In 2004 doctors finally diagnosed me with Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I had been told I had everything from the flu 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. I had and still have extremely painful joints and muscles, migraine type headaches and severe exhaustion. I sleep from 10 to 12 hours at night and at least 3 to 4 hours during the day and never feel rested. Then add into the mix, my husband (bodyspace: Captain Ahab) 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. We both became sedentary and depressed. My comfort was to indulge in junk food. In the fall of 2006 my GP suggested that exercise would help with the symptoms I was experiencing. Let’s face it; going to the gym was the furthest thing from my mind but I made a commitment and got a membership at the local gym. I 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 4 hours, and now naps have gotten to be 2 to 3 hours. In fact the mental and physical process of getting to the gym can be 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, I leave knowing that I gave my best and feel fantastic for it.