I Can Zip Those Pants

Hoorah!!!! Yesterday I took a chance and went for those capri pants that I have kept in my closet for the last 4 years. I use to love those pants but had pushed them to back because...well.. there was no way I could get them over my hips and Zipped. "You know it is okay if you can't wear them yet" I gently said to myself. Just take a deep breath, keep a good mindset. I pulled them out and slid them up my legs and my hips. Yeah, okay now the real test..button, yes...I am getting elated. "Now the zipper" I encourage myself. Ever so gently I start to pull the zipper up. Over the thighs it went. I keep moving it up til I reach the waist. I hold my breath and YES, I zipped it all the way up. I am giddy with excitement. " Oh, yea, Oh, yea" I am chanting out loud as I dance around the room. "Come here mirror, you are now my friend again".

This morning when my alarm gently sang to me at 4:50 am, there was no bad side speaking to me. I am heading on this journey to fit and thin and I have kicked my bad side to the curb. Well, at least for this morning.

I wash my face and brush my teeth; quickly dress and off to OBC I head. As I start up the stairs there for my fellow campers. I love their faces. We start up the hill I love (yes I have decided to change my attitude about that hill). I am running up it...can you believe it? Half way up, Dena tells us to head to the lower hill. Yea, I am running up this baby....I quickly make my turn and head back down.

At the lower area, our other instructors are waiting. We start our warm ups and stretches. Our male instructor is telling us what we are going to do today. I am blowing through the stretches so proud that I actually can still breath after the run. He started telling us that today we were going to work on strength, agility. After that I don't remember a thing. Agility. I am horrible at that. It is going to be a long workout.

I try to keep my brain off because if I think about this workout, I might have to leave. We begin the exercises and of course, it moves to sprints and jogging. I keep encouraging myself because three of my fellow campers are next to me. They encourage me. One runs 4 miles on the weekends, and two just ran the Peachtree (which a 10K). They are my inspiration as I finish each set of drills that lead to the sprints and runs. After each set of these, we head to the curb for push ups, side planks, triceps. I am tiring but surprisingly, I am still running...a very slow run but a run. My instructor that was with me for my first PT is running beside me. I love the sound of her voice. She is reminding me of where I came from and where I am today. "Please stay next to me because I am really wanting to give in" I am thinking to myself.

We finish all the drills, runs, sprints, sit ups, push ups and head to the wet cool grass for cool down. My favorite part. I can talk during the cool down. This is a first, usually I am so out of breath that it is a miracle that I can even perform a stretch.

We are leaving and I am walking with my fellow campers. Each encouraging the other. As I pull out of the parking lot, I smile to myself. "I wonder how people you have only known for a month and have no background history of, you can love so much" I reflect. I miss them when they are not here and I hate that we do not leave in the same neighborhood. These are people I want to hang with. As I drive away I realize that I have gained so much more than just getting healthy, I have gained friends.

Til tomorrow....... keep your chin up, smile on and remember it is a great day!