Well, here it is — I turned 42! A new year. Technically the “new year” doesn’t start for another month, but every year I treat my birthday like my own personal reset button. It just so happens to fall right at the end of the calendar, so it lines up perfectly.
This year, 2025, I decided it’s finally the year I take some big, deliberate steps toward better health. I’ve struggled with my weight since I was a kid — so if you ever need calorie-counting advice, I’m your guy. I’ve had some wins too; I’ve lost 30–40 pounds a couple of times… and then put it right back on. I’ve always looked at weight from a vanity standpoint instead of an overall health thing, and honestly, I’m convinced that’s 95% of the problem.
Then came late 2024 and my 41st birthday. I started noticing some things about my body that didn’t feel right. So, I took my mom’s advice and met with her doctor — someone she’s been hyping up forever. For context: I hadn’t been to a doctor (other than urgent care) since 2005. Almost twenty years. My new primary care physician checked everything out — and yes, I really got to know him in the process. Without oversharing, he suggested a CT scan, an ultrasound, and a visit with a specialist. He didn’t find anything wrong, but he had concerns.
What I love about this guy is he’s younger than me — which means, unless something wild happens, he’ll likely be my doctor for life. Dark joke, but if you know me, you know that’s exactly how I meant it. He’s also extremely thorough. Thankfully, all the scans came back clear, and I got some peace of mind heading into 2025. The other concern was my blood sugar and possibly being pre-diabetic. Ugh. Not surprising, but still not great. I’m not huge, but I’ve got about 40 pounds I could comfortably lose. He pushed me toward a Mediterranean-style diet and said that if I needed more help, the weight loss center was an option.
But here’s the good part: at the follow-up, I was down 10 pounds. My numbers looked better, and I officially moved from “obese” to “overweight.” A small win — but I’ll absolutely take it.
All of that wrapped up in June, and while I put a couple pounds back on afterward, it wasn’t anything dramatic. Recently I cleaned up my home gym — really just an empty space in my barn — and got back to the one program that has always worked for me: StrongLifts 5×5. It’s simple, it’s structured, it’s three days a week, and it uses progressive overload (which my brain apparently loves). My plan was to restart on my birthday, but I decided to give myself a running start. Since November 1st, I haven’t missed a single workout. Between the SL 5×5 app and ChatGPT giving me a little extra shove on the days I need it, I actually feel like I’m building something sustainable. I’m heading into week four, still excited to lift, my mood is better, and I haven’t weighed myself yet — because honestly, the scale doesn’t matter right now.
My point in writing all this: don’t give up on yourself. I don’t consider 42 “old,” but it’s definitely not “young.” Still, you can restart your life any day, any moment. Get your priorities straight, decide what matters, and give yourself permission to be the best version of you.
I’m calling this year Healthy 42 — and this time, I actually mean it.
Here’s to year 42. Let’s go.
