Several years ago, in my mid teens, I was an above average athlete. Five feet ten and a half inches tall, lean (though I didn't believe I was) 158 to 168 depending on the sport I was playing. The weight shift was negligible and a natural change that I took for granted. Heavier during football season, lighter for everything else.
My college major was Health and Physical Education so i had not need to monitor my weight, Being active was natural for me and I paid it little attention. Then it happened. During wrestling class I started to drop a few pound. Being a little lighter allowed me to jump a little higher. In fact for one short summer, I could dunk a basketball in a regulation hoop. Do not be confused, dunk not jam, more of a push it down into the basket.
I got married and started spending less time being as active as I was once was, and found myself slowly putting on a few pounds.I eventually entered the US Navy as jobs were scarce and I needed to do something. These five years created challenges, sitting at a radar screen drinking coffee, drinking to excess when in port for Rand R, eating and sitting around became a way of life.
A serious knee injury, lateral femoral epicondyle fracture defect, led to and honorable discharge and looking for a job. eight week non-weight bearing and several weeks learning to walk again (that was a surprise to me). Five months later while teaching at the same school as my wife, it was out the door for me and we began a process leading to divorce. With a need to change I sought employment near, so to spend time with my daughter, but away to create some space for myself. During an interview I saw this girl walking across the quad, only to disappear in a door way. As the school year came to an end I found I would be starting new job nearby, but had the summer to contemplate what to do while I was waiting to start. I took up running for the first time. I still say I was more of a jogger than a runner. I started this experience weighing 180 pounds, By the end of the summer I was running nearly everyday and distances of four to eight miles. My weight dropped to 163.
Feeling good about myself and starting over things looked good. Two months later I shattered my tibial platue. As a physical education instructor this poses a problem. Eight more weeks of non weight bearing, three screws and a month of physical therapy and starting over. This lay off was the start of the weight gain issues. I took up beer as a means to pass time. Empty calories and stupid rules.
Healed up and working again, a relationship that worked then failed. I did eventually meet that girl from the day I interviewed and married her. Before that I managed to injure the same knee a third time. Playing in a faculty student soccer game on a muddy field, a girl slipped and landed on the side of my leg tearing my a medial collateral ligament. Five more weeks on crutches and on I continue.
I now enrolled in a graduate level program so free time became a nonexistent. since I was busy any, we got engaged and wedding planning started. My ex had moved to a distance far enough away that I didn't spend much time with my daughter. So again beer came into play. I even took to making it. I was playing basketball once a week with the Groundhog and made some friends. Plantar faciitis came and hung around for nearly two years. Tried the Body for Life program and the Abs Diet, both I found to be very good. Another job search and out the door went any true exercise regime.
As I changed roles positions and continued to gain weight as I never truly committed for more than four months to a workout/weight management program. I discovered running again just last year. Thirty to sixty minutes of me time. ran a few 5k's and tried a 10K, finishing in a better time than I planned. I was planning a half marathon and bang! Heel spur and plantar faciitis, part two.
Here I am eight months later getting out the door, no more excuses.
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