Stronger

So I have had a pretty good weekend so far. It's been all about recovering and processing and while that is an ongoing process it is good to finally have a chance to just chill and catch my breath.

I had a great yoga class yesterday which felt awesome. My body just feels so great after yoga and I totally missed it when I was home. When I think of yoga I think of pipes and how anytime you have a bend in a pipe things get stuck and clogged up there. What yoga does is it gets all the gunk in your pipes unstuck and releases it so you can get rid of it. We did this really cool pose called Half Moon pose which is hard to explain but basically you are standing on on foot with one hand straight up in the air and your other leg extended out and flexed. When it was demonstrated I was like- wtf? no way!! but I was pretty excited that I was able to get into it pretty easily and it felt great. Most poses feel good but you kinda can't wait to get out of them but this one I actually wanted to hang out in for awhile. It was so cool. My instructor actually grabbed me after class and commented about how much stronger I am getting in my poses and how she is excited to see my progress- which rocks to get feedback like that. I even felt so good and warmed up after yoga I went right to the fitness room and did my normal workout since I was so stretched and good to go.

It seems so odd that I have only really been working out since October after I finally had a good grip on getting the lymphodema under control and had the whole wrapping my legs up every night integrated into my schedule. Now I can actually feel myself craving getting on the treadmill. In fact, more days than not I find myself counting down the hours of my workday not to get home but to get home and go workout. Now if that isn't a 180 from my life last year, or even 6 months ago I don't know what is! It's crazy, totally crazy.

As far as my workouts go I have been able to steadily push myself harder and harder. It's not that I don't feel it and get sore and tired but now its a "hurt so good" feeling instead of just being whipped. I remember getting started and not going above the incline level 3 because it was too much. Today I started my workout at incline level 9 and worked my way up to 14 and went 2 miles. I used to barely break a sweat but now, yeah....a shower is def in order by the time I get done. Of course that might improve slightly when they decide to finally turn the air on in the fitness room, c'mon it IS Arizona people!! My HOA dollars hard at work...

I feel soooo good after working out now and I really do not know how to explain what a crazy thing that is for me to say and think. It is so totally opposite of my entire life up until now. When I was home my sister and I worked out together (a Herrick sister first I might add!!) one day and I really could feel missing it the other 2 days I did not get to workout. I did get to give my sis a treadmill lesson and I hear she has been "riding the treadmill" at least a couple of times since I have been gone ;)

My body is definitely changing- I can feel myself getting stronger and if I feel my arms and legs I can feel the muscle hiding beneath the saggy skin. It makes me sad to not be able to see more physical results due to the floppiness but it makes me excited for what the finished product that is my body will look like....I just gotta keep doing what I am doing and hope it helps the skin rebound as best it can naturally then get the rest tucked up.

It's just trippy to feel the progress I have made and I am working so hard its a good feeling. I will keep working and keep getting stronger.....no turning back now.