The Road to Fitness Tony Keys arrived in the Northern Rivers in 2008, overweight, diabetic, depressed and nursing a back injury. He received it while helping deliver hay to farmers after the Victorian bushfires when a large bale fell on him. The natural tendency to restrict movement to protect the back had inadvertently made things worse over time. “My first attempt at regaining fitness was to walk from Broken Head towards Suffolk Park along the beach. It was hard going and it took a few weeks before I could make it that far and return without being exhausted,” he says, smiling at the memory. An article in Bangalow’s Heartbeat alerted Keys to the existence of the Bangalow Gym. He continues, “I had reached the age of 55 and had never entered a gym in my life. There was an open day but I couldn’t build up the courage to attend. The following week I thought, ‘Sod it, get over pre-conceived ideas and go.” I did, and met personal trainers Neil Williams, Josie Cain and Liz Collier.” “I also met other fellow bodies that had seen better days and friendships and bonds formed that have lasted to this day. With the help of Neil, Josie and Liz, programs were developed and my health started to improve. One Saturday morning I went down to Broken Head and just kept on walking. The sense of achievement when I touched the rocks at Cosy Corner was great. It took two days to get over that walk.” This period Keys describes as the long warm up. He and fellow gym member, Norman, began walking a lap or two at the Bangalow Oval before going to the gym. They asked Liz to start a class for men in their age bracket, suitable for those not fully fit. Soon they were going to the gym three days a week and walking to the Byron Lighthouse from the Surf Club at Main Beach twice a week as well. Those early lighthouse climbs were agony, but the challenge became easier
MARCH 2014
with repetition. It also became obvious to Keys that a few kilos less might be easier to haul up there. Diabetes was still an issue as was blood pressure and other minor ailments including breathlessness. The exercise was improving his health, his blood sugar readings were reducing and there was a small drop in his weight. However it was the feeling of wellbeing that was the greatest lift to Keys’ life. On one visit to the doctor Keys mentioned the continued breathlessness and tests were instigated, resulting in an appointment with a thoracic surgeon in Brisbane. Keys recalls, “He was very blunt, telling me I had pulmonary fibrosis, the finer tubes in the lungs were closing down, my breathing rate was at 70 per cent and this condition would continue to spiral downwards. The big blow being I had only five to ten years left to live. Drugs could give relief to the dry cough, inhalers would be introduced and eventually oxygen would be needed to get me through the day. There is no cure, but the doctors said exercise and diet could hold the disease in check.” The threat of death is a great motivator, but what scared Keys more was the thought of slowly declining into decrepit dependence on drugs and other people. A radical reworking of his lifestyle was required. Weight was the first issue to be tackled. Keys thought he ate healthily, but resolved to halve the amount and reserve treats for rare occasions. Exercise was ramped up, evening workouts introduced and extra walks to the lighthouse added on
weekends. Within six months doctor and specialist confirmed the lungs were stable and lengthened the time between appointments from three months to half yearly. The medications for diabetes and blood pressure were no longer needed. Yoga and Pilates were added to the exercise agenda under the guidance of Josie, building core strength to support the injured back. Now when his back occasionally goes out, he is only incapacitated for a day or two, rather than the week or more he used to be. Neil provided circuit training and a customised fitness mentoring program for more strenuous workouts. Fifteen kilos lighter and much stronger, Keys is convinced that exercise and diet have changed and certainly lengthened his life. At his last appointment the specialist was amazed to see a marginal improvement in his lung capacity, saying it was extremely rare. In Keys own words, “Eating less and exercising more has not only extended my expected life span, but has made the here and now, the day to day living, much more enjoyable. The thanks I owe Neil, Josie, and Liz is considerable, along with the encouragement of fellow gym members. The gym is not just for the big muscle guys but for all of us; a place to meet, work out and improve our lives. I now feel sluggish if I don’t have some form of exercise daily. Even a walk along the beach can make a difference.” Tracey Brown de Langan 17