I did something really stupid and incredibly smart at the same time!

And I decided to actually share it with the world in our blog.....

A briefer history

I can't be training

Just to let you know me a bit more, I'll tell you a little about myself, trainings wise.  I have grown up knowing that have an anemia blood disease, which means that my body has soe difficult attaching and transporting oxygen to the muscles and other parts of the body.

With that in mind, I was always a sprinter in the schools gymnastics, never having the strength for prolonged training.  However I was always one of the best in my class in gymnastics, whatever the sport.  Exept running.  And I was always blaiming blood disease for not having the strength.

Maybe I can, anyway

However, at the age of 43 or 44, I started running one summer.  I loved it.  I had to start by running in intervals of 30-60 seconds, and then walking for a few minutes, since I hade never really run before.  Then a friend suggested that I should run a bit slower and use so much energy, while running.  Right!  So I did.  And I gradually increase my capacity for longer paths.  Eventuelly I was running between 6-10 km every second or third day.  The lenght was always depending on my mood and what I wanted to enjoy that day.  Anyway, runningbecame a part of my life and I really enjoyed the time outside in the nature, whatever the weather.

Knee injury and physiotherapy...

After a few years my knees started to ache...  The orthopedist specialist told me I had both what was called "unners knee" and "jumpers knee", all a result of my way of running.  My running style was very much running pretty calmly, but with no really rotation of the feet.  This resulted in some kind of stumping movement that put a lot of strain on the knees and the hips.  So I was sent off to physiotherapy.

I was supposed to use the cross trainer indoors, instead of running outdoors.  This was absolutely the most boring time in my training history.  Totally boring and teadious to peddle along on this maskin, watching the snow falling outside, or looking at the sun cooming up in the east.  I continued to do the physiotherapy for little more than a year. 

...and some training

Since I already was at the gym doing the physiotherapy, I also started doing some training, using different machines.  And I have continued to do this for 3 days a week for several years now.  Since I was only using machines, I was only training a very specific set of muscles.  So about a year ago I started to use different vire based machines, and just a few months I started to use free weights and drum bells.  Each time I discovered new set of muscles in my body that I normally didn't use very much.  At least that was how it fealt each time I did a new exercise in my training program.

I overcome the challende of aching knees

Besides training at the gym for 3 days a week, I also started to go outdoors again, taking shorter and longer walks.  As you may understand, the knees was aching quite a bit.  But I ignored the pain and was contiuously walking and bicycling in the nature where we are living.  It wasn't long before I was at the gym 3 days and week and walking 3 days a week.  I loved being outdoors early in the morning, experiencing the nature coming to life, being greated by the wild deers, the bird, foxes and the badgers.

After a few months I was alo able to start running for short bursts.  But I totally had to revise and learn a new way of running.  Now I was running in a way where I am running faster and with very much more rotation of my feet, so that I'm no longer subjecting my knees and hips of the straing of the stumping movement.  With this kind of running style my blood disease is actually setting some limitations in the running, since I don't have the strength to run kilometer after kilometer anymore.  So I have started to do interval training instead.  But I'm running again - and it is wonderful.  And the combination of being outdoors running, and indoors doing weight lifting and machines, exercising 6 days a week, has been great for me, until......

I did something really stupid.....

Even though I was training 6 days a week, I still didn't have the body I wanted.  I was building muscles, but... even if I'm not fat at my 52 years of age, I still have some love handles in the waist region that I don't like.  

So when I saw something on TV with my children the other week I decided to do something about this.  I figured out that I would change my training routine and the exercises that I do.  So I did some research on the internet and found the program I was looking for.  

Right now, having done the first two days of this traing program, that feels really, really stupid.... just jumping onto a training program and doing excercises that I have never done before.  And at the same time I decided to stop eating carbs and sugar.  I decided and I did!  

From normally drinking about one glass of cola each day, in average, and sometimes eating sweet things and even endulging myself and eating a lot of sweets when I wanted it, I really now put an effort into not eating any carbs or sugar what so ever.  And that decision feels a bit stupid right now.  To do two major changes like this; a new training program and also totally redoing your eating habits might not be the smartest decision in the world, actually it seems pretty stupid right now.

...and incredibly smart at the same time

But at the same time, I know that doing this will make me feel stronger and more fit in the long run.  It may be difficult in the short run, but in the long run, thinking about the future results that I have been wanting for the last 5-8 years, I am really happy that I am now doing this.  

Not only do I expect to become more stonger and fit, I also think that I will have more energy and strength when working on accomplishing the vision of my life.  So I invite you to join me on my journey.  You are welcome to take part in this; read and comment and even share with others if you want.

So what is the training program? you may ask....  Well, I want to keep that for myself a little bit longer, but I will share it with you in a future blog entry.  I promise.  In the mean while you may enjoy to read about my pain starting this training.....  starting at Wow! I quit this! Or not.....??Wow! I quit this! Or not.....??

Michael Wesley