| |
|
|
Before
After
|
Lee Davidson
I
came to this experience unhealthy, overweight, overwhelmed
and sad. I’d just finished three years of infertility
treatments with multiple rounds and miscarriages. My once
size six frame was a size 16. My once tiny waist was over 35
inches. My once extremely low blood pressure was creeping
up. Once a runner, I could not run from my house to the
corner to chase my six year old child. In March of 2008, I
was having health problems, had to have my gall bladder
removed and had extreme issues with acid and indigestion. I
couldn’t sleep at night and had no energy. My doctor said
these issues were common among those with weight problems. I
was shocked…Did I have a weight problem? I felt desperate
and sad.
On a vacation to Disney World, I was so
sick that my friends thought I needed to go to the emergency
room. I was sick and sick of being fat. I used to cry all
the way through the “Biggest Loser.”I am now a size 12
(sometimes 10!), I’ve lost over seven inches on my waist and
my blood pressure is very low. I can now race my child on
his bike on a three-four mile trip. I have energy, vitality
and am happy with myself. I also sleep like a rock! When I
began, one of my favorite phrases was, “I can’t.” CJ said,
“You can and you will.” When CJ used to put me on a
treadmill for an interval at 7.4 MPH, I would panic and
think, “No, no, no.” I used to tell him that “I had short
little legs.” Now those short little legs go fast. It seems
he had faith in me even when I couldn’t have faith in
myself. He saw something in me I didn’t see. Over forty and
out of shape, my body was slow to respond at first.
My first attempts at 4:30 a.m. workouts were almost comical.
In the beginning, I felt like being one of the only ones in
the competition with a young child, husband, a full-time,
challenging job, three dogs and a home to maintain was a
disadvantage. I was afraid I didn’t have the time that
others did. I realized later, that this made me stronger. I
was terrified of Saturday morning “boot camp.” I thought I
could never last, that I was uncoordinated, that I would
throw up, and would need to quit. As time went on, I started
to see changes in my weight and my confidence. Not only
could I do this, I could do this well. Not only could I
finish, but I could finish well.
I became focused
and determined. Not to beat anyone else, but to do this for
myself. This is the one thing that I do that is not for my
child, my husband or my job. It is for me and it is all
about me. It is a personal journey that others will benefit
from. It is not about winning a competition; it is about
winning a life. I lost and I gained. I lost weight, doubt,
and fear. What did I gain? I gained the confidence to know
that I can do ANYTHING my trainer asks me to do. I think it
became a challenge for him. What can I give Lee to do that
she can’t do?
I can swim, I can run, I can lift, I
can pass grown men in a sprint and most of all, I can make
it through boot camp and be happy about it. Here are the
most important things I learned during this challenge. Never
fear; Never Give up; Never Back down; Have Faith, Have fun
and believe in yourself. I am truly in debt to USA Elite
Trainers, Anytime Fitness and to CJ. My life is changed
forever and because of it, I will change other’s lives.
|
|
