When the doctor told me I shrunk an inch in one year, I wasn’t surprised. I wondered all year if I was shrinking, and this confirmed what my instincts already told me. My son (age 3) rides on my shoulders quite often. And prior to my son coming of age, my daughter (age 7) was my co-pilot on my shoulders. It’s been a little different the past year because even though my son was still a toddler, he is a big boy who weighed more at age two than my daughter weighed at age six. So, carrying him on my shoulders has taken its toll.
Last year I attended the Arnold Classic, which isn’t my typical scene. I acquired some tickets, so I decided to experience it with my kids and my mom. If you have ever been to the Arnold, you know it’s wall-to-wall people throughout most of the convention center. To improve our maneuverability, I put my daughter on my shoulders, carried my son in my arms, and toted a filled backpack on my back. In full wardrobe, including winter coats, I calculate I was carrying approximately 70 pounds as I slowly made my way through the sea of people looking at P90X equipment and protein shakes.
Keep in mind that I weigh 120 pounds. So, many of the Arnold attendees looked at me in astonishment when they saw a skinny guy carrying two kids and a bunch of coats. Most of the attendees were noticeably muscular and fit, so I was slightly impressed with myself when I received ‘the nod’ from so many of them. You know, ‘the nod’ that non-verbally communicates that the ‘nodder’ respects and approves of what you are doing.
After an hour, my body was feeling tired. The immediate impact was sore and tired muscles. The longer affect is a shrinking skeletal system.