, etc. One more goal for me will be to teach my grand-daughter water skills--first swimming, boogie boarding, then surfboards, but that is still a couple of years to go.

One final word--most of what I learned in life about life, I learned on surfboards in PR. Risk, analysis, observation, fun, safety, ecology, biology, geology, climate, etc. Surfing has been a good teacher. My best social teacher has been my daughter--when I saw the ****t she has had to put up with just because she was born female, it was a lesson hard to swallow. And now, my grand-daughter will teach me the same all over again. The world hasn't changed socially. Probably never will until we have a DNA mutation and makes us a "new& improved" species. It won't take much--less than 1% DNA change can turn us all into porpoises.

 

Wisdom... Thanks, BC.

Reminds me of something some pro said that rang true for me... the most important thing surfing has taught me is how do deal with things that are out of my control. That goes for the big days, when you're taking chances and suffering consequences if you screw up... and for the flat spells. There's a strange similarity between those two extremes, even though they appear to be opposites.

And that extends beyond my surfing life, and into the bigger picture of life in general... losing loved ones, for example. Things like that are beyond your control... and you just have to accept it. Surfing helped give me those skills.

 

whoa barry

 

When I mentioned "chuck it all" I was referring to the working world. Should have been mo' clear there. As in what prompted you, or enabled you, to cease the working routine.

Your post, though, is Fourume gold. Appreciate you sharing that info. And, btw, I don't think they make women like that anymore

 

Thanks for sharing Barry, good sh*t!

 

I know I'm super late on this workout bandwagon but go skateboard.. I know it doesn't help much paddling but it's definitely a great crossover. I have 10lbs weights and a pull-up bar at work I'll sneak off to sometimes. Also do unbalanced push-ups. I put part of a 2x4 on the handle of a dumbbell feels like a hard pop up.

 

Thanks Barry

 

Leaving my career was not easy. You get up everyday for 35 years in an occupation that you like, and then it is gone. For good, and only because life mandates you make room for the younger. Accepted. What prompted me to leave was changes in retirement policies were imminent--had I not left when I did, I would have lost 500K. No brainer to leave then.
What surprised me is how many of my colleagues made every excuse possible when young, to NOT invest in the 40K (free money, really), simply because they wanted to travel, drink more, smoke more, etc. They are still working. Investing is a long term haul--put it in and don't take it out, unless serious illness. Trading, to contrast, is a short term haul, and I have fun doing it, plus I don't have to tap into other funds....yet. Keeps me connected to the business world. I don't like passive investing (funds), I prefer to be active. I am with Warren Buffett on the idea of not using money managers. Do it yourself--it is your money; you will do better in the long run.

The first 2 years out of retirement I was not enjoying it--I like to work; so trading has become my job. I am my own boss, my own IT, my own research director. The only position I am not is Chief Domestic Officer (CDO)--I abide with her decisions. I earn it, she spends it. We both like it that way. Fortunately, she is frugal, does not want a Mercedes or a BMW, or fancy stuff.