Quality of Life....because Life is SHORT!

I was on my way home from the gym when suddenly it seemed that every cop car and emergency vehicle in the County was racing past me, lights ablaze, sirens howling.
 
Something heavy-duty was going on....but I had no idea 'what'.

Well, just a few miles from home I came upon the source. There was a bad accident....traffic was stalled in both directions, and there were emergency vehicles all over the place.  As my lane 'crawled' by I could see them strapping someone into a stretcher to take away in an ambulance, and it appeared that a dump truck had careened off the road into a tree ....there also were several OTHER vehicles involved.  Yikes! 

I whispered a prayer for those involved, and continued home, thankful that I had decided to stop at the store on the way home, because had I been just a few minutes sooner, I would have been in that exact SPOT when whatever happened, happened. And it could've been me that was being strapped onto that stretcher. 

Makes you think, doesn't it? 

LIFE is so short....and so precious.  We need to cherish and value every SECOND of it. 

It reminded me of the "Quality of Life" thing I finally came to terms with when I quit smoking.  Before I quit, since I had tried (and failed) numerous times before, I would tell anyone who'd listen that I would 'die happy with my cigarettes' because I 'didn't care' anymore. It was just too HARD to quit. And in a lot of respects it worsened my binge eating problem, too...because when I'd try to quit I'd immediately start overeating to compensate.  UGH.


I finally got wise, though....as many many people are nowadays....and thanks to Chantix (a prescription medication that I took for just a brief period to get me over the nicotine addiction) I was able to quit. And I realized, of course, that my quality of LIFE was SO much better, not subjecting my body to all those toxic chemicals and SMOKE anymore! 

My house smelled cleaner, my clothes didn't stink anymore, and I didn't have to justify my smoking habit to anyone anymore.  Best of all, I didn't have to hide in corners outside, away from everyone -- lest I be accused of smoking in a forbidden place!  UGH. 

And I could BREATHE again.  I could take a deep breath without it hurting. And without coughing.  I could SING again!  Not that I'm the next singing star, but I love it anyway. Great stress relief in singing, gang.....because of the breathing, I think. 

Anyway.
So this morning as I drove past that accident and said a prayer for those involved and also thanked the good Lord I wasn't involved, I also realized something I have overlooked since I reached goal last year. 

My quality of life has changed INCREDIBLY since I've lost the weight!  For the BETTER!

I can MOVE again. I can climb stairs without grunting, groaning, and suffering. I can bend over. I can touch my toes. I can SEE my toes!  I can take a bath. I can tie my sneakers'  shoelaces.  I can sit on ANY chair without checking to see how 'sturdy' it looks.  I can go to holiday parties, family events and gatherings etc. and NOT have to hide from cameras.  I can look in the mirror without seeing that double chin staring back at me (oh how I HATED that double chin).  I can see cheekbones!  I have little 'hollows' in my stomach on either side....i.e., I HAVE A WAISTLINE, people.  I haven't had a waistline in 20 YEARS.

I'm serious.  20 YEARS. No belts would fit me. EVERYTHING was worn 'loose' and over the waist because...I HAD no waist to speak of!  I had to buy clothes in the women's 2X and larger section. Special "Queen sized" catalogs (which incidentally they FINALLY stopped sending LOL).  I was on diabetes medication (NO MORE!)  My blood pressure was starting to creep up (and I inherited my Mom's LOW blood pressure).  And as for my fibromyalgia, OMG....EVERYTHING hurt worse when I was dragging around an extra 70+ pounds, for pete's sakes! 

YES my quality of life was affected BIGTIME.  I made excuses not to go anywhere. It was just me, my easychair and my food. "Leave me Alone" was my mantra.

Today....things are totally different.  And yet...the same!

I still live in the same house, am still married to the same man, and still have the same basic life I had before....BUT....

Now I go to the gym 4-5 days a week. In the mornings between 9 and 11 am?  That's where you'll find Linda.  Happily body pumping, pilating, spinning, doing leg lifts, lifting weights on the circuit, or on the treadmill.  I work out and I LOVE every minute of it because I can do things I NEVER DREAMED I could do before.  I can do a sit-up.

Did you hear me?  I said I CAN DO A SIT UP! 

This was a MIRACLE to me.  An absolute MIRACLE.  I was so excited the day I finally did a sit-up that I CRIED.  And then I ran home and sat my DH down and said "Look! Look!" and proceeded to do sit-ups in front of him. (his response, a nod and a smile and a shake of his head laughing...."Yes, dear......" ....LMAO....he says that a LOT). 

Hey, whatever turns you on, right?  I was THRILLED to my SOCKS over this. Because I had just about given UP. I mean, let's face it, when you've been dieting since age 16 and you're now in your late 50s, you start to finally go 'Duh....maybe I CAN'T lose the weight!' 

Boy, was I wrong!

Listen, gang.  YOU CAN DO THIS.  Think about what you want in this life.  It's not about wearing a size 4, or having a weight number you can brag about.

It's about being able to function in your everyday life.  It's about liking what you see in the mirror. It's about taking PRIDE in yourself, enough to CONTINUE to eat right, every single day......BECAUSE YOU'RE WORTH IT. 
Your life is worth it.  No matter who you are, rich, poor, single, married....it doesn't matter. You can MOVE your body better. Be more flexible. Bend, lift, DO things in your life versus sitting like a lump on your couch watching TV.  Right? 

My first husband was like that. He once told me, "My philosophy is just to sit back and watch life go by".  And I was like, "but....what about participating in life?" 
....and although I haven't even SEEN him in 30 years, I'm sure he's still scratching his head wondering why I divorced him LOL.  Sigh....

Some people just don't GET IT.  We only go around ONCE, people.  Stop complaining and whining and DO IT.  Make up your mind that you want a better life for yourself....you DESERVE a better life for yourself....and JUST DO IT. 

Get off the couch and start PARTICIPATING in your life. 

It's going by, quicker than you think! 

One day it will be over and you'll be going 'If only'.....don't do that to yourself. 

YOUR TIME IS NOW.  Right NOW.  Right HERE.

THIS is the place to get it done. We all have the method, the right program, with the right nutrition, and the right support.  There's no excuses anymore. 

JUST DO IT.  Take it one step at a time, and you'll amaze yourself.

Your LIFE....the rest of your life! ....AWAITS!