“Are you okay?”

the gym nautilus_stairmaster_freeclimber_4400cl

I was probably about 3/4 of the way through my hour of exercise on the stairmaster, my head down, my hands clasping the top of the machine’s bars and my ear buds in, oblivious to what was going on around me.

I heard someone say something, but the voice didn’t sound familiar, and I ignored it.

Then I heard it again, louder and closer, so I looked up and saw that she was talking to me, with concern on her face.  I took out the ear buds so I could hear what she was saying.

“Are you okay?” the little old lady1 asked as she gestured towards my thoroughly soaked shirt and the puddles of sweat on the mat under the stairmaster.

I grinned and told her that I was fine – and, then, realized that she thought I was overdoing it with my heavy sweat and head lowered.

I held my phone up and turned the screen towards her.  “I’m watching a movie.2


1 I guess “old” applies to a large percentage of us at the gym in the middle of the day.  I think she was at least 10 years older than me, which would put her at 73 or older – but I could be wrong.
2 My Netflix workout plan.

aging, fitness, health, life, people, perception, retirement, seniors

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Grannymar Feb 1, 2015 Link

    Goodness Man, you will be giving Ramana ideas!

    Take it easy and enjoy the ride!
    Grannymar recently posted…Sunday One liners ~ 66My Profile

    • Mike Feb 1, 2015 Link

      Over the last year, I’ve slowly built up to where I am now physically. I actually wasn’t even breathing very hard.

      After a short hike late in 2013 that left me badly winded, I decided that I had to get back to the gym.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

  • bikehikebabe Feb 1, 2015 Link

    Ramana already knows how to do this. Ramana, get off that chair & move a little while you watch. –Easy to say.

    • Mike Feb 1, 2015 Link

      I have found it easy to get out of the habit of regular physical activity. I’ve done it too many times over the years. I feel so much better, though, over all, when I am working out on a regular basis.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

  • Rummuser Feb 1, 2015 Link

    What did I ever do to you ladies? Why are you after me? Unlike Mike, I don’t have to sweat puddles to get the attention of old ladies. Haven’t you read my post on The Lucy Effect?

    Jokes apart, Mike, you are an inspiration and these two good ladies may just be the impetus needed for me to get out and perspire.

    Incidentally, I was told by a Professor that human beings perspire and horses sweat. BHB, you should know.
    Rummuser recently posted…Chutki’s BlogMy Profile

    • Holly Feb 1, 2015 Link

      Ramana, you’re the one who mentioned your checkup. We just want to keep you healthy! 😉 Men perspire; women GLOW. (Sometimes, we even glow nuclear, but that’s another topic.)

      I got my workout in a different way, today! See the post, below:
      Holly recently posted…Volunteer! Houston Food BankMy Profile

      • Mike Feb 1, 2015 Link

        Holly, thanks for stopping by and commenting.

        When I saw the title of your post, I had to check it out. I can see where that would be a hard morning’s work.

        I left the Houston area when I joined the Navy 43 years ago. I went back for some short visits until my family left the area a few years later. We lived outside Houston to the northeast just off US 90 (Beaumont Highway). I graduated from CE King.
        Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

        • Holly Jahangiri Feb 1, 2015 Link

          I’m in the NW side, nearer Tomball. Where are you now? I’ve lived in Ohio, Florida, Oklamoma, and now here in Texas.
          Holly Jahangiri recently posted…Volunteer! Houston Food BankMy Profile

          • Mike Feb 2, 2015 Link

            We have lived in Arkansas in the same house for the last 34 years. Before that… I met Karen, my wife, at a USO dance held in the YWCA in Milwaukee when I was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. After we got married, we lived in Illinois, California, Idaho, Connecticut, Idaho (again) and then I got out of the Navy and we moved here. I retired from a nuclear power plant, the same one where I now work as a contractor.
            Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

    • Mike Feb 1, 2015 Link

      Funny!!! 😉 Thanks, Ramana; I really shouldn’t be an inspiration to anyone unless I can maintain my fitness regimen for quite a while longer. I’ve been to this point many times before only to falter when I let other things less important than health and fitness distract me.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

      • Holly Jahangiri Feb 1, 2015 Link

        Same here. I’ve been doing very well for the past month, but a glance at my blog on SparkPeople reminded me I’ve been RIGHT HERE before. Keeps you humble…
        Holly Jahangiri recently posted…Volunteer! Houston Food BankMy Profile

  • Cheerful Monk Feb 1, 2015 Link

    Wow! That’s quite a workout! I bounce or use my NordicTrack in front of Netflix at home, but I never glow from it. I just try to get at least 12,000 steps/day on my pedometer. And I go to the Y and use some of the weight machines every other day. Nothing that strenuous, but enough to make me feel good.
    Cheerful Monk recently posted…ExerciseMy Profile

    • Mike Feb 2, 2015 Link

      Part of my rational for the heavier workout is that I don’t want to have to closely watch what I eat in order to lose weight. I need to lose about 60 pounds. I’ve already lost about 15, but it’s been very slow. I don’t over-indulge, at least not often, but I also don’t starve myself.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

  • nick Feb 4, 2015 Link

    Your work-out programme is most impressive. I’ve never been to a gym in my life, but I don’t feel the need as I’m a healthy weight and pretty fit and healthy apart from slightly raised blood pressure. I walk for at least 30 minutes a day and I do leg exercises every week or so and that’s it. Oh and once a year I climb Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains, which is 850 metres.

    • Mike Feb 6, 2015 Link

      Thanks, nick. My physique is such that, if I’m not active, I can pack on the weight pretty easily. Unfortunately, I’ve had too many periods where I dropped the physical activity in favor of other interests. My best attempt at getting back into shape was not long after we joined the gym a little over 20 years ago. It involved a similar workout regimen. It’s taken me over a year to build up to being able to do this.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

  • Cathy in NZ Feb 4, 2015 Link

    I’m out of kilter with most of my exercise due to my foot problem – and although since the x-ray yesterday I know it’s not broken, I don’t think it is going to be an easy fix…more on that later when GP gets back to me on the matter.

    So although I can walk relatively long distances (some days) I can have payback that I really could do with out…

    • Mike Feb 6, 2015 Link

      I can certainly relate to physical issues limiting exercise. Over the years, mine have included a herniated disk that led to a temporary sciatica, torn rotator cuffs, and a sprained ankle. Unfortunately, for each of these I gave in to the limitation and didn’t get back to regular physical activity until well after I had healed.
      Mike recently posted…Drying Feathers.My Profile

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