My Fitness War With Myself

From the second half of our Sycamore Rim hike last Sunday. I somehow injured my left hip walking on uneven ground and was nearly played out energy wise by the end. My fitness has faded again.

Some people who are fitness obsessed wouldn't allow a lapse for any reason other than a major injury, but for me it's all tied up in emotion. I've lapsed for about a year at a time off and on, but I especially lapse in late fall and winter when the days are short. There's less sunlight. I nearly always exercise to a certain degree, say at least once a week, even during a lapse. But that isn't the whole story.

This is the season when I enter emotional hibernation. I spend all spring and summer getting into shape, and then when I hit late fall I get lazy and unmotivated. Only really it's seasonal affective disorder. I feel down and don't want to go out.

Fortunately my weight is approaching what I consider to be my healthy, optimal weight. But that might be because I've changed my diet somewhat due to medical advice and a prescription I take is presumably assisting in the process.

What has fallen off most is cardio. I'm still doing my usual minimal strength training one or two days a week, but that is only a few minutes. But I have neglected running and cycling, even when the air temps were high enough.

I need to give up on outdoor cycling and go ahead and rearrange my garage for the bicycle trainer so I can ride indoors while watching college sports. I don't want to get any more out of shape than I am now. I about dropped by the end of last weekend's twelve mile hike.