I love this quote by Lowell Thomas.
I’ve been trying lately to push myself. Push myself beyond what I think in my mind that I am capable of. Push my body to do more than I have in the past. We give ourselves such limits! “I can’t do that.” “I can’t eat healthy, it’s too difficult and inconvenient.” “I’m not smart enough.” “Jog? I can barely walk!”
That last one was me.
When I first started exercising in 2008, I could barely walk a mile. I would come back from my walk red faced, out of breath and exhausted. But I kept at it. I’d walk a little farther or a little longer each time. I slowly built up my endurance until I was walking mileS, not one mile in 20+ minutes.
Later on I read about the Couch to 5k program. The idea of running intrigued me and I knew that I wanted to be in shape enough to RUN. I completed the program. I hated it, and I loved it at the same time. It was pushing me beyond what I thought was possible for my body. All in all, I think my body could do have run at 5k at the beginning of the program, but it was my mind I had to convince.
I had put such limitations on what I thought I could do. I was capable of so much more, and I didn’t even know it.
I’m not saying running, or losing weight, or trying to be healthy is easy… far from it! These are some of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But they are doable. You have to put a little faith in yourself, open yourself up to the possibility that you can do things your mind put limits on before.
Right now, my goal for running is to complete a 1/2 marathon training program. 13.1 miles. I’ve never run farther than 5-6 miles in my life! Even as I sit writing this it is hard to wrap my mind around running that far. I have so many fears about failing, at being too weak to complete the training or the eventual race. Am I pushing myself too hard? Will I exacerbate my Lupus? I will be smart about this training, I won’t turn a blind eye to my body or how I’m feeling… but I do know I am stronger than what my fears keep telling me.
So, today I’m going to do a little more than I think I possibly can… how about you?
How much luck have you had with the Paleo diet with lupus? I have heard quite a bit about it, but have been hesitant to try it.
It definitely has helped me to FEEL better. I am not exactly sure how much it is has helped with symptoms, bloodwork etc… but it has taken care of a lot of IBS type problems I was having. I plan on keeping up with it just to see how it helps in the long term.
Thanks for sharing this.
Very good. Thanks.