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Getting Fit At Last

It’s Never Too Late to Get Fit!

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Fitness Report — April 2015

April 8, 2015 By James Salmons

In some ways March may well have been my most successful “getting fit at last” month to date. Every aspect of my fitness program showed substantial progress. I have even passed a couple of milestones that mean a lot to me.

So far I have not decided on a way to celebrate reaching these progress points. Surely something will pop into mind soon—something other than going out to eat!

Weight Loss Progress

During March I reduced my weight more than in any other month since beginning my fitness program just one year ago. A couple of times I managed to lose 6 pounds but this is the first time to lose as much as 7 pounds.

April 2015 weight loss chart

The month began with my weight at 206 pounds. It ended at 199 pounds. These numbers are remarkable in that they reached two milestones. First, I passed the 50 pounds of overall weight loss, and second, I got below that unwelcome 200 pound mark.

There are a number of factors at play in this improvement in the number of pounds lost in one month. Two are notable and will significantly affect my long term thinking and overall progress.

First, about a month ago I did some…

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Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit, Weight Loss

Fitness Report — March 2015

March 1, 2015 By James Salmons

snow on mugo pine

It may not be Spring, but March is a month of expectation. We could have some cold days and lots of new snow (where I live in Minnesota, USA), but we all know that by the last part of the month the snow will be melting and days will begin to get warmer.

This kind of thinking pretty well describes my weight loss progress as well. Right now I am trying to stay the course, get through the grind of the middle ground and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. I can’t quite see it yet, but I know a light is just around the corner so I am fortifying my determination and looking forward to my weight loss “Spring.”

February Weight Loss Progress

Last month I observed that my steady weight loss has been continuing for long enough now that I am beginning to feel really good about the plan I am following. That confidence is getting stronger all the time.

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Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit, Motivation

Fitness Report — February 2015

February 3, 2015 By James Salmons

two aprins in hand

Like much of America, our area was hit hard by the flu in January. Several in our household caught the bug. Personally, although I never experienced full blown flu symptoms, I was definitely under the weather for a couple of weeks.

For that reason I look at this last month as being somewhat on hold regarding my overall health goals. But because it remained a period of steady progress as far as my weight loss program in concerned (which is my primary focus for now) I count it as another good month.

January Weight Loss Progress

My steady weight loss has been continuing for long enough now that I am beginning to feel really good about the plan I am following. While I have never had (or attempted to achieve) dramatic weight loss in any month, I have consistently lost a few pounds every month. That has been my goal and I am happy to know I am finding success in achieving it.

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Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit, Weight Loss

Fitness Report — January 2015

January 3, 2015 By James Salmons

December proved to be a good month overall in my personal getting fit at last project. As the year came to a close I could only be thankful for the positive change in the direction of my health brought about by my getting fit at last project. I am really looking forward to 2015 and to the goals I have in mind for the next twelve months.

December Weight Loss

While getting fit means more than just losing weight, there is no question that losing excess weight remains as my number one objective at this time. It has been over the course of the last year and will remain so for most if not all of 2015.

Weight loss chart through Jan 2015

As the graph indicates, my weight loss for December was modest, as it has been over the course of the year, but still steadily moving down which is most important. On a personal level reaching the 215 mark has been a cause for celebration. While I am still considerably overweight, this marks the half-way mark in my overall quest to lose eighty pounds.

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Filed Under: Dieting, Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit

Dr. David B. Samadi Nails It!

December 21, 2014 By James Salmons

Portrait of Dr. David Samadi

When interviewed on a network news show today (December 20, 2014), Dr. David B. Samadi, Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and contributor to the weekly Sunday Housecall program, was asked to comment on safe eating over the holidays and how to lose weight in the long term for those who were overweight.

He managed to state in a matter of just a few sentences just about everything a person needs to know to lose weight and establish healthy eating habits….

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Filed Under: Dieting, Exercise, Getting Fit, Nutrition

Fitness Report — November 2014

November 3, 2014 By James Salmons

Although not perfect, October has been a good month as far as progress on my fitness journey is concerned. As is human nature, I am never satisfied totally, but in general I should be happy with what I achieved during the month.

Weight Loss Achieved

This is where I should be most pleased but exactly where I feel a little disappointment. I really wanted to get under the 225 pound mark, but it did not happen. Close (within 1½ pounds), but no cigar, as they say.

Nevertheless, I did break the plateau I was on, as the chart shows. Although I lost only a little over a pound a week, the rate was better than in the previous month when I hit something of a plateau. In addition, I reached the one-third mark as far as overall weight loss progress is concerned.

