Why Does A 50 Year Old Male Have A Health Blog?

Mostly because I am 50 years old.  Well, almost, I will be on my next birthday.  I'm definitely not getting younger but with some effort, I can see myself getting fitter and living better.  I have had some health issues in the last decade, most notably hypertension, high cholesterol, and cataracts.

So what am I doing about it.  Well, I started exercising, eating better, and generally trying to live better.  Of course, its not always easy.  I've developed a sedentary lifestyle and I love baked goods.  Guess I'm a carb junkie as well as a bit of a computer geek.  All of this from someone who grew up on a farm and did a hitch in the Army.

So I'm walking more, standing more (increasing my body movements), and intending on spending more time on the Wii.  I should start jogging but maybe a bicycle would be easier to start with.  My joints aren't what they used to be.  And with spring starting, it won't be long before I can spend some time in the swimming pool.

As far as my workout goes, I've been doing a combination of things, not one set workout regimen.  Some of what I do was learned in elementary school, some in high school, some in the Army, and the rest from a combination of TV exercise shows and books, or websites, on fitness.  There are some great workout programs out there and I would love to profile some of them here.  So we'll see how that goes.

Most of what I do tends to be stretching and range of motion exercises.  I spend a lot of time on these, working on my flexibility and joint strength.  I've come a long way but have further to go.  I need more cardio and strength training and to work on my endurance.  I started out last year with mostly upper body with some lower body, then started concentrating more on the lower body.

Working a lot on my core now and have seen improvement there.  Now if I could lose more belly fat I might start working on a six-pack.  Of course, taking a few months off in the latter part of last year didn't really help.  But I have learned a lot and hope to impart some of that knowledge to others through this blog.  I'm thinking I want to take a look at interval training and see what its all about.

I'm not a professional trainer by any means (this should be evident so far) and am not a fanatical health nut either.  I just want to improve my quality of life and share some of my research and observations with others.  I love to meet new people and am looking forward to making friends with like-minded individuals.

So, if you're interested in health, family, finance, or generally improving yourself and your quality of life, feel free to tag along.  Hopefully I can come up with some topic of interest to you, and maybe even provide a little entertainment and education along the way.  All comments and personal insights are welcome and encouraged.  So please feel free to add your two cents worth.  Live long and prosper.