The impetus for change can come from many sources. Some people wake up one day, look in the mirror, and decide they are tired of the person looking back at them. Others see a friend make a life altering change and wish to follow in those footsteps. Others still may be inspired by the story of the stranger that has made a great change in their life. My reason for getting back into shape was not so noble.
My wife's college friends picked this summer to have a reunion of sorts. I've met a couple of them intermittently throughout my association with my wife, but I've never gotten to know any of them. Essentially they are strangers. The important part isn't the friend's I've met that will be there it is the one that I haven't. When my wife was in college she had a boyfriend as many college females do and this boyfriend and her were friends with the same people. The big point out of all this rambling is that her ex-boyfriend, the only other male she had a long term relationship with, will be there.
It was an innocent enough comment but it stuck in my mind. My wife was talking about this trip. How she was looking forward to having the time off and being on a beach relaxing, and then she mentioned the last time she'd seen her ex was at a wedding we were at and how he'd lost a lot of weight. I'd let myself go quite badly in recent years and this comment sparked something in me. I could give credit to my friend Anna Bruce because of her blogging about her fitness, but that isn't the truth even if it is more noble.
The truth is my wife mentioned her ex boyfriend had lost weight the last time she'd seen him and that jealous part of my brain kicked into gear. I felt the primal call of manhood, and knew I had to get into shape. Not for the reason of heart health, preventing diabetes, or trying to live longer, but for the reason rams but heads in the wild. My alpha male instincts kicked in and I had to get into shape so that when this trip happens there can be no question my wife choose the peacock with the brighter feathers.
As far as the working out itself it has one well. So many little aches and pains I attributed to being in my 30's were actually due to carrying too much fat. The distinction of fat and weight is important to me because I've lost a grand total of 10 pounds, but I've dropped two pants sizes and can now fit into clothing I haven't been able to for years.
The question of the ends justifying the means certainly applies, but then again what person wouldn't want to prove they were better than everyone from their significant others past? There is nothing wrong with being human and even less wrong admitting that being human makes you part of the animal kingdom. It may be a primal, alpha male urge that pushed me into this and pushes me on, but I am only as I was made and I have no issue admitting I was born from nature.
In the end it is a petty reason to get back into shape simply to show someone I've never met that I'm better than them, that I am the alpha male and there can be no question my wife made the correct decision. But at the end of the day I am in better shape than I was and newly committed to living a healthier lifestyle and that should be all that matters.
No comments:
Post a Comment