So, healthy living sucks out loud. Hear that, across the room? That whistling noise? That’s healthy living. SUCKING.
I’ve been working at being healthier for a while now. Nothing too huge. First I just didn’t pig out on everything I saw, and then started working out on a frequent and ongoing basis. First this old Tony Horton workout DVD (I hate you sooo much, Tony Horton, Captain fantastic abs, you should die in a doughnut-related accident) then I started running a bunch. For a while there I was going 6 or 7 miles a day on the treadmill, just listening to any music with a fast beat.
Then I broke my ass.
I thought I’d literally dislocated my hip or something, it hurt that much. The doc at St. Paul’s ER said it was an IT band injury – that means “ilio-tibial” in doc-speak and it’s basically a giant tendon running the outside of your upper leg. I thought I was stretching enough before running, but I guess not so much. For weeks all I could do was hobble around and groan.
I stopped running and it slowly got better. Then I saw a horrible, evil infomercial for this thing called P-90X. That evil guy Tony Horton had come out with a new DVD workout thing, and I thought I’d try it out.
It’s total frigging murder.
I thought I was in fair shape, but this thing kicked my ass. I couldn’t get though the first one, or the second one. After a while though, I was more fit, stronger, liked mirrors more, etc.
I think I may have overdone the whole exercise thing though, because now I can’t move without crying. Well, not literally, but damn. Two weeks ago I thought I strained a leg muscle and the next day that stupid IT band thing came back and brought a hamstring injury with it.
I tried stretching, resting, icing, Advil by the bucket – nothing’s working. I finally went to the doctor last week and got some stronger drugs and a physio referral. I’m going to physiotherapy tonight and I’m really hoping for some sage advice – more than (it’s recorded, to be fair) Tony Horton’s advice to “enjoy the stretch”.
Meanwhile, I’m limping around and grumbling. I’m not sure which is better – being out of shape and pain-free, or fit and unable to sit without whining about it.