November 2014 weight chart

There is a particular reason I look forward to getting under that 225 pound mark. I remember very well the first time I hit that level going up. At that time it seemed really extreme. I could not believe it was possible I had gotten so heavy. Yet, after losing a bit I soon started up and went way past that mark.

This time I only want to wave at it in passing, on my way down, and never look back. Then I can start looking forward to the 200 mark in a similar fashion.

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Filed Under: Dieting, Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit

A Fit Body is a Moving Body

October 25, 2014 By James Salmons

You have heard it said that first you make your habits and then your habits make you. Clearly, when it comes to fitness there is a lot of truth in that statement.

Stuck In Traffic

Have you noticed lately how fast, let me take that back, how slowly most people seem to walk. Today I had to go to town for something or another and I noticed that after only a short time of stepping up my exercise level I felt restricted by the pace of the walking traffic.

People walking on sidewalk

Now believe me, at this point I am not fit! I am barely starting to get some movement into this old body. Yet, even now after just a few weeks I find myself impatient to get around and past those pokey folks in front of me on the sidewalk.

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Filed Under: Exercise, Getting Fit

Easy Does It

October 20, 2014 By James Salmons

One of the secrets to success in any project is initiating that first step. How can you get started? It is so easy to just keep thinking about something without ever doing anything about it. This post is about one trick I have found helpful.

Why Start Slowly?

Elephant

Often the reason it is hard to get started on a project is because it looks so difficult. It may not be that it is overwhelmingly complicated, it could be that it is just so big. Or perhaps it is something that will obviously take a long time. Or something that pays no benefits for a while.

In any of these cases it is often helpful to get started by taking some small, at times even miniscule steps. You know the old question, “How do you eat an elephant?” and the answer, “One bite at a time.”

Over the years I have applied this concept to many projects. My experience has been very positive and I know that I have gotten many projects done starting that way—things that might never have gotten done otherwise.

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Filed Under: Exercise, Getting Fit

Fitness Progress Report – October 2014

October 13, 2014 By James Salmons

[10-10-2014] This report covers the first few months on my “fitness at last.” journey. It begins in April 2014 and ends near the beginning of October.

There is no sugar coating, just plain facts. I’m not out to impress anyone, only to deal with reality and to correct my course for the next few months. Overall my progress has been slower than I would like, but it is in the right direction.

In the Beginning

The most important thing I did was to start! For years I kept saying to myself that I just had to get into shape. I knew I was spending too much time sitting in front of my computer and not enough time doing anything active. I knew I had developed poor eating habits, not that I disliked or did not eat good food at meals so much but that I did a lot of snacking.

baby chick by egg shells

Because I regularly nibbled away on a sack of Doritos, Peanut M&M’s, cashews or other such junk food while working at the computer and did little to work off calories, my weight bloated up to 255 pounds, mostly around my waistline—the worst place health wise. But I only thought about doing something significant to change my situation; I never got around to doing anything for years.

It is hard to say what brought me to that day when I actually decided to start taking action toward getting some weight off. It may have been the stomach pain I experienced every time I had to change my socks! But I have to say that finding the motivation required was the most crucial, and most difficult, step toward getting started.

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Filed Under: Dieting, Exercise, Fitness Report, Getting Fit

Getting Fit At Last!

October 12, 2014 By James Salmons

You’ve heard it before, “It’s never too late to get fit.” OK. I want to believe it. In fact, inside I know it really is true. But dog gone it. My experience is that in many ways the older you get the harder it gets. And I am definitely getting older!

Author sitting in Lazy-boy

For years I have been thinking about it, even reading a little about it from time to time. But thinking and reading about it while sitting in front of my computer nibbling on Doritos or peanut M&M’s is not enough.

However, I am determined to make it happen, and to make it happen beginning now. OK, I’ll be honest. I’ve even said that before. But this time I really want it to be different.

That is one of my reasons for trying this open to the world approach. If I think anyone is watching it may just be the added bit of pressure I need to succeed.

On this site I am going to share my progress along with what I am learning along the way. I know it will help me to do better and I am hopeful that it can help others as well.

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Filed Under: Dieting, Exercise, Getting Fit

Welcome to Getting Fit At Last!

my-weight-loss-to-date-80

If you are getting a little older, or even expecting to do so some day (perhaps sooner than you would like) and want to be fit as a fiddle during those latter years of life, I invite you to join me in exploring ways to do just that.

On this site you will find lots of discussions about how to lose weight, appropriate exercise, good food to eat and other information about healthy living for senior adults. But mostly you will find motivation and encouragement to help you take on the goal of fit living with enthusiasm.

Welcome. Let's get fit together!

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