This post is a little uncomfortable to write because I hate sounding like I am patting myself on the back for my accomplishments. The truth is my health is a gift from God and if this experience has taught me anything, it is to be grateful for what I have...even on the days I experience pain.
Speaking of pain, before I had back surgery, I lived on narcotics. It was the only way to survive. I am grateful for a successful surgery and recovery and for the progress I have made with my weight loss/strength gain because now, I can knock out the nerve pain with an ibuprofen. And I really only need to do that about once a week or so. I've learned it's all about stretching and staying loose through consistent exercise.
But I'll back up....Get it? "BACK up"? Never mind. Jordan would be rolling his eyes at me right now.
I was post-surgery and after a brief couple of great weeks, I started experiencing continued pain. I was scared and frustrated that my entire life could consist of this level of pain. I also began to fear the degenerated discs I have and the possibility of future surgeries, even more invasive than what I had gone through.
I went to Physical Therapy where I learned how to stretch well. I learned what muscles lay on top of the damaged nerve and how to take care of them. I learned safe ways to do things like pick up things off the ground without bending. I finally started to feel better and a tad more confident about my future.
I also learned how weak I was...Everything that supports my spine (from my rear to my abs) was pathetic and possibly non-existent. So, I decided to go back to the gym.
Thankfully, my gym had recently opened a Kids Club, so I dragged two year old Jordan and little baby Marcus and left them with the sweet workers and hoped for the best. We had some rough days, but now, my kids walk in there like they own the place. They pretty much do...we are there four days a week!
I went straight to my safe place...the elliptical in the dark Cardio Cinema room. I focused on the formula...counting my calorie intake and burning what I needed to. But I knew I had to add strength training at some point...I just wanted to get skinnier and stronger before I tried it!
Well, somehow I ended up trying the Body Pump class and God blessed me with an instructor who had the exact same surgery I did 16 years before me! She was able to walk me through the lifts and help me modify to meet my needs. I started with the teeny tiny weights and have gone to this class for 2 1/2 years and am much stronger. In fact, I'm the strongest I've ever been in my life...and this includes the teenage sports-playing years. In those days of yore, I only did pushups if my coach yelled at me to. I kind of wish I could go back and show 17 year old me how to do a real pushup, but I guess it's not possible. :)
So, for me, strength training is the key. Low weight, a million reps over years has resulted in much more muscle tone than if I had pushed myself hard and injured myself. I've even been able to build enough that I can do SOME higher impact things like box jumps...mostly because I can control the landing.
I still have many limitations...I always joke that the teachers should pay me to be the "Modify Girl" if they ever make a video. I can't (and won't) do dead lifts except with an empty bar. No jumping jacks or double-leg jump roping. My abs are still needing a lot of work, especially the ones responsible for twisting because when I try to twist intentionally, they fight back. They have been trained so well to never twist, that they resist.
But, the biggest blessing of the whole "getting stronger" experience other than the getting stronger and being a much more fun and health mom part...is my gym family. God has blessed me with many teachers, trainers, and fellow exercisers who push me, but understand my limitations and don't make me feel like I have to keep up. They even caution me at times to rethink something...which competitive me doesn't always enjoy. ("Hey Carol, you know if you squat with no weight, you can actually do the whole movement which will work the muscles you want to work instead of not really doing anything beneficial at all...") But they have blessed me beyond measure by their support!
OK, so there's the secret to my weight loss...strength training and burning more calories than I took in. You might be saying "Duh! That's not a secret". You're right. It's not. Actually, I've left one thing out...the real key to everything.
Remember in Part 1? That whole issue of slavery to food? Well, going to the gym didn't fix that problem. The problem of sin having a hold on my life. The problem of self-control. The really fierce, ugly battle I had to fight with sin. I'll share more about that in Part 3. That's not only the key to my weight loss, but my victory I've had over that master in my life. It's a battle I continue to fight every day and will fight every day for the rest of my life.
By the way, I'm a nicer and more fun Mom now! I am not in pain all of the time, so I'm less cranky. And when the boys want to do something active...I can say "Yes! I'll chase you all over the OU campus!" when they want to ride their bikes.
"Every good gift is from above..."
