Body Talk: My Wake-Up Call to What Really Matters

Published on January 15th, 2024 by Cem Hurturk

Let's talk about our bodies for a sec. You know, that physical form that keeps us moving, seeing, hearing, chatting, feeling, smelling, and tasting life. Recently, I hit a bit of a rough patch (not going into details here), and it hit me hard – the only real deal in my life is my body. It's my ticket to seeing my kids grow up, roaming around with my wife, crafting cool software, soaking up nature, and having killer dinners with pals.

Since I waved goodbye to university in 2002, my life's been a whirlwind of coding, customer chats, sales, and, let's be real – chasing the dollar. But three years ago, I caught myself in the mirror and thought, "Dude, this ain't it." I was piling on pounds daily. Enough was enough. I joined a gym, hired a personal trainer (shoutout to him, he's top-notch!), and braced myself.

The first three months? Pure torture. I struggled through workouts, my body screamed "no more!", I was in pain, and my heart raced like crazy. But quitting? Nah, not my style. I was all in – committed to breaking free and taking control.

Fast forward a bit, and here I am, crushing two-hour gym sessions daily like they're nothing. My body used to be the boss, yelling at me to hit the couch, not the gym. Now? Tables have turned. I'm steering this ship, and my body's getting stronger each day.

But hey, am I done? Far from it. My body's my temple, and hitting the gym is just half the battle. The other half? Eating right and getting solid Zs – and honestly, I'm kinda flunking these. Why does it matter? Because you can't ace body care focusing on just one thing. Without good food and sleep, your body hits a plateau, no matter how hard you hit the gym.

Why this sudden body obsession, you ask? Maybe it's the 45-year-old in me talking. If I play my cards right, I've got 35-40 more summers and winters to go. If I don't look after my body now, who knows how it'll treat me down the line?

If I play my cards right, I've got 35-40 more summers and winters to go.

The recipe seems simple: lift weights, stroll in nature, soak up some sun, chill with friends and family, eat clean, and score eight hours of sleep. It's wild how we overlook this simple path to freedom in our later years, opting instead for that instant joy – bingeing junk food, Netflix marathons past midnight, and glued to screens all day.

What if we slowed down a bit, made a little less money, but ended up healthier and happier later in life? That's something you can't buy. So here's a note to myself (and maybe to you, too): take care of your body, master it. It's the real deal, the ultimate investment. And hey, maybe give this a read every now and then, just to keep things in check.