HITTING THE GYM

I just keep getting fatter and fatter.
I've been of work so long now, that I think I've gained 25 lbs.
When Ms. Lea and I met, I was a bodybuilder, competing in one or two contests a year. Which by necessity made me keep my weight somewhere within 30 lbs. of my competitive weight, of 195 at 3% body fat. Which at 6'2 put me looking more like a male clothing model than a bodybuilder. Anyway, after doing that for 5 years, I began to have severe back troubles,
and had to taper off of the weight training to save my back for work.
I have found, though, that if you don't use it, you lose it. So, after probably 4 years of not training at all, I've made the decision to go back to it. I started several months ago, trying to get back, but found, at 47, I don't heal nearly as well or quickly as I did at 37. So after a month of nearly constant pain, I decided to give it a rest. It didn't rest, it stopped.
Last week Ms. Lea and I went and saw our LMT, who is also an old friend, it had been awhile.
She was appalled at my physical condition! I tried the old "I'm conditioning my mind" gambit.
It didn't work. She told my that's not a holistic approach, she's right. Not only do I feel better, but my brain works better when I'm getting regular exercise. It just hurts me that, at 47, I can't train the way I used to. I want to start out with 300 lb dead lifts and 200 lb bench presses and I want to see the difference tomorrow! No, I have to start with 90 and 90. I have to start with one workout a week or maybe two, and instead of concentrating on the weights, I'm supposed to walk or at least do more of the dreaded cardio. I hate that cardio crap, but they tell me that, that is the only way I'm going to be able to get my weight down to where my back doesn't hurt and will eventually allow me to get back to lifting heavy, Which is what I like to do.
I won't ever go back to competitive bodybuilding again, but I would like to get down to the point where my back doesn't bother me all the time. Maybe somewhere around 210-220.
WISH ME LUCK !!!