3/9/17 A New Role Model!

Hello, this is Liz, Maggie’s mom. Thank you all for your kind words, well-wishes, and woofs! in response to Maggie’s post yesterday.

I did eat the eggs (Maggie helped) and had no pain at all. Today, I’d like to share my new personal role model with you!

This is Ernestine Shepherd. She celebrated her 80th birthday last June. This picture came up when I searched for her on Google Images. I do not own the picture. That’s right. She’s 80.

I saw Ms. Shepherd’s video on Facebook, where she talks about getting up at 2:30 every day, running for ten miles, and by 7:30, is in the gym – where she trains a group of ladies.

This woman is awe-inspiring for me. She didn’t start working out until she was about 70 or 71, if I have my facts straight. She worked out with her sister (“I had never done any kind of exercise before,” she says). Before her sister passed away, she told Ernestine to keep working and get in the Guinness Book of World Records. And she did.

As most of you know, I’ve had a rough couple of years of health issues, from a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy in 2014 to foot surgery for arthritis on my right toe in 2015 to an RA diagnosis in January. I was upset, depressed, sleeping a lot, eating more, and gaining tons of weight.

I went back to the gym “for some cardio” but I’ve always loved the weights. I’ve been back at them for a couple of weeks and already showing results. When I feel like giving up, I think of Ernestine Shepherd. She is my inspiration! Miraculously, I have even pushed Jim to accompany me to the gym! I feel better, more relaxed, and as of today, post a 13 pound weight loss. On Tuesday I completed a personal best on the leg press, doing 3 sets of 10 reps on 210 pounds. The arthritis that I have been feeling in my toes, knees, and mostly, left hip, is practically nil.

But this isn’t about me. It’s about the inspiration I have found from this wonderful, incredible woman. She is strong within and without. She is radiant and beautiful. She is my new inspiration and role model.

So many times older people get pushed aside. Relegated to off-stage. Why can’t we bodybuild at 70? 80? Why can’t we bust those stereotypes? Ms. Shepherd is living proof that we can. I am grateful to her! I hope you enjoyed reading about her!

Have a great day – see you at the gym!

Your friend, Liz

 

 

 

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6/13/13 Personal Trainers

 

Mondays and Wednesdays are my Laurel days.  Jamie and Mom go to the gym, which was always something of a mystery to me, until Mom had to go there today for some business, and took me along for the ride.  Now I know a little bit more about this strange and sweaty place.

 

The gym is a huge building with big windows and people going in and out all the time.  Watching the door is almost exercise enough in itself!  The humans are smiling when they go in and smell very interesting when they come out. 

 

Mom and Jamie have a trainer there named Mo, whom they like a whole lot, and he recently went to a far-away place across the world.  This made Mom and Jamie very sad, and Mom very worried, because she said there was “unrest” there.  I don’t know what that means, but I think it’s like Dad’s meetings, and has a lot to do with growling and sniffing.  See, I have noticed that you humans have it backwards:  you growl at each other first, then you sniff.  You should always sniff carefully first, before you growl.  If I may offer some advice, I would say that, personally, I think you humans would be better off as a species if everybody sniffed very carefully, then settled down to relax with a nice chew toy.  But that’s just my opinion.

 

 

Then there is Cooper.  Cooper teaches Jamie and Mom how to beat each other up with the sticks, and other martial arts.  And I have to say, Cooper is more like a cat than any human I have ever met.  He is absolutely silent, and appears behind you when he wasn’t there a minute ago.  I think he might have padded feet!

 

When Mom and Jamie see Mo and Cooper, they come back sweaty and can’t walk up and down the stairs for two days and say, “Oooh” and “Aaah” a lot.  But they keep going back for more.  For the life of me, I don’t understand why they just don’t chase tennis balls in the backyard, or run around with a few good tree branches in their mouths.

 

Jamie says this is the “Summer of Buff” and he and Mom are going to get in shape no matter how bad it hurts.  Believe me, they are both hurting.

 

I think I’ll stick to chasing tennis balls in the yard.  Oooh!  Aaah!