Health & Fitness • Page 102

Northeast Ohio is hitting record low temperatures tonight. This spring has been a joke. We’ve had maybe 5 or 6 days over 60 so far this entire year.

typically the average temp in NEO in mid April to now is 60 and above. Most days have been in 30s and 40s.

I have no idea what the fuck is going on here.

 

Anyone ever do the Sally Up challenge? It's less than 4 minutes long, but I've never been able to get more than 100 seconds through it. Great exercise to squeeze in a few times a day.

 

I've completed the squat version when I was somewhat in shape

 

I was talking with a friend the other day and we talked about how we both feel like we HAVE to get certain food at a restaurant, almost like it'll disappear. Like I always feel like I have to get fries or pasta or whatever indulgence or else... Idk?? Idk what my brain thinks will happen but lately it's been nice making different choices and realizing I'm fine and not even really craving it. Like just ordering a veggie burger without the combo meal... I'm okay! Or ordering the side salad instead of the fries, like I survived and the salad was good! Work in progress

 

What's up, everyone? I don't really share much of my personal life journey, but I was asked to share my journey with health & fitness by the ultra running organization I'm a part of. They highlight people's stories each newsletter, so I figured I'd share my quick and unedited write up here too. I'm sure they won't allow me to cuss in the final version, but whatever haha. Hearing other people's stories always inspires me, so I hope mine does the same, even if it is just one person.

-----

I was 18 years old, had 7% body fat, and weighed somewhere between 160-170 lbs. I was a competitive distance runner and lifted regularly during cross country and track for over 7 years. I started young! My diet was unlimited pasta, ice cream, and frozen burritos. I was already a binge eater at such a young age. College life happened, I got burned out, quit running, kept my eating habits, and discovered alcohol. My passion for running (and sports in general) died. I pretty much stopped all physical activity for 3 and a half years while in college. Before I knew what was happening, depression set in and my relationship of almost 5 years at the time ended terribly.

I weighed 241 lbs on my 23rd birthday. It was the heaviest I've ever been and I was on dark path to nowhere. The week after my birthday I pulled myself together and started portioning my food, watching my caloric intake, and forced myself back in to running. It was stressful and painful, but 6 and a half months in, and on the day of my graduation, I weighed 185 lbs. I did it! I lost the weight and I finished college! I was done! Yeah, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Me at my biggest. I was a terrible dresser.


Maintaining that lifestyle was a disaster. I graduated, started working, and my habits relapsed causing my weight and overall health to fluctuate over the next 5 years. Within a 5 year span I was in my deepest depression and my weight peaked at 220 lbs with an average weight of around 212 lbs. I should also mention I was a vegetarian at this time. A very bad one. I had high cholesterol and blood pressure for a young dude. It was a long and dark 5 years.

When I turned 28 I moved across the country. Then I met and fell in love with the woman who is now my wife. A year and half into our relationship I turned 30 and things just clicked. I finally woke up. I started eating healthy and more intuitively by educating myself and paying attention to what I was putting in my body (basically, If I couldn't pronounce an ingredient or didn’t know what an ingredient was, I didn't eat the product). I didn't count calories this time around. It was too stressful the first time and I was focused on the long-term. I just limited my portions and knew what I was putting in my body. Shortly after implementing that practice, my passion for running was reignited and I started hitting the weights again. I was running the most I had since my competitive years. I was also shedding the depression just as fast as the pounds. I was working towards something again and thinking about the journey a different way.

Fast forward 7 months from then. I weighed 165 lbs. Unfortunately, I never figured out my body fat percentage since my transformation and haven't since, but I was toned and had abs! That was cool! Check out my before and after photo!



I was 30 years old and hadn't looked like that since my competitive running days! I ate meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits and carbs almost everyday. I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day. I also snacked (late night popcorn, oatmeal with peanut butter, and almond milk were my snacks. Three of my favorite things!). Shit, I still had ice cream every now then and still do!

I'm 33 years old now. I was 170 lbs the last time I weighed myself (about two weeks ago since writing this). I've managed to maintain a weight between 168 lbs - 172 lbs for over 3 years now. I continue to run 6 days a week and do strengthening workouts at least twice a week and not because I have to, but because l legitimately love doing it now. It became a new habit. My diet hasn't changed since I figured it out. I just know whats good and what works for me in the least stressful way possible. It's not some specialized diet or intermittent fasting routine either. In fact, the food I eat is pretty damn normal and easy to find at your local grocery stores.

