A few weeks ago, I was talking with some co-workers about our individual fitness routines. This prompted one of them to ask everyone, "When were you at your fitness peak?" One of my coworkers said before her Mexico trip earlier this year, one said when they were in university playing on the hockey and soccer teams. For myself, I answered, "Well, right now. I am currently in the best shape I've been."
She was a bit surprised at my answer, and asked if even with my knee, I am currently in the best shape I've ever been. My answer is still yes, and I will explain why.
I've been at varying degrees of fit all my life. In high school, I was in gym class every day and on the basketball team. I was constantly running, all the time! Even then, I was still strong, but I've never had the muscle mass I do now. I also never ate as healthy as I do now. When I was in high school, I lived by I could eat whatever I wanted, because I was running it off and I had a better metabolism.
When I was training for my black belt during the spring/summer of 2010 is another time I was very fit. At that time, I was working at a horse stable, cleaning stalls for hours every day, hauling hay bales by hand, and halter breaking a very stubborn little shit colt named Theodore. I would work all day at the stable, fight for hours with Theodore, who would do every thing in his power to get away from me. After, I would go home and then spend the evening working on all my Katas, strikes, throws, hold, etc that I had to learn for my Black Belt test. I had gained some strength from working in the stable and I had stamina from constantly practicing for my Shodan test. Again at that time, I ate very poorly. I would constantly be eating microwave dinners and would regularly polish off a whole frozen pizza intended for a family for dinner. This was right around the time that Ernie and I started dating, so we regularly went out for date nights on Whyte Ave in Edmonton for beers, burgers, wings, or whatever else we could get our hands on! Again, I was in good shape, but my eating habits didn't really reflect that.
Fast forward to today, and I still maintain that I am in the best shape of my life. Yes, I do have a bit of a disadvantage because my knee does limit what I do somewhat. I might not have my cardio up to where I want to be because I cant run and do sprints like I want to; but I supplement my cardio with spin bike intervals and Ju Jitsu. That being said about my cardio, I am stronger now than I ever have been. I can currently lift heavier now than I did before I hurt my knee and I am slowly starting to see more and more muscle pop up here and there. Over the past 6 months, I've been working really hard on getting my legs as strong as they possibly can so I can bounce back from surgery that much easier.
Not only am I the strongest I've been, I am also the healthiest I've ever been and eat better than I ever have in my life. I am much more in tune to what I eat than I was even two years ago. Changing my eating habits was a battle, but a worthwhile one. I had a friend that is trying to lose weight say to me that she hates eating healthy. Truth be told, some days I'd WAY rather eat pizza, wings, and drink beer; but I like the way eating healthy makes me feel. I feel better, think clearer, have more energy, I can eat more volume and I know I am doing my future self a favour- so it's worth it. I also like the way it leans me out, aids in creating muscle and brings me closer to my goals.
As for Ju Jitsu, I do the best I can. My grappling has come really far and I am still improving every week despite my "handicap" for lack of better term. My striking skills have slacked and my kicks aren't what they used to be, but give me a surgery and a few months to heal, and I will be back at it!
I refuse to let my knee injury slow me down and derail my goals. That being said, I did have a different plan in mind for this year. I had wanted to be doing tournaments and doing more. Is it the end of the world that my plans got a bit off trail? No, its just making me take the long way around. I am still getting stronger by the week and I still have a long way to go. But I truly do feel that I am currently in the best shape of my life.
She was a bit surprised at my answer, and asked if even with my knee, I am currently in the best shape I've ever been. My answer is still yes, and I will explain why.
I've been at varying degrees of fit all my life. In high school, I was in gym class every day and on the basketball team. I was constantly running, all the time! Even then, I was still strong, but I've never had the muscle mass I do now. I also never ate as healthy as I do now. When I was in high school, I lived by I could eat whatever I wanted, because I was running it off and I had a better metabolism.
When I was training for my black belt during the spring/summer of 2010 is another time I was very fit. At that time, I was working at a horse stable, cleaning stalls for hours every day, hauling hay bales by hand, and halter breaking a very stubborn little shit colt named Theodore. I would work all day at the stable, fight for hours with Theodore, who would do every thing in his power to get away from me. After, I would go home and then spend the evening working on all my Katas, strikes, throws, hold, etc that I had to learn for my Black Belt test. I had gained some strength from working in the stable and I had stamina from constantly practicing for my Shodan test. Again at that time, I ate very poorly. I would constantly be eating microwave dinners and would regularly polish off a whole frozen pizza intended for a family for dinner. This was right around the time that Ernie and I started dating, so we regularly went out for date nights on Whyte Ave in Edmonton for beers, burgers, wings, or whatever else we could get our hands on! Again, I was in good shape, but my eating habits didn't really reflect that.
Fast forward to today, and I still maintain that I am in the best shape of my life. Yes, I do have a bit of a disadvantage because my knee does limit what I do somewhat. I might not have my cardio up to where I want to be because I cant run and do sprints like I want to; but I supplement my cardio with spin bike intervals and Ju Jitsu. That being said about my cardio, I am stronger now than I ever have been. I can currently lift heavier now than I did before I hurt my knee and I am slowly starting to see more and more muscle pop up here and there. Over the past 6 months, I've been working really hard on getting my legs as strong as they possibly can so I can bounce back from surgery that much easier.
Not only am I the strongest I've been, I am also the healthiest I've ever been and eat better than I ever have in my life. I am much more in tune to what I eat than I was even two years ago. Changing my eating habits was a battle, but a worthwhile one. I had a friend that is trying to lose weight say to me that she hates eating healthy. Truth be told, some days I'd WAY rather eat pizza, wings, and drink beer; but I like the way eating healthy makes me feel. I feel better, think clearer, have more energy, I can eat more volume and I know I am doing my future self a favour- so it's worth it. I also like the way it leans me out, aids in creating muscle and brings me closer to my goals.
As for Ju Jitsu, I do the best I can. My grappling has come really far and I am still improving every week despite my "handicap" for lack of better term. My striking skills have slacked and my kicks aren't what they used to be, but give me a surgery and a few months to heal, and I will be back at it!
I refuse to let my knee injury slow me down and derail my goals. That being said, I did have a different plan in mind for this year. I had wanted to be doing tournaments and doing more. Is it the end of the world that my plans got a bit off trail? No, its just making me take the long way around. I am still getting stronger by the week and I still have a long way to go. But I truly do feel that I am currently in the best shape of my life.
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