off topic a little, maybe but how do you have the energy

[HO455]

Getting at least one hour of cardio exercise each week makes it easier to get more done for me. Raising your fitness level raises your stamina.
That can be 20 minutes 4 days a week or some other combination. It can be tough to get started but once you get into a habit it is worth every minute. Plus I get a lot of planning done at the same time. Being on the top end of 58 it certainly helps to keep me more limber for those days under the truck. Truth be told I'm only sort of limber.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Going to be 62 in April. Today I put new pads and rotors on my winter car outside in the driveway . Was 31° and I wont have to ice my hand later. Why is it I always need to fix the dailies whens its winter?! I also replaced the starter on my 72 in the barn at least I had the parabolic heater on me still cold but no frostbite .

It was also an excuse to use the heated socks I got for Christmas. Work on 9v batteries and my feet were toasty . Going to try them tomorrow splitting wood .

Sounds like you should have put the socks on your hands....

LockDoc

[BRL]

63, retired and LAZY!

Got lots of projects that I've put off on my vehicles for like...ever.

Seems now instead of getting eight hours sleep, I get around 8 hrs. consciousness.

That is spent laying in bed watching TV or playing on my forums, telling myself that it's too cold out in the garage to work.

Figure in a few months it'll be too hot.

Maybe if I get addicted to coffee or something.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by ChevyRacefan

Hello. as I [pass the half century mark. I have found it hard to find time t spend on my automotive fix/hobby.
Wife is ok with it, i have the funds, persay for what I want out f my week end fun truck.
I love cars/trucks, but I am dead tired from my work week and tend to not touch my project because of being tired/beat .
How do you push yourself to get out and work on you hobby when you are beat from the job that pays the bills
I have thought of just selling it all , but that one start and drive brings me back to a time of no caring and no worries. but to do what I would like to do to it, I am so beat from my job, that I just put it off. how do you get passes the tiredness and just forge ahead. I get that for some it iis a business, this question isn't for you, it is fo the guy/gal that works a 40-80 hour week that is dad tired that wants to work on his/her hobby but is dead tired.

This Is What Works For Me.

I get myself a Vitamin B12 injection weekly or every other week depending on my schedule. These have made a world of difference in my energy and stamina. A real noticeable difference.


As we grow older our ability to absorb necessary nutrients diminishes, taking the injections go straight into your system bypassing the stomach.

There are also Wellness Clinics that will take a blood sample analyze it and tell you exactly what/where you are lacking.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

Sounds like you should have put the socks on your hands....

LockDoc

Naaaa. I have to ice the hand 3 times a day for 15 minutes . So one time for 60 minutes works for me .

[custom10nut]

Passion and Desire. 1998, While I was stationed at FtBragg NC, I unknowingly dropped a broken lock washer down the intake and and it ended up on #6 piston. This resulted in me rebuilding the engine. A buddy volunteered his garage. It took me three weekends(and the weekday nights) to pull it, tear it down, get it machined, reassembled, and put back in and running. I worked on it every night until 11 then the weekends were 5 am- 11pm sat-sun.
I had great gear head friends that assisted when they could, so I won’t claim I “did it all by myself”.
Nothing is better than the feeling of driving a truck that you do all the work on, and have some stranger say “that’s a real nice truck. That never gets old.

[Dr Jekyll]

Canceled cable 2 years ago. Now I have a lot more free time. When I don't wanna go in the garage, I try to force myself. Its all about routine. Before covid shut down my gym, I had been on a streak of 2 years without missing a workout for more than 3 days in a row. My routine included going to the gym. Make a routine that includes garage time and follow it. It will become habit. Oh, and turn off the TV.

[BRL]

Originally Posted by custom10nut

...I unknowingly dropped a broken lock washer down the intake and and it ended up on #6 piston...

...Nothing is better than the feeling of driving a truck that you do all the work on, and have some stranger say “that’s a real nice truck. That never gets old.

Removed my carb. and a washer dropped down the #5 intake runner.

Tried a magnet but no luck, removed the intake manifold and fortunately the valve was closed and I was able to retrieve it. WHEW!

Originally Posted by Dr Jekyll

...Make a routine that includes garage time and follow it. It will become habit. Oh, and turn off the TV.

...but I love my 50" Toshiba Fire TV, lets me go on You-Tube and watch other people work on their trucks while I'm nice and warm under the covers.

[BRL]

...come to think of it, I'm really not being much of an inspiration to the originator of this thread am I...my bad.

[BC10]

I think of the scene in King Of The Hill, where Hank buys Bobby his first car, and teaches him how working on it can help him deal with stress in life.

