SOme people *do* get strong fast!

[Geonz]

http://www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=837#body

This guy decided last year at age 65 to shape up - cholesterol 200, couldn't walk half a mile. Now he's doing RAGBRAI... (lucky genes, I guess!)

[chickwhorips]

wow. good genes and lots of modivation!

[mimitabby]

that is further proof that our modern lifestyle is the major part of most
peoples' health problems!

[salsabike]

Last time I saw my doc, a major athlete herself, she told me she'd been treating an Olympic decathlete for years. He trains 5-6 hours a day, 7 days a week, "has the body of an Adonis", and has been on cholesterol-lowering medication for years; without it, his cholesterol is over 300. She said it was just plain bad genetic luck.

[Rai Sue]

i'm a skinny vegetarian who's fit and active and i don't eat a lot of eggs, dairy, or junk food. My cholesterol always hovers between 350 and 380--since i first got tested as a young teen! :eek:

It's totally bad genetics. :( Wierdly, the side of my family that has this genetic cholesterol problem doesn't die of hear/cholesterol problems so i try to not worry about it too much.

[Luci]

That's good to hear. My husband quit smoking and then began exercising when he met me. Poor guy. I took him to Moab and took him on the beginner loop on Slickrock when we were dating. I think the embarassment of having a hard time and the feeling of lungs climbing out of his chest inspired him. 6 years later now, he's in good health and went vegie last year. Still battles the tryglicerieds though and gets frustrated.

I see women in their 80's doing pretty great things and I intend to be right there with them, not sitting on the couch.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Like most have already said, genetics certainly plays a factor in our health and well-being.

Still, it is very uplifting to see the countless people who have overcome a prediposition towards one problem or another, and who instead, are very healthy.

I agree with mimi too, that this lifestyle that many westeners have, particularly in america where everything revolves around cars, is quite destructive for soooo many reasons!

As an example, my car was stolen recently. I have not and am hoping not to replace it. I can't tell you how much more active I am now, little things, like walking to the market, the drug store, catching transit, etc - none of which I'd have done before.