Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Commercial Crier - 104 days left

Around 2:00 today, seven doors down from my house, one half of a duplex exploded due to a gas leak.  Thankfully, no one was there and none of the surrounding homes were damaged.  At the time of the explosion, our entire house shook like we had been hit full force with something like a tank or semi truck.  After walking around our home and checking all of the rooms to see what might of happened, nothing was different or out of place.  I wanted to call 911 and tell them something had happened.  Yet if I called them, what would I say?  Our entire house just shook and we have no damage, but I know something has happened I just don't know where?  Not very helpful.  I might have ended up on something like Jay Leno one night featuring "Stupid 911 Calls".    Within five minutes, multiple sirens were heard.  Within thirty minutes, one local news station was already reporting on it.  It seemed out of no where the destruction of that house happened with no warning.

Like the house, my life has been on a collision course for disaster.  Yes, there is an outside sign of being overweight.  However, you can't see inside of me with the natural eye.  Without machines I cannot see what my heart, liver, stomach and other organs look like and know the shape they are in.  Emotionally, no one could tell what I was going through.  I have been like that house for many years feeling empty with an explosion about to happen just not knowing exactly when.

A week before I started my new regimen, I had gone to my doctor to be seen for depression.  For the past month prior to that time, I had felt like my emotions were getting more and more out of control.  I have always been a very emotional person.  After having four children, I have become even more emotional and can now cry at things like commercials.  I used to laugh at people who cried at commercials.  Yet this is me now, the commercial crier.  But this was different than just crying at commercials.  It was far worse and I felt like I was getting more out of control with each passing day.  So off to the doctor I went, thinking even though my baby was 10 months old maybe it was a post partum thing.  My doctor listened to all I had to say.  Wrote me out a "courtesy prescription" even though he thought more of what I needed was "a good counselor" as he said to nurse in the hallway and I was on my way.  I did take the drugs for a few days, but I felt no change in how I was feeling so I just stopped.  I felt fine with doing that because I didn't really feel like my doctor was really convinced that drugs is what I needed either.  Please note: I think that doctors are wonderful and that God has given them much wisdom to help people with medications.  If you are currently taking a medication for anything, DO NOT STOP.  I am NOT advocating that.  I am only sharing my experience in this particular situation.


Then the exercise and diet change happened.  Since I starting taking care of my physical body, my emotional well being has improved astronomically.  I haven't cried for no reason since I started and most everyday I have been happier than I remember being in years.  I have spoken in a normal tone to my kids on most days and the yelling is down I would say at least 75% from where it was before.  Also in the last 14 days, I have only wanted to tell my husband to go and take a long walk off a short pier two days instead of all fourteen.

It turns out that Elle Woods was right in the movie Legally Blonde.  Remember when she was working on the defense team for a fellow Delta Nu named Brooke that had been accused of killing her husband?  How did she explain to her colleagues that Brooke, who had made millions selling workout videos, couldn't have done it?  She said, "I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't."  Who knew?  Exercise.  The thing that most people hate and causes much pain can actually make you happy.  Exercise might have been the very thing that will keep me from shooting my husband. ;)  Allegedly, it can also not make you feel in pain 
either, but I have not found that to be true so far.


The commercial crier has not left the building, but boy I am feeling so much better.  I also lost 3 more pounds this week making me total weight lose 6 pounds.  Two more pounds and I will have lost a years worth of weight gain over the last 12 years.  Things are looking up for me.  Endorphins are making me happy.  In just fourteen days, my life is different.  Boy will I be fabulous when I reach day 118!!!! 

2 comments:

  1. I have decided to join your countdown (minus your first two weeks already accomplished). Thanks for the inspiration. :-)

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  2. You are welcome Barbara. You message makes me so very happy and I hope you will have much success!

    ReplyDelete