Since meeting my wife, learning how to eat, and rediscovering my passion for running, I've become an ultra marathoner and am working towards my first 100 mile attempt. I already have a 50 miler and 100k under my belt. Depression is an ongoing battle that comes and goes for me, but I figured out what I need to do to stay on top. If I can beat the darkness and the doubt, you can too. It took 11 years for things to click with me, but things finally did and now I'm an animal...a happily married animal.

-Crossing the finish line of my first ultra marathon. 50 miles in 8 and a half hours!


-The best day of my life!


EDIT: Added an embarrassing photo of me at my biggest.

 

wow way to make us feel like shit @AlwaysEvolving21

just kidding, great for you! great to hear you fell back in love with running (and all the other stuff too, but running is my love/passion more than anything so that stuck out to me most)

 

I downloaded a walking app so I’m officially Into Fitness now

 

Walkings the best. One time when I was in college I needed a PE credit so I took an online walking class. Lol. All we had to do was walk 3 times a week and self report. But I actually made myself do it 5 days a week if not more and I had never felt better. I didn’t lose a lot of weight because I still ate like shit but I didn’t get tired just walking to and from places anymore. And I was able to play basketball without feeling like I was gonna throw up after 5 minutes. But I still make it a point to walk a couple of times a week to this day.

 

You know I didn't think I'd get here, but zucchini noodles are kinda better than regular pasta. Hot take. The zucchini absorbs the flavor and pasta doesn't rly. Idk if I already talked about this lol but it's still true. I mean pasta is still pasta and zucchini def doesn't have the comfort food feel, but it's good. Today I made zucchini noodles, tofu, and broccoli. good and didn't take too long. I need a tofu press tho. I make the zucchini noodles with veggie broth, garlic and nutritional yeast and it's great.

 

Yummm, I freaking love zucchini noodles. My stepmom tries to eat gluten free as much as possible, so she has them instead of pasta all the time. I will always pick them over pasta when I'm at her house if they're offered. I need to get a little spiral cutter thing so I can make them at home. I dropped mad hints before chirstmas, but didnt get one. I know it's not pricey

 

I have a lil cheap handheld one I got from Walmart years ago for like less than $10 and it works for me. I've only ever tried zucchini in it tho. I impressed my roommate with it today cause it's the first time I've used it since moving in with her lmao

 

I’ve closed my rings every day except 1 since Jan 28.

 

Cool flex sanch

 

okay Sonic

 

I’ve been trying to work on physical fitness to help with both my body and my mental health during this, and I’ve made some great progress already. I was working out regularly years ago but fell off for a lot of reasons, so getting back into it in a way where I should be able to keep it going for the long haul has been great.

The biggest thing I’ve been doing is just walking laps around my house, which I try to keep from getting boring by calling and talking to my dad for the duration. Normally I’ve been doing an hour to 75 minutes a day, but today we got caught up in a conversation and I went to 90 minutes without even trying. Not sure if that will be my new normal time, but it was great to hit it easily.

There are a few things I’d like to try incorporating in soon like finally learning how to properly do a squat, but for being stuck without anyone to guide me I’m pretty happy with what I’ve come up with.

 

Damn @AlwaysEvolving21 is making me think maybe I should start running lol

I've been weightlifting for like 4 years but never incorporate cardio. My endurance is absolute dogshit and I still don't have visible abs lol

 

bought a pair of Brooks' because i was starting to get blisters now that I'm doing longer distances without dedicated running shoes

 

do it. Running is the best.

 

You ever do hanging leg raises? Those seem to work like a charm.

 

I'm back on my on again, off again bs with running - I always do well for a little while and then somehow fall off. Luckily, my gf and I have been doing lots of hiking and biking, and it's motivating me to push for that run in the morning. Could only run 10 minutes at first, now running 15 - was able to run about 30 minutes straight at my peak, even got to an hour once. But my frustration is I never stick with it, so here's to pushing myself through my bs lol.

Allergies are not helping, but I can feel the strength in my legs from the biking and hiking we've been doing so hoping my cardiovascular system starts catching up with me.

 

that’s mine

 

I miss the gym so much

 

mine are about that skinny but with none of the definition

 

I stopped getting consistent exercise when shelter in place restrictions happened and my apartment shut down the little gym I used and as I wasn't walking to work anymore.

Getting back into the grove now as I've walked nearly every day for about a month, or 27/30 days. I miss the elliptical the gym had though. Considering getting an exercise bike that I can use in my apartment as it starts to get hotter here, I'd definitely get more exercise in that way as I liked using the elliptical while watching shows on my iPad.