I can be a solitary and sedentary person, or I can be a social and active one. I go back and forth between these extremes. I have been in lockdown for almost a year now. You probably have as well. The first six months of it, I tried to get into the best shape of my life. I followed a fixed exercise regimen, did yoga, and ran several times a week. I was #lockdownfitness goals.

Then we came to Italy.

My life got busy.

I started my fieldwork.

My classes started again.

And now here we are at exam time.

I no longer cook. I spend all day sitting and barely leave the house. This is not in line with who I am. I am active and love cooking plant-based meals. I take Igneous on adventures.

Who have I become?

I am feeling the physical effects of these lifestyle changes. My energy is lagging, I am consistently bloated and inflamed. My intestines always hurt; my cheeks are always red for some unknown reason. I am a mess on the inside.

I finally realized how much I was neglecting my health during our drive back from Belgium. Twenty-four hours of driving is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. When you factor in the sleep deficit I was operating at, discomfort should be expected. But during these drives, there are limited Ariel-approved, healthy food options. I usually opt for chips, sad gas station sandwiches I would otherwise never eat because they make me feel kind of sick. Every part of my body hurt, my back, my intestines, my head, everything hurt.

This went beyond that one drive and that one intense period. It has been going on for six months. I have not been taking care of myself, and it showed.

Easing myself back in

I have started working back some of my pre-Italy habits, nothing as intense as before, but enough to not feel miserable by the end of the day.

1. Stretching: When we made it back to Italy, my back was in so much pain that I needed to stretch. I have consistently been stretching over the past couple of days.
2. Exercise: I have started easing my way back into exercising. Starting with a bit of movement, and when I have built up a consistent habit, I will start a more consistent exercise program.
3. Walking: Taking Igneous on adventures is one of my favorite things to do. Recently, I have been neglecting her and taking Jesse for granted by letting him walk her when I was not making the time for her—or for him, if I am honest. Yesterday was a beautiful day, and I took on a long walk to the lake. It was the first walk in a while where I was not rushing back to return to studying.

These are the first steps in getting back into a better routine with my health. I still have a long way to go but easing back into it is the best way to make sure I will stick with it.