0 How My Exercise Addiction Saved My Life

My addiction (and it is an addiction) to training has saved my life.  I'm absolutely convinced of that.  If I hadn't embraced exercise as passionately as I have, I would be dead well before my time.

5 years ago I was 14kgs (30lbs) heavier than I am now.  I was a heavy smoker, drinker and recreational drug user.  I was lazy, unfit and existing on a diet of unhealthy junk food.  I had a big wobbly belly and suffered from an unfortunate case of man boobs.  I would go out and party for days on end, and would never be asleep before midnight during the week.  I never exercised, was weak and generally just in pretty poor physical shape.

Along with the physical effects of my lifestyle, there was a significant impact on my mental well-being.  I was lacking in self-confidence, and incredibly self conscious of my body.  The worst part was that I was depressed.  It wasn't an all-consuming soul crushing kind of depression.  More like a constant, unhealthy feeling of sadness and discontent.  I was disgusted at the state that I had allowed myself to sink to, but completely unable to find the motivation to fix the problem.  Getting fit was an unattainable goal, and the other lifestyle changes that needed to come were just as far away.  

I was staring down the barrel of a life spent being unhappy with my body image, and the health and well being issues that come along with that sort of toxic lifestyle.


So what changed?


I had known for a long time that something needed to change.  When I tried to critically evaluate myself, I realised that I am an all of nothing type of guy.  I need something to devote all of my efforts to, to focus on.  I need a sense of achievement to drive me to a goal.  Somewhere along the way I'd allowed apathy, laziness and a general malaise to take over.  I made a conscious decision to change my life.  And I did.  


It sounds like a trite, oversimplification, but all it took was the mental decision to devote myself to improving my health (both physical and mental) and the rest is history.


I dragged my fat arse to a local boot camp class and can distinctly remember almost puking in the first session.  I started riding my mountain bike to work.  I started jogging, very slowly, a couple of times a week.  I was lucky enough to find a good trainer who put me through high intensity, circuit sessions that burnt a lot of fat and began to rebuild my strength, and I fixed my diet.  I ate healthily, ate less and started drinking a LOT of water.


I very quickly realised that I loved the way that exercise made me feel.  I felt more comfortable with my body, the endorphins released during my workouts made me feel happy and the sense of achievement I'd feel at the end of a long day of work and exercise was something that I began to love.  I had forgotten how great it can feel to sweat.  To get outdoors and do a hard workout in the fresh air.


I quit smoking and drugs, began to sleep more (primarily because I was knackered after working out) and was amazed at how good I was feeling.  My body felt strong and healthy, and I was happier, more productive and more generally in a much better mental state.


The first triathlon that i ever did (a corporate sprint distance race) was a revelation.  I was immediately hooked and haven't stopped since.


The fitter I got, the more I wanted to explore and push my limits, trying to see how far or how fast I could make myself go.  I found that I am mentally suited to the structured, obsessive routine of training that you need to be an endurance athlete.  I like the early mornings and the long runs on the weekends.  I enjoy the gym sessions and the hard bike rides in the pre-dawn cold.

A whole new world of marathons, Ironman, triathlon and trail running has opened up to me.  A community of like minded, strong and focused people who love to push themselves and those around them to be better.  People often ask me why I put myself through all of the pain and hardship.  They don't understand why I like to train so hard or deprive myself of so many hours when I could be doing something else.  I always say "Because I want to know what I'm capable of".  I just want to know what I'm truly capable of.  Our modern lives are so soft and cossetted, and I want to know where the line of physical and mental endurance is for me.  How far can I push myself?

Over the last five years, I've completely transformed my life.  I'm now strong, fit and healthy.  I am happy, confident and content with the shape of my life.  I have drastically reduced my chance of suffering heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteo-perosis, and lung cancer.  I'm a father and a husband and I feel like my training has given me the best possible chance of staying alive longer and living a healthier and happier life with my family.


I've realised that I need to balance my family, work and training effectively to keep everyone happy, but it's a good problem to have.





