I’m Waiting No Longer to Start a Fitness Program and Get Into Shape

Originally published on Hemophilia News Today by BioNews, Inc.

The end of 2022 is rapidly approaching, and I’ve made nary a dent in my fitness and diet goals for this year. Oh, sure, I have a ton of excuses — like my foot that swells up when I walk more than a mile — but there really is no excuse. I know I don’t get enough exercise, but I’ve done very little to change the situation, aside from my weekend bike ride, which I call “biking for bagels.”

I’m constantly battling my bleeding disorders and terrified of falling off my bike or twisting an ankle. A slight movement in the wrong direction can cause painful swelling and bleeding in a joint. But something needs to change, and it needs to change now.

As I lay awake on a sagging hotel mattress during a recent trip, I decided I could wait no longer. So at 2 a.m., I rented a Peloton bike through the company’s new rental program. The Peloton bike is an indoor cycling bike with a fancy touch-screen tablet. It’s like a spin bike, but much nicer, and I won’t fall off. With the rental, I can access hundreds of Peloton classes, both live and recorded.

The bike arrived today, and I’m beyond excited, but afraid of not keeping up with a consistent fitness program. I don’t want to be one of the thousands of people who purchased a Peloton during the pandemic and now have a very expensive clothes hanger in their homes.

For motivation, I reflected on a conversation I had this year with L.A. Aguayo. Aguayo, 34, has severe hemophilia B and competes in international bodybuilding competitions. He’s an elite athlete, author, and online fitness coach. Fitness is a large part of his life, despite his hemophilia.

Here is a short excerpt from our chat via Zoom in April:

JL: Why is fitness necessary to you as a person with hemophilia?

LAA: Fitness will always be a big part of my life. I know how I can change my life with fitness and nutrition. I’m as strong as I’ve ever been because fitness is helping me.

What suggestions do you have for someone with a bleeding disorder who wants to become more active?

Start small. I’ve gotten injured and had significant setbacks, and I had to restart the process. Start with 15 minutes and slowly progress. Don’t go from zero to 100 miles per hour. Just let the process happen and become a lifestyle. You have to choose it because it makes your life better.

A lot of it is mindset. Do things that trigger good habits, like setting out your gym clothes the night before. A trigger could be a thought. For example, if you think, “I’m not going to the gym,” that could be your trigger to go to the gym.

Never miss a scheduled infusion. As I push myself to stay an elite athlete, I have to infuse two to three times a week. As I get closer to a show, I’ve noticed that my body becomes more vulnerable to bleeds. Like yesterday, I barely bumped my elbow, and that caused me to have to push through a painful internal bleed in my elbow.

Thank you, L.A.! My fitness program starts today.

Follow and message L.A. Aguayo on Instagram: @chronic_physique.