Four years ago I was too sick to even eat. It was painful, made me feel sick and was unenjoyable. I knew eating junk wouldn't make me gain weight, because I was struggling to stay at my weight at the time. I wasn't upset about losing weight, but I knew this was a bad sign. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to loose weight under normal circumstances.
Fast forward to January, 2012, New Years Day. I spend it all in bed, curled up in a ball, throwing up, in pain. Brad took me to the ER around 7pm, and hours later I was in a drug haze, then sent home. A couple days later the same thing happens and I make another trip to the ER. This time I'm admitted. I barely remember anything, aside from the wonderful visitors I had. I also remember the moment I started Prednisone. The evil drug I had been on during several others flare ups in my life. Prednisone made my pre pubescent years hell on earth. Not only did I feel like a blimp, but it made me angry, tired, wired, just plain awful. As a child you really don't understand what is going on inside your brain. You just know something feels off. As the doctor tells me that I need to start 40mg of Prednisone, I panic on the inside. I know I need it to ward off the inflammation, but my arch nemesis, weight gain, is about to resurface.
I'm only in the hospital for a couple days until they discharge me. I'm not suppose to eat "food" for a couple days. Sure, tell that to a girl who hasn't eaten in days, is taking Prednisone and watches the Food Network all the time. I go home looking fat. Bloated. Gross. I know what's ahead of me. I instantly feel like my 9 year old self. How do I combat this feeling? WORKOUT!
I start out with an easy 20 minutes on the elliptical at home. Nothing too strenuous. I watch DVR'd shows and the time passes quickly. I am a little too self conscious to go back to the gym. I look like I've gained 20lbs in the course of two weeks. I check my weight daily. The task isn't to loose weight, but to maintain. It's REALLY hard to loose weight on pred. I literally had to lock myself in the bedroom at night so I wouldn't eat everything in the cabinets and fridge. Rice cakes became my BFF because I wasn't able to eat much of anything, due to the narrowing in my intestines. They are also really low in calories. I see my GI and his first words were sweetly "Oh Rachel, you look puffy". Thanks, doc. Love you too. Honestly, he's great- really sweet. I tell him I have been exercising, have a gym membership, but am not going. It suddenly hits me. Why am I paying for a gym membership if I'm not going to use it?
Later that week I go to my best friend's gym to try Zumba. I'm in love. It's like an adult dance class where you can look stupid and it's okay, because so does everyone else! I get the courage to try Zumba at my gym the next week. I'm not just in love. I'm head over heels! My instructor is inspiring. This isn't your average Zumba class. This is booty shaking bootcamp Zumba. I start going 3 times a week and start seeing some results. I drop a few pounds and my waist starts to get a little smaller. I feel like a teenager on stage performing for an audience. The feeling breaths new life into me.
I've been off of prednisone for a few months and now attend Zumba at least 6 times per week. If I don't I'm cranky. It's the biggest stress reliever I've found. I have also added Body Pump to my repertoire, at least twice a week. I've always had somewhat toned legs, but seeing the results in my arms in just a few short weeks is a pretty good feeling.
Exercise is my addiction. There are worse things, I suppose. Better get to bed so I can hit the gym early!
xo
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