Happy New Year, I DID IT!..................

What a great start to the year, I just got back from running two full miles without needing to stop. Isn't that great? Okay, I ran them at tweleve minute pace, but considering I had pretty major surgery less than three weeks ago I am pretty darn proud of me.

Which of course leads me to jump on the soap box for a minute. Get healthy people! Don't diet, or desire to be a certain weight. Give your heart and lungs a good work-out on a daily basis, and fuel your body with whole natural foods. The life you save could be your own.

Two short years ago, the person sitting at this computer would never even have considered going for an early morning run, let alone choose oatmeal over a donut for a yummy breakfast treat. She was too unhappy and fed up with herself to believe a change was possible. Thank God there was a tiny little bit of belief left inside of her, and somehow that belief was manifested into a commitment to get on the treadmill for fifteen minutes five times a week. I have said it before, but will say it again...If she can do it, anyone reading this can do it. One just has to decide to take responsibility to their actions and behavior. Then any change is possible. If one doen't take that first important step, then...

I know someone, that had the same two surgeries that I had. Not to judge (okay, maybe to judge a little), but in my opinion no surgeon in their right mind should have touched this person with their scalpel. She weighed in the neighborhood of three hundred pounds, and this surgeon told her that if she had the tummy tuck and breast reduction that she would feel great and "want to exercise and loose weight." That was a year and a half ago. Not only did it take her months to recover after her procedures, she has not exercised or lost any significant weight in that same year and a half time period. Her glucose (sugar) and cholesterol levels are very high. She actually told her doctor that the reason she can't lose weight is because people keep asking her to bake cakes for them and she "has to lick her fingers while doing so." She went on to say that as soon as she is finished with all the baking she will begin to lose weight and her sugar and cholesterol numbers will go back to normal. Get real, one CHOOSES to lick their fingers, they don't HAVE to!

She was also not happy with the results of her breast reduction, so she in going back under the knife for breast enlargements (implants) a few days from now. I saw her a few days after my surgery, and she was thrilled to be having surgery again. At that time (even though I probably should have kept my mouth shut) I told her that in the two weeks remaining before her surgery, what she should be doing was eating right and getting a good cardio work-out every day so her recovery would be easier than last time. All she could tell me was all the reasons why she couldn't exercise. This is not a person that desires to change. Which is totally her choice by the way. It does concerns me that there are doctors out there that support these choices. What are they thinking?

Why did I share that story with you? For one, to wake up anyone out there that is stuck in an excuse rut. I spent many years fighting this rut, and know I could have benefited from a good swift kick in the pants many a time. I also know that until I decided to change nothing anyone said could have made a difference. I also share this story, because I use it to keep me accountable to the health decisions I have made. I am still having to make daily choices regarding exercise and healthy eating. Two days ago, I had just taken a pain pill and wanted to lay down and take a nap. The girl (she would hate that I call her a girl as she is in her late twenties) that works for me showed up right at the peak of my sleepiness and I easily could have gone in and layed down (Boy did I want to, and recovering from surgery was one of the best excuses I will ever get), but I went out and took a three mile walk instead. Because I wanted to? NOPE! Because I want the results of being healthy MORE than I wanted that nap. Like a recovering addict, I don't think there will ever come a time when I don't struggle with staying healthy, some days will just be easier than others. That doesn't mean I give up/give in/settle. When it is hard, when I do choose to nap instead of run/walk, I have to choose to pick myself up and get back on track instead of making excuses. It also means that I celebrate days like today when running feels GREAT, so I can pull out that feeling when I need a little motivation to get out the door.