An Answer to Prayer

The first week of July, I decided to start my new journey. A new month, easy to keep track. Perfect! I went to the pool and I started out just kicking as I stayed in the middle of the 9 ft. A week later I decided to start doing laps. I did one lap of using just my arms and one lap of just using my legs. On the night I wasn't able to swim, I decided to ride my bike and quickly found out I had a very serious issue...I couldn't breathe. I slowly made my way home and when I walked through the door, I got a glass of water and went to sit down. It took me a good hour and a half before I was able to take a full breath. The next evening I went swimming and figured I'd be safe to do some serious laps. I did two free-style laps and that was it. I couldn't breathe. I hung onto the side of the pool, trying with all I had to get that one breath I needed. A few minutes later I was able to get it. I just stayed on the side and kicked. That night, Terry asked me if I had ever had asthma. I researched it and sure enough... 

The next week I started doing laps the way I first had done them...a lap with just arms and a lap with just legs, but I upped it to three laps of each for a 1/2 hour. The next week I changed it up to an hour. Again, I did 3 laps. On the Friday of that week, I added four laps. I got three days in of the four laps and the pool was closed due to an algae break out. Great...no swimming. Guess I'll ride the bike. That evening I was talking to a friend of mine that owns a gym in Dallas. She told me to print out a free three day pass. I did. And for the three days the pool was closed, I went to the gym and rode bike and used the rowing machine. On my third day of going for free, I had talked to my mom about joining the gym. After a much heated discussion, it wasn't going to happen. With feeling very defeated, I drove down to the gym and rode 3.2 miles on the bike and pushed out as many rows as I could on the rowing machine. That didn't take all the stress away, but enough for me to see clearly again. 

The pool remained closed for the rest of that week and I was BEYOND thrilled to have it opened again when it was fixed! I made my way over there every morning, turned on my music, used my inhaler, oh yeah, I had gone to the Dr. after I couldn't breathe with exercising and it was determined I have on set asthma with exercising. So, I got in the pool and busted out an hour of four laps each. By the end, I was feeling awesome and very productive. I'm not 100% sure how to say or explain the laps I did....all together, I was doing around 32ish laps in the hour. 

August rolled around and I continued with the four laps. Our camping vacation was coming up and instead of upping it to five laps, I stuck with the four. 

While camping, I was shoved to the front of the test my self-control line. For the month of July, I kept track of what I was eating, how many calories I was eating and staying with it. I made sure that I had my food while we camped. I never ate any of the dinners that were made while camping. I had my chicken Cesar salad. Doughnuts were bought and let me tell you...the temptation to just have ONE, hit me so hard over and over. I finally picked up the boxes and checked the calories. That was all it took. The desire faded away. But the last day of camping, my nephew had gotten one of the last on and I called him over to me and asked for a bite. He was very kind and let me take one. I kept that piece in my mouth for a minute or so, just enjoying the yummy goodness in my mouth. I swallowed and vowed to not do that again. (I didn't say never, but it's pretty close to that). The day before was my mom's birthday, the 17th, and we had pizza for dinner. Yes, I ate some. Later that evening, my brothers and SIL brought back small cupcakes. I had one. And it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!!!!  The bad part though, I wasn't working out as I should have. My intention was to walk, but that never happened. The last few nights, I rode bike with my sister-in-law and niece. That felt great! But I just didn't have an appetite. My SIL suggested it was because I hadn't been working out. I believe she hit the nail on the head. :) 

Also, to add, I had been going to my Dr.'s every Friday to get weighed. In the month of July, I lost a total of 16 pounds! 

We got back from camping and when I got back into the pool, I decided I was going to bypass five laps and go to six. So now I swim for an hour and do approx 60 laps. The CD I made of upbeat songs is an hour so that works out awesome. 

