Let's get physical

Sport Climbing in Pyramid Lake, NV - 2002

Whitewater Kayak on Kern River, CA - 2005

Snorkeling (with some help) in Negril, Jamaica - 2006

Zip line Rainforest Canopy Tour in Negril, Jamaica - 2006

Hiking and Bouldering in Angeles National Forest, CA - 2005 & 2006

All the above photos are actually me. Don't misunderstand. I wasn't Queen of the X-Games or anything, but I was active. For years, I was on a quest to try as many new activities as I could. Whitewater rafting? Sign me up. Snowboarding? I'm there. I can't say that I was awesome at any of these activities, but I had fun. Being outdoors or being involved in some kind of athletic activity was a part of my life.

Then, my thyroid stop functioning normally. I was tired all the time. I spent most of my days asleep. No matter how much I slept it wasn't enough. I chalked it up to my commute and being overworked. My enthusiasm for being active disappeared with my energy levels. To add to the problem, the various physicians I saw through my HMO misdiagnosed my illness. It took them 6 months to figure out what was wrong. I had hypothyroidism. I was exhausted, depressed and rapidly gaining weight. The thought of getting up and driving to work was taxing. Going to the gym or for a run seemed daunting. Even with my prescription, I wasn't feeling any better. This lasted over a year. When I got married last year, I was 20lbs. heavier than I was when I got engaged.

Thankfully, I switched health insurance and got a doctor that adjusted my thyroid medication accordingly. My energy levels picked up and finally I set foot in a gym. The scale was not my friend, but worse still the treadmill was my enemy. After 20 minutes at a brisk pace, I was winded and could barely keep up. The old lady on the treadmill beside me was moving twice as fast and was still going strong when I hopped off my machine. My ego was bruised, but I was not completely crushed. I persevered.

Now two months later, my endurance is better, but I'm still not seeing the results I would like. I would love to snowboard this season and get back into climbing. Upon the advice of several friends, I decided to work with a personal trainer. My sessions start this week. I think this is where things are really going to get interesting. Wish me luck. I hope I don't get my @ss whooped too badly.