Two Years Of Sweat

Well tomorrow marks two years of fitness for me, I find it funny that I recall the day even without any sort of reminder.  I just know that March 11 2010 was the first time I weighed in on Wii Fit in the course of this journey.  It would be easy to write yet another blog post about how or even why I decided to lose at the highest point eighty pounds.  But since I just linked you to a couple of them that would be redundant.

Instead I think it might be a little more important on this second anniversary of sweat to focus on what I learned along the way.  Anyone that is putting themselves through the rigors of fitness training knows that you learn a lot about yourself.  Not just when you are doing fitness things but in general as well.

In the beginning of it all I learned that I was a bit self conscious going into the gym as a big guy, I’m sure that I looked a little silly in swim trunks and a t-shirt on the elliptical.  I felt like all the fit people would be looking at me and scoffing.  Being in the reverse situation I know now that most likely the reverse is true.  I see people on equipment at the gym and think ‘good for you!’  I then learned that having a peppy excited trainer dishing out gruelling workouts is amazing.  Part of this is due to the fact that I like a challenge and the other part is that it is always nice to have direction from someone who knows what they are doing.  Seriously if you are reading this and working out without any help from anyone, get a trainer to give you a set of things to do, or a buddy to come up with something and hopefully you find it as interesting as I do.

Every day I learn that I am capable of more and more things.  Faster speeds, lifting more weight, enduring for a longer time.  Two years ago I never would have guessed that I would be entering into races, or competing with someone who’s whole job is fitness on challenges.  It is quite interesting to discover that if my mind is focused on the task I can push my body to do something that was not possible even a week earlier.  Call it going ‘through the wall’ or whatever you like, if I have to do x+1 things to do better this time around on a fitness thing than I did the last time I will make it happen.

I’ve learned that I really like being active.  Some days I find it hard to even sit still for a while at home relaxing because I feel like I want to be moving.  Last summer I ran and rode my bike more kilometres that I had in the last ten years combined.  I am excited for spring to come so I can get my bike out and ride this year and run without having to get all bundled up.  Contrary to what one might think ding fitness things is invigorating, not tiring.  Most days I am nearly falling asleep on the way home from work and if I come home and sit on the couch I pass out for at least an hour.  If I head over to the gym instead or to karate and do something I get wound right back up, I’m awake and ready to do more!  My muscles might be tired, but I am awake.

Not everything is all awesome though, I have discovered I hate some things, like deadlifts, they hurt my back.  I don’t have the best form doing them and as the chiropractor has helped me discover I have some stabilizing muscles that are a bit weaker than they should be because my large muscles are doing their job for them.  I don’t like exercises that seem to take forever.  Like walking lunges, or box step-ups, they just kill the momentum of a workout and I feel like they take forever.  I want to be moving on instead of doing them.  I also know now that even in the shape I am now I can be a bit self conscious about things.  I was so big before and I lost weight pretty quick and I have some lose skin on my tummy and it can be a bit of a bother when I am jumping around or doing crunchies at the gym.  It is a bit funny how that type of time stays with me.

I think the best thing I learned is that there is always room for improvement.  No matter how good I get at something I can always be better.  This whole running thing has proven that to me time and time again.  It also means that there will always be someone better than me, and as fit and able as I get it is important to keep things in check realizing that fact. 

It is one thing to want to be number one on the day of a competition,and strive for excellence on the days in-between.  But my focus should be wide enough that I am helping those around me be as good as they can be as well.  If not for that scope of perspective by others I’d still be 230 pounds.