E is for Elliptical

In last week's post I talked about one of my favorite words, so for this week's ABC Wednesday I decided to talk about one of my favorite things: my Precor EFX 5.21. Or, in layman's terms, my elliptical machine.

I've struggled with my weight for most of my life. And the times that I wasn't struggling were mostly the times when I just kind of gave up and decided to be okay with being fat. (Not my most brilliant moments, granted. But it was just the way it was sometimes.)

But this past year I've been making great strides (pardon the pun) in my quest to live a healthier life. I'm thrilled to say that I've lost 50 pounds so far - and it feels great! And I've done it all with the simple "eat less, move more" approach.

Simple concept, yes. But that's not to say that it's easy. It's probably the most difficult of all of the great weight loss techniques, because there's no quick fix, no pill to take, and no easy way out. It actually requires a lot of willpower, and a lot of hard work.

And exercise is an even trickier concept when you suffer from chronic pain, as I do. You have to be very careful to find ways to move your body without hurting yourself, and that's often a frustrating challenge. Frustrating, and often tedious and slow, but not impossible.

My elliptical and I were not immediately the best of friends. The first time I got on it, I lasted about five minutes (and thought I was going to die.) It was sad. But I was determined, so I kept at it with the understanding that it would take time. And it did. But the results have been fantastic.

There are still days when my back hurts too much to work out, and there are days when I can work out, but have to do it very slowly and gently to avoid too much pain. But those days are fewer and fewer as time goes on. And now, as I spend 45 minutes to an hour with it at least five days a week, I can see just how far I've come.

I still have a ways to go. But thanks to some healthier eating habits, and many many hours on my elliptical, I'm getting there. :)