This last week, my mom and I went to lunch and I asked her about the gym, again. My counselor and I figured out that I'd have to sell 200 cards to make the money for the gym. I didn't have the faith to see that happening. On the way home that evening, I decided to tell my mom what my friend, who owns the gym, offered to me. Instantly my mom said, "JEN! That's an answer to prayer!!!" So I text my friend and we made arrangements to talk the next day. This was August 21st, just a few days ago. I decided to take on what was handed to me and my gym membership is taken care of. THAT right THERE shows me that God is totally in control and He's opening all the doors I need to get healthy so I can do what I was made to do for Him! So after our meeting, we walked to the gym and she asked her son, who works at the gym, if he would help me get a plan going. He asked me when would be a good time and I said, "Well, whatcha doin' now?" Just those four words set my life in a whole new direction. I walked out of the gym an hour and a half later feeling like I just conquered a huge mountain and won! My desire was to go the next day, but when I woke up, yeah that most likely wasn't going to happen. I didn't want to get up and into the pool, but I did it. I swam for an hour and let me tell ya, the muscles I found at the gym, are used while swimming and OMGOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the most painful swim I had EVER had! But you know what? I was SO stoked! Why? Because the pain I was feeling was GOOD pain and I PUT IT THERE ON PURPOSE!!!!!!!!!!!! I caused this pain and it showed me and told me that I was making HUGE changes in my life and body and I am MORE than ready for it!!! That night I went for a bike ride and rode the farthest and longest I had yet to date on my own, away from the gym. I was very proud of myself! And boy did my legs cuss me out! hahahaha

Today, Friday, for another 27 minutes, I wanted to go to the gym. My plan was to go after my writing class. That didn't happen. My mom and I went to Subway for lunch instead. At 3:30, I drove home from Monmouth, let my dog out, changed my clothes, put my dog away, and drove down to the gym. And once again, I was in for a very exciting day! 

I started out on the elliptical. I did that on Wednesday as well and only did a minute forty-five...very little, but a lot for me. Remember, I'm starting at ground level. Today, I was on it for three minutes!!!!! I made my way downstairs and started on my plan. Oooooooooh did my arms remind me of the pain I caused them. I slapped them, told myself I GOT THIS and busted out what I had to do. As I gave my trainer a high five, a fly would have laughed at that! Talk about weak! We got the arms done and we moved onto the legs. I did the two machines and then I got on the leg press. I couldn't do this one on Wed because I wasn't wearing the right shoes. I did today!! I asked my trainer how much weight was there. He told me he would tell me when I was done. So I did one set and asked him again. He said, "Sixty-five pounds." I was like, "REALLY?" He laughed and nodded. I asked if we could add weight. He added 25 lbs to each side. Now, I suck at math so I was just into pressing the weight. Chris said, "That's 115 lbs." I got done with my second set and said, "WHAT?!" He laughed and said "Yep!" I WAS ECSTATIC!!! I did my last set and asked him if I could do another one. I did THREE MORE!!!!!!!!!!! I think he was pretty happy with that! I know I was over the moon thrilled!!! It's funny how with some things my legs are weak, but with others, they're strong! YAY!!!  For my cool down, instead of walking on the treadmill, I decided to ride bike. So I walked upstairs and rode 1.5 miles for my cool down, through the Red Woods. It was a lovely ride and also the least painful one. I had no problem doing the whole course w/o pausing! This weekend I will swim and ride bike. Next week I plan to be at the gym every day and I will go into my Dr. on Friday and see how the gym is helping me! I'm learning A LOT from my trainer and a book I'm reading about healthy eating! 

The changes I have made in my life are nothing short of a miracle. I'm learning that I'm worth getting healthy. And I'm not calling this a diet, I'm not saying I'm losing weight..............I'm getting healthy! Diets fade, weight comes back on......I'm getting healthy and I'm staying healthy. Eating right and exercising is now a permanent doing in my life!!! 

God opened the door for me to go to the gym. He gave me the man who was made for me. And He gave me an awesome group of supportive friends and family! I am truly a very blessed woman who is never giving up on herself again! 

I GOT THIS!!!!! 

I CAN DO THIS!!! 

Two of my favorite sayings now!!! :)