Back in 2014, I started on a fitness journey towards a healthier me. I had topped out at around 320 lbs, was having various weight-related health issues and was just physically miserable. This all, of course, also had effects on my mental wellbeing. So, I got up and got moving — slowly at first and then little-by-little a bit faster. In the first 7 months, I had lost nearly 80 lbs and just a month later was competing in my first 10K. In 2015, the desire to do more than just run led to my entry into sprint-distance triathlons and a pair of Half Marathon runs. During 2015 /16, I was training enough that I was burning somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 active calories per day (over and above my basal metabolic rate – or the rate at which calories burn when sedentary / at-rest). So, 2014 through 2016 were filled with some very high levels of activity and the best fitness levels I had achieved in decades.
Then came my first Olympic distance triathlon in September 2016. I had trained well and felt like I was ready, but it was my first competitive open water swim on a course (at the time) that was very poorly laid out. For those who have competed in the Disco Triathlon at the longer distances back when the outer markers were outside the cove in the lake, you know what I am talking about. Add to that, both the bike and run were double the distance I was typically completing. So, I had a rough swim, dumped way too much energy on the bike, and had to walk a good portion of the 10K run. I was sore, miserable, and dejected after that event. For no good reason, I let my training start to slip a bit.
Ultimately, 2017 and the back injury I sustained really put me off my training. I had a back injury that took me down and out from April through June and ultimately required a cortisone injection in my spine to get me back on my feet (literally, I was practically bed-ridden for months). The main problem during that time was, for the previous 3 years with the high rate of calorie burn, I had taken to eating a lot to keep my body fueled. I had also been able to enjoy the occasional sweet treat or have a beer or two over the weekend. Yet, when I got injured and stopped burning so many calories, I did not adjust my caloric intake habits. Things added up over time and 2017-2019 were a steady decrease in fitness and an increase of weight. After I had gotten to a low of 234 lbs in 2015, I was back up over 275 earlier this year.
So, I have finally gotten myself back on track. One thing that seemed to help my motivation 2014-2016 was blogging about the journey. Whether anyone reads this or it is just a cathartic exercise for me, I think it is helpful for me when I am “social” with my successes, failures, gains, and setbacks. It is also helpful for me when I have a shared experience with others, so, I have been enlisting various friends who have similar goals and interests. I participate regularly in step challenges on Garmin and do various other “accountability” activities with some friends. If you are like me and feel the need to connect on some level for accountability, feel free to DM me.
That is all for now, but I am going to try and blog somewhat regularly and see how it goes. A couple of pictures below show me in 2015 and the other in 2018. I am working back towards that 2015 physique. 😃
October 2015 at Monster Triathlon
August 2018 at Run4Bibles Trail 10K
#keepmovingforward #beatyesterday
CC's Fitness Blog 