Years ago I was really active - hiking, alpine mountaineering, scuba. (If you think the last one doesn't count, lug my gear around for a day and you'll change your mind.)
I had a life-threatening medical crisis in 2011 (DVT with bilateral PE). The vascular system in my right leg ain't so great. Same leg, long term plantar fasciaitis and a Morton's neuroma. You might correctly surmise that this curtailed my active life. I walked with a mild limp, sometimes needing a cane. I was barely 44 years old.
The spiral into mental illness that followed may or may not have been exacerbated by lack of activity. Could have been a number of things (cocaine, I'm looking at you).
I feel into despair. I got fat. Well, fatter. In the best shape of my life the Army considered me nearly 30 pounds overweight. The Army was high on drugs at the time, obviously.
I kicked the hard drugs, got off tobacco and all forms of nicotine in 2015. I started a weight loss regimen in 2016, lost 48(?) pounds, destroyed my ACL and the anterior meniscus in a bicycle accident. Oh yeah, same right leg.
Gained all but 18 of it back recovering from surgery. Went low carb in November of 2017, later getting really serious about diet, going low carb high protein. I lost a total of 90 pounds from peak up to two months ago when I had bariatric surgery to ensure the weight stayed off. Currently -130 from peak. I'm about 25 pounds from Army weight. I feel good.
Still, the leg.
It's been difficult. Long story, but stationary exercise machines are no bueno and I'm not the best swimmer in the world. I procrastinate mightily, though. I'm thinking of learning to kayak.
All that aside, I have found exercise to be great for my mental state. For the most part. I wish I could do more of it.
I had a life-threatening medical crisis in 2011 (DVT with bilateral PE). The vascular system in my right leg ain't so great. Same leg, long term plantar fasciaitis and a Morton's neuroma. You might correctly surmise that this curtailed my active life. I walked with a mild limp, sometimes needing a cane. I was barely 44 years old.
The spiral into mental illness that followed may or may not have been exacerbated by lack of activity. Could have been a number of things (cocaine, I'm looking at you).
I feel into despair. I got fat. Well, fatter. In the best shape of my life the Army considered me nearly 30 pounds overweight. The Army was high on drugs at the time, obviously.
I kicked the hard drugs, got off tobacco and all forms of nicotine in 2015. I started a weight loss regimen in 2016, lost 48(?) pounds, destroyed my ACL and the anterior meniscus in a bicycle accident. Oh yeah, same right leg.
Gained all but 18 of it back recovering from surgery. Went low carb in November of 2017, later getting really serious about diet, going low carb high protein. I lost a total of 90 pounds from peak up to two months ago when I had bariatric surgery to ensure the weight stayed off. Currently -130 from peak. I'm about 25 pounds from Army weight. I feel good.
Still, the leg.
It's been difficult. Long story, but stationary exercise machines are no bueno and I'm not the best swimmer in the world. I procrastinate mightily, though. I'm thinking of learning to kayak.
All that aside, I have found exercise to be great for my mental state. For the most part. I wish I could do more of it.
