![]() 'You got this', I told myself as I approached my bigger, taller and wider opponent on the field; football tucked under my right arm, the look of determination on my face. My mind said, 'fake left, then right and you're clear', but I did not foresee the unexpected. My right foot inserted itself into a ridge in the uneven ground and as I shifted all my weight onto the leg to manoeuvre around my 'Goliath' I heard an unnerving crunch sound resonate from my right knee. The grass and I had an intimate relationship that day, along with the two or three guys that decided to simulate a car pileup on top of me 'just for fun'. I told myself that I should walk it off, not wanting to look like a total loser. I mean, who gets injured during a practise game of flag football? Who does that? *hand flying in the air* Apparently, this girl does!! After visiting the hospital and having an MRI, noticing that I could not weight bare on my right leg and that my knee would not allow me to bend it past a 15 to 20 degree angle, I realized the extent of my injury. Not only did I have a bucket handle tear on my meniscus (restricting my knee's mobility), I also had a completely torn ACL, sprained MCL and a bruised bone. Fan-freaking-tastic! Truth be told, my ego and my belief-in-myself took a nose dive and hid under the weight of my perceived 'loser-ness' for a while. Living with an injury is not fun.... Trust me! 2009 and the year after, turned out to be a struggle for me both mentally and physically. My body seemed to be on a journey of its own and my mind was struggling to keep up. I had a Scope done on my meniscus, and after some physiotherapy (which seemed like forever) I had to go back in for a Manipulation (this is where the surgeon puts you to sleep and forcefully bends the 'stiff or frozen' joint ) because my knee was not moving passed a 50 to 90 degree angle even with physiotherapy every day. I was also experiencing LDS (I believe that's what it's called), which happens when your body magnifies the pain and you end up feeling more discomfort, or should I say PAIN, than you really should; it's a protective mechanism apparently. In order to even think about ACL reconstruction, I was told that I needed to have at least a 120 degree bend. After much grueling torture in physiotherapy, I achieved the 120 degree bend that was required for ACL reconstruction. My surgeon decided, ultimately, on not going in again to replace my torn ACL, due to my body's ability to over produce scar tissue, after my Scope. So needless to say that experience has left me slightly scarred. I've noticed that there has been a slight change in the way I relate to post workout pain (including DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness). I still love and relish in it but not as much as I used to. The pain that I experienced due to the injury and therapy thereafter had, and has changed my outlook. On the bright side, I know that it is mostly mental, however the mental hurdles are often the hardest to get used to. I have to keep reminding myself that pain is temporary and the rewards and benefits will far outweigh the pain that comes today. In order for me to get full range of motion back in my knee joint, I had to endure through the tears (literally) and convince myself that those around me who were trying to motivate and encourage me were not after my demise but rather my success and full recovery. I have to admit, I despised my mother, husband and therapist for a while but deep down I knew it was for the best. Because of their aid, I was able to gain mobility back in the joint, and although I can't touch my heel to my bum on the injured leg, it comes pretty close now. There are so many morals that I have and can still gather from this situation. The good ole' text - 'Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning' can definitely work here, but what I really want you guys to take away from this is => Often times we keep ourselves back because of our own inner struggles, our own mental walls; our own negative thoughts. If we keep telling ourselves we can't, then we won't! If we keep allowing ourselves to make excuses then we will remain stagnant. If you allow your negative thoughts to keep driving your life's ship, then one day, in a moment of clarity (and we all get these moments now and then) you will realize how much you have lost or left behind. So, my admonition to you, and yes to myself as well, is to always think positive thoughts, be your own cheerleader (having other's in your corner will help tremendously too) and learn to fight through the pain. Make the conscious effort to train your brain and your body will have no choice but to follow. We all start off the new year like this: Yes, 2010 will be a great year!! Yes, 2011 will be a great year!! YES, 2012 will be a great year!! We draw up a list of resolutions and make up our minds to achieve them for the new year... but somehow, come February or March (and even January 31st) we lose momentum, slow down the treadmill and sink back into the usual rocking chair of life. In order to make this year 'greater', we need more than just words scribbled on paper, or thoughts in our minds. We need to put it into practice and make our dreams tangible and reachable. So where should we start? Number one, I always advocate, is ORGANIZATION!! We need to manage the time that we have wisely. The hardest thing sometimes for family members, moms and/or dads, is to organize a schedule that will allow them the opportunities needed to be successful, be it fitness and health wise or other. Luckily, I've come across a solution. I've stumbled upon a fantastic website called COZI. It is great for families, with or without kids, to keep track of whats going on in their daily routines. With this site you can schedule in your workouts, organize a family meal plan, keep track of things that need to be done or has been done, and make healthier shopping choices with your already planned list. I've started using it with my hubby and it has been a godsend. The weekly schedule emails are great and it keeps you on schedule and aware of whats happening each week. The journal is also awesome for documenting life moments and accomplishments. So, check out the link and video below and when you done feel free to sign up for a FREE account. Lets make 2012 your year to be focused, organized and epic! Visit the website at: WWW.COZI.COM What if you were diagnosed with a curable 'disease' or 'illness'? Would you allow your body to slowly deteriorate into nothingness or will you do what you can to get better and live longer??
If you're like most people you would probably choose the latter and try to live longer. Right?? Then, why are we allowing ourselves to flirt with our mortality by way of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, chronic liver disease/ cirrhosis and arteriosclerosis, just to name a few. These conditions can be reversed by means of daily activity a.k.a exercise, healthy food choices, self control, and education. Remember, you have the ability to make the necessary changes to improve your lifestyle and your health for the long term. All you have to do is want it. So, what are you waiting for???? So, have you reached your goal yet.... or are you still making excuses? |
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