Heck Yes, Hard Work is Worth It

Sometimes when I go to the gym, to yoga or swim laps, I feel like a person with no grace or stamina. It really feels like my endeavors won't accomplish anything but today I discovered that those efforts have changed the way my body both moves and feels.

Last fall, I was able to stop using crutches but I was still trying to regain my mobility. It was a slow process that had spanned over 6 months since I had had 3 vertebral disintegrations (thanks to bone-eating cancer.) I asked Curtis, the head honcho of trainers at World Health Macleod, to assign me a trainer who "was one of their best ones and who knew about backs" so he hooked me up with Patrick, a trainer who had a serious back injury a decade ago. The first day we trained together Patrick had me do a series of exercises to scope out my ability and twice I had to ask him if we could stop and I, embarrassingly, had to cry because the lunges and squats were so painful.

Today, I not only did unassisted squats and lunges but we added weights and I didn't have to cry at all! We were both so pleased and frankly, Patrick was also kind of surprised at how easy it was for me. I hadn't realized how much progress we'd made even though I'm in much less pain today than I once was. So keep at your athletics, stay moving even when it seems like nothing and you'll be rewarded with progress. If I can stop using canes and dance with Kill again after breaking my back then I know that you can lose weight, gain flexibility, feel beautiful in your body and so many more of your goals. Good luck and I know that you'll do so well.

Love,

Cailey