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⬅️ Previous capture (2021-12-04)
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I was out of shape and out of practice when I bought my bicycle in July of 2020. My age was in the single-digits the last time I had ridden one, and my desk job kept me sedentary for the majority of my day. I went on a short ride around my neighborhood after getting the bike home, and by the time I reached the corner gas station about a quarter of a mile away, I needed to get off the bike and rest for several minutes in order to avoid vomiting.
In contrast, yesterday's ride took me on a 13-mile round trip along hilly trails in just over an hour and a half. The trip pushed me to my limits, but I returned
home immensely proud of my achievement.
I find my fitness a difficult thing to track effectively, since it does not instantly improve or degrade, I will experience days or weeks in which I seem to see no improvements, but later it feels as if I've suddenly gained the ability to do another ten push-ups or bike another two miles our of nowhere.
Many sources I've consulted about fitness emphasize the need for a log or diary of one's progress. In my previous attempts to lose weight and gain strength, I discounted that advice. I would simply try to remember the state of my health at the beginning and how it changed over time. When I felt as if I had not changed, I lost motivation. Today I log my exercises on my wall calendar, and of course I check and record my weight every week. I also send the results of my workouts to family and my wife, which helps keep me accountable and motivated.
As of yesterday, I have lost 33 pounds off my all-time heaviest weight (256 lbs in mid-2018). I have not been this light since the end of 2016. My current goal weight is less than 200 lbs, a weight I have not had since 2014.
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[Last updated: 2021-10-28]