Healthy Living isn’t Always Easy

Getting healthy is killing me.

Like a lot of people, the New Year was my D-Day for healthy living. Gone were the bad ol’ days, when I could do whatever I wanted and eat what I wanted and exercise if I wanted. It was time for discipline. For fitness. For exercise. For nutritious eating.

It wasn’t like I was starting from scratch. I exercised and ate OK before, but certainly could have done better. And it wasn’t like I was going on a boot camp-style regimen. A little more exercise. An extra leaf of lettuce on my foot-long sub.

But it’s been tougher than I thought.

I decided to train for the “Fleet Feet Run for Your Heart” 5K by following the program provided on this blog by Fleet Feet co-owner and resident expert Susan Hastings. I’ve survived that so far, but the big runs are coming up. If you see a large man sprawled across a treadmill at the Treasure Coast Health and Fitness Center, just tell my mom I loved her.

I also decided to start playing basketball again in the 35-and-over league at the YMCA after a year-long layoff. In the first week I hurt my ankle. The second week I re-injured it, so to get the swelling down I’ve spent more time on ice than a polar bear. Of course, they’re endangered too, so we have that in common.

Then there was my bid to drink less coffee. That’s been rough. You never want to admit that something has a grip on your entire existence, but that seems to be the case. Coffee, I didn’t realize, is really black gold. It nourishes, it energizes, it keeps us from falling asleep in the middle of meetings or from getting headaches late in the day.

The worst thing is, all this healthy living doesn’t seem to be working. My pants fit the same. I am not bursting, Incredible Hulk-like, out of my shirt with impressive new muscles. Rather than bouncing around with energy, I’m falling asleep on the floor much earlier than I used to.

After reading Jane Reynold’s blog on Friday, I could identify with the people who tend to give up the ghost after a few weeks of sweat equity, washed down with a glass of carrot juice. Her advice was encouraging, so I’ll keep plugging along.

Still, I’m assuming the big returns are right around the corner. That’s why I’m getting ready to strap the running shoes on for a 2 ½-mile run right after I write this. Good health, I’m sure, is right around the corner.

--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator