Good Morning. Your mama!

I think I'm turning into my great grandmother on my mother's side. [sigh]  She was an awesome lady, don't get me wrong, but she was tiny and quite frail looking.  I'm 55 and I think I'm starting to look like her more and more every day. I always thought of myself looking like the women on my father's side...quite healthy and round. Umm...not so much now. 

Being this small in some ways makes me feel vulnerable physically. I feel better about my physical self when I'm walking every hour or so and doing those dratted push-ups. Do they really make me stronger? I dunno but they make me feel better about myself--safer some how. I still can't open the front doors of our office building when the wind is blowing 25 MPH or more, but hey, nice men are almost always there to help.  I don't like letting myself think of myself as weak. That is a big "no-go" in my pea-sized brain with all the soldier-think still going 'round in there. 

You know what? There's a gym right across the street from my office. I'm going to go over there and talk to them about strength building exercises without stressing my lower back. Hmmm...hubby said to get something for myself for Christmas...gym membership? What do you guys think?

Y'all have a great Tuesday!

--gina
    

I'd go one further and get a personal trainer.....the gym membership come with that right?...wink wink.........LOL

Absolutely! I'm a complete dork when it comes to exercise equipment and what not to do to hurt my back.

My father's mother and father were dead by the time I was born.  My mother's mother died when I was in the 3rd grade so I don't remember any grandmothers much. 

I'm not so small yet as to feel vulnerble.  But my arthritus means I can't open jars, etc and my height, 4'11" means I can't reach anything so my 6'4" hubby comes in very handy.

I think a gym membership across the street from your office sounds terrific.  For me at least, convienance is the key to get to the gym.  Curves is on my way to pick up my client.  That makes it easier to go that make excuses.  Sounds like a great Christmas present to me.

I'll go over there this week for sure. I think they even have a spa for facials and such...I could use one of those once a week to tend to this skin.

I think a gym membership is wonderful!

I was just looking at pictures from my birthday and in some of them my face looks absolutely skeletal! I love the way my body looks, but I wish I could fill out my face a little. I think it's worse in certain light and some ways I wear my hair. People who haven't seen me in awhile are shocked when they see me, people I see all the time tell me I look great, but my face almost looks sickly. Unfortunately, we can't choose where we gain or lose.

I feel weak sometimes too. I can't move my furniture, even my couch alone anymore. I just don't have the weight to put into it. I am strong for my size, I have very defined muscles in my arms, legs, abs, even my back...but there is no weight behind it.

I think DH likes me being tiny and "weak". He is one of those old fashioned manly men and likes to do things for me. He is big and tall and strong...so I let him do it.

I am definitely going to pick up the strength training too. I have a little droopy skin on my arms still, but it seems like the more I work those muscles, the more it fills out the skin.

Shannon, I know exactly what you are talking about when you mention the lighting. I look completely normal to myself in the mirror, but I was "tagged" on Facebook of some pictures at a recent football game. It was cold and rainy outside. I looked haggered or something. I could see a definitely droop in my cheeks. I didn't like it one bit! And, I'm not even to goal! I think things shift and smooth out a bit as we get a bit further out, but I reallly didn't want to have the 'look' of someone who has had weight loss surgery.....oh well! Here we are, huh?

I noticed when my hair was more full (from hot rollers) it didn't look as bad. I think I will try to wear my hair like that more often. Also, my face was always so full, and I had no I idea I had such defined cheek bones. I wouldn't trade my health and good body for a fat face though!

Shannon - give your body some time - it will redistribute and your face will fill back in some - mine did.  I looked downright gaunt back in June, and its not like that now... and the weight hasn't changed....