Female

49

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Retired Executive Assistant

Jan, 2007

After 2 years of misdiagnosis, in 2004 doctors finally diagnosed me with Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I had been told I had everything from the flu to Lupus to it was all in my head and that I was making it up. It was an enormous blow as I had always been active and here I was barely able to get out of bed, extremely painful joints and muscles, migraine type headaches and severe exhaustion, sleeping for 12 hours at night and at least 5 to 6 hours during the day and never feeling rested. Then add into the mix, my husband after numerous surgeries found that he had a life threatening infection in his leg and had to have his left leg amputated above the knee. I became even more sedentary, depressed and so my comfort was to indulge in food. In the fall of 2006 my doctor (best his heart) suggested that exercise would help but let’s face it; going to the gym was the furthest thing from my mind. So in October of 2006 I got a membership at the local gym but of course didn’t even set foot into it until the end January of ’07. I was tired of feeling exhausted and sluggish and especially tired looking at my ever-expanding muffin top and decided that I was going to try the Body for Life program. I told my husband he could join me if he wanted but no matter what I was determined to go and do something. Luckily, after much discussion he said that he would try it also. The first few weeks of the Body for Life Challenge were definitely a “challenge”. Just getting up and going to the gym to work out was overwhelming; walking up a set of stairs produced so much pain (think of the feeling of lactic acid build-up) that I would have to stop half way until the pain subsided. Following a work out was a mandatory nap that could last up to 3 hours, and now naps have gotten to be only 2 hours (it’s amazing what an hour can hold). In fact the mental and physical process of getting to the gym is a strain each and every day. But the feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment and boost to my spirit during and after a workout session has been worth every bit of the struggle.

No matter how good or bad I feel going into the gym, after an hour of training I leave knowing that I gave my best and feel fantastic for it. I have never once said , “I wish I hadn’t trained today.”

Having a workout partner that exemplifies the meaning of “giving all you got”. The Captain makes me push a little hard and a little longer than I think I am able.

January 2008 -Though not "bodybuilding" per say on the cover of a local magazine with Captain Ahab, in which his story was published. Completed the Body For Life Challenge in 2007 and in 3 months shaped a body that I can be proud of.