Guest post: the Lazysundae talks about staying fit in NYC

I saw this post on Time Out NY this morning and decided to share my story. I liked that there was a range of lifestyles, from those who do not work out at all to those who are pursuing a life in sports/nutrition.

Right now, I run at least 2-3 times a week and have worked my way up to about 2 miles per run. I'm getting to the point now where I feel that I can keep going, and I ran 3 miles straight for the first time last Sunday at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Central Park with Active BK.

But it was not always like this. I grew up riding horses, which, contrary to what most people think, is not just riding around in circles. Just try going on a long trail ride - muscles you never even knew you had will be hurting. I had strong legs and a tight butt and was pretty healthy.

Well all that stopped for me when I injured my back a few years ago. I'd fallen off a horse and my spine was basically the letter "L." I went to a chiropractor for about three months and then continued work with a physical therapist. When I returned to NYC I sought out another chiropractor, but the results didn't really seem permanent. I stopped going and that was that. I wasn't really doing any sort of exercise. I had a bike but used it mostly for transportation around Brooklyn and sometimes into Manhattan.

Long story short, I eventually developed a bulging disc. I went through 6 months of physical therapy that involved electric stimulation, massages, exercise and decompression therapy. Amazingly, no surgery was needed. Even after that I still did not exercise regularly. I kept up with my core exercises and even did a kickboxing video a few times. I tried running but just could not get into it.

Then I went to Kenya and I'm not sure what happened. I came back in May feeling like such a slacker and that week I laced up my sneakers and went for a run. I kept feeling better and better, and this time it stuck. Even if I was feeling shitty or tired, I forced myself to get out there and do it, even if I cut my run short a few blocks. The point was, I was out there running. After a couple of months are so it got less difficult to run. The breast cancer run was the first time I'd ever done anything like that and now I am hooked! I've signed up on NYCRuns.com mostly to use their race calendar and I'm going to start taking my gear with me when I travel. It's a great way to see the city on foot.

As an added bonus, I want to eat less and less junk food and my body actually craves stuff like leafy greens and tofu. I've always loved vegetables but now I can actually feel it physically.

So here are a few pointers for those who are having trouble getting started.
1. Find a partner at your same level. My partner (Alex) is more fit than me so he would run as far as I could then drop me off at home and keep going. Having a partner is good for motivation and companionship.
2. Get some cute workout clothes. I'm serious! If you have to leave the house and do something that makes you sweat, you'll feel better doing it if you like what you're wearing. I went to Catholic school for 7 years and they swore up and down that the way you dress affects the way you act. Well guess what, those nuns were right.
3. Do not put it off. Even if you don't want to go outside or to the gym, at least do some stretching. Once you get used to "I'll do it later/tomorrow/another time" your brain will get used to you making excuses.
4. Push yourself, but not to the limit. If you push yourself too hard, you may hurt yourself. Know your limits in everything you do!
5. Get some good running music. I love music and used to make a playlist every month. That stopped a long time ago, but now that I'm running I've picked it up again. Here are two to download, one from August and one from September:
August
September

I hope you've enjoyed reading my story. If you want to visit me in Bloggerland, you can pop over to Clinton Hill Chill which has turned mostly into a photo blog of my life in NYC, mostly Brooklyn.

Remember, the hardest part about getting fit is getting started. You just have to put your mind to it.

<3,
Alexis
Also on Tumblr

1 comments:

April 18, 2011 at 2:53 AM chiropractors nyc said...

I hope you've enjoyed reading my story. If you want to visit me in Bloggerland, you can pop over to Clinton Hill Chill which has turned mostly into a photo blog of my life in NYC, mostly Brooklyn.

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