Challenges

So, I figured I’d offer a little more about me and my specific challenges with getting healthy.  The real road blocks for getting in shape, and how I hope to overcome them…  anyway here’s what I’ve come up with.

For starters, I dislike exercise…  it’s not something I choose to spend my time on.  If I’m guilty of any sin, it’s definitely sloth.  Generally speaking, I’d simply rather think than move…  That’s why I chose HIT (less reps, less exercises, less often)… I figure, if I can bang my lifting routine out in 20 minutes twice a week, my chances of sticking with it will increase dramatically.  Luckily, I can handle intense anaerobic exercise pretty well (if it’s short and sweet).  My hope is that by seeing some results (from it and the diet), it’ll provide the motivation needed to add another day, or expand upon my routine.   

More importantly, I LOATHE, detest, abhor me some cardio.  Seriously, the last thing I EVER want to do is get my heart rate up, and feel my heart pumping, I just don’t like that feeling… AT ALL.  That’s going to be my biggest hurdle.  So, I’ve decided to simply walk… now, I’ll do so briskly, but walking (at any pace) doesn’t feel like cardio (or even exercise) to me.  I think I developed an aversion to cardio from my days in sports (jumping rope, jogging etc. until I thought my head/chest were going to explode, and I was going to puke)… never liked it since, and will avoid it all costs.  I have two exceptions to that rule hiking/climbing, and working over a heavy bag.  Sadly, living in Columbus (read: glacial flatlands), the nearest hiking trails are literally an hour away, and a heavy bag isn’t in the budget right now.  So, I’ll make the drive on weekends (when possible) to hike… otherwise, it’s walks around the park and or neighborhood for my “cardio”. 

Another big hurdle is going to be my job.  I’m a food buyer, I sit behind a desk all day, and what’s worse?  I buy for a candy and snack company.  In fact, there was a bag of malt ball centers sitting on my desk all day, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to open (and subsequently demolish) them.  I also get wined and dined by prospective vendor’s regularly… it’s almost like the sales reps are in competition with one another for who can take me to the nicest, most elaborate (and often most fattening) meal out… luckily, I control what I order, and I can opt to “taste” samples in small enough qty that I don’t blow my calorie budget. 

My girlfriend and I are both foodies and beer snobs…  the beer I’m going to just accept I have to let go… but I can satisfy the foodie in me with healthy meals (more fresh herbs, seasonings etc.)… I’ll probably do poorly with my sodium intake, but I can (and will) make healthy taste good.

Lastly, genetics.  Now, I’m not going to cry about being a hard-gainer, cause I’m far from it (I actually respond well to weight training)… but my body fights to retain some fat, and in that respect, I’m a “hard-loser”.  The only time in my life I’ve been lean (sub 10%) was when I was at the peak of my training for kickboxing… to achieve that, I was exercising a minimum of an hour a day (on my off days)… and on my training days, it wasn't at all uncommon to see 4+…  what upsetting about that, is I know other guys on the same program were at half my body fat%.  The fact is, I’ve got Norseman genetics (tall, fair skin, light hair, blue eyes), and my body loves it a layer of “protective” blubber…  getting below 15% body fat is damn difficult for this fella…  especially considering I pack the stuff on everywhere.  But I guess that’s what diet and exercise are for…  and I’m hoping, that having my LBM at the highest it’s ever been (which it currently is), will change the rules of what I know about how my body hangs on to fat…  if not, I may have to work a little harder (than I’d like) as I get into the home stretch.