2020 was a wild ride. And for many of us, healthy eating, exercise, and self-care habits went off the rails.
When you’re ready to get back on track, we’re with you. Three of our members of the editorial team are making big changes in the new year and have offered to take us with them. For the next few weeks we’ll be following Laura as she quits her sugar habit and starts her fitness routine, and we’ll focus on our dynamic diet duo Bill and Mark as they work hard to lose pounds and improve their health. To a healthier 2021!
By Mark Spoor
When I started at WebMD a little over 5 years ago, I was – let’s just say – a bit off-brand.
I wasn’t very active. I’d spent the past 12 months as a freelance writer and editor at home (where all my food is). Before that, I was in sports media, where you are not allowed to eat anything that is not fried.
I was heavy and I knew it.
Since I wasn’t feeling well and had just started a new job at WebMD, I thought it would make sense to get a physical job, which I hadn’t done in years.
This appointment will forever be known as “kick my bum”.
I was the heaviest I’ve ever been (quite a bit), and as a bonus, I had prediabetes. That first part was bad enough, but the second part downright scared me. After all, I have a wife and a teenage daughter. I needed energy. In addition, I had to make sure that I would be there for her. So I had to get back on the track straight away.
I went into fitness upside down. I went to the gym in our office building at 7 a.m. every weekday. I never missed it. I was a slave to routine. I would start with 20-30 minutes of elliptical work and then do some weights and some core work. I could do all of this, work up a sweat, and still be at my desk at 8:30 a.m. I had no excuses. I also cleaned up the diet. Very strict on weekdays and a little more relaxed (but not crazy) on weekends.
The work was worth it. I got compliments in the office and at home, my numbers went down, and I felt great. I was also proud of myself that I had overcome my health hurdles.
And then came COVID-19.
When we started working from home in March 2020, we all thought it would be a week – two weeks. So I really wasn’t worried that I was going to lose my way. I moved my workouts to the garage and went to the old school: pushups, sit-ups, lunges, planks, and some brisk walks around my neighborhood.
It all sounded good, but some important things worked against me. For one thing, I wasn’t really getting the cardio workout that I needed. The walks weren’t enough and I don’t like running. I really don’t like it.
Did I mention that I don’t like running?
What’s worse, all of my food was just a few steps away. Again I thought it was just a week or two so I figured a few snacks here and there didn’t matter.
It wasn’t long before the snacks became a habit and the workouts weren’t as tough as they needed to be, so the numbers started rising again. They are not as high as they were. My “thin clothes” still fit (albeit a little differently), but I can see a change so that frustration and disappointment have set in.
So I start round 2.
For Christmas my wife bought me an exercise bike and a peloton membership. I worked on it for about a week. The sweat is back, but the food is still there, as is the stress of turning things around, not to mention the COVID stress.
I need accountability. This is where you – and this weekly blog – come in.
Each week I will share what is going on on my journey of salvation. My friends Bill Kimm and Laura Downey will also share their stories. In fact, as the weeks go by, you will likely read Bill and I have friendly conversations about trash. We’ve been friends for years and that’s exactly what guys do, especially guys who have worked in sports together.
One of the doctors here at WebMD who is actually a weight loss specialist will also give me some pointers along the way.
We will all keep each other honest and hopefully motivate you to take the trip with us.
Let’s go after that!
Mark Spoor is Senior Health Editor at WebMD. He has spent more than two decades in sports media, working with groups such as the NCAA, NASCAR, and the PGA TOUR. Most weekends, you can find him and his wife Chris cheering on their daughter’s softball team.
While Mark has spent a lot of time with athletes, he’s not, so fitness has always been a challenge. He hopes this endeavor will help him get one step closer to victory in this battle.
You can follow Mark on Twitter @markspoor.
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