I haven't exercised before university or even during my military service. Besides the impression that gym membership is expensive, I also felt embarrassed and ashamed to work out with others, fearing that I would be secretly mocked. So, even though I had a fitness subsidy in my previous job, I never used it.

During my military service, although I could train my physical fitness, I couldn't do certain exercises due to spondylolysis. Activities like military drills and afternoon jogs were impossible for me. I saw many people bringing resistance bands and whey protein to the dormitory, and I even witnessed the tragedy of whey protein being bitten by mice.

Muscles will atrophy if they are not used for a long time, and general exercises like stretching or waving hands do not have significant effects. Without resistance, muscles cannot be adequately trained, and problems become more likely to arise in old age.

For engineers, the most common occupational injury is lower back pain and herniated discs. Due to insufficient core stability, prolonged periods of work often result in discomfort. In my case, with spondylolysis, the pain is even more pronounced, which not only affects my quality of life but also hampers my work efficiency.

The Trigger for Fitness: Spondylolysis

Previously, I simply recognized the importance of fitness but never took any action. I actually started to pay attention to fitness during my military service when I saw many people in the dormitory working out. After talking with them, I made up my mind to start exercising after completing my military service.

Another reason for wanting to exercise was my diagnosis of spondylolysis) during my military service. I was diagnosed with a fracture in the pedicle of the fifth lumbar vertebra.

If the condition compresses the nerves, surgery is required. During that period, I couldn't sleep well and had to adjust my posture frequently to fall asleep.

When I was diagnosed with spondylolysis, I felt quite frustrated. The doctor told me not to carry heavy loads, stand for long periods, sit, or walk. Seeing the surgical procedure of inserting steel nails made me feel terrified. Was my life going to be ruined here?

With an anxious heart, I started searching for various articles on the internet. Fortunately, after undergoing an MRI, I found that the dislocation was not compressing the nerves as severely as in other cases, and I didn't experience lower limb paralysis or severe lower back pain like others.

There were also many cases on PTT (a Taiwanese online forum) of weight training and rehabilitation after spondylolysis. Most of them suggested strengthening the core muscles through weight training to protect the spine, unless the condition severely affects daily life, in which case surgery is not recommended.

So, after completing my military service, I enrolled in one-on-one coaching sessions. Although the coaching sessions were quite expensive, having a coach's guidance helped me quickly learn the basics and proper breathing techniques, as well as how to perform bench presses, deadlifts, and squats.

Why Weight Training?

Initially, when I joined the gym, I had a laid-back attitude towards training. However, after watching the SBD Monster Lecture series, I deeply felt the importance of weight training (highly recommended if you haven't seen it!). I really don't want to spend my old age confined to a wheelchair.

Here are some key points:

• The intensity of daily activities is insufficient, which can lead to muscle, nervous system, and bone degeneration. Even a minor fall can result in fractures and various complications.
• Regular activities like waving hands, walking, and morning exercises cannot prevent muscle degeneration.
• Sports like basketball are more intense but difficult to quantify. Compared to weight training, which allows for progressive and quantifiable progress, they have a lower entry threshold (although having a coach during the initial stage makes it easier to get started).
• Weight training is much safer than imagined, while other sports activities are more prone to injuries (e.g., improper running causing knee damage, collisions during basketball games).
• Besides improving physique, the most important benefit is the improvement in overall health through increased muscle strength.
• Fitness is a highly rewarding investment that helps mitigate the risk of functional decline in old age.

Fear of Entering the Gym

Before starting my fitness journey, I was a skinny introverted person. Although I appeared thin on the outside and had a body that didn't easily gain weight or build muscle, as I grew older, I started accumulating fat around my abdomen. Especially after coming to Japan, the frequency of drinking and dining increased, and I quickly became aware of my body shape issues.

This made me feel ashamed of entering the gym and lacking confidence in my physique. I was afraid of being seen struggling with light weights and panting heavily.

Later, I realized that everyone was busy with their own routines and didn't have time to pay attention to others. I was also occupied with my own routine and didn't have time to judge others. Once I learned that everyone starts from scratch, I felt much more at ease.

To avoid crowded gyms, I specifically chose less busy hours to work out (around 7:30 AM or 9:00 PM). Especially in the morning, seeing many office workers in suits exercising before work motivated me and made me want to be as impressive as them.

Results after One and a Half Months of Consistency

• Weight: 58.3 kg → 59.0 kg
• Body fat percentage: 16.0% → 15.8%
• Muscle mass (overall muscle mass, not including skeletal muscles): 45.3 kg → 46.3 kg 

Since I didn't use an inbody device, I don't have the measurement for skeletal muscles.

Reflection

My meals mainly consist of marinated chicken breast, occasionally varying with steak, pork ribs, salmon, and other flavors. If I feel lazy, I order delivery, but I realized that I ordered delivery too often. Additionally, preparing healthy meals can be quite troublesome, so I plan to simplify the process while still enjoying my meals.

I feel that my biceps have grown slightly, and my lower back pain has improved significantly. I don't experience much pain anymore. However, I haven't noticed much change in my stomach area, which may require adjustments to my diet. I realized that my muscle growth is not as fast as I imagined, and my body fat percentage has decreased only slightly. I wonder if it's because I consume too much ice cream and cola. Moreover, it seems that my protein intake is insufficient, so I'm considering buying whey protein for easier protein consumption.

When preparing large quantities of ingredients, I usually go to COSTCO to purchase them. However, it's quite inconvenient as it takes about 50 minutes by bus each way. Initially, I bought frozen vegetables to save meal preparation time, but I will never buy them again as they taste terrible.

These are my thoughts and experiences on my fitness journey. I hope they can help engineers take their first step towards fitness.