Yeah, it has been a heckuva “year” – or really a year and a half. On Friday, March 13th, 2020 (yes, Friday the 13th) we headed into quarantine. Here at CrossFit Odyssey, we have been back to business since May 18th of 2020. But it hasn’t been the same. Even this spring and summer with the advent of the vaccine and COVID numbers dropping, things still felt “off”.
Many people started creeping out of their homes only to discover weight gain and neuroses. Others headed out with a vengeance for vacation, ready to make up for lost time. And now here we are with numbers once again rising – headed back into the school year and winter time.
The most important thing I have learned throughout this pandemic is how important it is for each of us to take accountability for our own personal health. Here is why. I have two wonderful friends who are doctors and have clinics where they attend to the needs of the sick. Both of them have been masked up full time while inundated with people who had very bad reactions to COVID as well as issues with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and so much more. The world that they live in is dark and depressed and the people that they see on a regular basis are very sick and had horrendous reactions to COVID. It is a world of despair.
On the other hand, I live in a world full of healthy people who take active responsibility for their health. They eat right, they exercise often and hard, spend a lot of time outdoors, and they don’t generally abuse themselves. These people, for the most part, have not had COVID. If they did, they generally did not have a bad reaction to it. Many of those who had it only knew that they had it from the temporary loss of smell and taste that led to a test. Upon entering my gym these doctors would marvel that people were doing so well. They were spaced out, outside and working hard. They were sweating and groaning, but they were HEALTHY and happy and living their lives fully. It is a world of hope.
It felt like a Twilight Zone to these doctors who have been surrounded by so much disease and fatigue and depression for so long.
Over time, the world discovered that the majority of people who really suffered from severe complications due to COVID were people who were out of shape and had pre-existing conditions. Yes, there were some exceptions, but generally that was the case. Now, please don’t get me wrong – healthy people CAN get COVID and they can have horrible symptoms and they can pass it along to others who are less healthy. I am NOT saying that they should go loosy-goosy into the world and breathe on everyone.
Now we have a vaccine, which is supposed to give you an edge. You can still get and give COVID after getting the vaccine, but your symptoms should be less severe. But here is the catch – if you take care of your HEALTH FIRST, then your symptoms are less severe.
Now this is NOT a debate about whether or not to get the vaccine. It is a statement that anyone can be healthy. It just takes a little work. And I AM saying that expecting a ‘magic pill” – or even a vaccine – to do the work for you is not enough. You need to swallow a much more difficult pill – the pill of accountability for your own personal health. That means a healthy diet, exercise, getting outside and sound mental health practices.
So here we go again into a new school year. Vacations are dying down, the borders are closing back up, the weather is going to start cooling back down and we all get back to a regular schedule of work and chores. It’s time for you to put your health into that schedule.
What are you going to do differently?
Start now. Create a goal. Create a plan to reach your goal. Follow it.
We can help.
Contact us at www.crossfitodyssey.com