Freedom

Imagine being in your late 40’s and still being able to do the things that you were able to do in your 20’s. Imagine looking and feeling like you were still 23 years old while all the getting close to that 50 year mark. Imagine once being a dancer, runner or a gymnast and still being able to perform at those same levels. Imagine not feeling embarrassed or uneasy around others when you have your shirt off. There is freedom in not being obese. When you are in good fitness shape, the common cold cannot stay with you a long time. I can’t remember the last time I had a cold that stayed with me for more than a day. At night those that are in good fitness shape get good fast-rem sleep. Their bodies tend to relax much deeper and much longer. I have been told by so many that once they lost that excess weight, their whole world opened up. For so long they had been carrying around extra weight that they just could not shake. Even sitting was difficult. Their shoulders hurt, their chest was tight, their legs were always tired, their feet hurt and their lower back was always hurting. Then they lost that excess weight and like night turns to day, those issues disappeared and now they were able to do things that they thought they would never be able to do again. Two years ago, I decided to try something. So many people were telling me that I had no idea of what it felt like to be an overweight person, so I decided to put some weight on. What I did was wear a 20 pounds weight jacket around for two weeks without taking it off and boy were my eyes opened. Now I did not change my usual workout schedule, I still did all the same things I would normally do on any given day, but by the end of the first week, I began to compromise my workouts and take short cuts. Running the hill became very difficult at best and instead of going as fast as I usual go, I slowed down big time and cut the amount of times I would run up the hill. Not because I wanted to, it was because I had too. Everyday life, in general, became much harder. I found myself sitting more than I would normally. I found that my shoulders hurt, legs were constantly tires, neck hurt, cardiovascular system was poor at best. My feet and hands were swollen most of the time and I began to make excuses on why I shouldn’t do certain things. Those two weeks were very hard to get through. Then after that two weeks were over I took that 20 pound vest off and what a difference. The hill that seemed so hard became much easier. I could stand for a much longer amount of time without feeling faint or tired. My feet and hands were no longer swollen. I felt free and now able to do anything I choose to do and with ease. I now had a bit of a clue. The question I asked myself however was, how can anyone not want this for themselves? How can anyone stay the way they are and not strive for better and better health? What happens in the mind set of an obese person when the doctor says that they are 100 pounds overweight and getting heavier every time they see them? Why don’t they just get themselves better? Question we will try and tackle over the next several weeks. For now however know this, true freedom, true healthy freedom cannot be put into words. Here I am at the age I am at and able to do things that people much younger than I wish they could do. No I am not bragging I a stating a fact and I want you to experience it to. Tomorrow let’s begin to make that step into the world of total healthy freedom. Tomorrow!--------