Skipping Out
A bit over a week ago, I intentionally skipped my first workout in 4 years. There were a couple of times during that time when I was forced to not work out - I had my wisdom teeth out once, went on two trips, but that accounted for few and far between misses of my every-other-day schedule. In fact, I do not think I missed one workout in the past 18 months. Don’t mistake that statement as laced with any notes of pride - I learned hard lessons throughout that time, hurt people, alienated others, and battled in general to balance all parts of my life. My brain was in such a rut that it thought there would be some collapse if it didn’t get a a bi-daily endorphine rush associated with 1.5-2 hours of intense weightlifting.
This recent step of missing a day was meant to show me that my body wouldn’t end if I did miss one day. The physical effects I experienced were interesting: my appetite decreased less than anticipated, while I had an unanticipated increase in nervous energy. I think when the time does come to make an unplanned change to my workout schedule (eg: something comes up that is obviously more important than working out), I will have to try to mentally steel myself to these effects.
Maybe you’ve been addicted to something, this is a first for me. Just as the smoker who asks “how is this hurting me right now,” I spent many months growing in my understanding of why having one’s priorities straight is important. Not that I am entirely there, but I feel like I am moving in the right direction.
Unfortunately, the physical effects of working out are rather positive, it’s the social ones that can be subtly damaging; can cause you to wake up one morning and realize your once firm foundations of loved ones have been eroded by your absence and over scheduling.
So no, this is not some paradigm shift where I begin eating McDonald’s everyday and not moving from my chair. Just as the damage is subtle, so is the fix. There will be, for that reason, more posts on the topic.
My advice to anyone who is addicted? Just don’t do it. Take all the energy you devote to feeding your addiction and channel it into turning things around. You didn’t take no for an answer when you were addicted, don’t take no for an answer when you are quitting.
Comments
NIIIIIIIIIILLLLS
Huh, I never considered your intense workout schedule an addiction. Very rudimentary? Yes. Follwed with extreme devotion? Oh yes. Addiction? Hmm. Never thought of it that way. Nevertheless, it is good that you are letting other activities take the place of said workout every once in a while. Maybe that means we can do more stuff, like see more awesome movies like Batman Begins, which reminds me, War of the Worlds comes out on Wednesday, and the Taste of Minnesota is this weekend. We must do both. The movie, not necessarily on Wednesday, but sooner or later, it must be watched. We will be in touch.
Jordan
Pure poetry, Mr. Micek, pure poetry.
Alexander Micek
Thanks for the words of support, guys & gals. It was a bit of a step for me, and I am happy to be able to share it with you. I think that it will make this summer more balanced.