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Just Do It, Plus More Favorite Fitness Quotes

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“Just Do It!”  Working out and getting fit, this is the first fitness quote that comes to my mind.  I know it was a Nike slogan, but it was a damn good one for the simple fact of the matter that when asked for my favorite fitness quote this was exactly the first thought to pop into my mind.

Slim by the Summer--Favorite Fitness Quotes

Slim by the Summer–Favorite Fitness Quotes

When asked for favorite motivational quotes by the Slim by the Summer Ladies, I decided to look a bit deeper.

So, I dug a bit more and found a quote by my favorite funny lady (yes Ellen Degeneres).  Here it is: “You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 today and we don’t know where the hell she is.” 

Ellen Degeneres–My Favorite Funny Lady

Quite simply it left me smiling from ear to ear, because it reminded me of my great-grandfather (Pop-Pop-as the great-grandkids referred to him), who happened to live until the ripe old age of 103.  I consider myself extremely lucky to have had him in my life for 13 years before he passed away.  He turned 90 years old the year I was born.

My great-grandfather & great-grandmother years before I was even born. I don't really remember him this way, but always loved this picture of them.

My great-grandfather & great-grandmother years before I was even born. I don’t really remember him this way, but always loved this picture of them.

I even had some amazing memories growing up getting to know him. He was truly healthy and had all his senses pretty much until then, when old age eventually just got the better of him.  I learned so much from him and thank god everyday for that.

But when asked at his hundredth birthday party, which was pretty huge and out at a fancy restaurant over 100 people including tons of family and friends, what contributed to him living so long, he had two responses. The first, he simply explained that when death came to find him, he couldn’t find him because he was never at home.

My great-grandfather much later in his life and many years after the first picture was taken. Still smiling!!

My great-grandfather (Pop-Pop) much later in his life and many years after the first picture was taken. Still smiling!!

Those, who knew my great-grandfather, knew he liked to walk everyday over a mile. So now we apparently knew why! The second was quite simple as well, he made sure to drink a glass of red wine with dinner every night.

Yet again, here was a man that was born in Northern Italy, immigrated and landed at Ellis Island in the early 1900s, so I think he was entitled to that one glass of wine. Hey, he was the father to six kids, grandfather to 13 and great-grandfather to more than 20.  So maybe he was onto something (back them I was a kid, but now as a mother I look it this one with a bit different eyes!).

What does this have to do with me, twenty three years after his demise.  Well, I still remember how healthy he was and still am in awe that at that age he would walk over a mile daily.  If anyone could motivate others to stay fit and be healthy it was him.  And that phrase he spoke back at his 100th birthday celebration resonates with me and makes me know I have so much more to live for and would love to make it to that point in my life as healthy as him.

Yes it is a long way off, but still if I get in shape and try to stay there maybe someday I can be as fortunate and blessed as him.


And yes at this point I am not walking to keep death at bay, but I am doing it to indeed be healthy and to be able to do so for as many years as possible.

So, as my great-grandfather would say as he raised his glass of wine, ” A Salute!”, which in English means “Cheers!!”  And as Ellen would say, “Don’t Get Lost” and Nike, “Just Do It”.

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About Janine

Janine is a published author of the books, The Mother of All Meltdowns and Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee. She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Mamapedia, Today Parenting Team and SheKnows. She also runs her own graphic design company at J9 Designs.

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Comments

  1. Robin Rue says

    WOW – 103! That is amazing and it sounds like he was really grounded and down to earth. I love that he said death wouldn't find him because he was never home 🙂

    • Janine Huldie says

      Thanks Robin and he really was just amazing. I always remember being in awe with how he per served for so long and just kept going. And he really was such a wonderful, down-to-earth man, too. And am with you still love his saying about death after all these years!! 🙂

  3. Vashti Q says

    Wow! I love the story of your great grandpa. He reminds me of my dad who also walks a mile every evening after dinner. He inherited high blood pressure from his mom, and although he has always eaten healthy and kept fit, the HBP still affected his heart. He was told he had 3 months to live because of congested heart failure. That was 16 years ago and he still going strong living a great life and walking a mile every evening. Good luck with your goal to get fit!

    • Janine Huldie says

      That is amazing and quite and awesome story about your dad. So happy to see and hear he is doing so well after all this time. And couldn't agree more about getting fit. Thank you so much, too!! 🙂

  5. Janine Huldie says

    Thanks Rasma and was so happy to finally share this tale here. It was a long time coming and hope you too are having a wonderful weekend. Hugs right back at you!! 🙂

  6. SarahA says

    We have two sides of longevity in my family. My Dad's side of the family tends to live until they are very old. My Mom's side of the family tends to die young. I figure I probably have an average life expectancy by averaging that out! Unfortunately neither side of my family has stayed fit as they have reached advanced years. I'm hoping to be the exception to the rule!

