Photo credit Aizuddin Yusoff
Wow.
Wow is all I can say.
I know at this moment it doesn't take much to impress me when it comes to exercise and its benefits. But there it is. Wow.
And I say this not because I have managed to bike hundreds of kms, or that I spent a significant portion of the month on bike.
I say this because at this point in time I have managed to achieve the following:
1) I enjoy biking. Well, when I can convince myself to get the engine running, and I manage to make myself head out the door with my bike in tow, the results are almost always good. I feel good about myself. I feel good about my body. I smile more. And it all starts from just getting off my lazy ass and doing something physical.
2) Carpal tunnel is still in check. Now many of you may recall that carpal tunnel syndrome has been a bane in my existence, sometimes resulting in incapacitating pain and numbness. I still get it, especially when I am cycling, and especially when I am cycling for more than 5 minutes (which is incidentally one of the factors why I am still unable to go out for really long rides). But it is still under control. I manage by breaking up my ride into segments, especially when the pain starts to become unbearable. After a short rest, it is good again for about 5 minutes or so. It sucks, but I'll take it.
3) This week I have biked 40+km so far. Now this is nothing for people who bike every day, but for an armchair warrior like me, hey I'll take it. I used to be scared of distance. Even the thought of going for more than a few kms used to scare me. I'd always think - I can't make it. But this week I have busted through that. I'll take it.
4) I have changed my blood sugar levels! Now THIS one is no mean feat. For the past two years my blood sugar has been consistently high, up to the point where I was told to see a specialist about starting diabetic medication. Of course I was crushed. No one wants diabetes. So for the past year I had been cutting down sugars but not eliminating them altogether. I wouldn't add sugar into my drinks, and cut down on sweet treats, but everything else was still pretty much the same. And 3 months ago I went for a checkup, and still not much had changed. So recently I started 2 things - juicing and of course cycling. I didn't really juice that much, on average 3 times a week, and cycled on average twice a week, chalking up an average of 10km a week. Not much. I know that. But just imagine my absolute surprise when I went for my latest checkup - my blood sugar was NORMAL!!! Glory be to God for that! Dr said - whatever it is you're doing, keep doing it.
And so I plan to. Looks like I should keep to cycling and juicing.
And that is the update so far on the PhD Fat Cyclist.
Till we meet again, I bid you good health and happiness.
