This is my first post for the year as I’ve finally reemerged mentally from the holiday season. I’ve struggled with writer’s block and trying to keep sane while managing the wild swings of life. It feels like a season where I’m muddling through.
Ironically, I did fairly well with my nutrition and exercise over the holiday in that I didn’t gain too much weight. My bodyweight fluctuated between 209 and 213. As of this morning, I weighed in at 212. I’ve also begun training with another dad at least twice a week to help him build muscle and lose weight. It’s been a great motivator for us both to work towards getting in the best shape of our lives.
As for my own gains, I can see changes in my body composition. Particularly in my arms, shoulders and quads. I can even see my abs – a little. If you’ve reached this far in the post, you’re probably wondering what I meant by “muddling through,” as all seems fine. Well, there have been several nuisances, distractions along the way which have compounded stress, probably causing spikes in my cortisol. I fight stress with positive (but realistic) thinking, reasonably good (but not perfect) nutrition and of course, exercise.
Each day has been and continues to be messy with some type of complication or unpredictable challenge. Everyone’s situation is different. For instance, some people found the recent snow days to be hyper-stressful, particularly with little kids at home. I actually managed being snowed in (For a week!) OK. It’s the daily routine of managing life that I’ve found challenging at times. From keeping up with kid’s schedules to managing job insecurity, these have been times where it’s easy to fall into a “stress eating” trap.
My stresses are compacted in little nuanced details of situations that I’ll skip for this post. Each situation comes with its own complex problem that often requires an on-the-fly solution, which zaps my mental and emotional energy. I found it difficult to motivate myself to write a post as so much of my energy was zapped. However, I found a different outlet to share positive energy related to fitness and wellness. I started a new YouTube channel a few months ago focused on gradual fitness. I’ve specifically found inspiration with YouTube shorts encouraging others (and myself) to value every step taken.
At times, it’s felt like I’m crawling my way through a snowstorm with poor visibility. I have to gather myself to refocus in the middle of chaos happening around me or in my head. There have been a few moments where I leaned on an extra piece of candy or an unnecessary soft pretzel for ‘copium.” I’ve largely found ways, however, to keep myself mentally in the game. This helps me to stay on the gradual weight loss/muscle building journey. I’ll keep muddling through life’s daily stresses as I eventually reach my goal of sub-200 pounds with lean muscle.