This is Part 3 of my series of posts regarding my lessons learned from cycling. Part 1 can be found at this link, and Part 2 at this link. This week's post is a little different from the previous two posts, as this week I am going to focus on two lessons which can also be viewed as two sides of the same core lesson. However, they run even deeper than the surface value and truly have had a wide reaching impact for me.
Lesson 5: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later
Since I began my weightloss journey, I have had a shift in my mentality around my approach to when and what to spend money on as it related to health related decisions (though it also influences many of my financial decisions). This mentality shift was that either I can pay for something now, for example a bike, or I can pay later for my inactivity in increased health expenses. It may not always be a monetary payment either, and often the non monetary payments can be the most extreme. As an example, I can "spend" one hour of my day EVERY DAY working out (paying now) or I can sit on the couch for that one hour and sometime in the future see an increased risk of heart disease (paying later). Another great example is food. Is it less expensive to have the fast food value meal? Absolutely, but I can pay for healthy and nutrient dense food now or pay with my health later. This has become a foundational perspective in our household as we have shifted to making decisions to spend NOW (financially and otherwise) rather than paying the consequences later.
I can pay for something now, for example a bike, or I can pay later for my inactivity in increased health expenses.
I have found this lesson to be deeply impactful from a health and fitness perspective, but it goes beyond that singular area of focus. The approach to purchasing consumer goods is another great area where this principle applies. As an example, I can buy a piece of clothing from a bargain retailer (online or brick and mortar) that will save me money today, or I can purchase a higher quality garment that will last me five times longer. In the long run, the higher quality garment likely has a lower "cost of ownership" due to how it holds up over time. This does NOT mean that buying the most expensive item is always the best QUALITY, and great care must be made to ensure that the cost/benefit makes sense. However, if a high quality commodity can be afforded it often leads to a better cost savings over time.
Lesson 6: Use It or Lose It
In my first several months riding with Hudson Velo, I began to build some relationships with folks in the club while on the bike (fitness groups are a great way to network and meet folks with similar interests). What someone looks like on the bike is very different then when they are in street clothes. Therefore, it took me some time to piece together who everyone was and their individual backgrounds. During this time, I met a member of the club that was in outstanding physical shape. He rides EVERY day of the year (in northeast Ohio, that's a HUGE accomplishment) and has the fitness to show for it. He would always ride up to the start of our group rides and be at the front of the group for the whole ride and then ride home. I knew he was older than me, but based upon his fitness and muscle tone I assumed he was no older than 40. Months went by before I actually saw him without a cycling kit and helmet. He looked a little older than I expected, to which I later learned he was in his 60s....
Atrophy is a real thing and a serious problem that is highly impactful.
This story is just one of many I can name in meeting cyclists from all over (there are folks in their 70s riding better than 90% of the population). They are consistently being active and they have the results to show from their efforts (do a quick Google search and you can find "old" people doing all kinds of amazing feats of strength and fitness). We have all seen the results of the opposite approach, where folks have their bodies begin breaking down (often far too young) due to a lack of use. You have the option to use your body (or knowledge, or skills) or you can lose them. Atrophy is a real thing and a serious problem that is highly impactful. This concept applies to any and all activities. If you don't use your fitness, you lose it. However, if you don't use your sewing skills you also lose those. If you don't use your reading skills, you lose them. This atrophy takes time and starts with "slowing" of your ability to do a task or skill, but will eventually lead to a complete loss of that skill.