If you missed part one...
https://livinglindley.blogspot.com/2017/10/losing-myself-part-1-bad.html
Speaking of pain, before I had back surgery, I lived on narcotics. It was the only way to survive. I am grateful for a successful surgery and recovery and for the progress I have made with my weight loss/strength gain because now, I can knock out the nerve pain with an ibuprofen. And I really only need to do that about once a week or so. I've learned it's all about stretching and staying loose through consistent exercise.
But I'll back up....Get it? "BACK up"? Never mind. Jordan would be rolling his eyes at me right now.
I was post-surgery and after a brief couple of great weeks, I started experiencing continued pain. I was scared and frustrated that my entire life could consist of this level of pain. I also began to fear the degenerated discs I have and the possibility of future surgeries, even more invasive than what I had gone through.
I went to Physical Therapy where I learned how to stretch well. I learned what muscles lay on top of the damaged nerve and how to take care of them. I learned safe ways to do things like pick up things off the ground without bending. I finally started to feel better and a tad more confident about my future.
I also learned how weak I was...Everything that supports my spine (from my rear to my abs) was pathetic and possibly non-existent. So, I decided to go back to the gym.
Thankfully, my gym had recently opened a Kids Club, so I dragged two year old Jordan and little baby Marcus and left them with the sweet workers and hoped for the best. We had some rough days, but now, my kids walk in there like they own the place. They pretty much do...we are there four days a week!
I went straight to my safe place...the elliptical in the dark Cardio Cinema room. I focused on the formula...counting my calorie intake and burning what I needed to. But I knew I had to add strength training at some point...I just wanted to get skinnier and stronger before I tried it!
Well, somehow I ended up trying the Body Pump class and God blessed me with an instructor who had the exact same surgery I did 16 years before me! She was able to walk me through the lifts and help me modify to meet my needs. I started with the teeny tiny weights and have gone to this class for 2 1/2 years and am much stronger. In fact, I'm the strongest I've ever been in my life...and this includes the teenage sports-playing years. In those days of yore, I only did pushups if my coach yelled at me to. I kind of wish I could go back and show 17 year old me how to do a real pushup, but I guess it's not possible. :)
So, for me, strength training is the key. Low weight, a million reps over years has resulted in much more muscle tone than if I had pushed myself hard and injured myself. I've even been able to build enough that I can do SOME higher impact things like box jumps...mostly because I can control the landing.
I still have many limitations...I always joke that the teachers should pay me to be the "Modify Girl" if they ever make a video. I can't (and won't) do dead lifts except with an empty bar. No jumping jacks or double-leg jump roping. My abs are still needing a lot of work, especially the ones responsible for twisting because when I try to twist intentionally, they fight back. They have been trained so well to never twist, that they resist.
But, the biggest blessing of the whole "getting stronger" experience other than the getting stronger and being a much more fun and health mom part...is my gym family. God has blessed me with many teachers, trainers, and fellow exercisers who push me, but understand my limitations and don't make me feel like I have to keep up. They even caution me at times to rethink something...which competitive me doesn't always enjoy. ("Hey Carol, you know if you squat with no weight, you can actually do the whole movement which will work the muscles you want to work instead of not really doing anything beneficial at all...") But they have blessed me beyond measure by their support!
OK, so there's the secret to my weight loss...strength training and burning more calories than I took in. You might be saying "Duh! That's not a secret". You're right. It's not. Actually, I've left one thing out...the real key to everything.
Remember in Part 1? That whole issue of slavery to food? Well, going to the gym didn't fix that problem. The problem of sin having a hold on my life. The problem of self-control. The really fierce, ugly battle I had to fight with sin. I'll share more about that in Part 3. That's not only the key to my weight loss, but my victory I've had over that master in my life. It's a battle I continue to fight every day and will fight every day for the rest of my life.
By the way, I'm a nicer and more fun Mom now! I am not in pain all of the time, so I'm less cranky. And when the boys want to do something active...I can say "Yes! I'll chase you all over the OU campus!" when they want to ride their bikes.
"Every good gift is from above..."
If you missed part one...
https://livinglindley.blogspot.com/2017/10/losing-myself-part-1-bad.html
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