O.K. - I Know You Jocks Are Gonna Make Me Run Laps For Asking This, But ...

 Oh wow that avitar is rich haha

 JFish, looks like that avatar may be what's "dragging you down!"  If you hadn't turned off your profile, you'd be getting all kinds of pm's!

Some of it is society...girls playing with dolls, boys playing king of the hill.  Men go in and conquer, take'er on and get'ter done.  I think post WLS, a lot of the drive is to compete against ourselves.  Beating our old body into submission and seeing what it will do.  As a 53 year old man (who has had 2 heart attacks) I know a marathon is no longer in sight.  But a 2 mile bike ride is there.  Getting the heart rate up and getting the blood pressure down is more important to me than the race.  On my profile you'll see me with the flat of eggs I won for coming in 3rd out of 4 runners (walkers) in my age division.  There were a lot of better runners in that Turkey Trot that day.  I walked 2/3s of the way.  It was just the idea of competing.  Being in the race of life.  I will say that there was no one on that course that day that was more proud of their prize than I was!!  I heald back the tears, but the emotions were there.  And it was not because I came in third either.  Not having people roll their eyes at me while I competed (wondering what is "he" doing on this course).  We have this new freedom given to us in life...after years and years of just getting by...I'm not going to take it for granted.  Brian 

Most of ya'll have heard my story - I'm 55, had 5 heart attacks, a stent and pacemaker put in in 2002.  At that time I was 49, owned a family fitness center, and was in great shape.  I worked out 6 days a week and loved it.  If I missed a workout I felt bad, mentally and physically.  But after the heart attacks and all, I was on 13 pills a day and told I couldn't do any exercise - all the meds and beta blockers kept me drained. I piled on the weight and blew up to almost 390 pounds. I felt like crap every minute of every day. I was developing more health problems by the month - sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, edema,  etc.  Then I was told by my cardiologist and PCP that I would propably not live another 2 or 3 years if I did not have WL surgery. .

WL surgery has enabled me to lose weight and get active again, so I can  enjoy my life. I NEVER want to get back in the shape I was in the last 6 years.  So, I walk, lift weights, and try to be as active as possible active every day in some form or fashion.  It ain't easy to work all day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then go to the gym and weight train and walk the treadmill.  Lots of days my mind tells me to just skip it and go on home and relax. Those are the days I make sure I get to the gym. Otherwise, everyday could easily become a "skip it" day.

I applaude, admire, and support each and every one  who does something in the form of exercise. Whether it is Chad and his triathalons, or Boner and Bob L. with their biking, or NotDave and his yoga, or someone who can only walk so that is what they do - makes no difference. They are doing something and moving - putting in the physical effort to succeed - rather than sitting and risking falling back to the old them.  That takes dedication, determination, and guts.
 
Personally, I've been through too much, risked my life, come too far,  and have too much living left to do to not try and be as successful as I can in my life after WLS.  I don't do it to be macho, or to get pats on the back, to win medals or trophies, or to brag or call attention to myself.  I am simply doing all I can to enable myself to be successful and continue living. 

My personal reward is feeling good and being able to enjoy life with my wife, kids and grandkids - and that means more to me than any trophy or medal could ever mean.

Good thread Counselor.

 Wow Bamaman ..   and GREAT inspiration for all of us!    

 I don't know. In my case,  I either have to change activities frequently or have to exercise where there are a lot of women in bikinis around me. I went from lots of heavy weights to P90X, then P90X accompanied with Bikram hot yoga. The different movements/ types of exertion give me  feelings of exhillaration. There are at least four types.

1) Exhillaration from hitting a heart rate of 170 or more repeatedly
2) Exhillaration from bending my spine like a pretzel
3) Exhillation from whip-like motions like karate moves 
4) Exhillaration from exercising in a 105 degree room for 90 minutes then being released to get in the shower.

Nuts, huh?

You forgot:

5) Dressing up like a Douche bag to show off your abs and one day get nominated on DBWHC.com

I don't think I look "real" enough for that. I mean open the page and look at the competition -especially the videos the have of douche and douchette conversation.  Way out of my league!

 Pro athletes often supplement with caffeine tabs. Caffeine really increases the enthusiasm. Also, taurine and creatine along with it (kind of like a super Red Bull).

I'm not a marathon runner, and I don't do any type of long distance events, I have some physical limitations that prevent it. But I do exercise regularly. I dont' know why someone who has had WLS wouldn't? There are just so many reasons we should exercise, I exercise because I like the way it makes me look, PLUS I want to reverse the aging process (or at least halt it). Obesity took a toll on my body, it did damage, while exercise wont' completely reveserse it, it does slow down things from getting worse.

Plus in the last few years, study after study show that consistant exercise enhances memory, brain function, etc. I want to be a healthy, active old person....not one that goes into a nursing home at 60.