rwatson, I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

I think most of my just-do-it attitude and motivation is knowing my wife's family history. Her father died of a heart attack in his sleep at age 32 (she was 2). He was a very thin man (5'-11" [180.3 cm] and 130 lbs.[59 kg]) but wasn't at all frail from what I've been told, a hard worker with a hearty appetite, but also had a heart defect and was a heavy smoker (and was warned). His brother (also an extreme ectomorph [really skinny]) is still alive, even after having open heart surgery a few years back. Even with our current healthy lifestyle (since 2008) and routine cardiology checkups, I worry a little. Every morning is a sense of relief when she moseys over to me (I usually sleep too deep to hear her phone alarm).

Pic showing how lean my wife's father was...




Man, you're sure not fat (BMI: 22.5)! I'd have to weigh 153 lbs. (69.4 kg) to match that! My brother (age 55) is now in the 150's (same 5'-9" [175.3 cm] height) and still has a beer belly (or so he claims) so we're figuring out that we really don't have the same body type as I once thought. His wrists and ankles are smaller than mine, apparently he's more of an ectomorph which would explain why he never got fat with his often poor diet, and how it's difficult for him to put on muscle as he's been working out as well.

I don't know where I'd start, I've always been more about weight loss and that's not a problem you have. I think I would start with long walks [and stretches] and if you have the room, look into getting a small set of dumbbells. My father is about to turn 79 and has no interest anymore in laying on a bench doing presses or barbell overheads and curls, but almost every evening he does a small workout in his bedroom with dumbbells. He says it helps his arthritis in his shoulders, as well as keeping his strength up. He's always kept his physique in check though, also still kayaks and canoes.

Dad in 1977 (brother, dad, sister and me, mom taking pic)...