tomveatch.com / Table Tennis / Ping Pong Changes a Life

Ping Pong Changes a Life

Bev Wills emailed me the following story, which I liked so much I asked her if I could share it with you.

Tom


Hi Tom:

I am 53,  used to play ping pong as a kid,  we always had a table in the
basement.  My mission in life was to beat my dad.  Never have as yet,  
he has a table at home,  always covered with stuff,  but I think he 
knows i could beat him now.

Anyway, my story.  A few years ago, I was taking a medication, and it
made me gain weight, which i have never had a problem with.  I went
from 128 to 159, yikes, that just killed me, I decided to go off the
medication, or I would have been over 200 lbs now.  I stopped gaining,
but I couldn't lose it.  I went around to the fitness clubs in the
area, and hated them, so then I went to my local YMCA.  I loved the
ambiance there, the family feeling.  So I talked to a fitness person
there and they put me on a regime, which didn't last too long, I was
so bored, and hated it, realizing I could never lose my weight.  Then
one day when I was going in, I saw them playing ping pong, and right
away, that is for me.  They have 4 tables there, and I started to get
back into it.  I would play sometimes 5 hours at a time.  Yikes, and
as time went on, i started losing the weight, I just played Saturday
and Sunday's, and that is all I did when I went to the Y.  More and
more people started coming to play, when they would see us there,
people who had in the past played it, and were drawn back into it.
The YMCA there has recognized that we are a big group, and are
catering to us more and more.  There is a very big oriental population
in my area, which has helped, and now we have all become really good
friends, and even have parties together, especially at my home.  I
have two tables here in my garage, and we put them out on the driveway
to play, their kids come, they usually play too.  I have to say now,
that I have lost all of the weight that I gained.  It feels great, and
I would never stop playing it now.  Mentioned in the articles I read
here, that microsoft and boeing encourage ping pong, well a company
that I worked for years ago, almost 20 years ago, they had 2 tables in
the warehouse, I actually donated one of them, and we used to play at
lunch and after work.  Got into some pretty heated games there, was a
great motivator, and great exercise too.  I hope it is true, the ping
pong is making a comeback, cause it really deserves it.

It is not an expensive sport, and heaven knows the kids today need to
get more exercise, with the obesity problem these days.  If I can lose
30 lbs at 53, I am sure these young kids can lose their weight too,
and the fun that they will have, and the close friends too.  It never
creates an argument, like other sports do, as in hockey, with the
fights, it is always friendly fun, sometimes my mouth aches from
laughing, and I always leave, tired and refreshed.  I play about 7-8
hours every weekend.

That is my story,  Thanks for listening

Beverly Wills