Fitness Beginning at 52

A letter from Danny Douglas

I’m 52, and this year started lifting weights for first time in my life. Between ages 18-21, I was in the United States Marine Corps, a Vietnam combat vet.  Once out of the Corps and as age crept up, plus working at a sedentary job, I woke up at age 51 being 65 pounds overweight, as well as being under-muscled.

I’m 5’10” and at that time I weighed 222.  On January 1, 2001, I could not do a single push-up for the life of me.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and also had spinal surgery last year;  I had the L-4 disc removed.  I’m sure the added weight and gut didn’t help it, either.

I am pastor of a church in Orange County, and our church got a corporate membership at a new LA Fitness gym across the street from the church.  I did not go in for the first four months of membership, because I was too ashamed at how out-of-shape I was.  I was intimidated by all the machines and the “buffed” guys working out there.

I started my fitness journey by riding my wife’s “Health Rider” that I had been using as a clothing rack.  Instead of going to the gym, I bought two 15 lb. dumbbells and started doing what I now know are called biceps curls.

In my mind, I figured I was too old to do anything, and that my Marine Corps fitness had been a lifetime ago.

I almost gave up, but didn’t.

Three months ago, I finally got into the gym and started working out regularly.  I also decided to cut out junk food, and as Dave Draper says, “Got the sugar monkey off my back.”  For the first time in 30 years, I am eating breakfast every day, no longer binge-eating, and eating more fruits, vegetables, fish, etc.  I’ve been doing healthy eating for the last three months and keeping a food journal.

For the last eight weeks, I have gotten to the gym at 4:30 AM to work out every Tuesday and Thursday, as well as when it opens on Saturday morning.  I do twenty minutes on a cycler, then hit the iron.  I’m learning and studying.  I get there early so I can still have time in the morning each day to do my Bible study before I go to the church office.  I have recaptured the discipline I had when I was a Marine sergeant.

The Results:  I am down from 222 to 198 lbs., and have gone from a 38-inch-waist pair of Levis to wearing 34-inch Levis 501’s, something I thought I would never get into again after twenty years.  I couldn’t do a single push-up on January 1, and hadn’t done a single chin-up since 1970, my last year in the Marines.  My goal was to be able to do 35 push-ups by September 1, 2001, and 50 push-ups by December 31, 2001.  Monday I did 41 push-ups and 5 chin-ups.

A goal reached is a goal lost, so I made a new goal.  My new goal is that on my 53rd birthday, I will pass the USMC fitness requirements — not for the 30-to-40-year-olds, like for the generals, colonels, majors, or master sergeants, but in the 18-to-25-year-old category, like right out of boot camp.  It’s a challenge, but I know I can do it.

— Danny Daniels