Hard but Worth It

While working yesterday I had a great  moment.  One of the ladies who comes to the meeting told me that she follows my blog. I was really touched for a moment and had to fight back tears. She told me that I  inspired her to work on getting healthy.  That is why I write this blog to help you and help me. I have told you before that I am selfish and need this to keep me going. I have to admit I have been in a slump the past few weeks and have really been fighting with myself to eat better and get my exercise in. I just don't want to do it!!!!!  I know how you all struggle to do what needs to be done to get strong.  It is HARD. It is HARD to put you first. BUT you need to do that.  I know how it is to commit to doing good for just one day and then by 3-4 in the afternoon blow it. I have done that. I will still do that but I have to tell myself that is not the end of the world and to get back on the plan to health.  ANY small step toward better health is wonderful.  ANY amount of wt. loss is wonderful. Even not losing wt. but just eating better and moving better is wonderful. I need to quit beating myself up and you need to quit too. We need to be cheering ourselves on at every good little thing we do. As I weight the members that come in they are so hopeful and focused on that weight number. I do that too. I have had to remind them and myself that it is just a number. They know what they have done and not done that week. The body is changing and adjusting and should not be ruled by that scale. We all do it. We probably always will. Be proud of what you ARE doing. Be proud that you are trying.  Many times through the years I have sat in my recliner and said, "why even try, it hurts, I get so tired, it is to much to lose,  and on and on." I want to tell you TRY. I didn't know what I could do and how do you know unless you try.  Yes it hurts. Yes you will get tired. Yes it might be a lot to lose. It is not easy. It is very hard.  You can do it!

I have mentioned my tortoises before. I have one that has a problem. He has a case of "the grass is greener on the other side." Our yard is fully enclosed with block. We have one chain link gate that we get into the yard with. The one tortoise has figured out that is the only way out of there. One day I found him wedged sideways in a small crack that is where the gate latches. He couldn't go forward or back was on his side and had all four legs, head, and tail wiggling trying to move.  I put him back in and off he went to find a new adventure. He has never tried that again but I check on them often and he is always sitting right there waiting for someone to open that gate.  He goes to eat and roam but always ends back looking through that small gap in the fence.   I mentioned this to someone and they said isn't that how life is.. we are never happy with what we have..he is fed and watered, has a huge yard free of predators to roam in. But he wants more. I hadn't thought of it like that.  It made me think of how many time's I have wished this or that and thought I would be happy if only this happened. Maybe I should just look around and realize what I do have. Maybe we all should.

Who are you?

We all go through life with labels or titles to identify who we are. We all started out as a son or daughter, then as we grew we became know by other things. Maybe good, maybe bad, or sad. I have struggled the past few years with some of the labels I have put on myself.  Weak, sick, sad, old,  discouraged, worthless, fat,. It took me a long time to find some labels that would be uplifting to me. I had to realize that I had many things I could contribute to my family and friends. Many of those moments came when others would give me a word of encouragement or mention to someone in my family something I had done in the past that lifted them up. I was so content in wallowing in my own pity that I had a hard time seeing the good. When I decided that I had to fight for my life or give up I had to really work at getting myself ready to accept the good I could accomplish for myself first then my family and friends. I had to grow up enough to realize that some of those labels were causing me more problems mentally than I needed. I know that everyone struggles with the labels that we put on ourselves. Now enough of that.  Today I received a new label.  I was walking into the post office and a lady about my age stopped and stared at me. I said "Hi" and walked on past her. She spoke up, "are you the lady from the gym?"  I went back to her as she said, "Gold's gym?"  I did not recognize her but told her that I did go to Gold's gym. She then began telling me how she and a group of others had been watching me as I participated in different classes and they wished they were as strong and healthy as I was.  I just stood there stunned.....ME..... I struggle through those classes and often pay for it for a few days. I even decided to skip the gym for a few days because I am fighting with my discouragement devil. She said that she was working on balance and had hurt herself and was ready to quit. I encouraged her to get in the water with me and see how that went.  NOW THIS is a label that I like and will keep... The lady at the gym... I am encouraged by her words as I hope she has been encouraged by mine. Isn't it great when a moment in time is just what you need to help lift you up and get you going on that path to wellness.. or happiness.

Garden Thiefs

 I have two Greek tortoises. They are so similar to our native desert tortoise that they only have one toe that  is different.  They are about the size of a softball and roam my back yard. Last year in November they both decided to hibernate in the yard. I knew where one was but not the other. It got really cold here and I thought they would both freeze to death. We decided to not bother them and see what happened. A couple of weeks ago we began carefully working in our garden and planted all the cool weather produce. We put a few baby cabbage plants out, planted peas, radishes, cauliflower. The next day while out checking the yard I noticed that both of the tortoises had come out of hibernation and found my little cabbage plants by climbing up into a 6 inch tall grow box and had really taken more than their share. Upon close examination of the plants I began to see something that really surprised me. Each plant had one leaf left. I am thinking that somehow those little thief's knew that if
they ate every bit of the plant it would die. They must somehow know that for them to have a reproduction of  food they have to leave a little. I was amazed.  I am now watching them as they straddle the row of peas and radishes that are coming out gobbling them as fast as they can walk. One friend mentioned maybe I might want to put a fence around the garden. I am not to worried about them eating all they want because I don't have to worry about feeding them myself. I am also getting free fertilizer. I just hope they like to eat the weeds too.