A Healthy Lifestyle = Agony

I went to Arizona and spent the entire week eating like a hobbit. When I came back, I bounced down the stairs to the tarmac. Airport security had to roll me over to my bike and heave me up. The motorcycle sagged in the middle as I drove home.

Determined to reverse the damage I'd done to myself, I hit the gym with a vengeance on Monday, including a full upper-body circuit. The next day, I wanted to die. But I went back anyway, and concentrated on lower body and cardio.

Later in the week it was time to go back to upper body, but I was still in pain. I dropped a couple of Tylenol and got to it. I was fine until I got to the bench press. I didn't put much weight on at all, but it didn't matter... I brought the bar down, bounced it off my chest, and my right shoulder said, "Nope."

My brain replied, "What do you mean, 'Nope?'" To which my shoulder said, "Nope means I'm done. It's not going up. Sorry, you're going to have to do it without me. I'm sitting this one out."

I managed to heave it up to the lower hooks. But I was done. I kept it to cardio for a couple of days.

On Monday, I was back. Again, full upper body circuit, this time feeling fine. Lower body and cardio last night, which means it'll be upper body tonight. After last week's experience, I woke up this morning gauging how everything felt. I'm a little stiff, but nothing some stretching and push-ups didn't solve. The body is sore, but fine.

And I've been dropping the simple carbs, eating fruits 'n' veggies, lotsa chicken and fish. It wouldn't make much sense to beat the shit out of myself at the gym if I'm just gonna go home and eat a cheesecake and pizza, y'know?

I smoked two packs a day for thirteen years. Easily the stupidest thing I've ever done. I quit several years ago, but I still get these weird coughing jags every once in a while. Plus, I also had a couple of bleak years during which I subsisted on ramen noodles and fast food dollar menus, none of which did me any good.

I want to repair the damage, and I see the time spent and the pain as my due penance. (Yeah, I was raised Catholic). I'm just glad I have the opportunity to live better. But man... in the meanwhile, it ain't easy.