Awhile ago, 111 days or so, (But who’s counting?) I threw down the gauntlet on myself. Both elbows had gotten together behind my back, (try that sometime) and decided to stage a walkout of sorts. They’d function as required for everything but bodybuilding. Turns out I didn’t have any choice in the matter, and was forced to quit working out cold turkey.
The tendons were so tender I couldn’t even shake hands with Grandma without wincing, literally. The party was over.
Cutting to the chase, the days of BawldGuy Schwarzenegger were over. Three years later? The only measurement remaining the same was my height, 5′ 9″. The decent into the Valley of Lard was complete. What had once been a proud 182 pounds of well trained muscle seasoned with about 12-15% body fat, and a 33″ waist, was now BawldGuy Doughboy. My incredible expanding waist was now 41½” — body fat easily 35-40% — and I weighed in at a whopping 212! The photo ain’t me, but in another six months it could’ve been.
Holy Super-Sized Carl’s Jr. #4 Batman!
This is where I have to tie in bragging about how I got back into shape to real estate investing for retirement.
You’ve had an income property or two for several years now. They’ve grown in value, but you’ve let them get fat with far too much equity. Your capital has become fat and lazy, never having had to become stronger via tax deferred exchanges into more property. Capital only gets larger by way of constant vigilance and the disciplined execution of an intelligent Purposeful Plan.
By not exercising your equity when the opportunity(s) arose, you’ve turned it into stagnant capital, just laying around accomplishing little except being bigger than it was when you started. Other investors, the ones who’ve kept their capital/equity(s) moving when opportunity showed itself have grown their initial capital into a lean, strong, and productive portfolio.
The difference between a muscular and well performing real estate investment portfolio and a virtually moribund tub of lard, is the disciplined execution of an intelligently laid out Purposeful Plan.
Understanding that one concept will result in more investment success in 10 years than most investors experience in a lifetime.
The same goes for getting’ back into shape. (Ah, the segue master.) 
Walking the talk, I went through the steps of a Purposeful Plan one at a time.
1. What is my level of exercise/nutrition expertise?
Answer — Pretty high, as I’ve been so fortunate to have been trained by a world champ when I was a young man. Also, in my running days, (marathons) I lucked into meeting a nutritionist used by Olympic athletes. I’m by no means a slam dunk expert in either discipline. I do however know quite a bit more than the average man on the street.
2. What is my current and complete physical status?
Answer — Pathetic as outlined above. Fat, weak, heart/lungs a disaster, and way low energy.
3. What are the sources of ‘capital’ for my ‘investments’?
Answer — Membership in 24 Hour Fitness. Wife who encourages me to get going — employing that special encouragement technique known well by husbands around the world. Above mentioned knowhow. 20-something workout partner with no known sympathy/empathy gene and the propensity to have fun at my expense whenever the opportunity presents itself.
4. Establish my ‘profile’.
Answer — 56 year old fat guy strong enough to lift food laden forks, and able to move quickly only when hearing the words, ‘who wants the last piece of pie?’
My goals were aggressive but realistic. OK, mostly realistic.
5. Decide whether I’m in need of becoming Mr. Muscle Dude or Mr. Lean Live-Longer.
Answer — The following goals were established.
Note: Experience led me to predict my weight would end up in the 155-160 range.
6. Establish how long it will take to obtain my goals. Is the time allowed sufficient?
Answer — Starting at the beginning of August, I gave myself ’till the end of this year to get the job done. Experience told me that was reasonable as long as I actually followed the detailed Plan.
7. Establish my Reserve Account (Sominex or Ambien for the younger crowd.)
Answer — Being human at Thanksgiving was allowed. Eating at a favorite restaurant for lunch was included in the Plan. Less food was consumed on those days in anticipation of planned gluttony. An occasional extra day of cardio exercise was included as a balancing point.
Very supportive Trophy Wife. 20-something workout partner/son who has impeccable timing when it comes to ridicule.
No, ‘backup capital’ wasn’t gonna be my problem.
8. Explain the general process. It’s time for the Purposeful Plan.
The Plan
As of December 1st here are the results of executing the above Purposeful Plan.
My waist is now a little under 32″. This is verified by tape measure and 32″ slacks that are a little loose.
My weight, the factor least important to me, has settled in at 157-159. It could drift lower over time.
My body fat is around 15-18% which is short of where I’ll ultimately end up. Time is on my side though, as I’ve successfully modified my lifestyle. My diet has returned to what’s it’s been the vast majority of my adult life. Daily exercise including weight training, abdominal work, and cardio action are now the rule.
Lessons relearned?
If we take in less calories than we put out we lose weight and inches. There’s gotta be a way we can make money from that idea.
A reasonable program combining cardio, weight training, and abdominal work will not only make you stronger and in better overall shape, but will turbo charge your daily caloric deficit. Factoid: A pound is lost for every 3,500 calories which are burned over your caloric intake for any time period.
Being slim and lean with more strength and endurance beats being a middle aged tub of lard.
Imagine enjoying your retirement for 40 or 50 years! Imagine living those years as incredibly lean and healthy and energetic. Pretty cool, eh?
Mission Accomplished through an intelligent and knowledgeably laid out Purposeful Plan.
Related posts:
- How Investing For Your Retirement Is Like Getting Back In Shape — Besides The Plan
- Retirement Income –Real Estate Investment — 1031 Exchanges — Purposeful Planning
- Purposeful Planning Articles
- Retirement Dreams — The Old Mare — Purposeful Planning
- How Purposeful Planning Worked for the Greens—First Time Investors
About BawldGuy
Jeff, I SO know what your point is here — and it is a good one — but with the holidays here and a new year coming I can’t help but get on the elliptical first thing every morning! I am living testimony that it is easy to become a tub of goo in one part of my life while not good in another (my work). Lesson? Balance, baby! Money, brains and success mean nothing without health.
Amen Brother.
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