Fit and Proper

I have been on a topsy-turvy fitness rollercoaster over the years, like many of you, I imagine. There have been assorted ups and downs. I have fallen on and off the wagon – or rather the treadmill – despite my best-laid fitness plans.

My big battle is of the bulge. A couple of years ago, when I managed to lose a considerable amount of weight, I did it the old-fashioned way, through eating in moderation and daily cardiovascular exercise. Things went wrong when I enlisted the services of a fitness instructor. We pushed me too far, and I ended up doing myself a serious injury.

So I found this month’s theme, chosen in conjunction with July’s Olympic Games in London, to be fascinating. While some people find mainstream fitness centers to their liking, others are choosing to go outside them to discover other approaches that work for them. You can read the interesting stories of these pioneers in this issue.

But isn’t that what life is all about – learning new things and finding what inspires us? Go out and see the world, if that takes your fancy, or stay put if that is more to your liking. In April, we lost two valued contributors from The Jakarta Post family. Zatni Arbi, the Post’s longtime IT columnist, died of pancreatic cancer at age 58. And Muara Bagdja, a brilliant fashion journalist, died of lymphoma at age 55. They were good, gracious and talented men who pursued their passions. They were taken from us too soon, and it’s a reminder for us to live our lives on our own terms, while we can.

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