Nerd in Transition: Our Knees Are the First to Go

Not too long ago I posted pictures of myself at 213 pds. in shorts and a tank top. It wasn’t pretty. It’s also not something I would do again any time soon. I’d like to tell you that I have been good and patient with my daily diet and exercise regime. I’d like to say I came through the holidays unscathed riding high upon the sugar free wagon! Obviously I did not.

I didn’t exercise much in November and altogether stopped in December. This commitment to my sedentary lifestyle persisted through all of January into the second week of February. Being a lifelong athlete and dancer I have a whole list of physical ailments that come from repeated foreign movements and genuine physical abuse. The single most ridiculous question I was asked post roller derby came from a naive 20-something girl. After discussing my various broken bones, pulled muscles, twisted this-and-thats she looked at me and asked, “But your knees are okay, right?” I had trouble responding. Anybody that knows anything about female athletes knows our knees are the first to go. I started having issue’s with mine at 14.

Being a 32 year old woman the need for daily exercise is more serious than ever. When I don’t work out my body basically breaks down. Last month my left knee began locking up while I slept, sending lightening rods of pain through my left side and me through the ceiling. For the past week my back has been a cranky old woman. Most recently my knees have started acting like mouthy 4 yr. old brats with the dexterity of the tin man. I’m afraid I’m growing a hump from hunching over a laptop all day. My belly fat has expanded so rapidly that a road map of new stretch marks are racing for my belly button.

In no way am I a lost cause. There is a lot of muscle under all this fat expansion and as many people so thoughtfully like to point out “I wear my weight well”, I could go a lifetime without ever hearing that again. Still folks are correct, I’m lucky enough to have pretty even weight distribution. That makes it a little easier to feel good about myself when getting dressed. I can still find the beauty in my silhouette.

I have been attempting to use that self appreciation as the driving force behind my return to diet and exercise. It hasn’t worked so well. Where concern for my appearance and health have failed, the aches and pains of aging have triumphed. Monday I went back to my free fitness classes at Pop Physique. My bike is getting new brakes and handlebars to make riding easier and safer. And I put a call in to my Herbalife pusher to step up the vitamins and supplements in an attempt to clean out all the salt and sugar building up inside me. Let’s not leave out the fruit, vegetables and lean meats filling up my fridge.

Taking on my weight and diet are much more than just another step to making this my best year ever, in fact it’s a huge part. Exercise does so much to combat depression and a well balanced diet is a huge contributor to clear, focused thinking. I could very well accomplish my other goals for this year by keeping  my body fit and happy. Plus I’ve seen the fashions coming out this spring and I’m ready to spend money on myself. There are some great options in shorts for gam flaunting.

featured image credit: J.?ta