So, if you saw my recent post in the Backyard you can understand why I haven’t been active in the Gym here. I haven’t done structured exercise on the road at all. While the last few months have been full of hiking & climbing & swimming etc I haven’t been able to do any “measurable exercise” amongst it.

While I’ve lost weight in the last few months unfortunately it’s not really healthy. I’ve lost a lot of muscle. My diet has been incredibly lacking. A few months with little protein & iron etc means I’ve been depleting my stores with each spurt of exercise & not building muscle like one should.

The lacking diet also showed other negative effects. I was weak, dizzy, forgetful, light-headed, bruised, I had no concentration, stamina, coordination & very slow reaction-time. It’s been quite an interesting experiment despite being detrimental to my health. Coupled with the crazy heats in Arizona (most days over 45 celsius) & dehydration, my body was feeling rock-bottom until I became a trembling, feinting mess. It’s been fascinating watching how the body reacts to these extremes.

Step 1-

The last couple of weeks we’ve been staying in a motel & have had access to healthy food. We’ve been munching fruit & vegetables like there’s no tomorrow & getting a good dose of protein. The effect has been almost immediate but obviously our bodies are still repairing & may need some time.

Step 2-

Once I’m feeling a little stronger & there’s fuel in my tank, it’s time to get a little more active. The main obstacle will no doubt be the temperatures here in Phoenix. It is impossible to go outside for exercise, even in the evening, so I’ll start off with some indoor workouts to get the connections firing again.

I have very low expectations at this stage.

I’m really excited about having energy again one day soon. In fact I’ve just started downloading a P90x system in preparation for healthier days. I can’t wait to get started. Has anyone out there had experience with P90x? I’d love to hear your stories.