So, I just went on a bicycle ride for the first time in probably a year. Oddly enough, the reason I did is that I’m feeling desperate. My mid-back has been in extreme pain for the last couple of days. Not only is there a lot of pain, but there is also some sort of pressure. It is very unsettling.

No amount of ibuprofen and Tylenol has been able to take the edge off. It feels like something has gone terribly wrong, like another ruptured disc. Why the bike ride? I was hoping maybe the movement would make it feel better. It did. Slightly. However, as I sit here writing, the pain is returning.

I don’t want another surgery. That wouldn’t happen right away. First, I would have to go through treatment with a pain specialist until they realize there is nothing more they can do.

I have meant to try harder to get some exercise in. I need it. Dieting or fasting isn’t everything. Exercise helps to use up the glucose in the bloodstream and glycogen from the liver. The lower these levels in the body, the more chance there is to burn fat for fuel. At least, that’s the theory.

I am constantly eating the wrong foods. I know better, but I can’t seem to get control of myself. I need to. It would probably alleviate a little bit of my back pain.

My bike ride was not terrible. I was not out of breath, but my legs were burning a little bit. I didn’t go very far. My endurance lasted about 40 minutes. If pain allows, I will be making an effort to do more riding.