I Did It! NSV XP
Anyone who knows me knows that me and exercise do not get along. I am 53 years old and I have never liked structured exercise, or any real activity to be honest. I am a hope to die lazy person. A few times in my life I have set out to change that but never for very long. After my first WLS I joined Curves. I paid for a year and went 3 times a week faithfully until that year was up and then never went back. I once took water aerobics for about 3 months but found excuses not to go anymore.
So, for years my doctors have always nagged me to exercise. For a few years I suffered from severe fatigue and the thought of climbing the stairs was daunting, much less getting exercise. But I suffer from severe, debilitating, chronic treatment resistant depression and they always urged me to get exercise to help it. I finally gave in and last month I joined my local community center, which has a pool and a gym, and I bought a bicycle. I bought a cruiser to ride around my neighborhood and I really enjoyed it but my neighborhood is mostly flat and the cruiser was a single speed and I got to where I wanted to go further so I bought a cruiser with 7 speeds so I could go up hills. After a while I wanted to venture out more so I decided I needed a mountain bike with 21 speeds so I could have more control. I bought one last week and had it modified so I could ride it sitting up instead of leaning down because it was killing my back. That is why I liked the cruisers, because you can sit straight up.
Anyway, today I decided to hit the local bike path. It was great going for a while, pretty smooth going. Then I hit it. The hill. I have driven up that hill many times and even my car has a hard time climbing it. It looks like it goes straight up. I am not familiar with the bike path and didn't know I would wind up there. I had no choice. I had to go up it. I put the bike into the lowest gear and forged ahead. And I made it. I didn't have to stop once. I rode my bike up the hill. It was very slow but I did it. And I didn't feel like I was going to die. I was actually able to continue riding for a few blocks, until I got to the store to buy something for dinner. I finished my ride and went home and I felt fine. I didn't feel like I was going to pass out. I wasn't even that tired.
I can't tell you the sense of accomplishment I felt. I really wanted to be able to go up hills because my goal is to take some long bike rides eventually and I knew I would have to get over my fear of hills in order to do that.
After I did it I was thinking that I would never do that again but later I decided I am going to do it again tomorrow and keep doing it until it was no longer so intimidating to me and I didn't feel like I had to avoid steep hills anymore.
I am glad I got the 21 speed because I can adjust it so it is a little harder to pedal, to hopefully build up some endurance. When I first started my legs felt so weak, like they had no strength. Given a lifetime of inactivity it was a surprise I had any strength at all. Now I feel like I am getting a little bit stronger.
I doubt I will ever be some kind of exercise fanatic but at least I have found something I enjoy and look forward to doing. It feels good to get out of the house and away from the stress and enjoy riding. I am trying to talk my daughter into riding with me but so far she refuses. I regret that I didn't do this when she was younger so she wouldn't be so resistant to exercising now.
Anyway, for me it is a miracle to even be active at all given how sick I was a year ago. I hope I never take my health for granted again.
So, for years my doctors have always nagged me to exercise. For a few years I suffered from severe fatigue and the thought of climbing the stairs was daunting, much less getting exercise. But I suffer from severe, debilitating, chronic treatment resistant depression and they always urged me to get exercise to help it. I finally gave in and last month I joined my local community center, which has a pool and a gym, and I bought a bicycle. I bought a cruiser to ride around my neighborhood and I really enjoyed it but my neighborhood is mostly flat and the cruiser was a single speed and I got to where I wanted to go further so I bought a cruiser with 7 speeds so I could go up hills. After a while I wanted to venture out more so I decided I needed a mountain bike with 21 speeds so I could have more control. I bought one last week and had it modified so I could ride it sitting up instead of leaning down because it was killing my back. That is why I liked the cruisers, because you can sit straight up.
Anyway, today I decided to hit the local bike path. It was great going for a while, pretty smooth going. Then I hit it. The hill. I have driven up that hill many times and even my car has a hard time climbing it. It looks like it goes straight up. I am not familiar with the bike path and didn't know I would wind up there. I had no choice. I had to go up it. I put the bike into the lowest gear and forged ahead. And I made it. I didn't have to stop once. I rode my bike up the hill. It was very slow but I did it. And I didn't feel like I was going to die. I was actually able to continue riding for a few blocks, until I got to the store to buy something for dinner. I finished my ride and went home and I felt fine. I didn't feel like I was going to pass out. I wasn't even that tired.
I can't tell you the sense of accomplishment I felt. I really wanted to be able to go up hills because my goal is to take some long bike rides eventually and I knew I would have to get over my fear of hills in order to do that.
After I did it I was thinking that I would never do that again but later I decided I am going to do it again tomorrow and keep doing it until it was no longer so intimidating to me and I didn't feel like I had to avoid steep hills anymore.
I am glad I got the 21 speed because I can adjust it so it is a little harder to pedal, to hopefully build up some endurance. When I first started my legs felt so weak, like they had no strength. Given a lifetime of inactivity it was a surprise I had any strength at all. Now I feel like I am getting a little bit stronger.
I doubt I will ever be some kind of exercise fanatic but at least I have found something I enjoy and look forward to doing. It feels good to get out of the house and away from the stress and enjoy riding. I am trying to talk my daughter into riding with me but so far she refuses. I regret that I didn't do this when she was younger so she wouldn't be so resistant to exercising now.
Anyway, for me it is a miracle to even be active at all given how sick I was a year ago. I hope I never take my health for granted again.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
W00T!! This is so inspiring. Got a little misty here. Seriously. So proud of you for taking on that hill. Never give up and one day you will be able to take on any hill you want. 
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