Most people take walking for granted. I know I did for a long time. We are always talking about taking those baby steps to reach our goals. Well yesterday, I took a leap of faith and took a great giant baby step and I was very proud. For awhile now I have been coasting and needed something to pump up my motivation and after I had my little stumble with cheese dip last week I decided it was time to take that next step.
You see, it wasn't that long ago I was bed ridden and couldn't walk. I had let myself fall into a state of depression and I really had no motivation at all to do anything about my health. The warning signs were there. I had had two so-called anxiety attacks and then in 2006, I had congestive heart failure for the first time. You would think that would have motivated me, NOT!
Then I started getting progressively worse. I had fallen a couple of times and the doctor told me I had arthritis in my hip and knees so I was having some difficulty walking but still I made no effort to lose any weight. Then in 2007, I had an infection which left me bed ridden. I was already morbidly obese but this episode put even more pounds on my frame and eventually created atrophy in my legs. I had difficulty just walking the 5-7 feet to the bathroom.
Finally, by Fall of 2008, I said enough is enough. I started making baby steps. I would walk to the kitchen, about 20 feet, and sit down and rest because I was totally out of breath and then after resting I would make the trip back. I did this for a long time before I could finally make the trip there and back without resting. Then in February 2009, it happened. I had congestive heart failure and respiratory failure and had fallen into a coma.
At that moment, in this time of sorrow and worry, a time when all hope was nearly gone, when the doctors had little hope for me, when my parents felt the pain of the possibility of losing their first born child; it was at that moment, as the minister and those around me began to pray; My vital signs began to improve. God stepped in and said He was not ready for me. He had more for me to do. It is for that reason I decided to embark on this journey, to make myself whole and complete, to make myself well again, to find the strength to walk again, to lose the weight I had acquired through my gluttony for life. To live, to be, to one day love again. and rekindle my love for myself and the love for my family. To fulfill the dreams I once had, to ride the roller coaster of life. He had saved me once again.
So the journey began. After waking up with a tube down my throat the realization of my situation had finally sunk in. I began taking those baby steps and making progress. I was motivated and I lost a lot of weight. I started going to WW meetings and took it seriously for awhile. Then, for a short time, I couldn't go to meetings and slowly started putting some weight back on. But luckily, before I got too far gone, I moved and was able to start going to meetings again and I have had great success since.
This brings me to yesterday. I have been walking as part of my exercise routine on a regular basis but never for more than maybe 15 minutes at a time. Whenever I would go to the grocery store or Walmart I would get one of those electric carts and ride around because I was afraid I would get somewhere in the middle of the store and not be able to walk. But yesterday I decided I would finally try to walk around to do my grocery shopping. What did I learn? I CAN WALK!!! I DID IT!!! I was able to walk around the store for about an hour and a half. I was so proud! Sure I was a little sore afterward but this morning I feel great! No pain at all as I had feared.
So now I'm motivated! I can't wait until tonight when I see my friend at choir practice who has been asking me to join her walking group. I can now tell her, YES, I CAN WALK!!!
You see, it wasn't that long ago I was bed ridden and couldn't walk. I had let myself fall into a state of depression and I really had no motivation at all to do anything about my health. The warning signs were there. I had had two so-called anxiety attacks and then in 2006, I had congestive heart failure for the first time. You would think that would have motivated me, NOT!
Then I started getting progressively worse. I had fallen a couple of times and the doctor told me I had arthritis in my hip and knees so I was having some difficulty walking but still I made no effort to lose any weight. Then in 2007, I had an infection which left me bed ridden. I was already morbidly obese but this episode put even more pounds on my frame and eventually created atrophy in my legs. I had difficulty just walking the 5-7 feet to the bathroom.
Finally, by Fall of 2008, I said enough is enough. I started making baby steps. I would walk to the kitchen, about 20 feet, and sit down and rest because I was totally out of breath and then after resting I would make the trip back. I did this for a long time before I could finally make the trip there and back without resting. Then in February 2009, it happened. I had congestive heart failure and respiratory failure and had fallen into a coma.
At that moment, in this time of sorrow and worry, a time when all hope was nearly gone, when the doctors had little hope for me, when my parents felt the pain of the possibility of losing their first born child; it was at that moment, as the minister and those around me began to pray; My vital signs began to improve. God stepped in and said He was not ready for me. He had more for me to do. It is for that reason I decided to embark on this journey, to make myself whole and complete, to make myself well again, to find the strength to walk again, to lose the weight I had acquired through my gluttony for life. To live, to be, to one day love again. and rekindle my love for myself and the love for my family. To fulfill the dreams I once had, to ride the roller coaster of life. He had saved me once again.
So the journey began. After waking up with a tube down my throat the realization of my situation had finally sunk in. I began taking those baby steps and making progress. I was motivated and I lost a lot of weight. I started going to WW meetings and took it seriously for awhile. Then, for a short time, I couldn't go to meetings and slowly started putting some weight back on. But luckily, before I got too far gone, I moved and was able to start going to meetings again and I have had great success since.
This brings me to yesterday. I have been walking as part of my exercise routine on a regular basis but never for more than maybe 15 minutes at a time. Whenever I would go to the grocery store or Walmart I would get one of those electric carts and ride around because I was afraid I would get somewhere in the middle of the store and not be able to walk. But yesterday I decided I would finally try to walk around to do my grocery shopping. What did I learn? I CAN WALK!!! I DID IT!!! I was able to walk around the store for about an hour and a half. I was so proud! Sure I was a little sore afterward but this morning I feel great! No pain at all as I had feared.
So now I'm motivated! I can't wait until tonight when I see my friend at choir practice who has been asking me to join her walking group. I can now tell her, YES, I CAN WALK!!!
I can do all things through Christ,
because He gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
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Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
1 Chronicles 16:23