Day Twelve- Flips, Fitness & Second Chances: A Middle-Aged Man's Return to Gymnastics
- Jay M. Horne
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Day 12: Real Life Happens
Twelve days into this journey, and today brought an important lesson about maintaining perspective when life's temptations and realities intersect with our fitness goals.
The Numbers Today
My weight dropped back down to 192 pounds after yesterday's slight increase to 193, confirming that daily fluctuations are normal and the overall trend remains positive. My 5K time was 34:40, slightly slower than yesterday's 34:08 but still maintaining the significant improvement from earlier days.
A Moment of Honesty
Today I succumbed and had a few vodkas. There, I said it.
This might seem like a confession of failure, but I'm choosing to view it differently. First, I managed to keep within my caloric deficit for the day despite the drinks. Second, even the most disciplined athletes have moments where they deviate from their plan.
As I wrote in my notes: "Even rhinoceroses have to take a day off once in a while." The key is not perfect adherence but consistency over time and the ability to return to the plan after momentary detours.
Nutrition Accounting
Today's intake included:
Chicken wings (400 calories)
Egg whites (205 calories)
Vodka (700 calories)
Cheese meat (400 calories)
Total: 1,705 calories
While the vodka represented a significant portion of today's calories, I was mindful to adjust my food intake to accommodate these liquid calories. This represents an important skill in itself – the ability to adapt to unexpected situations or choices while maintaining overall alignment with your goals.
Training Adaptations
Despite the evening's indulgence, I maintained my training discipline, even increasing my push-ups to 120 (up from the 100 I've consistently done for the past 10 days). I also completed:
120 sit-ups
1 mile hike
The increased push-up volume represents progress in upper body strength, even on a day that wasn't perfect in other respects. The hike, while shorter than my usual cardio sessions, still kept me moving and active.
The Psychology of Perfection
One of the biggest threats to long-term fitness success isn't momentary indulgences – it's the false belief that perfect adherence is necessary. This "all-or-nothing" thinking leads many people to abandon their goals entirely after minor deviations from their plan.
When I wrote my book years ago, I emphasized that consistency and self-discipline are critical – but I also acknowledged that life happens. The difference between those who succeed and those who don't often comes down to how they respond to these moments of deviation.
Tomorrow, I'll abstain again, returning to the disciplined approach that has served me well for the first 11 days. What matters isn't today's vodka but tomorrow's response to today's vodka.
Looking Forward
As I move into Day 13, I'll focus on:
Returning to strict nutritional discipline
Maintaining the higher push-up volume (120)
Resuming more substantial cardio work
Continuing to build on the foundation I've established
This journey isn't about perfection – it's about progress over time. Today's honest acknowledgment of a momentary deviation is part of that progress, as is the commitment to return to the plan tomorrow.
In many ways, this is what makes a fitness journey authentic. Perfect adherence for 90 days might make for a more impressive story, but acknowledging and overcoming real-life challenges provides a more valuable and relatable lesson.
Tomorrow is a new day, and I'll face it with renewed commitment, without dwelling on today's detour.
Day 12: Real Life Happens
Weight back down to 192 pounds (-8 total) with 5K time at 34:40, maintaining recent improvements. Today brought my first deviation—I had a few vodkas (700 calories) but managed to stay within my overall caloric budget (1,705 total) by adjusting food intake. Despite this, I increased my push-ups to 120 (up from my consistent 100), maintained 120 sit-ups, and completed a 1-mile hike. As I noted, "Even rhinoceroses have to take a day off once in a while. We just must be certain to maintain consistency and self-discipline." The psychology of perfection can often derail fitness journeys more than occasional indulgences. What matters isn't today's vodka but tomorrow's response to today's vodka. I'll return to strict nutritional discipline tomorrow, proving that this journey isn't about flawless adherence but about progress over time and the ability to get back on track after momentary detours.
A Middle-Aged Man’s Guide to Beginner Gymnastics is awaiting an official announcement, but has a planned latest release date of January 2026.
Jay Horne is the author of the science fiction fantasy realm of Rootworld where magic came before science. His latest works explore the discovery of magic on the Earth when the first witch is born and turns water into wine. Now, both realms are trying to educate and acclimate their students into new subjects.
Jay is the father of four and works as a cardiac monitor tech while he writes. He has a newsletter at substack called Stories that Slap. The only thing he loves more than writing is fooling his children.
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