Greetings to whoever might be interested in this blog!
I started this blog to chronicle my "Re-Purposing Myself Adventure." Maybe somebody needs encouragement to do the same, or maybe there's just some morbid curiosity about the life of a chubby middle aged woman. Whatever the reason you're here, welcome!
After spending 30 years raising a family, my husband Phil and I are empty-nesters. Our closest child is now 262 miles away: Nicholas is in Chicago, Leah and her husband Jason are in the western Chicago suburb of Lombard, and Billy and Emily are in college at Concordia University Wisconsin, in Mequon. Phil and I maintain the family headquarters here in southeastern Michigan. We do have a young family living with us (more on that another time), but they aren't my kids, so my own actual nest is still empty as far as my responsibilities go.
Phil goes to work every day, knowing what it is he'll be doing and who he'll be seeing. Me? I'm home. I have fibromyalgia, which makes it difficult to find a good fit as far as a job outside the house. I'm a seamstress (I have my dream sewing room upstairs), but right now there's not a lot of work coming my way.
Being 53 years old and overweight, I have health problems in addition to fibromyalgia: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol; all controlled with meds. I also have bad knees. Do we see a theme here? All except the cholesterol (hereditary) could be fixed, or at least helped a lot, with a better diet and some exercise. Even the fibromyalgia symptoms could be improved, though the disease itself has no cure.
I sometimes toy with the idea of exercising. And then I eat a bagel with cream cheese or some leftover pie. Thinking of exercise is tiring, so then I take a nap. I also play with the thought that I should be trying to lose weight. Then I eat more pie. I like pie. But OKAY ALREADY, something has to change.
Someday I hope to be a Grandma. That will be a happy kind of change! Spending time with my daughter's friend's baby, the beautiful and charming Harper Leigh, has reinforced the idea it's time to get down to the business of improving my health so that when the time comes I'll be healthy enough to do fun things with my grandkids, and have the energy to keep them for long weekends, or maybe longer. I also really really want to grow old with Phil.
I'm not the stay-at-home Mom anymore. My responsibilities and priorities have shifted, so I must quit mourning retirement from my child-rearing career (which I dearly loved) and re-purpose myself.
I guess I'm a housewife with a sewing hobby that brings in a little extra cash. I'm also a Christian/Inspirational speaker, but it's very sporadic, as is the seamstress work. So there are no longer any time constraints to prevent me from "working on myself." I feel a little selfish saying this, but I think this is the time to devote myself to ME, at least for a while.
THUS BEGINS LINDA'S RE-PURPOSING ADVENTURE!
Here's the snowball of events in the last few days which led to this blog:
After Phil's doctor told him to lose weight, knowing it's something I have to do also, I urged him to join Weight Watchers with me. After much hemming and hawing, he agreed, as long as we waited 'till the Christmas baking was all gone. We joined Monday, January 9th! Maybe I'll be brave enough to tell you what my beginning weight was, but for now I think I'll keep it to myself. I will, however, post my weight loss amounts after our Monday weigh-ins.
Wednesday, I was looking through our Weight Watchers material, and saw an ad promoting Dr Oz's Transformation Nation. I thought, "In for a dime, in for a dollar! Let's see what the good doctor has to say." Well he says a lot, actually. I took an online test and it turns out my lifestyle is dangerous. Holy Smokes! I knew it wasn't great, but dangerous?!
After panicking a little, I read more. I downloaded stretching exercises, strength-building exercises, cardio exercises. But I knew even as I was downloading all this useful info, I just don't have the discipline to follow through here at home by myself. No accountability. Bagels and pie a few yards away.
I had some errands to run, and I fashioned my route to take me past the Lifetime Fitness in Canton. I walked in from the cold and rain to this huge, beautiful, modern facility, and was immediately a little overwhelmed.
Then I met with a very nice young man named Jason (not the son-in-law), who talked for a while then took me on a tour, at which time I was A LOT overwhelmed, but intrigued. I did not see too many perfect-looking people there. Some looked a little like me. I made an appointment for later that evening for Phil and I to have the same talk and tour together, hoping he would agree we could afford to join!
Well, I got half of what I wanted. I joined, with Phil's blessing and encouragement. He said he's glad I'm taking this step. Phil didn't join with me, though. Maybe later.
Right now, or once I figure out how to post this blog, I'm going to eat a healthy WW-friendly lunch then get ready for my "fitness assessment" with a trainer and an afternoon Aqua Flex water exercise class. Hoo-boy.
SO LINDA'S RE-PURPOSING BEGINS!! Wish me luck. If you are so inclined, you may also pray for me.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philipians 4:13
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