Bringing Balance to Obesity: 30 Day Shred
We are an obese society--even our pets are obese. I wish I could say I'm on the healthy side of this issue, but I can't. If you've struggled with weight, or know someone who has, I hope this post will encourage you.
Back in the day I was a svelte 126 with tight abs, a tiny waist, and a toned tush; an enviable size 4/6. Even after my fourth child was born, I managed to get back to a decent weight with all my body parts cooperating to fit into a size 8/10. I wasn't a hottie, but respectable for a mom of four kids. Not encouraged yet? Hold on, here it comes.
I used to think all that "Wait ‘til you turn 40" talk was a ruse. It's not. Last year I went to the eye doctor and was informed I'd gone from 20/20 vision to needing bifocals. Bifocals! I'm not vain when it comes to glasses, I just couldn't believe my eyesight had deteriorated so much in 2 years! The fact that he was trying to sell me a $500 pair of glasses also seemed a bit suspect. So I went for a second opinion, which turned out to be a waste of money. He just smiled and said, "You turned 40."
My eyes weren't the only thing to go south after my 41st birthday. Weight came on and deposited itself in a permanent fashion. These days my wrists are the only body parts that can boast "tiny". Now, even when I lose weight, I still wear the same size. Haven't quite figured out how that works. My body is clearly rebelling. Diet alone accomplishes nothing.
As a physical therapist, I know the importance of exercise. But obstacles have won out. Obstacle one: my body. I decided to go to the gym to see if I could tone up. It went well for about a month, until my back acted up. Having to crawl around on my hands and knees convinced me that my days in the gym were over. Obstacle two: my locale. I live in South Carolina. It's hot and humid here about 8 months out of the year. Really hot. Like "stay inside if you want to be able to breathe" hot. So walking outdoors is a challenge. Obstacles three and four: room and money. I have neither the funds nor the space for a treadmill, so walking indoors really isn't an option either. I know, excuses, excuses. But I'm being real here. The good part is coming, keep reading.
So, I'd pretty much given up. I'd come to the conclusion, if my clothing size wasn't going to change, I might as well enjoy tasty food. Then I stumbled across what I want to share with you. I was reading a post from Vicki Courtney, a lady who writes on teenage purity. In this day and age, any help I can get on raising pure teenagers, I'm there. (You can be there too, see "Other Blog Links" on the left.) This particular day she was writing outside of her niche. She'd found something so wonderful she just had to share. She, too, is in the over 40 set and had lost weight without seeing a change in her clothing size. Then she bought a workout video.
After 30 days of near death experiences she had lost only one single solitary pound, but she was down an entire size. None of her clothes fit. She had to buy all new clothes...and a new bathing suit! I dashed over to Amazon and checked out the video. For $8.99 I decided to give it a try.
My 13 year old daughter did 90 seconds of the video the first day it came. She whimpered the whole next day about her legs and armpits hurting. I laughed. Come on. 90 seconds, really? I should have known better. This is the child who got her forehead split open with a golf club and didn't shed a tear; you could say she has a high pain tolerance.
The next day we did the entire workout together. I wasn't laughing anymore. Screaming at the woman on my TV screen, yes. Laughing, no. But, consistent with the physiology I learned in school, the worst was yet to come. Day 3 it hurt to shave and apply deodorant, no lie. My abs were screaming. Since I don't ever want to have to do Days 2 and 3 again, I got up and did Day 4.
If you are thinking you can't do this, let me tell you I wasn't sure I could either. I'm coming into this with some physical challenges. During my first pregnancy, I had a six-inch vertical abdominal incision to remove a tumor. My abs have never been the same. After my first child was born, I began having back/hip pain that reached its zenith during my second pregnancy when a disc herniated - complete with foot drop and Trendelenberg gait. Due to high risk to the baby - and the neurosurgeon's ski trip - an epidural was the first line of defense. By the time surgery was performed, I was left with residual endurance weakness in my leg. For the last 12 years my "good leg" has been absorbing the wear and tear and is now showing signs of pain and crepitus.
I wasn't sure my body was up to the task. Before investing in arm weights, I wanted to make sure I could do the routine, so I completed the first day without weights. I could feel instability in my left shoulder during the workout and the next day brought a significant increase in my left knee joint pain. So for now, I'm using two cans of 14 oz beans rather than the suggested 2-1/2 lb. weights. I'm sticking to the low impact option on all the exercises. My body is adjusting.
It's too early to see a difference, but I already feel a difference:
- I still can't do the entire workout without a rest, but I'm not resting as often.
- I notice myself spontaneously engaging my abs during the day.
- I no longer feel instability in my shoulder.
- My knee joint pain is diminishing.
- My teen and tween are exercising with me, establishing good health habits early.
By the time you read this I'll be at least on Day 7 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I'm simply sharing my personal experience with you. This won't be for everyone. But if you are already doing this or decide to try it, will you let us know? Remember, discuss any exercise plan with your physician before you begin.
If you have a personal success story to share on how you overcame obesity, please take a moment to encourage other readers!