    • Janine Huldie says

      Oh I hope you are totally the exception the rule and my great-grandfather literally was the only person I knew to live that long and with very little complications. So if you judge others on both sides of my family, I may very well be screwed, too lol!! 🙂

  7. Rose A says

    What an awesome tribute. I love the pictures, and yep, he was entitled to his glass of wine each night. Maybe that's what helped him get to 103.

  8. Joyce says

    You are quite lucky to have quality time with your great grandfather. I never knew any of my grandparents and both my parents are now gone too.

    If I won a casetagram, I'd add photos of my kids, human and furry. http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

  9. Bill says

    You come from pretty hardy genes. That must make you feel good. Me….being adopted, the future is a crapshoot at best. 🙂

    A glass of wine every day. Heck, I drank enough for twenty years that I should be in good shape, don't you think? LOL

    Have a great day!

    • Janine Huldie says

      Lol, I think so and seriously sometimes it isn't all cracked up knowing where you come from. I love my family a ton, but still growing up I would have said (joking of course) did I really come from these people!! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂

  10. Stephanie @ Life, Un says

    Love the story of your grandpa. We had a gentleman like him in our neighborhood, lived to be 106, and always active, healthy, and happy. He did the funniest things like feeding his hearing aid to the dog because he didn't want to wear it 🙂 Cheers to being healthy!

    • Janine Huldie says

      Oh that is pretty funny and my great grandfather had a good sense of humor, too. But nothing like that I suppose! Definite cheers to being healthy and thank you!! 😉

  12. Justin K says

    I think the trick is to keep (or start) moving your body. And, maybe have a glass of wine with dinner! That second part shouldn't be too difficult!

  15. Chris Carter says

    Aw!!!! I just fell in love with your great grandfather!!! What a beautiful tribute and a wonderful message for us all to take in and consider… I personally go by the opposite of this one: "No pain no gain". Nope. "If pain…I stop" is more like it!

  17. gigigirl says

    What a beautiful tribute to Pop. He would be so pleased and proud of you. Yes, we can all take a lesson from him…..and I wish I had his commitment to the daily walk. We have to be grateful for his good genes! Keep up your good program for fitness….I try to keep going with yoga. BTW I have the photo of Mom & Pop – it was their 25th wedding anniversary. We are lucky to have had them. Love, Aunt Gloria

    • Janine Huldie says

      I hope he would have been proud of me and tried my best to capture him here in this post. That photo I believe is the one you made copies for all of us. I just scanned it, because I thought it truly was such a wonderful photo of both Nannie and Pop together. And you are right about that daily walk and hope to get more of that into my fitness routine as the weather is warming up now. And we were so very lucky to have them!! xoxo and love you too!! 🙂

  18. Lisa Newlin says

    his post made me tear up! Your Pop Pop sounds awesome and an inspiration to us all. What a sweet man that you were lucky to have in your life. 🙂

  19. Amy says

    Really great! I love the stories about your family. It is true on the never being home for death to catch you. If you are never still enough for your body to start breaking down and disease to set in.

  22. Comedy Plus says

    Your grandfather sounded like a very special man. Thanks for sharing him with all of us.

    Have a terrific day filled with smiles. 🙂

  23. Corey Pauley says

    I loved this, thank-you for writing this and sharing on Smile with us on Monday’s. That’s where I hopped from! Glad to meet a new blogger and I will follow you back. I too am on adventure to get back to being healthy again in life. A Salute to you great grandfather and here’s my blog: http://www.coreycreativecorner.blogspot.com
    Thanks- Corey

    • Janine Huldie says

      Very happy to meet you back Corey, too. And am heading over to your blog in a moment, too. And thank you for the salute to my great-grandfather 🙂

  24. Kat Biggie says

    I literally snorted when I read Ellen’s comment! She is SO funny! It’s so true, gotta get moving, gotta stay healthy! I am going to get back into the Slim by the Summer link up hopefully next week!!! I’m ba-aaack!!! I literally had to take 2 days completely away from the computer,I was so exhausted and busy from last week!

    • Janine Huldie says

      Yay for you being back and I totally missed you Alexa, but know it was so for a good cause. And glad to give a good laugh here with Ellen (she never disappoints–at least for me!!).

  25. April says

    Yes, Ellen is hilarious! My grandmother did the same thing. Before she died, I was in college, she was gone more than I was! I couldn’t nail her down!

    • Janine Huldie says

      I know and my mom read this and told me she was loving the Ellen quote, too. She really is too funny and always good for a laugh. And love that your grandmother was the same way as my great-grandfather, too!! 🙂

  26. JenKehl says

    Perfect post as I sit here and contemplate how not to get cancer or have a heart attack. Cause I do that. Red wine and walking. I’ll take you up on that! But I might get lost. On purpose.

    • Janine Huldie says

      Good for your grandmother, Camille. Give her total props and credit. That is awesome that she still goes to the gym. And I so love Ellen 🙂 🙂

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