Ready. Set. Lift!

it's been a trying couple of weeks, but i've slowly and surely (with help of friends and family) been putting the pieces of my life back in order. i've finally accepted taking 6 pills a day as a fact of my life and, save for not eating anything with fat, sodium, or cholesterol (taste is optional too), i feel like i'm just about ready to get back into the swing of things.

you see, i used to be quite the gym rat. not that i was ever in great shape, but i did go often enough to maintain my body while i slowly killed it with shitty food, alcohol, and, regrettably, cigarettes. anyway, i'd spend an hour or 2 in the university gym trying to work off all that extra weight, with moderate success. i moved to chicago and kept on a regimen of lesser intensity, but eventually i got fat and lazy and gave up (i still like to blame this on the continual "sweet" weather that engulfs that city, making it virtually impossible to get motivated to do anything. but i digress). thankfully, i was able to pick up cycling when i moved to denver. but that hobby proved short-lived also as summer turned to fall (when i typically get sick), and fall to winter.

[an aside: i haven't completely given up on cycling. i'll pick back up when the weather gets better and am aiming to finish the 32 mile elephant rock course this year.]

but now, i have a renewed motivation. i like to call it "not dying." not dying involves following doctor's prescriptions for a new lifestyle. and thus, i've entered step 3 in the successful steps for not dying program. steps 1 and 2 are simple: step 1 is to take all required medications. step 2 is to not eat food with any taste, but that is quite healthy. step 3 takes this all one, um, a step further: incorporate steps 1 and 2 with a workout routine.

though i've yet to be cleared by my doctors to go back to work full time or do anything remotely stressful (physically or mentally), i've done some housekeeping and taken care of some other important things--namely applying for admission into club health, the completion of step 3.

club health is an exclusive club with many different names. it's a club where a member's standing is directly proportional to his (or her) BMI, percent body fat, and bench press max. Often the club goes by silly names like bally, gold, or the ambiguous moniker, "y." nevertheless, it is my intent to join the ranks of the fit and gain admission to this exclusive club. and for $35 a month, i think i'm well on my way.

i'm now a pledge in the 24 hour fitness chapter of club health. the club was nice enough to offer me 5 personal training sessions for the low, low price of $300. but, come to think of it, it's probably a hell of a lot cheaper than a funeral.

i'm awaiting clearance from my doctor to resume physical activity on monday. when the paper is signed and the handshake received, it's time to get ready. get set. lift!

www.24hourfitness.com

www.americanheart.org