My first blog post. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m just writing it for myself or if someone might actually stumble across this blog on the world wide web…
I think I’ll start at the beginning. I’ll tell you a bit about myself, what I’m like, what shaped me… all up to what I call “day zero“ – the day I first experienced symptoms.
I still live where I grew up. I think peaceful and sheltered are words that describe this place well. For me, family is the most important thing in life. By family I mean the family you are born into and the family you choose along the way (some also call them friends).
From a young age, I dabbled in a number of different sports. First ice hockey, later tennis and handball. As I got older, I decided to focus on handball. I enjoyed the fast-paced and high-scoring game. Luckily, I wasn’t too bad at it either. By the time I was 18, I joined the local first team and the year after, we competed in the first division of the Swiss handball league.
I was having a lot of fun and I was ambitious. I had big plans and things were in motion. Unfortunately, my body had other plans. At 19, I tore my cruciate and inner ligaments and ruptured my meniscus. I was in good shape and wanted to play so badly, but I needed an operation and had to watch my team from the side-lines for six months. During those six months my fitness suffered and I laid the foundation for my oldest handicap – my weight. It took me a while to realise that I couldn’t continue eating whatever I wanted to when I wasn’t working out every day anymore. Well – shit happens!
My lifestyle also didn’t improve when I moved to another city and shared a flat with some of my mates. We had the best time – but let’s say, it wasn’t the healthiest time in my life ;-)
Even though I had experienced some major setbacks, I wasn’t going to give up my hobby quite yet. But with every injury I also put on a couple more kilos. The scale was no longer my friend and so I threw it out. For a while, everything was going well, I was content.
A couple of years later, I moved back to my hometown. I was starting a new chapter – new job, new flat. For some reason, I decided to buy a scale again. Stepping on the scale for the first time in what seemed like forever, I was shocked to see the number displayed. Over 140kg – the heaviest I had ever been. Wow! Gross – that's not healthy!
By chance, a national news portal was launching a fitness challenge. I applied and was chosen as a contestant. I found my motivation again and discovered new sports that were fun and better for my heavy body. The professional coaching and the new sports, especially cycling, boxing and CrossFit, had awakened my old ambition. I wanted to be the best – better than the guy working out next to me and more importantly, better than I had been just the day before. In no time, I was 20kg lighter.
Sadly, it did not last. I got a bit cocky and just before Christmas 2017, I overdid it during a workout session. I broke my ankle and tore my syndesmosis ligament. Surgery and a cast for three months – no more workouts for me! In spring 2018, I started working out again. Indoor cycling and guided CrossFit sessions were my go-tos.
My 30th birthday was coming up and things seemed to be looking up.
I had always joked that it’s all downhill after 30 – never before have I wished I was wrong.
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