Week 7 - Reflecting on My Progress

Wow!!! I can't believe it! I'm now beginning my 7th week in my fitness training program and seeing results in abundance:

• I'm feeling stronger
• My pants are beginning to fall off my waist and beginning to look like Jed Clampett of the Beverley Hillbillies.
• My body fat % is lower
• and I have more stamina

I'm starting to think about the weeks after my formal training and learning with my trainer as to how I will keep this effort moving ahead. In some respects, the first 16 weeks are the easy part, but maintaining the momentum after the 16th weeks will be the hard part.

As a result of my work with my personal trainer, it is clear that my goal is to improve my mobility and flexibility while developing my core muscles (the midsection).

I work out 3 evenings a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights for one hour at Good Life Fitness Club at Union Station. I really hate working out in the mornings. Being there, done that!! Tuesday night is an overall workout, Thursday is my lower body workout and Friday is my upper body workout.

As far as my diet is concerned, I try to run a consistent diet during the week (Monday to Friday). On Saturday, I allow myself to have whatever I want, because I earned it! I don't believe in deprivation, but during the week I try to be good.

If I have a craving for a snack after I workout, I try to stay away from anything laden with carbohydrates and look for something with a higher protein count. Why? Because later at night carbohydrates tend to just lay heavy on you in the evening hours. Protein is better because it helps to repair muscle tissue strain which can happen during a workout.

Instead of eating a large bowl of cereal later at night, I'll have some cottage cheese or a Kashi bar.

So far my workouts have been successful. I think others around me would agree. I keep a good attitude, and put out more than asked. Another thing that I do is take some calculated risks in terms of body movements.

I used to be afraid to do squats with my legs. I was afraid that such movements would place too much stress on my lower back. Actually, I found that any soreness in my lower back would be only temporary. After several weeks of performing squats, I'm now progressing to lifting light weights while doing squats.

What do I look to achieve as a result of reaching my goals?

1. I love being inspired by the efforts of others and to inspire others. Given that this is the day of the Terry Fox Run, I think it is appropriate to say that Terry is my hero. I was 16 years old when Terry blew through Toronto to make an appearance at Nathan Philips Square in front of City Hall. I'll never forget seeing him there and I even met the fellow who played him in a movie a few years later. Terry ran the equivalent of a 26 mile marathon for each of over a one hundred consecutive days while on only leg. That is simply amazing! From that day on, I was a changed person. I got off my duff and kept on moving, and here I am today. I hope that my own efforts will help pave the way for others who live with physical disabilities to show that they can live highly functional and productive lives. Whatever I can accomplish is not just my victory, but a victory for all others who live with a disability. I want to make a difference.


2. I want to prove that we can all become "fit" by our own definition regardless of the physical challenges we face. I don't think it is right to compare yourself to others; rather, I prefer to measure success by the numbers representing my own progress. For example, when I work with my trainer, he doesn't look at me and say, "Do you see Joe Blow over there? He can stand on his head, rotate and spit nickels out of his mouth. Some day you'll be able to do that." Rather, he measures my success in terms of how I progress from day to day, week to week.


3. I want to reach the peak of happiness and health in my life. I know that this is an overdone expression, but it is true that owning a nice car and having a swiss bank account do provide peace of mind, but do they make you content? Perhaps, temporarily you'll be happier, but in the long term you'll still have the same day to day problems as someone less financially secure. However, I have discovered that when you strive and achieve an optimum level of health that is right for you, your self-esteem will improve because it took a huge effort on your part to reach this crowning achievement - and believe me, achieving a fitness goal is no small feat. People who project high self-esteem with some sense of humility are those who are happiest and in control of their health. Yet, although we all know that happiness can be an elusive concept, it is very well worth striving for because it is in the journey that we feel a glow about ourselves and not necessarily in the end result.


4. I want to avoid having to rely on someone to care for me as I age. I suppose there is nothing wrong with having a caregiver as you age, but if you can avoid having to use a caregiver, wouldn't that be better for you? You'll have more freedom to do what you want and to do with it with dignity. When I was child, I was told how most children with spina bifida progressed through to the adolescent years. However, now that I'm 45, the medical profession doesn't really know how to care for someone with SB given my age. There is research being conducted, but this will take time to sift through. I know that it is unavoidable that we will all age, but that doesn't mean we can't slow the aging process. If the medical profession doesn't know much about how to treat a 45 year old with SB, then it is incumbent upon myself to take action on my end. Besides, if someone gave me an owners manual and told me this is how you will act at age 40 and this is how you will act at age 50, perhaps I would take it to heart and not push myself as I have done.

Optimum health is not as hard to achieve as we often perceive it to be. According to a flyer that I read the other day from the Arthritis Society, a 10 lbs loss in body weight translates into 40 lbs less force on the knees while walking. Therefore, you can clearly see how even a small improve in one's health picture results in a huge benefit,

The moral arising from this week's blog: Sometimes you can't always listen to what the experts tell you, and if they tell you nothing, then it is up to you to create your own destiny.

Blessings to all. Have a great week!