I was pondering the other day. So what else is new?

When you spend a lot of time on your own, you ponder. I mean, you can only spend so much of your day watching European football and “Love Island”. I so ponder.

Now the subject of this ponder was “Practically Well”. I’ve been putting out this little missive since October of 2018. 6 1/2 years, more or less. So, what’s the point? When I started, I was pretty clear on the “what”. It was a middle -aged midwestern guy, working in the supplement / wellness industry, observing all of trendy, “get fit quick” fads which often blow through Southern California before hitting the rest of the world. try to do a little research, look at it through the filter of common sense, and share my take with the 50 or so people who subscribe.

But it’s 2025. I’m no longer in my 50’s, no longer in the wellness biz and no longer on the west coast. And I think the focus of Practically Well has shifted. There’s still an aspect of wellness, because that will always be a part of my life. But I think that the blogs, or vlogs, or whatever they are, also have become a bit of a personal journal. If you read these, you know about my life, my family, my gigs, my preferences in food, entertainment , life in general. And I don’t think that’s a negative development. Things change, grow & evolve . It’s healthy.

I feel like this piece is kinda circling back to the beginning.

What are we talking about?

I think my answer to that, from a wellness perspective, is Functional Fitness.

And just what is Functional Fitness, Bob?

I think functional fitness is a term that resonates with the 64 year old Bob. It’s the reason I go to the gym, I run, I practice at least of modicum of self-control when it comes to eating and drinking. I don’t work out to lift heavier than anyone else. I don’t run races to win them ( tho to be honest I do get a bit competitive in the midst of them). I do this stuff, I’ve made all of this a part of my life, because I want to be in charge of my life for as long as possible. I want to drive my own car, carry my own groceries, take out my own garbage, go dancing and be able to do, as my friend Pat says “the 5 dance moves” I have. BTW, she also said the 5 dance moves I have are “alright”, which I take as a great compliment. I want independence. I want mobility. I want the freedom to live my life unassisted.

I know. No man is an island. But I want to be able to take off and live on one if I feel like it. That’s why I modify my workout to include strength, core, cardio, and flexibility. I think the stretch / balance / coordination routine that I end most of my sessions with might be the most important part of my workout. Those things start to deteriorate in your 40’s, and my 40’s were a while ago. That’s why though I LOVE UDF’s peanut butter shake ( UDF is United Dairy Farmers. It’s a midwest thing..) I can’t remember the last time I had one.

Choices.

What do you want?

What are you willing to do to get it?

There are people my age and older who are in way better shape than me. That is what they want. And they are willing to do what it takes to achieve that. I’m more or less happy with the level I’ve been able to maintain. A fair amount of discipline with moments of indulgence.

Now, are there issues? Yup. My lower back and I are constantly in a state of negotiation. The running doesn’t help that. A torn meniscus . A slight cataract that my optometrist says I should ignore until it becomes an issue, whenever that is. And the regular aches and pains that accompany an active lifestyle at my age. The other alternative is inactivity, muscle deterioration, weight gain, decreased mobility, strength, and the mental and emotional depression that accompanies that lifestyle.

Nope. Thanks so much.

There are always new challenges. I’ve been trying to reform my tendency to snack late at night. I know it’s a mental thing. It’s my reward for getting through the day. Food is fun to me. Oral gratification is my jam. There is a new challenge coming up. It’ll affect my lifestyle, my activity, my schedule, all of the above. It’ll be interesting to see how I handle that.

No. I can’t talk about it yet. I’ll let you know.

But there. That’s a “State of the Bob” message, mid-2025 version. And the focus I’m going to put on Practically Well. Promote functional fitness for everyone, not just the over 50 crowd.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Talk later,

Bob