2025 has been the year of travel! The international trips involved changes in time zones, jet lag, and shifts in my daily routines. Life has its ups and downs, and my emotional state fluctuated as I tried to catch up with friends and family. I indulged in partying, drinking, and extravagant meals. The days passed quickly, and it was a lot of fun!
Eventually, it was time to return home here in the United States. I faced another round of catching up on sleep and fighting through jet lag. Unfortunately, some friendships fizzled out, and relationships came to an end. I realized that not all friendships can withstand distance, expectations, and responsibilities. No doubt it took a toll on me emotionally, mentally, and definitely physically! My body was indeed keeping the scores!
Then came D-Day—the moment I realized how quickly time had passed. Five months had gone by without any workouts, healthy eating habits, or proper sleep. The only way to get back on track was to commit to a schedule of weekend hikes. I managed to resume my weekend hikes, but I struggled to find motivation during the weekdays. I set my sights on backpacking and summiting mountains as a leader for the Team Asha Hiking Program. I organized the logistics for the trip, and I’m proud to say that 24 participants successfully summited Grays Peak! It was a significant achievement for me!
Despite climbing more mountains, my celebrations often led to indulgence in junk food. While I could feel my endurance, I also experienced both mental and physical exhaustion. Cognitive distractions became a significant challenge for me. Afterward, I traveled to Washington to tackle the Enchantment long hike and explore the North Cascades. However, I struggled to get back into my workout routine, and I knew this would have negative consequences in the long run.
I had the John Muir Trail planned for September, and after a month of celebrations in August, we began preparing for it, which involved 22 days of raw backpacking in the wilderness covering 250 miles. Once bagged, I found myself eating pizza and biryani and participating in various celebrations throughout October. Until mid-October, I felt full of energy and physically fit. I even completed a 10k race in the Rock & Roll series! However, within just a month, my body began to feel heavy and lethargic. I started eating mindlessly and emotionally. I finally got my blood work done, and unsurprisingly, the results were not good. The strong desire to return to my workout routine was reignited, yet I still felt unmotivated.
I realized that the only way to get back on track was to combine travel with physical activity. So, I decided to explore the Rainbow Mountain and the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in Peru! This experience revealed how out of shape I had become, serving as a wake-up call for me. Although I was active during the second half of the year, my activities were irregular and mostly limited to occasional big hikes or weekend hikes at sea level.
It felt like I was stuck in a mental prison and couldn’t get out of it. It was consuming my mental energy and left me even more discontent. I reached out to my exercise physiologist because I had lost motivation to work out and found it hard to focus on eating nutritious foods. I recognized a pattern: when I was mentally unfocused, it was difficult to maintain my workouts. I started having regular sessions to gradually ramp up my activity level without being too hard on myself. I incorporated walks and daily movement into my routine. I decided I wouldn’t wait until New Year’s to start a disciplined health regimen; I needed to begin immediately.
On December 1, I adopted a mandatory lifestyle of eating whole foods, walking daily, and incorporating strength training and cardio—like Zumba and the stairmaster—every other day. I set small, two-week goals and held myself accountable to my exercise physiologist. I also found it motivating to track my progress using my Apple Watch to close my rings and Strava to document my workouts. Throughout this journey, I learned the importance of self-compassion. Do small but consistently. The massages are a necessity for my body to reset!
I also had insight into uncoupling exercise as punishment and food as reward! My years of exercise physiologist, Bryan, helped me reflect on the past six months, highlighting all that I had achieved and how my body was keeping score of the miles and elevation I had gained over the years.
Based on the total from 2023-2025, elevation gain and miles were around 118,960 ft, 113,110 ft, and 119,276 ft; miles 290.28m, 332.36m, and 310.47m. I have unofficially earned the title of athlete, which I have always revered!
For 2026, I am considering lowering my goals to around 90,000 feet of elevation and 290 miles. All of this data has been calculated by my exercise physiologist, Bryan, to ensure accountability. These targets align with my new approach to SMART goals. The SMART framework is a well-known method for effective goal setting, where the acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will help transform my vague fitness wishes into clear, actionable plans with defined steps and deadlines for health success in the upcoming year.
Even though looking back, 2025 is a big accomplishment, but these are peak achievements. I have to be more disciplined for non-peak blocks. I am making workout my lifestyle like brushing my teeth. Just 30 minutes of strength training or walking before or after a meal. Small and consistent steps will make big changes, especially over the course of time, and will make me happy.
During my session with Bryan, I heard an intriguing story about a baseball player who forgot his position. The MLB’s Mysterious Curse: “The Yips,”
An interesting read https://www.benfoodman.com/blog/sport-psychology-tactics-analysis-amp-treatment-of-the-yips#:~:text=In%20reality%2C%20the%20yips%20is,training%20interventions%20for%20this%20issue.
Many people, including athletes, struggle with a lack of interest or difficulty maintaining their workout routines, making this experience universal. I realize that I am not alone in this journey, and it is not a personal failure. This understanding gives me a sense of belonging in the world of athletics!
The ups and downs will happen, like different seasons and phases of life. What remains constant is the urge to be active, explore the mountains and wilderness, and cherish memories to motivate oneself.
Happy Workouts!