Hi. My name is Zoë. I created this blog after much encouragement (and prodding) from a close friend. Truthfully, I think she was sick of hearing me complain about my gastrointestinal health and my newfound love for kettlebells and suggested this blog as a more appropriate outlet for my frustrations and enthusiasm.
The reason that I began to workout is not unique. After finishing my freshman year in college I went on a family vacation out west. As a typical millenial I documented the trip with fervor, only to grimace when I looked at pictures of myself in the glare-ridden screen of my iPhone.
I began to workout seriously in May of 2013 and never looked back (ok.. I look back sometimes… I am a freak about documenting after all). I’m not always consistent, but working out has become a staple for both my mental and physical health. A year into my fitness journey, I picked up a kettlebell program entitled “Lean and Lovely” created by Neghar Fonooni. Kettlebells are now a constant in my workout routines and I will gladly discuss how amazing they are with anyone and everyone.
I have two nemeses in my life: motion sickness and Ulcerative Colitis. Motion sickness has plagued me since I was 3 years old (although I’m sure my parents will argue that it began much earlier) but Ulcerative Colitis is a more recent development. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in September of 2012. Ulcerative Colitis (UC or colitis, for short) is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). You might be more familiar with it’s more popular sister, Crohn’s Disease. IBD basically means that your colon (and sometimes you’re stomach and esophagus if you have Crohn’s) is a little fucked up. Your colon has a lot of parts (many of which I cannot remember) but if you have colitis the gist is that your colon is covered in ulcers.Yes, ulcers. Don’t you grimace just thinking about it? I know I do. I have ulcers just at the lower section of my colon, but that isn’t always the case for everyone. You can have colitis from the tippity top of your colon all the way to the bottom (pun intended). In my case, however, it is just the last little stretch of colon that has become the bane of my existence.
What’s so bad about having ulcers in your colon? That’s a great question. The answer is disgusting and I will spare you the details. I spend a lot of time in the bathroom. And I’m not putting on make up or perfecting my brow game while I’m in there. I’ll leave the details up to you. If you feel driven to learn more about what living with Ulcerative Colitis entails, I will point you in the direction of Mr. Google.
Working out with a chronic auto-immune illness (or more truthfully, an exaggerated immune response illness) presents its own set of unique challenges. I have created this blog to document (see.. I wasn’t kidding about the documenting thing) my experience of attempting to work out at a consistent and semi-hard core (and rewarding) level while also battling the colitis monster.
So whip out your sweatbands and Zofran, this is bound to be a rewarding yet nausea inducing journey.
Colitis & kettlebells 