From “Used to Be” to “Still Can”

Two years ago, I was in a garage, with beers, a lot of them. Doing what we as men love to do, brag about our past glory days. It’s funny how fast a garage can turn into a time machine, everyone reaching back for the best version of themselves. But as I sat there, I realized, I didn’t want to be a guy who lived in the past tense.

You know the scene: crusty folding chairs and music that is annoyingly loud. And then the conversation hits that same point it does every time; the athletic highlight reels. Everyone suddenly becomes LeBron James crossed with Arnold Schwarzenegger, retelling stories of speed, strength, and stamina. I sat there nodding along, knowing my fitness was never something to brag about (It still isn’t lol).

“Bro, back in my twenties, I could bench three plates easy.” (I think this is a lot?)
“I used to run a mile in under six minutes, hungover.”
“I got into one fight that I did not take a single punch in”

And there I was realizing something, I didn’t want to live in the “used to.” I didn’t want to tell stories about how fast I once ran, or how much I once lifted, or how shredded my abs allegedly were before McDonalds destroyed them. We eat McDonalds a lot, honestly cause my wife, not my kids. I decided I wanted to try to live in the present tense, not the past.

I wanted to do these things now.

Fitness is Weird

Here’s the weird part about fitness: we all want more of it, but at the same time we brag about how little we try. We want result with no effort, abs without planks, endurance without endless hours of cardio. And when we do put in effort? We immediately downplay it, like admitting you actually tried is embarrassing. It’s the weirdest thing.

Someone loses 10 pounds? “Oh yeah, I barely worked out, just cut soda.”
A dude has abs? “Genetics, bro. I don’t even watch what I eat.”
Someone runs a half marathon? “I walked most of it.” Even though their average mile was 7 minutes.

It’s the strangest flex. It’s like we’re all scared of admitting that fitness takes effort, sweat, and the occasional emotional breakdown. Pretending fitness “just happens” is like saying you beat the God damn water temple in Ocarina of Time without a guidebook. Side note, it’s crazy thinking we used to buy game guide books to help us beat games. Those stupid books cost half as much as the video game.

Imagine if we did this in other parts of life. “I got that promotion, but honestly, I barely worked at all.” Actually, I have heard of this happening quite a few times. I am sure you all instantly thought of a coworker and thought WTF. The truth? Fitness is one of those rare things in life that gives you exactly what you put in. You can’t fake your way through pushups. You can’t bluff your way through cardio. You either grind, or you don’t.

The First Steps

My early workouts were a mess. I looked like one of those background people in a sports movie montage, everyone else is sprinting up the stairs, and I’m sitting halfway up, gasping like a fish. Again, I probably still look like this lol.

But here’s the thing: I kept showing up. A few times my kid asked me why I was sweating when I wasn’t even moving. Kids are brutally honest, nothing like your kid asking “Are you dying?” during your plank to humble you.

Slowly, it added up. A few miles here, a few dumbbell sets there, and eventually I wasn’t doing this to “get back” to who I used to be. I was building who I wanted to be now. And that’s a way better story to tell, because “right now” is something I can prove.

Progress

Two years in, here’s what I’ve learned about fitness progress:

You will sweat a lot. It’s gross. The human body is basically a sprinkler system.

Every milestone feels both huge and tiny. Run a 5K? Huge. Then you realize people do ultramarathons where they run 100 miles through mountains, and suddenly you feel small again. That’s life.

Your laundry pile will double. Not much to say about this. It’s annoying.

Rest days feel wrong. You’ll think “Shouldn’t I be doing something?” No, sit down, fool, and rest.

Yoga feels great but makes you feel stupid. Look up “Happy Baby” pose. Feels great but looks stupid af.

Fitness is Parenting Fuel

The biggest gains aren’t in the mirror, they’re in my life. Okay, I won’t lie, I have finally started to like what I see, but I digress. Running around with my kids doesn’t leave me winded or sore the next day. Carrying them to bed is still heavy, but I know I will be able to hold and carry them for years to come. Fitness became less about sets and reps, and more about presence, being strong enough and healthy enough to be there for them.

It’s wild how much easier parenting feels when your body is conditioned to move.

Two Years Later

I’m not the fittest guy. I don’t have a shredded six-pack that looks like it belongs in a Marvel movie. But I’m not competing with them, I’m competing with the old me who didn’t care what he ate and never worked out.

Here’s what I do have:

A body that runs, lifts, and plays with my kids without getting tired.
A healthier mindset that sees fitness not as punishment, but as privilege.
A sense of pride that I’m not living in the “used to” anymore.

Final Save Point

Here’s the big takeaway: fitness isn’t about the past version of you. It’s not about proving you still got it. It’s about building a future you actually want to live in. And when you start seeing it that way, the pressure kind of goes away. It’s no longer about chasing the past you, it’s about becoming who you want to be.

It’s not easy and it sure as hell isn’t always fun. But like every good video game, the grind is where the real progress happens.

So here I am, two years later: still sweating, still grinding, still laughing at myself along the way. Because fitness, like life, is better when you don’t take yourself too seriously. And if you ever need a reminder: the best time to start was yesterday, but the second-best time is right now. Cliché af, I know, but it’s true.

Thank You

Thanks for reading, and if this made you laugh or think a little, please share it. This community has been growing every week, and I can’t thank you enough for making that happen. I love the fact that I finally feel like I have my space. Every time I get a new subscriber, I get an email notification, and promptly run and tell my wife and kids. The more we share, the more we build a space where dads, parents, gamers, and anyone chasing “better” can supported. Feel free to send me an email at SavePointDad@gmail.com or follow me on social media SavePointDad. I appreciate you.