It is so easy to forget about your physical health when everything feels good. To stop moving your body, eating properly and taking time to take care of yourself. However, I have seen it time and time again after someone is ill, whether it is an injury or a bad diagnosis, their health THEN becomes a priority. Why are we waiting? I think it's so easy to live in a bubble where you feel like nothing can happen to you (I have lived their happily myself) until it does.
Working out literally saved me while going through my cancer journey. It also saved me after the multiple foot surgeries I have had. How? There are so many examples but here are the main points:
- Because I worked out I knew how to find my breath during strenuous moments. When I had a portion of my tongue removed due to cancer, there was a very close call that I would need a tracheotomy to help me breath. Thankfully I went back to my breath to regulate my heart rate which in return calmed down the swelling.
- Because I knew how to move my body properly due to our amazing coaches, when I had shoulder issues due to my neck dissection the rehab to restore my shoulder was a much faster process.
- Because I knew how to properly fuel my body and knew about macros, I didnt' gain a bunch of weight while recovering and it also helped fuel my recovery.
This doesn't mean that I came out unscathed and there were moments where it sucked. It just means that I set myself up in the best way possible to endure anything that comes my way.
This also doesn't mean that if you find yourself in a place where you haven't been moving your body or eating well that you should just give up. The time is now. I have had more conversations with members about the medications they have been able to get off of due to their workouts and eating. I have had a member that was diagnosed with a terminal cancer that had 6 months to live that almost made it to 2 years and it's because his body was in such great shape he was able to keep fighting. What you decide right now will determine the outcome later.
You owe yourself nothing but the best. During the best of times and the not so great times.
***the pic is me and my grandson about a 9 months after I was diagnosed. He is now three years old. I look at these pics and am just so thankful I was here to have this time with him. Isn't he the cutest??
