Currently on day 3 with a gnarly case of COVID. It was definitely from that metal show. Easily the sickest I've ever been in my life. Most of this period I've been in a daze without energy or the ability to concentrate. My throat also feels like I'm swallowing glass and has made sleeping so far extremely miserable. As of today, though, DayQuil has done wonders to bring me down from Walking Dead zombie to "just really sick" levels, and I can actually focus on things again. I also promised myself that no matter what, I'm going to do some kind of training tomorrow.

I've started to get a rhythm down on how to eat, too, since nausea has been incredibly high and the metal spikes stabbing my throat made it extremely difficult (again, DayQuil has helped with that at least). Yesterday I was basically eating almond butter like pudding and washing it down with milk, since it hurt so much to swallow anything. Actually a pretty great idea, but the taste was just inducing more nausea when typically I love that stuff. Today I got some organic chicken noodle soup with lemon and it hit the spot. Also got a bottle of organic beef bone broth and this stuff is a hack (the good kind). It's basically protein tea! I'm going to be buying this all the time from now on. Previously I'd only used it in soups but it absolutely needs to be a staple in my mug.

And finally...I ordered a high-quality weightgainer powder from Universal Nutrition/Animal. I'm so nostalgic for that stuff. Used to be miserable force-feeding myself it every morning as a teenager. Instead of being filled with maltodextrin, this blend is made with sweet potatoes, oats, and even powdered olive oil. Animal is also a brand I have nostalgia for. Used to love their melodramatic, emo bodybuilding zine ads.

I will definitely lose some strength and mass from this period, and that's fine. My enthusiasm to get back under the bar and build again will make up for it.