For me, my truck is my relaxation. Outwardly I can feel that I am slowly wasting away, but internally I am renewed by it. I work 50+ hours a week in the medical field, and working on my truck has kept me sane. My six year old begrudgingly helps me occasionally, but you should see that suckers fat grin when we go for rides.

Just give yourself 5 mins a day, you'll be surprised at how quickly time passes, and the progress you will make.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

This Is What Works For Me.

I get myself a Vitamin B12 injection weekly or every other week depending on my schedule. These have made a world of difference in my energy and stamina. A real noticeable difference.


As we grow older our ability to absorb necessary nutrients diminishes, taking the injections go straight into your system bypassing the stomach.

There are also Wellness Clinics that will take a blood sample analyze it and tell you exactly what/where you are lacking.

That's interesting, because I had heard about B-12 injections. I decided to try B-12 supplements, as I am not interested in getting jabbed every week or two. I bought a bottle at CostCo, they were gummies. They do seem to help, though! I'm not seeing a deficiency warning from my doctor, though. I'm not worried about a large dose of B-12 because what your body can't/doesn't use goes out with the used beer.

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

That's interesting, because I had heard about B-12 injections. I decided to try B-12 supplements, as I am not interested in getting jabbed every week or two. I bought a bottle at CostCo, they were gummies. They do seem to help, though! I'm not seeing a deficiency warning from my doctor, though. I'm not worried about a large dose of B-12 because what your body can't/doesn't use goes out with the used beer.

I have a buddy that swears by them, he's 65 and still goes 10-12 hours a day with his construction crews, so I tried them and they work for me....a very no question about it they are working for me.
So now I swear by them too!

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

I have a buddy that swears by them, he's 65 and still goes 10-12 hours a day with his construction crews, so I tried them and they work for me....a very no question about it they are working for me.
So now I swear by them too!

FWIW, I have arthritis in my hands, feet and back. The worst is with my feet, because I can only stand for so long before they feel like they are so hot that they are smoking. But if I'm working on my truck or some such, and I'm laying down, I can get a lot more done. When I'm doing woodcarving, I sit in a chair, so that my feet are off the ground. That helps, except for aggravating my hemorrhoids. Those are from lifting crazy things like engine short blocks up into the bed of a truck alone, as opposed to waiting for help. I brought them on myself, unfortunately. I grew up dirt poor, and worked like a dog my whole life. That's part of why I have the medical problems now. Eh, you have to be alive to complain.

[ChevyRacefan]

Thanks, guys.
My grandmother swore by vitamin b12 and b6.
I might look into that.
As for tossing Cable. I agree, but what is stopping me is most all motorsports are on cable only channels.

[cornerstone]

At 52 I can relate to the physical restraints that some of you have mentioned. During a routine check up with my Dr. last week, she recommended that I get some bloodwork done, specifically looking at free testosterone levels. If I happen to be low she said the results of taking testosterone shots are very effective, and guys that have had them swear by it. The B12 shots sound like something I want to try also. It seems that I have to stay busy or my mood goes to crap for some reason...

I do have a couple of suggestions to possibly help keep you motivated. Make your work space a cool place to be, as in your personal "mancave" atmosphere. Add heat or a window unit if you can to make it more comfortable also. Get a decent stereo in there or at least a blue tooth speaker and turn on whatever takes your mind off of your troubles. If finances allow, buy tools to make the work easier and get the job done with less busted knuckles. I've got more tools than I have storage space and love it.

This is a helpful discussion OP! Love this thread so far!

[rechinca]

47, medically retired from primary career due to 3 back surgeries and working now in my second career back on weekends. There are days my body says nope, but I know that if I don’t get out and do something, anything, on it I’ll just be mad. I feel like even though my back is killing me and I am tired, if I just get out and start I won’t want to quit. For me it works. Once I just get out there and get something done or started or figure out a solution to a problem I don’t want to stop. The days I get nothing done, I feel bad about my lack of effort and that doesn’t sit well with me. They can get overwhelming, but I took a truck down to a bare cab and bed with nothing from the firewall forward and thought what the hell did I do? (Pretty sure wife was about to have me committed). Now I have a project that was able to fire up on a new engine and break it in before the end of the year. The motivation? I don’t like getting beat, by anything or anywhere!

[hugger6933]

Get you Testosterone checked. It doesn't make you any less of a man to have low T. I have it my lowest reading was like 22 and the normal is up around 150. I found out that one of my other medications was depleting my levels. The dr started me out on a normal level and it was a touch to much[ you really need you wife on board with this] but I got that worked out it is a game changer. Jim

[Happy_dan]

Gee, I would like to be 50 again.

