I’ll admit, I was skeptical of COVID back in February. I keep going back to one specific conversation with a very concerned co-worker. This Co-worker commented to me something like, “You probably aren’t afraid because you’re fit and you eat healthy but some of us don’t do all that”. COVID disrupted the country since that point, but the conversation has been on my mind for 2 months now. I feel sad when others panic about their health more than I do, but are unwilling to do anything about it. I feel sad because I think anyone can find their way to healthiness.

Before the car wreck, I had a “it will never happen to me” attitude.  Sure, I knew it was a possibility, but I also knew I had greater chances of not being struck by a drunk driver than actually getting hit by one.  Have you ever had the same attitude about your health?  I have.  The fat version of me frequently uttered “I won’t get (insert ailment here)” many times, how about you?  In retrospect, those were excuses I imposed to avoid hard work.

Of the many things I am thankful for after the accident; being at my personal top physical condition at that time is one of them.  Think of if it this way—would 92 extra pounds reduce the pain I used to go through?  I’m sure most would agree not being fat helped me out.  I truly believe that my fitness levels at the time of the accident played a major role in my overall recovery.  I would likely be living in pain today and maybe even have elected for invasive surgery.  Bleh, I am so glad that isn’t in my life.

Working out increases your pain tolerance.  If working out didn’t hurt, more people would do it.  When you frequently exercise, you begin to toughen yourself.  Fitness allows you to do things you couldn’t previously do.  Your body and mind become aware of the payoff earned when pushing yourself to higher fitness levels.  Shortly after the car accident, multiple doctors told me I’d be in much more pain if I were not at my level of fitness.  And I was telling them to keep their pain pills; I’m not touching their poison.

It also helped with the rehab effort.  Building extra core strength has been a significant part of my recovery.  My core strength is stronger now than when I was in the accident, but I was at my then peak level when it occurred.  I didn’t start rehabbing from the bottom, which pushed me to the recovery finish line much quicker.  I could do 30 minutes of body weight core-exercises at the time of the accident, but I couldn’t do that just 7 years prior.  Reaching my best core strength prior to the accident gave me the confidence I needed to believe that I could rebuild my back.  Rebuilding my back drives me to keep training to qualify for the Boston Marathon by 2025.  But first up, a pair of Prairie Fire half marathons with Pikes Peak Ascent in between.

If you’re reading this, you either make fitness and food choices a priority in your life or you don’t. If you don’t, you probably have wanted to and never got around to it. You’ve told people, “I’ll get around to it one of these days”. Or maybe it fell off your schedule several years back. Why not do it now? Do you think your ability to feel good and bounce back from life’s curveballs will become easier with age? It won’t, Bubba. Humans aren’t built that way. Take control of it now. You might say you’re too busy but what about the time you spent on a 6 hour “Tiger King” binge? Trust me, you don’t want to deal with a major injury when your body is already a mess. The difference between fat and outta shape me compared to today was the decision to get started.

If you really want to do something, go do it.  Go get it.  Write it down, read your goals daily and never give up.  Track your progress and share your results.  If not now, when?  We’re already in a pandemic.  If this doesn’t have you motivated to boost your immune system, what will?  This is the first pandemic in a century, catching us all of guard.  How many of you really thought you’d see a pandemic like this in your lifetime?  Hey hold-up, what’s that up there in the sky?  Now you’re freaking out about “Murder Hornets”?  Are you ready?!?!  Hey, this pandemic doesn’t discriminate, it takes the healthy people too….but the healthy folks do have a much higher survival rate…..with all diseases. 

Go get it.