My regimen of cross-training workouts has been absolutely essential in my quest to become sober.
I can honestly say, many many times, during those first few months, that an almost "self-punishment" workout was all that stood between me, and a relapse into gross drunkeness.
I'm not an athlete, nor do I have any illusions that I ever will be. However, I can outperform over 90% of people my age now (51) in a great number of things.
Even today, I was trying to pull a couple of shopping carts apart, and a fellow about my age and size came up and said, "You pull on one, and I'll pull on the other to get them apart" So I tugged a bit, and the other guy just about fell over and his eyes got real big. They were stuck fast, jammed solid, but my muscular power has probably increased 100% in the last year and a half.
That alone makes this thing a motivation for me. I know 90% of guys my age, could not run 2 miles before collapsing. I went 4 last weekend.
It is the psychological, emotional, mental boost that the workouts give that allows me vastly increased strength to beat the booze devil. There just is no substitute for me. The physical power and endurance increases are just a extra-added benefit almost.
Neil
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