Quit The Job, found my energy, rejoining the rebellion!

[Illyria]

Hello fellows, friends and rebels,

 

I joined this site just over two years ago, and I've been following the Nerd Fitness blog for a while longer than that. Here's the lengthy origin story:

 

As a kid, I had pretty severe asthma. I ended up in the ER or hospital with some frequency. My mom had even worse asthma than me, and other health concerns besides. Sickness (and fragility) were big themes in my family growing up. I was taught over and over again not to push myself physically. If I'm ever doing something and my lungs start to burn or feel uncomfortable, I should stop right away, sit down, and focus on my breathing. This is great advice to give to a kid who needs to learn how to manage asthma attacks. However, that mindset has stayed with me well into adulthood, despite the fact that I more or less "grew out of" my asthma.

 

Once I got out on my own, I did start to take better care of myself. Learned how to eat healthy for cheap (yay bulk lentils!), realized my lungs weren't so bad any more, started biking more, and I even discovered I had a passion for dance. For a few years, I spent a ton of time dancing and hooping, and found myself healthier, stronger, and happier with my weight than I had ever been.

 

Then I got The Job. The Job was in my field, exciting, and exactly what I thought I wanted at the time, and two years later it had really done a number on me. Everything revolved around work, comfort food, drinking to deal with stress, long hours, crying at work, the whole shebang. I figured out it wasn't working about six months in but felt stuck for a number of reasons. A few months later, I got a second job bar tending to help save up money (and chisel down my mountain of student debt). This past May, I quit The Job. It was scary and stressful and the best decision I've ever made. This summer I have been frugally living off my savings (while still bar tending), visiting family I haven't seen in 8 years, getting back in touch with my health, and generally recuperating. 

 

The reason I was inspired to rejoin this forum was because yesterday, I jogged to and from work. It wasn't very far at all (half a mile, plus 3 flights of stairs at my apartment), I wasn't very fast (took about 6 or 7 minutes), I had to walk and catch my breath a few times, and my form probably sucked. But I haven't jogged outside since the one time I couldn't weasel out of the mile run in high school. I have NEVER voluntarily jogged in my life, but yesterday it just made sense. I decided there was no reason not to jog to and from work when I live so close--what a great opportunity for fitness! My lungs and legs burned like crazy, but I pushed through it and was totally fine.

 

I've been rebooting my life in a lot of ways this summer. I've realized that I'm very good at removing/restricting elements of my life (no caffeine, cold turkey, starting tomorrow. Or no processed sugar. Or no bread.) and I've been historically bad at adding in new habits that will stick. So I'm starting small. Here is what's already working:

• Got a fitness costume (trainers, sports bra, and I'm going to try a fitbit charge HR because I know tracking motivates me)
• Jog to and from work (only happens twice a week for half a mile in either direction, too easy to say no to)
• Jump rope for 5 minutes 5 times a week (again, too easy to say no)
• Drink more water
• Enjoy black tea, not coffee

Other than coffee, I'm not restricting my diet in any way. I have a generally healthy diet now, and I know I'm really good at changing eating habits when I'm ready. I also know that jogging and jumping rope make me want to do other things (like stretch, dance, do yoga, lift weights, etc) and I will embrace those things as the mood strikes. But right now, I'm focusing on building easy, sustainable fitness habits that don't seem very impressive, but would blow that asthmatic little kid's mind.

 

Game on, kid.

 

Thanks for reading 

 

 

 

 

[Nedwin]

Right on! Let's do this!

[fio_smiles]

Sounds great! I just joined yesterday! Looking forward to seeing how you get along