Three years ago, I toed the line of the North Fork 50K. Not only did I start but I finished that race! A broken ankle at mile 20 led to surgery which led to six weeks of no running. During my recovery I began to fight severe depression, fatigue, chronic pain, and migraines. I became a zombie! things continued to get worse and each day I found myself either barely functional or unable to get out of bed for the day. I went to countless doctors to try and get to the root of the problem. I did hours of research and finally asked my doctor to send me to a rheumatoid specialist. After years of feeling, “off” or downright terrible I got my diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I went on short term disability from work and basically slept for the next few months while my new team of doctors tried to dial in a treatment protocol. This was the worst time in my life! I dealt with almost daily migraines, chronic pain, and fatigue. My neurologist suggested I change my diet and I became a vegan. This change helped a lot with the migraines and some of the inflammation while the other symptoms remained intact.

Fast-forward two years and 100 lbs. later. The medication combination on nine assorted pain relievers, mood stabilizers, beta blockers, and even a medication to treat narcolepsy finally began to do something for my symptoms, but the side effects were pretty bad. The most noticible side-effect was the weight gain. I can’t blame the meds entirely, inactivity, and a less than stellar diet (Oreos are vegan) also played a big role. Looking at old pictures finally showed me how far I had let things go.

I decided that 2019 is going to be a big, transformative year! It’s time for a change! On February 11th, 2019 I began a fitness program as well as a self care routine. My awesome wife cleared the house of (most) junk food and continued to tirelessly make delicious vegan meals for the whole family.

My new routine starts at 4:30am. I wake up, drink a ton of water with a literal handful of medications, get dressed and head to the gym. I lift weights 3 days a week and do cardio 3 days a week. When I get home it’s 30 minutes of meditation, followed by 15-30 minutes of reading. After I get myself taken care of, I wake the kids up, feed them and get them ready for their day while my wife gets ready for work.

One of the big areas I’ve struggled with is compassion toward myself. I see this negative self talk play out in my life all the time in my confidence and how I react to situations. I decided to start doing morning affirmations for myself and for each member of my family. I’ve already seen this change the way I talk to myself and I’ve seen it boost the confidence of my son. I feel as though it’s already brought the whole family closer together.

I’ve learned that a great day often starts with a well-planned night. Instead of staying up all night watching Netflix with a beer or whiskey in my hand, I’ve opted for water and a 9:00pm bed time. I try to lay out all the clothing I’ll need for the next day, the night before to keep my plans on the rails. I’d be lying if I said the plan went perfectly every night or that I’ve made it to the gym every day so far. I still have a chronic illness and habit is a hard thing to break, but I am making a modicum of progress.

Yo may be asking yourself what this blog has to do with photography, video, or sound, to which I would reply, “EVERYTHING!” I can’t be the creative, energetic person needed at the helm of this unless I’m taking care of myself and my family. Also, I want this site to be as much about my story as it is about the stories I help create. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and I invite you to follow along as I share stories, both personal and professional.

Blog of Chris Combs

50K to Fat