Ever since March 2020 — after COVID–19 struck and school and sports have been cancelled — I have been completely and utterly out of shape. 

I initially figured this out during offseason track practice in Nov. 2020. I was struggling to jog around the track and make it through the entire practice, which consists of various sprints of different distances. When I got home, I decided to step on the scale, and it read 150lbs, which was the heaviest I have ever been. 

I was 10lbs heavier than I was when I was in school before everything happened. Seeing that number on the scale was a punch in the gut. I started to realize my weight gain had led me to become unhappy with the way that I looked in the mirror and in photos.

Although I did put on some weight, I also put on a little bit of muscle. I participated in some at home workouts throughout quarantine; however, it was not enough.

With the start of the new track season this year in January, I have been slowly getting back into shape. 

At my first track meet this season, I ran a 100 meter race in 13.07 seconds. To put this into perspective, my personal record in the last meet of the season last year was 12.20 seconds in the 100 meter race. I was almost one whole second slower than last year, which is about 7 meters slower than my PR.

Around four weeks ago, I signed up for a 12–month gym membership at Fitness 19. I figured working out at home for me was not an option. I had too many distractions and not enough equipment to be getting an effective workout.

I have been going to the gym five days a week from 12:30 p.m. to around 2 p.m. , with Wednesdays and Sundays being rest days, and attending track Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m. with a track meet typically on Wednesdays.

I am following a push, pull and leg routine at the gym. This means that on push days, I work out muscle groups that effectively utilizes a pushing motion such as the chest, triceps and shoulders. Pull days primarily focus on the back muscles and biceps. Leg days target specific muscle groups in the legs such as the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. I also workout my core on leg day.

My goal for the next few months is to lean bulk and to maintain my current weight while building muscle and burning fat. In order to do this, I must eat around one to two hundred calories over my maintenance calories each day, which is around 2,500 calories.

 I must consume high protein, low fat foods that are moderate in calories with high density, meaning that that I feel full consuming less calories. Some of these foods include chicken, eggs, fish, vegetables and berries. 

Everyone’s maintenance calories may vary depending on various factors such as height, age, and how often someone excercises and how intense the exercise is. 

 I also would like to try and get a new personal record in the 100 meter race in track this season. I have been slowly getting faster and faster throughout the season. In the meet on Wednesday, May 5 at Agoura High School, I ran the 100 meter race in 12.41 seconds for a seasonal record. Hopefully, within the next couple of weeks, I will be able to achieve an all time personal record.

I feel that I am on track to getting back into shape and possibly being in the best shape of my life this coming year.