Foundation

My grandmother played basketball when she was in high school. She also ran track and told me that running had been a part of her life all of her life. She was one of those farm kids who had the mile trek down to the mailbox. Because of this, all of her life, until the last year of her life, she had fabulous legs. She was always complimented on them.  Seriously, always. The woman was known for her great legs.

So here was the woman with great legs and her fat little granddaughter. I had fat little stubby legs that looked ugly and awkward. I hated my legs. Fat legs caused so many problems. You can't wear boots (and I always wanted to wear boots). You can't wear pantyhose or stalkings or even socks without them trying to roll down.  In general, they always look bad.

As I got older and my weight increased, I hated my legs even more. They always hurt. They always threatened to give out on me. I would fall quite often. I would trip. When I was a junior in high school, I managed to break my left leg and it still has some disfuction. Years of water retention and other issues caused even more problems. By the time I was in my mid30s, my legs were constantly swollen and full of fluid, yes, even on top of the fat.

By the way, as a side note, I would like to point out to anyone who sneers when people mention they have huge fluid retention issues that it is not always an excuse as to why they are big.  I'm sure it is for some people, but not for all of us. To be honest, I would rather deal with ten lbs of fat on my body than one lb of water. Fat is gushy and soft and easy to handle. Fluids are dense and protruding and can be very, very painful.

Anyway, when I started making lifestyle changes, I began with my legs. This was something I'd never really done before.  I'd increased my activity levels, but never focused and centered around core and legs. This time, however, it was the best option for me.

And truthfully, it's been the best thing I could do. Finding strength in my legs has made such a profound change in my life. Over the several months I have been doing this, the changes in my walking, my sitting down, my standing back up, and my getting up and down off of the floor have been so significant. Mobility increases have come at a steady but very clear pace. It's actually been very glorious.

I know I will never have my grandmother's legs. I'll never be complimented or praised on them. However, every day, I'm gaining control over how MY legs will be shaped and how they will function. It is making a complete difference in my life.

If you are someone who is in that place where you are very seriously lacking in mobility, I can tell you that if you work at it, it will come to you. Even if you have to start out with very small goals. My first goal was just to walk my driveway. Overtime, that has increased to walking it a couple of times a day or walking it and then doing stairsteps. It's been slow and it has been, at times, very painful.

However, now I can walk through the house and not be breathless. I can stand up for longer periods of time. I can do some squats and lunges. Every day, I gain more strength.

And every day, I see changes in my legs. Pockets of fluid are shrinking. Bloated areas are becoming more healthy looking. A normal leg shape is returning. It's actually fascinating to watch.

The best part though, is knowing that when I stand up, I won't be facing as much pain as I used to. I won't feel so out of control as I shuffle from point A to point B. I won't dread walking to the car or bringing in shopping bags.  I can do this with more ease and confidence than I have had in years. All because I was brave enough to take those first steps.