My name is Keith. I am 52 years old and self employed. I have been fairly active most of my life. Always been the skinny kid. Decent sprint runner in gym class, but not what you would call an athlete.  In college I became fascinated with movement. I guess what could be called kinetics. I took a couple of elective dance classes. Never very talented, but they were very good exercise emphasizing stretching and mobility. I also lettered in fencing, of all things. Following college I lifted weights, did some hiking and ran some. On my wedding day I was 150 pounds. As usually happens, life became more sedentary with marriage.  When I was 40 I took up rollerblading, and started a small business. A couple of years later it payed off when my son played roller hockey and I assistant coached and did informal refereeing. When I was 48 I bought my first set of weights. Being a biology major in college, I had some sense of nutrition and physiology, however business, busy personal life and carelessness started to send me back downhill. It took 25 years, but in 2005 I was 198 pounds, not fat looking, but doughy faced with love handles.

 

Two years ago I found that I had inherited type 2 diabetes. It was still in a mild stage. Having seen a grandparent, mother and sister ravaged by it, I was determined not to give in. In addition my cholesterol was elevated. My dad had triple bypass at 56, back and knee problems (resulting in spinal fusion and double knee replacement.

 

In response I cleaned up my diet. I began rigorous cardio exercise and weightlifting. No magic. Just work. Within 6 months I had dropped to 165 pounds, my cholesterol had dropped to normal levels (the doctor still considers it high for a diabetic condition) and blood sugar levels and hemoglobin 1AC are in the normal range.

 

The biggest problem I have is presently my business is very successful and is eating up so much time. I seem to be perpetually tired and making the time for those life sustaining workouts is difficult.  But, I have to do it to live.