[sick472]

A lot of great advise here. I'll be 52 in a few months and hurt daily due to my shop addiction. One thing I can add is to make a list. If I'm feeling like NOT working on the truck, I'll just sit and think about it. Before too long I have many To-Do line items scratched onto paper, call it an evening and come back to it during the next shop-time. If motivation has not improved, I'll categorize the list into proper order of sequence and mark the line items that do not have to be in any particular order. Now, the list is staring me in the face (hanging on the shop fridge), begging for something to happen. Just looking at the list allows me to gauge my level of worthlessness and just pick an item that seems likely to be accomplished with my mental state and time availability...the next thing I know, I'm looking back at the list for what's next.

Sometimes it's just a quick 15 minute "get the tools ready for a particular task" line item and then it's been an hour or two and I'm putting the tools away with the job behind me.

An old friend told me once that you have to spend 10 hours a week on this hobby, or you'll never "get'r-done". There is some truth to that, but life happens and my 23 year old 72 C10 project is almost done.

Keep at it or sell out. There's nothing wrong with changing priorities (unless is for things like the TV or the like).

[Happy_dan]

The biggest demotivator I had on a project was being way over my head. I had a project car that needed pretty much every panel done, a real rust bucket. I am somewhat mechanically inclined but not even knowing where to start on much of that made me go and look, get frustrated and walk away. I was not looking forward to any part of that work. I ended up selling it and buying my 68 C-20 that didn't need any body work. Now I am excited to get out in the garage and work on my engine rebuild and finding other things to do while I am at it. So, your skill level, what is a chore vs fun comes in as well.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by ChevyRacefan

Thanks, guys.
My grandmother swore by vitamin b12 and b6.
I might look into that.
As for tossing Cable. I agree, but what is stopping me is most all motorsports are on cable only channels.

I agree, the only tv I watch consistently starts in Daytona in February and ends in Phoenix in November. Sucks to have to keep satellite around just for that.

[67C10Step]

I'll be 52 later this year and spent probably three hours Sunday working on my truck. I made a little forward progress but a ton of tearing stuff apart. I've been turning wrenches since I was single digit age and was rebuilding motorcycle engines by the time I was 12. It has been something I always enjoyed so I am still pretty passionate about it. Love to see progress, even the smallest.

I am blessed in many ways though. I've always tried to stay in shape and my wife joined up with me about three years ago as well. I still lift weights a few days a week but we take a number of classes together each week and I am in better overall condition now than when I was 40. I also have a job that I work from home mostly and travel some but primarily day trips to customer sites. I am an engineer by degree so sometime I enjoy just working with my hands. There are weeks I will put in 50 hours or more but my job is way more mentally demanding than physical.

Lastly, my wife and I became officially empty nesters when my daughter left for college last fall. We go see both our kids on the weekends quite a bit but there are a lot of evenings I'll wander out to the shop to organize, plan, and tinker. I don't watch much television and my wife knows I am not out running the streets.

Start with your health and make sure you do not have an underlying issue that needs addressing. Don't let your project become a stress factor. I do that from time to time and just walk away for a day or a week to let it become fun again.

[j_cst_10]

I went through a phase that I would go to the garage with something I wanted to accomplish, not get it done and would be super frustrated. This would lead to me not wanting anything to do with these projects. I have limited time to work on things with a young family, job etc etc. Making myself aggravated wasn't my idea of fun.

I just go out now with no expectation and try to solve at least one problem. This doesn't have to be physically doing anything. I find that with this approach it gets me fired up to work on it once I get past that mental hurdle.

Happiness is about managing expectation they say.....

[ChevyRacefan]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Get you Testosterone checked. It doesn't make you any less of a man to have low T. I have it my lowest reading was like 22 and the normal is up around 150. I found out that one of my other medications was depleting my levels. The dr started me out on a normal level and it was a touch to much you really need you wife on board with this] but I got that worked out it is a game changer. Jim

The mind wanders, do you want to explain that?
Do you mean turning in to ,acting like conan the barbarian?

[ChevyRacefan]

Thanks guys.
My job isn't the tuffest in the world, but it is lifting things all shift,not a desk job.
Get in the vehicle to go home, feel fine, get home and get out of vehicle and I am sore.
It is like the sitting in the vehicle for the 50 minutes to get home unwinds the muscles and then they hurt.
Have dinner, and then get up out of chair and feet/legs/ back/shoulders hurt. mostly it is the ankles, I'll get out of chair and walk like I am 90. but after 100 yards of walking back to normal, but everything else is sore enough that uggg.
"Whhhat A drag it IS getting old."