Okay, I am still going strong after giving up soda! Yay, I haven't had one yet. And the funny thing, I haven't wanted one. So, how am I doing on this new way of living? Well, it is changing me, I can say that. No soda and no sugar. Although I have had a few snow cones and a few teas while out. But so far, today I have had water, water, water. I have to work on those temptations still. It is a process.I have to be honest and say I was one of those girls who hated water. Just so plain! But now, I am loving it. It is refreshing, and really curves your appetite. Who knew sugar did all those bad things to your body? Well, I did, but I just ignored them all until the signs began to catch up with me and I could see my health getting worse.
I have been eating a lot of salads, along with fruits, and am coming up with new food plans for our family. I am so happy they are on board with me. It makes it great when you have a cheering section behind you.
Today I did my first yoga. It was down right hard. Jillian Michael's made the comment, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That thought just stuck in my mind all day. It was the light bulb moment of the day for me. We always want change. We want skinnier jeans. We want a smaller size. We want to fit into that dress we wore ten years ago. We want to be healthy and we want it all right now! We want it in ways we don't have to work for it. And with this girl who hates to sweat, I usually try to take the easy road. But no more easy road for me. I am ready to work and work hard at getting healthy. God gave me this body and it is the only one I will ever have. I want to be the very best me I can be. He has blessed me and now I can honor Him by taking care of it. I think that is a problem for me, just getting to comfortable. We are not meant to be comfortable. It is usually when we are comfortable that God will ask us to do the impossible, something out of our comfort zone.
In the yoga program I did, it was simple, but hard. I had no idea how difficult it would be. I struggled, but you know, I made it through. I didn't look perfect, and I did the moves wrong at times, and I was out of breath, but I finished, and for that I was proud of myself.
For me, it's easy to begin something, and after a while I kind of get bored with it, so I am making it so I do not get bored with exercise. This week I am buying a jump rope, a ball, and stretch bands, along with a mat. You really can't do yoga on carpet. Yikes!
I have been feeling better and have more energy. I have a long road to go, and I don't think of myself as being on a diet. I think of it as changing my life, and eating healthy. I gotta love this body God has given me. And in that love comes hard work and determination.
It is hard living with Fibromyalgia, but I cannot allow it to control me. I don't want to be that girl who has Fibromyalgia. I want to be that girl who overcomes the struggles each day and lives to the fullest even though that dreaded disease is knocking on my door. Although any exercise is harder for me and a challenge I am ready to accept them all. What would life be without challenges? It is in those challenges we find ourselves and who we are in Christ. It is then we call upon Him for strength. And believe me, I called upon Him today saying, "Lord, help me get through this exercise and enjoy it!"
I want to finish this race with passion and purpose. I want each day to have meaning. I want to be renewed each day in the Lord and live as He would want me to.
Some may ask, "Why Yoga?" Well, with Fibromyalgia it is one the most recommended exercises. It is low impact, and healthy for you. There are many benefits. I have had mixed reactions to the yoga, and I must say I really don't understand that point. I don't think I will wake up tomorrow proclaiming I am now Hindu. There is no chanting, no humming, not anything strange. It is a whole body workout. Once I get to where I can breath through it, I can take this time and focus on the Lord. Just taking time for ourselves to improve our fitness is what really matters and I am so giddy to do more and to see where this new journey is taking me.
For those of you looking for exercise and don't quite know where to begin, try just walking each day. Just moving about is good and there will be those days that I will be doing the same. Each day is a precious gift and I want to make the best of it. I am just starting out and already I am becoming healthier but just cutting out one thing at a time and adding exercise.
We will never achieve all God has for us unless we begin to climb the mountain before us!
