Endo-Ecto and the Missing Fruit

This image came along recently in a Floyd-biz email, and considering the source, was no surprise. It is a striking contrast of somatotypes–him, a most definite endomorph, her an ectomorph likely exacerbated by severe caloric restriction. Cute couple.

It’s been a year now since I was in the habit of attending to body issues, retired from physical therapy as I am. But this picture brought back some of that.

I remember in my first PT job at what is now CJ Harris Regional Medical Center west of Asheville. A seasoned therapist was giving me an idea of what to expect during my break-in period. The first week, we were to “mobilize” a 400 pound post-surgical patient.

“Watch out for fruit in the folds” I was told. I had to ask for an explanation.

“Yeah, had a gal this size a few months back. Got her up to walk, and an orange fell out of one of the dunlops (as in ‘her belly done lop over her knees’–it’s trade jargon.)

I have a blend of body types–an ectomorphic frame and metabolism with (at times past) a mesomorphic (muscular) constitution. However, I am today a mere shadow of my former self, strength-wise–a dough-y ectomorph with mesomorphic memories of the salad days.

If my 35 year old self woke up in my 62 year old body, he’d swear he had been exposed to kryptonite. My Super Powers! Ah, the gravity of the situation.

So for Christmas, I asked for an exercise kit that might work within the logistics of where we live; getting to the gym in town like many of our friends just isn’t practical. And Santa from South Dakota brought me an Aylio resistance-bands Workout Set. No bulky weight plates or risk of dropping an anvil on my head; can be folded up and tucked in a drawer when not in use (in which case, they are not much help); and this kind of workout is enough for toning. (I wouldn’t use resistance tubing to get back to the Nautilus condition I was in at 35, regardless of the beefy folk they show on their ads.)

I now have some eye hooks at three levels beside the door frame, and have started using this “weighted” exercise on a daily basis, with alarms set on the computer that I can’t dismiss until I’ve done the work. So long, love handles. No hidden fruit for this boy!