Day 39 First Full Resistance Workout

Wow!  I missed a day somehow.

Oh, yes, I remember now. Yesterday I started off going to the dermatologist and getting a biopsy on a small red mark that suddenly changed on my left calf muscle. That was not really too bad. The doctor was super nice and handsome, too. He gave me a small shot and then sliced off the smallest bit of skin you can imagine. I have to call them next week for the results. If it is nothing, then OK. If it is skin cancer, it will be removed in his office. Please pray for it to be nothing. I trust the Lord either way.

Then I went up to Cumming, Georgia to visit with my cousins, Julianna, and her daughter Jessica. We had a good time at Golden Corral (where I was pretty good in the food choosing department, I must say). I was quite happy to be able to leave some salad on my plate and let it return to the Earth. (That was an amazing thing for me to observe and participate in.) We then went over to Julianna's place and played Uno and Apples to Apples. Everybody won at last one game and we had a good time. It was good to spend time with them. Then I drove the hour to get home, where I rested for one hour and then went to church. So... the blog just got left out.

There is something that happens to me when I don't have any starchy carbs for a while -- or maybe the right kind, or right amount -- I start getting wacky thoughts in my head and that happened this morning and during the early part of the day, so later I made sure to get an overabundance. I ate popcorn, had a piece of one layer carrot cake with my friend John at the Golden Corral, (every thing else was good choices) and then came home and fixed a pot of the wild rice, brown rice, and flax seed mixture and combined that with some navy bean with chicken soup that I had made. I believe this effect comes from a lack of "feel good" chemical in my brain that can get depleted by not eating enough starchy carbs (comfort food -- which is why it is called that -- they actually have a physical effect on the brain and emotions). I know of at least two natural ways to increase this chemical in the brain, one is starchy carbs, the other is exercise. I am hoping that soon the exercise will be my main source -- but I will be needing the starchy carbs (whole grains) for a while to support the exercise -- which is why I need to have at least one a day -- and today needed an over abundance to make up for the lack. At least, that is my thinking, and I believe this to be true.

Then I did my first real resistance workout with intensity. (I just checked my blood sugar after my work out and it was a flabbergastingly good 118!) As you know, I have been reading "The Fat Burning Furnace" by Rob Poulos and have finally gotten to the last page. I'm glad I did not actually start the workouts yet, (even though I was beginning to feel anxious about not having started) because the very last thing he talks about is weight training for those over 60 -- of which I am one!  He says to not start with the beginner workout, but with the intermediate workout, because there are fewer exercises, and to do them with slower speeds with longer breaks in between. I am so glad to hear that, because I was not sure I would be able to do, or to at least, start out doing, what he was describing in the book for the younger and obviously more agile and fit person. I now know what modifications to make for my old age and low fitness level.

I was able to but my FX machine to work for the first time in many years. It had been gathering dust in my spare room -- for I don't even know how many years. I'm glad I did not get rid of it. I had offered it to at least three different people and nobody wanted it. It was too heavy for me to move around and get rid of it, so it just sat there like a giant upright cockroach which I only thought about on rare occasions. As I was reading Rob's book I began to think about that machine and be glad I still had it. With that and the free weight dumbbells that I have, I think I can manage most, if not all, of the resistance exercises on the program.

I was quite clumsy when getting on and off the workout bench but I just did what I needed to do. Nobody was watching, or commenting, or judging me, so I took pleasure in the doing.  I also had to make some adjustments to the hydraulics but it all kind of came back to me. I was not able to get into the position needed to do the bench press but I have figured out a way to do that and my crunch's on my bed. I will continue to use my Gold's gym ab crunch aid, and when I do that I can bring my dumbbells with me and do the bench presses there, too. Ain't life grand!?

I really enjoyed doing the workout. I felt like I was going over hurdles and getting things done. I was pleased to see that near the end of the workout I was actually sweating. I very rarely sweat, but this time I had water dripping off of my face, which reminded me to drink some more water. My arms, especially, seem to be very tired, but I feel good. Thank God! Now I don't have to do another one for at least two days while my body recoups it strength. I may possibly be sore tomorrow, but it is worth it, to finally be doing the needed workouts.

I gotta tell ya, I was a little timid to get started, but once I simply lugged and fumbled my leg over the bench and sat down and did it -- things got a whole lot simpler, indeed. I'd like to say that I swung my leg over the bench, but that is not how my body operates at this point in time.

There is also another matter that I need to address. The other day I wrote about "inspiration" and I said that reading God's word and also reading the information about the diet and exercise were inspiring to me and kept me motivated. When I was writing that, I believed that to be completely true, but I must apologize, because somehow I got focused on the reading and off of where the inspiration really comes from. I had essentially thought that I was inspiring myself through doing the reading, but that is not true. The inspiration that I was feeling, really came from the Holy Spirit. God was moving in me, (people were praying for me) and when I wrote that glowing report of how my reading inspired me, and I intended to continue doing that, God pulled the rug out from under me and I fell flat on my face. Suddenly the inspiration left and the reading did not bring it back -- that was when I realized my error. Reading is a good support, and should not be left out -- but the living, breathing inspiration, can only come from the One True and Living God!! He is the wind beneath my wings and I beg His forgiveness for trying to steal His glory. May I never do that again.

John 3:8 KJV The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Zechariah 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.


Acts 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

I am so grateful for the goodness of God that leads me to repentance! Praise the Lord. It is He that gives us breath and life and all things. Yes, we have choices to make and directions to choose, but without Him, I am only an unconnected branch. You know what an unconnected branch is don't you? A dried up stick. He is the living vine, I am the branch, and The Father is the husbandman, or Caretaker who prunes us in order to produce more fruit. Let me not forget that. I am grateful that He reminded me, for when I am trusting in Him, He fights the battles, and I get to belong to Him.

I am grateful for His care. May you walk in His presence and feel His joy!  God bless you!

Be back soon.

--Marcia