I often tell my clients that it’s never too late to take charge of your health — and I mean that from experience. My story isn’t about vanity or chasing athletic perfection. It’s about survival, renewal, and learning firsthand that consistent exercise can literally save your life.
The Wake-Up Call
My father was a World War II veteran who came home with malaria, tuberculosis, and what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder. He wasn’t an athlete, but he always told me, “Exercise is essential for good health.” Unfortunately, his smoking habit and stress eventually caught up with him — he died of a stroke at 68.
Forty years later, I found myself at 66, wondering if I was headed for the same fate. My sister had passed away from a stroke at 67. I decided to be proactive and asked my cardiologist for a coronary calcium scan — a simple test that measures plaque buildup in the arteries. A normal score is under 400. Mine was 4,000.
That’s when my fitness journey changed from being about staying strong to staying alive.
Training for Surgery
I had always been active — lifting weights, walking, jumping rope, and staying consistent — but after that diagnosis, I went into overdrive. My routine became a focused, high-intensity program: weighted jump rope, squats, deadlifts, rowing, and five-mile walks every day.
Then, in mid-2022, I began feeling chest pain. It would come and go for months, but I kept training. By early 2023, the pain worsened. My cardiologist scheduled another catheterization, and that test revealed the truth: four arteries were severely blocked — including one that was 99% closed.
I needed quadruple bypass surgery.
Prepared for the Fight
Oddly enough, I wasn’t afraid. I had trained for this moment — physically, mentally, and spiritually. My surgeon later told me that my consistent exercise routine protected my heart by creating a collateral blood supply. In his words, the vessels and muscles in my heart were “pristine.”
Just one day after surgery, I got out of bed, walked 1,000 steps in the ICU, and continued walking every day afterward. Within two weeks of returning home, I was already covering a mile and a half. My recovery was faster than anyone expected because I had entered the operating room fit and strong.
Exercise Is the New Medicine
Today, at 70, I’m back to jumping rope, lifting weights, and walking pain-free. Exercise gave me a second chance at life — but I’ve also learned that fitness doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective. Walking, light resistance training and daily movement are powerful medicine.
It’s never about perfection; it’s about consistency. A few minutes of motion, a short walk, or even simple “micro-workouts” throughout the day can help prevent the conditions that sideline too many people later in life.
My Mission
As a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, my mission is simple: help people my age — and anyone who feels “too old” or “too far gone” — grow younger through exercise. I specialize in safe, effective, and sustainable programs designed for older adults who want to build strength, mobility, and confidence.
I also emphasize three key forms of support:
- Companionship: Having someone by your side to keep you consistent and motivated.
- Instrumental Support: Providing accurate, science-based information and safe techniques.
- Social Support: Creating community through group exercise and shared progress.
The Bottom Line
Exercise saved my life — and it can change yours. Don’t wait for a diagnosis or crisis. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. Movement is medicine, and your body is capable of far more than you think. So, take care of yourself. Invest in your health now. Because the stronger you become, the younger you live.
If you would like a consult email me at the address below and we can set up a time where can meet in person or virtually.
Jim Burns, CPT, SFS, MA, DHL
Certified Personal Trainer | Be Simply Fit
📞 732-773-9855 | 📧 besimplyfit23@gmail.com
🌐 www.besimplyfit.net