Hill & Dale Issue 9 | Skinny Wimp

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There’s a wrecker service along a running route I frequent. On a recent ten-mile jaunt, I noticed a damaged box truck with the phrase “Skinny Wimp Moving Co.” across the side.

High school memories circa fall 1996 surfaced shortly thereafter. Vague memories like pursuing a place on the freshmen basketball team only to be cut for abysmal endurance during tryouts.

Or skipping football tryouts altogether for fear of ending up on a stretcher. And the memory of never once thinking about the possibility of running track or cross-country.

Fast forward a decade. One day in 2006 I decided to exercise regularly and figured that running seemed like a simple, cheap investment toward cardiovascular health.

But somewhere in the midst of major weekly mileage and a diet that bent towards disregard, I encountered a bodily frame that seemed to mirror the lettering on that sad moving truck. So, I pivoted. Quickly.

I ate better (more greens and less meat), coughed up a monthly membership fee for the local Bodyplex (weights), and added the My Fitness Pal app to the smartphone home screen to monitor caloric intake daily.

Yep. I pivoted a bit too far. Family members and friends sporadically asking me if I ate enough meant modifications once more.

Nowadays, there’s a healthy middle ground. There’s a scale in the bathroom, but I never use it. I love Coke Zero and peanut M&Ms, but I also love green beans and okra and edamame.

And salads. A stocked salad overflowing with colors and a zesty Italian dressing is glorious. And the occasional burger with fries.

I’m still skinny, but that’s a result of distance running. But I’m at peace in my own skin. “Wimp” exited my vocabulary the moment I started lifting weights.

Nowadays, I complete body weight exercises at home to save a few bucks and avoid boring commutes to the gym. Squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks—with modifications to vary the session—do wonders for the body on off days.

“Strength training is the key to flexibility, mobility, improved performance and lower injury risk,” write Dr. Jordan Metzl and Karen Barrow.

Indeed, running is a fantastic exercise; cross-training refines the experience further for a lifetime of healthy adventures.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! If you like Christmas music, check out this fantastic underrated tune from 1973.

I hope you have a great day. We’ll talk soon.

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Photo courtesy of Samuel Ramos