"Get That Fat Off Your Behind"

Mother has such a lovely way of getting her point across! The other day, she gave my sister and I the above stated command. Why her sudden outburst?

My sisters' health has been declining in the last year as she has been exhibiting the all too familiar signs of Fibromyalgia. She has the painful points and so many of the other symptoms for Fibro.

So as she's been sleeping most of the day away and limping around in pain, mom advised that we push past the pain and get some light excercise.

 

 

I must admit that my initial reaction was not a positive one and my sister just stood there looking as if she'd just been smacked with a rubber chicken.

 

 

I have been told by doctors to get exercise and that it would help ease the pain of Fibro but when I hurt so bad, the thought of moving more than is necessary seems like self-induced torture!

 

 

After having a few words with mother about her advice, I understood better her meaning. I mean, "push past the pain"? That's been my motto for years!

 

 

But, I must admit, there are times when I baby myself. When the pain isn't too severe, I'll continue to rest in the fear of creating even more pain in the future.

 

 

So my sister and I got out the scale that had I don't know how many months (years?) of dust built up on it and we weighed ourselves. As the numbers ticked by, I felt like I was on the Biggest Loser, praying that the highest number that kept flashing past, wasn't going to be my final weight...and then...*drum roll, please*...it was.

 

 

I'm not completely blind! I've noticed the second chin that's been forming for months now. I see the dents my glasses leave on my temples as my face outgrows them. I notice that although my hands still appear small and dainty that my arms are blowing up around them! I see all these transformations taking place but in my mind, I'm not that big and now the scale has confirmed it!

 

 

So, needless to say, the weigh-in opened my sister and I's eyes and our Midnight Walks were born!

 

 

Why midnight?

 

 

Well, we find that we feel our best late in the evening. Speaking for myself, my medicine has had a chance to build up in my system and I am finally reaping their full benefit.

 

 

Now, this may be the land of the Midnight Sun but summer's waning and it's dark at midnight again. Although my sister still leaves her front door unlocked, we're not so naive to think that walking the streets at midnight in Anchorage Alaska is the safest thing to do. We have moose and black bears to worry about!

 

 

Our Midnight Walking Series has hit it's 2nd day in a row and we are proud to report that we don't feel as bad as we thought we would. We are also changing our eating patterns, reducing our portions, and drinking more water to aid in our weight loss.

 

 

I think I will keep you posted about our progress in weekly blog posts called: "The Midnight Walking Series" about our insane venture to "Get that fat off your behinds" and reduce some of the pain we live with as a result of Fibromyalgia, one walk at a time!