Adjusting to the 2020 challenge
“Americans want to park their cars as close as possible to the door, especially when the door belongs to a gym.” I’ve heard this from many foreigners who live in the U.S. I was becoming one of those Americans who look for the best possible parking space at the gym, but was saved by my husband who canceled the family membership.
The gym in my neighborhood started holding classes outside the building when it re-opened after the spring COVID-19 shutdown. But I didn’t feel like going there because this violated the Vegas code: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. I was not going to expose my weak and stiff body to the world. To me, it’s not a gym if it doesn’t have walls that protect my privacy.
By then I’d also stopped exercising at home. My kids were always home attending online classes. The hungry teenagers made frequent bee lines between their desks and the kitchen. So they would walk by me as I did a “window washing” or “wiping the table” exercise with my TV instructor. They didn’t say anything, but I was embarrassed.
The only thing I’ve done consistently is play doubles tennis—thanks to one of my dear friends who has organized weekly play without fail. Back in August, I was trying to convince myself that playing tennis would be enough. But one beautiful morning, I almost fell as I ran backwards trying to hit a ball with my backhand. I don’t quite remember how it happened, but I think my right leg couldn’t get over my left foot. That was when I realized I was losing my sense of balance. This was a new development.
Insufficient exercise was the main cause of this, but I had to admit that there was another culprit: weight gain. This was the result of having three meals a day with my family since mid-March. But how did I get here? I used to have stomachaches when I overate, and I would eat less the next few days, and was able to keep my regular weight. But now, I can eat a lot before I feel full, and have no stomachaches afterwards. They say “no pain, no gain,” but that saying doesn’t apply to my weight.
Reflecting on my daily behavior, I’m now aware that I spend more hours sitting in front of the TV. I like watching science programs like NOVA. I also love to watch the grand slam tennis tournaments. And as my son is crazy about European soccer, I watch many games, as part of family activities. When there are no European league games, he follows his favorite players in other tournaments around the world. There’s no real off season for soccer on TV.
I’ve always thought it is strange that Americans watch all sorts of games that they don’t play. But I bring a glass of wine and cheese in front of the TV and watch a soccer game, a sport I’ve never played in my life. It is true that knowing something about any sport game is good for conversation. The problem, though, is that there’s just an endless supply of games on TV. Just like spectators of Roman gladiator battles, throughout the year I watch a sport that I don’t play, consume calories that I don’t need, gain weight, and call myself a “sports fan.” How ironic!
I’m in trouble, because I can naturally eat more after the summer. Also, I like baking with fruit in the fall: apple cake, apple crisp and pear tarte tatin. But the biggest risk is soon to arrive home: my daughter. She is a very good and productive baker, especially when it comes to anything containing chocolate.
I have employed many small counter measures over the years. For example, I eat only half a slice of bread and some fruit for breakfast. When hungry before dinner, I allow myself to have a single slice of hard cheese but without a cracker. I can have dessert only when I didn’t have wine with dinner. These small changes made a difference, but the effect of those adjustments seems to have plateaued. I need something new to get me back in the right direction.
So, I’ve decided to exercise on Fridays. I have an intimate relationship with my PC from Thursday through Saturday. I need a break to get me moving. I need to do it even when no one is available to walk or play tennis with me. When the weather is bad, I can do some Yoga movements in my small office. Small as it is, it has walls.
Some epidemiologists say that we’ll have a surge of COVID-19 until mid-January and are concerned about COVID-19 fatigue. But fatigue is a better alternative to illness and death. So, my plan is to live the next several months with a goal. Not just to endure fatigue and survive the hard and possibly dark winter, but to find a way to live a healthier life.
After all, life is a series of adjustments. In that sense, the coming months are no different from any other time. Having a purpose makes the fatigue fade away. I’d be okay even if I don’t lose many pounds, because my true goal is to feel that I’m walking in the right direction.