 

0 Get Off The Couch! 5 Reasons You Should Start Getting Fit Today

It's cold outside at the moment.  The weather is terrible, it's grey and dark and the only thing most people want to do is stay inside where it's warm and cosy.  If you're anything like me, you also want to eat filling, hearty winter foods that might not necessarily be fantastic for your waistline. It's all too common to see people putting aside their exercise routine in the cooler months, and paying a heavy price for it (pun intended)

As our lives get more sedentary and we spend more and more time at our desks, sitting in cars or on the couch, it's never been more important to include regular exercise in our daily routines.  You don't have to put yourself through boot camp torture or run a marathon every other day.  Just try and incorporate regular exercise into your weekly routine.  It could be riding your bike to work three days a week, running with a friend at lunchtime or a regular spin class at the gym.  Once you get started, there'll be no stopping you.

Here are five reasons to drag yourself off the couch today, and start to take care of your body again.

You'll feel better.

Vigorous exercise releases endorphins, the "feel good" chemicals that stimulate pleasurable sensations and an uplift in your mood.  You perceived levels of stress will be reduced, and you'll be less likely to feel anxious or pressured.

You'll be less likely to die early

Regular exercise reduces blood pressure, your risk of heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.  We're talking significant health benefits here people.  Your heart will be strenghtened and you will be more likely to avoid the very real health risks of our modern, western lifestyle.  Not only will you be more healthy, you will also be stronger in your later years, have denser bones and be less likely to suffer respiratory illness.

You'll have more energy

As your body becomes more efficient at carrying oxygen due to your improved level of fitness, you will feel more energetic.  Obviously, this has a signicant impact on your enjoyment of life, and ability to work harder and more effectively.

You'll be healthier
Regular exercise has been proven to improve your body's immune system.  You'll be more able to fend off common colds, viruses and common ailments.  There's nothing worse than those annoying winter colds, so make sure you give yourself the best possible chance of avoiding them.

You'll look great
Let's be honest. You'll feel great, and once you have been exercising for a while, you'll also look strong, fit and healthy.  You'll feel more attractive and there's a good chance others will think you are too.  It's not the most important reason to exercise, but it's a nice result from all of your hard work.

2 Too Busy To Exercise? Get fit and lose weight in no time!

How many times have you heard (or said) "I don't have time to workout".  As our work lives become busier and more stressful, it becomes easier to convince ourselves that we are too busy to dedicate long hours to sweating in a gym.  It's an easy trap to fall into, and unfortunately it has some serious consequences for our health.  The sedentary, desk-bound lifestyle that has become the norm, has been proven to shorten our lives significantly and has direct links to the increase in heart disease and diabetes in the Western world.

The good news is that you can take some easy steps to not only re-incorporate exercise into your life, but to improve your productivity and satisfaction at work.  Here are some simple ideas for fitting exercise into a busy professional life.  

Walk, run or ride to work

Sitting in a car in rush hour traffic is tedious, stressful, polluting and costly.  Public transport can be equally toxic, with chronic overcrowding, delays and high fares.  More and more commuters are finding real benefits in riding, walking and running to and from work, either daily or a couple of times a week.  In my case, it's actually quicker to run the 8kms to my office than to take the slow, expensive and crowded tram.  You will burn fat, tone muscles and reduce stress in a short amount of time, and save money at the same time.

Take the stairs
Nothing new here folks.  This idea is as old as the hills, but nevertheless, is still one of the smartest and simplest ways to shape up whilst at work.  Most of us work in multi-storey buildings and ride the elevator at least three or four times a day.  Instead of taking the lift, you can walk up or down the stairwell whenever you need to come or go.  You will improve your fitness, tone your butt and strengthen your legs in one simple exercise.  After a few days, it will become second nature.  You will probably start to notice the stairs everywhere you go.  Why not use the stairs instead of the escalator at the train station or the mall as well.

Use your lunch break

Whilst we all technically have a "lunch break", more and more professionals are choosing to work the lunch hour at their desks, in the belief that the extra hour of work will improve their overall productivity.  When you think about it though, trying to power through a 10 hour day without a real break, is not only bad for your body, it's not the best way to ensure that you are operating at your highest level all day.  Take your lunch break.  Head out for a run, swim or take an express gym class like Spin or Pilates.  You'll be amazed at how switched on you feel mentally after your workout, and you will begin to see real physical improvements in your posture, fitness and strength after a short period of time.

It is easy to dismiss these tips as unworkable due to your super-busy workload, but just think about the very real benefits to your life, now and in the future, that these small changes will provide.