2015 is here...

Regular exercise is vital to a healthy lifestyle and a sound weight-loss program. It also relieves stress and increases productivity. Most experts suggest 60 minutes of exercise each day for optimal health. While exercise is a good thing, taking it to the extreme can cause serious health issues, even death.

I struggle to find just 20 minutes a day to dedicate to working out. It may be hard to believe that at one point, I placed exercise at the center of my life. I was compelled to exercise above and beyond normal levels, often in a desperate attempt to burn every calorie I consumed. Is this a reason for my heart issues?

I often wonder if my compulsive exercise periods in my life are what is required for my body to manage my weight. Even when I ran a 4-hour marathon, a doctor told me I was obese at 230 pounds.  He said I was 35-40 pounds overweight.  This was a blow to my self-esteem.  I worked so hard and felt tremendous, yet the physician still labeled me as obese.

I never reached a level of exercise bulimia, the use of excessive exercise to purge or compensate for binges, or simply regular eating.  Instead, I recall that date I “gave up” based on the physician’s few words.  Now I am 70 pounds heavier and not happy!

I am trying to get back on track.  I recently purchased an IHealth scale and have prepared to get back to 230 and will be content with being obese.  I hope I succeed as I feel better, die with stress better, and enjoy life.  This time, I will not let the Doctor, who is a real prick, blow my self-esteem when he calls me obese.

I also need to get my life and work balance under control.  In 2012, I worked over 70 hours a week, on average.  In 2013, I took that down to 63 hours.  For 2014, I have an average workweek of 59.3 hours.  Of course, this is my actual work hour divided by 52 weeks.  It includes my two weeks off for the Bike ride, my Vermont trip, and the time off for my son’s surgery.  I am most likely over 63 hours a week.  I am trying to limit myself to 10 hours a day and work fewer weekends for those who may think that overtime pay is excellent.  No, that is not the case for me.  In real terms, I make about the same hourly rate as the administrative assistant. 

So, I need to take action on both issues.  I also need to take care of it as I have ticker issues.  I am trying to avoid surgery, and that is going to be difficult.  Here we go!

In the end, I am still working on improving my photography.  Here are some examples once again:

Carry on my friends…