Healthy Dickey

Well, it’s been a week.
Last Wednesday I set foot in a gym for the first time ever. Each day since then, I have spent my lunch hour running 3 miles, and sitting in the steam room. And I’m not hurting like I had expected.

The showers were a mixed bag. I have never in my life used a communal shower, so it's a litle uncomfortable. In high school, it wasn’t an issue: I spent my Phys Ed classes smoking while playing, and doing as little as possible. In 2 years of that class, I don’t think I broke a sweat once.  The two nights I spent in jail were simple overnighters. No showers (thank christ), just time to sober up and wait for the bruises to fill out.
After 5 days, I’m more or less used to showering publicly. It feels great to go back to the office after lunch, fully refreshed and feeling like the day’s just started. Actually, that’s the biggest benefit to this.

I’m 36 years old.
I started smoking when I was 13, inhaling almost 25 a day for 2 decades, quitting when I was 33 years of age. I started drinking regularly around 15, and am only just slowing down now. I have a social drink, or cigar now, but am avoiding the binges.  But there is a 20-year span of this to account for, and this is probably the best way to do it.
Also, I realized that my dad was less than a decade older than me when he had 2 massive strokes. Heart disease and strokes are in my family like distant aunts and uncles.

I've been going to the gym for a week as a guest. Today I paid for the membership. I’ll have a “fitness assessment” next week, and a couple of $60 personal trainer sessions to show me how to do whatever it is that I need to do.
And then I’m off – 4 days a week, 1 hour a day, Fridays stay free to have a congratulatory cocktail.