A first journey

Every journey begins with a single step.  I think Confucius was more prolific with his wording.  For me, I started off with a mile run a month ago and didn't do much else.  That's not the way to find life.  I've not been eating too well either.  Although tasty, its just not helpful.  

This weekend I headed to see a friend in South Carolina.  He suggested we take a hike when we were talking about me coming up and I was excited.  I had no clue what I was in for, I just wanted to get active.  

This was early into the trip.  I was taking a moment in the brisk air to enjoy the place where I was at the time. It was chilly and a little breezy.  The path was .7 miles with an elevation change of 609 feet.  I was so worn out that I stopped seven times to reach the top.  It was worth it though.

A word on gout

Its very hard to think straight about getting healthy when exercise is so negatively reinforced.  I don't mind being sore after jogging or lifting weights.  That's legitimate and its not terribly painful... its a sign of progress.  Gout is not a sign of progress.  It's punishment.  What really makes no sense to me is that I have a flare in my right elbow... not in my ankles from stress jogging this morning.  How does that work?  

It also tells me that taking 200mg of allopurinol a day is doing no good if one morning jog can create a flare.  I'm going to call the doc Monday and see what they recommend.  They may very well say that I've only been on 200mg for a month and therefore need more time, but I need to do something if I'm going to continue exercising regularly.


I was diagnosed with gout about a year ago, but I had flares several times in the past.  I was given meds to treat the flare but never given anything to manage the problem until last year.  I had reached a point where flares were happening a couple of times a month.  If you have never had gout, it is one of the most painful things I've ever known. It was once compared as a valid likeness to childbirth.  Gout is a form of arthritis where uric acid builds up in joints and causes inflammation.  The uric acid forms as razor sharp crystals and as the joint moves the crystals dig into the tissue causing inflammation and pain.  


What does this mean for me?  I have options: fight through the pain, give up, or search for a better medication or solution.  Fighting through the pain when its in the elbow is livable.  I can still function with some limitations.  When gout flares in my ankles I am almost completely out of commission for days and it could be weeks before I feel comfortable to exercise.  Fighting that has failed in the past and I'm afraid of that failure.  I need to look at better medication.  As I lose the weight and continue to look for health alternatives that minimize my body's uric acid production, I might be able to manage this better.

Initial assessment

This is my initial assessment for my physical attributes.  I plan to update this once a month or once every other month.

Height:  5'10.5"
Weight: 293.4
Chest:
Waist:
Arms:
Thighs:

I'll plan to post pictures occasionally of my weigh-ins and body shots for progress but I may include pictures of events as I try new challenges.

1 Miles: 16:08
1 Minute Crunches: 48
1 Minute Situps: 10

My first 5K is coming up January 28th.  I'm going with my wife and planning to stay with her so this won't be a best time but I've only done one 5K in my life and that was many years ago when I was in better shape.  I've never been in good shape but it was certainly better than 293 pounds.

The beginning

This is the beginning of a journey that I expect to take the rest of my life.  At 33 years old, I effectively lived my life as a zombie.  No, not the type to feed on your brains, but I was shuffling without direction and no emotion.  I lived in a fog for years, a fog that dulled my sense and left me emotionally stunted.  I had no passion or appreciation for life.  I was depressed, morbidly obese and well on my way to an early grave.

This began to change in October 2011 when my wife convinced me to see a therapist.  As I said, I was emotionally stunted and most definitely not someone to cry, especially not in front of others.  I found myself sitting down in a chair in the therapist's office and I was crying like a baby before he finished his first sentence.  That's an embarrassing thing for me to say and it was shameful at the time.  When I regained composure we talked about a number of issues in my life.  During that discussion I had a cathartic moment that released a flood of emotions, passion, and a new drive for life.  I knew I had to capitalize on this moment and hold on to these new feelings.

For several months I dealt with strictly my emotions and realizations about various parts of my life.  I had been without hobbies and friends for so long that I forgot what it was like to appreciate people and activity.  Now I'm trying to take a greater hold of life.  I enjoy time with the few friends who stuck around.  I am recognizing my health habits are horrible and need serious adjustment.  I just began working to change my diet and exercise regimen.  These aren't short-term changes, I am implementing changes for life and its going to be a tough transition.  I have a long way to mentally and physically and I invite you to join me in this journey.  Come back and comment, I would love the encouragement and any advice you could offer.