I was up at the gym this morning for cardio, as usual, and as I started on the crosstrainer, I began to think about how just plain GOOD I felt. For some reason, today I was really aware of my muscles working and it was a great feeling — kind of hard to describe. Quite a difference from the days when I was convinced that I hated to exercise. Now I get a kick out of sweat running into my ears (that’s how I can tell it’s been a good cardio session! )

So I started thinking about how one of the totally unanticipated benefits of losing weight for me was getting back in touch with my body. Used to be, back in the fat old days, that my body was something that was attached to me but wasn’t PART of me, if that makes any sense. I had to drag it around with me, like a snail’s shell, but did everything I could do to pretend that it didn’t really exist. I wouldn’t look at it in mirrors or do any little pampering things for it. Of course, it goes without saying that I didn’t feed it properly and moved it as little as possible. I would have been happy to do without it entirely, but was stuck dragging it around like a ball and chain.

When I started exercising and losing weight, I was astonished to discover how fun it is to have a body that works! A body that can comfortably and effortlessly run and walk and carry the trash and laundry and fly up the stairs. It makes every day life SO much more fun — I even get a kick out of doing bicep curls with the 20# boxes of kitty litter as I put them on the grocery store belt (yeah, I get strange looks … ).

What exercise did was force me to get back in touch with the body that I tried to ignore for so long. When I’m in the gym, I have to think about my muscles and breathing and how I move. And exercise gave me a body that’s fun to live in. It’s made my body part of ME again and I love the feeling.

I still have problems with looking in the mirror, though, since I can’t figure out who’s looking back at me, but that’s a whole different topic.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with rediscovering their body?

Hi Meg...

I've been feeling on quite a high too the last 2 weeks I must say... I've discovered my thighs have muscle, FINALY!!! It's definitely the running doing this and now even if I know I'm going biking or even walking with DH I will run at the gym... I must get some strange looks when I get to the gym on my bike, do my weights, do a run, then leave on my bike again! Some folks may look at it at being a bit fanatical?! But I feel so good I don't care...

I'm also getting to the point, I think, I say I think, because the food may come and bite me once I say this... but I feel VERY much in control of food... I can have only 1 cup of popcorn, 5 tostitos, and stop there, keep my calories right on the money and STILL lose weight.... PLEASE PLEASE don't bite me, cause I'm gonna be .... ....

I sure do feel good about myself lately, healthy, on top of the world really....

What a nicely timed question!

On Saturday, I went with DH to go hike up a local waterfall (Multnomah for those in the area). I've been up to the top several times, but every time is a huge struggle with lots of stops to get my gasping under control. Last year I couldn't even make it to the top. I had to turn around halfway and go back down.

But this time was so different. I went right up with no trouble (except that DH had to stop a couple of times to catch his breath ) I even jogged part of the trail. I was stunned.

I keep looking at myself and wondering if that girl's really me. I like to feel my muscles strain while I jog, ride, lift weights, pull up crab nets, whatever. I'm like you, Meg. I never paid attention to my body before. Now I love listening to it and feeling how it works. Knowing how this feels, when people ask me how can I do it, I end up wondering how can I not? It feels gooooooooooood!

My post is more about lack of exercise. I am 4 weeks post-op and just starting back to light full body workouts, minus anything that puts stress on abs. HA! that's just about everything! Today I did squats with just the bar (I usually squat in the 200 pound range), couldn't do the leg press at all (personal best is 600 pounds), could not do lat pull-downs because much to my surprise, they require a lot of ab support. I did manage machine rows, machine chest presses, pec dec flys, and some bi and tri work. Follow it all up with a ten minute treadmill walk at 3.5, and I was dead as a doornail. What the heck is a doornail?

My body is screaming to lift hard and heavy, to run fast, to push the elliptical until the pedals fly off. I want to feel that rubber-legged, sore-the-next-day feeling! But it is also screaming (along with my doctor, my husband, my trainer and boss) to take it SLOW, be patient, let it heal. People tell you "listen to your body" but my body is yelling two different messages.

I've never been inactive, through all my ups and downs with weight. I played racquetball and swam until I was 9 months pregnant, hiked and biked when I weighed the most I ever have. Being inactive is taking away not only my enjoyment of my body and making me soft, but my identity as well. I am a person who lifts weights. I am strong, and I'm addicted to that wrung out feeling where you know you've left everything you had in a puddle on the gym floor. Not being able to be that person right now is frustrating me beyond belief.

I'll get there again, I know that. But the long road back just shows me how much I miss it.

Mel

I don't know what I'd do in your situation I KNOW I would be dying! It won't be long poor Mel, is all I can tell you be patient... If it'll make you feel any better I thought of you while doing legs this morning, after the Ingrid Leg Workout and thought "How the heck does Mel do several hundred more yards of walking lunges after this, she's a ... I admire you immensely and you'll be back at in in no time and think of the great abs you'll have once you start OMG I'll be totally envious!!!!!!!!!!

I did legs and shoulders today. Nope, no 250 pound squats. Just the bar and it had me panting after four sets, and I didn't do any parking lot lunges. But, I DID a leg workout. And I'm gonna be sore tomorrow God it feels good!

Mel

Used to be, when I heard people say that exercise was a great de-stressor, I thought they were freaking . Exercise was a giant pain in the butt, kind of like spinach -- you know it's good for you, but who on earth likes it?

So it was a huge revelation to discover that "they" were right after all! I can leave my problems at the gym door and will ALWAYS walk out feeling better than when I walked in.

Oh, and I like spinach now too!