Last One Picked For The Team

[Aquajock]

I'm enjoying reading everyone's success stories; the "distances travelled" are always amazing! Thought I'd share mine a bit:

As a child and teenager I was very unathletic and uncoordinated, and when puberty hit (at the same time my parents' marriage was on its last legs) I really ballooned. Due to my own internal pressure and pressure from my family (as well as ridicule from classmates) I began the yo-yo diet cycle that sadly still affects so many teens today, and I developed a pretty severe bulimic syndrome in my junior/senior high years. Had to stop the laxative purges when I was a senior because I was literally fainting in the halls at school, and thus ballooned up again. Of course, intelligent exercise education was non-existent in the '70's in my neck of the woods, so I never really learned how to move effectively.

In college I began drinking heavily, and my incipient alcoholism kicked in, and roared into life until 4 days before my 26th birthday, when I woke up one morning hung over, broke, at least 40 lbs heavier than I am now, and realized I couldn't go on like that. I quit drinking (miraculously) and lost a lot of weight quickly with no exercise effort. That was wonderful and terrible at the same time, because after a year or so when my body had adjusted to not having gallons of alcohol pumped into it every week, my weight started to creep back up again. My exercise program was, again, very sporadic: join the Y, swim every day for 2 months, skip one day and not go back for 2 years.

In my early '30's, I guess I let go of the constant vigilance on the scale, and thought I'd just accept whatever body I had. I started walking around the lakes; funnily enough, I started to slim down AND eat less high-sugar-high-fat stuff, just because I didn't want them anymore. I continued to walk, and slim down, and then over the past 10 years discovered Nordic Track ski machine, Kathy Smith videos, aqua aerobics (both as participant and instructor), the value of the academic study of exercise physiology beyond the Bodyology-Dot-Com crap, total-body weight lifting, and then . . . Cathe. The first Cathe workout I ever did was "Interval Max", and that remains my favorite, and the standard by which I judge the intensity of any other workout including those which I teach myself.

So now . . . at 41-1/2, I can do multiple sets of 35-40 push-ups in a straight-leg decline position, I can do extended squat and lunge sequences with a combined 70-lb weight load, I can do Interval Max routinely and extend out all the intervals by 8-16 reps, my resting heart rate is 49 beats per minute, my skirt size is zero and holding, I'm still sober as a judge, and there's nowhere to go but up still.

I thoroughly enjoy these forums; fitness is a lonely business, and I love the cameraderie here!

A-jock

[Fembot]

Annette,

Thanks for sharing your story. You seem so grounded and focused
all the time. If your name appears in any post, I always read it because your up there right next to Cathe for idols. I value both of your opinions and expertise in this field of fitness. You've never
posted anything negative and always seem to exude positiveness. That right there is a combination of true success. I hope one day to be
as in shape as you are. Hope you don't mind me asking, but how old
might you be? Just curious, you really don't need to answer. Just a nosey quistion on my part.

Take care,

Tina

[Aquajock]

Hi, Tina! My "DOB" as we like to say in the crime biz is 07/24/61; thus I'm pushing 42 and pushing it hard! }( My "day job" (domestic violence crime prosecution paralegal) makes me feel like I'm about 107; however, my workouts and my aqua instruction make me feel like a kid again!

Thank you for your kind words! One thing I've learned as a group fitness instructor is: in order to keep a good thing you gotta give it away. Instruction is so satisfying not only for the creative element (not to mention being able to give ME a great workout), but also for the opportunity to constantly encourage people to do better than their best, "a little bit more than you did before, each and every session" . . . and then just sit back and watch the party as they do so! Watching people grow stronger and more vital in my classes never gets old. {There's that "old" thing again! :9 )

Anyone can do what I did. Just stay CONSISTENT with your program, week in and week out, and maintain a CONSISTENTLY PROGRESSIVE WORKLOAD, both in terms of cardio intensity and weight loads in strength training, and use your strength training to add power to your cardio work. Consistency and consistently progressive overload will beat the fanciest rotation out there.

Go for it! And thanks again!

A-jock

[Fembot]

Annette,

Thanks for sharing. It makes me feel as if I can really progress if I keep determined. I'm not too much younger than you, 11/11/66. I keep seeing such a change in everyone's body from year to year on
Cathe's team and they just keep improving. As you've proved, you can
keep progressing as you age. You're a true inspiration!! Now if my skirts size could equal yours:-), I'd be a very happy woman!!

Thanks again,

P.S. Did you watch 60 minutes last night with the woman swimmer who was the first person ever to swim the waters of Antarctica? The waters were 32 degrees. Now there is determination. :-)

[JMFRANE]

Annette,
Thanks for sharing your story. I agree with everything that Tina wrote especially about being such a positive, well adjusted person. Also, you really help me with push ups. I remember I could only do one or two and now I am up to 20 on a good day!

Joanne

[emy]

Wow, Aquajock, you should be so proud of who you've become. I would love to see a picture of your arm muscles, after hearing how many push-ups you can do on a decline! You are an inspiration!

[StepEdith]

Annette: I really love all your post and you along with others here are a huge inspiration to me.

You responded to my first post on these forums and welcomed me to the gang and it really meant a LOT.

Edith

[getnfit@39]

Wow! I had no idea how far you've come! From my first day here you've always been one of the "firmly grounded" educated crowd and I just assumed you were "born" that way!
I guess we all have our individual struggles, and the saying, "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!" must be true! You've come through much and achieved so much, and I appreciate even more now how much you give back to us all. :)
I so look forward to the day Imax is "routine" for me! Maybe NEXT millenium?!
Thanks for letting us in your world, I feel I "know" you even more.

Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!

[honeybunch1]

Way to go, A-Jock! What we have overcome....it just shows to go that you CAN do it if you want to badly enough. Ain't none of it easy, but I guess we wouldn't appreciate it as much if it WERE easy.

So...quityerbeefin', ya'll, and JUST DO IT! :7

[DebbieH]

Thanks for sharing your story Annette! I have always admired you! You are just filled with a wealth of interesting info for many of us here. Thank you for that. Also, I totally agree with you about all the benefits WE receive as instructors. If feels so good to share something so special with others. My reward (aside from the benefits I receive from doing my classes) is to see others grow in their strength and fitness, not to mention the comraderie they develope within the class. Thanks again for sharing. You are one awesome gal!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/...in_1/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!