Pushing the envelope

April 29, 2003

It's vicki, not , but thanks for the note.

When I was 230 going up, I was eating poorly, not exercising, being a

slug. When I am 230 going down, I am eating well, exercising 6x a

week at a high level. I am much stronger at 230 now than I was at

230 then. In fact, I am much stronger now than I have ever been in

my life, regardless of weight. I can do an hour of aerobics followed

by an hour od weight training. For me, that is incredible.

Like I said before, I am more proud of not being sore and of being

able than I am of the actual skiing. One day we were snowed out so

my daughter and I went to Reno. We parked at Circus Circus and

walked to the downtown library (last time I was there I drove). I can

distinctly remember getting winded on the stairs and taking the

elevator to the second floor. This time I never even thought about

the elevator until just this moment.

When I told people I was going to learn how to ski, and I am 45 years

old, EVERYONE told me " ugh! you are going to be so sore " , " be

careful, don't do a Sonny Bono " " " you are going to hurt " . People

actually had me a little freaked out and questioning myself.

I did take a big slam on my first day at Squaw on my last run to the

shoulder. I fell so many times because the day before there was 20

inches of snow and the beginner area wasn't groomed. I would be

trying to ski and all of a sudden one leg would sink up to the knee

and I would fall. When I tried to use my poles to get up, the poles

were halfway buried. One leg on hard ground, one leg buried. I had

to use all of my upper body strength to hoist myself up. I was

afraid I couldn't do it. But I tried with ALLl of my might, and I did

it. Sometimes I couldn't and I just had to roll to a hard place, but

heck, I am not vain. I am going to do it. I earned it!

The next day I didn't even want to go because of my bad experience

the first day, but my lovely daughter encouraged me and I went to

Homewood where I was lucky enough to be the only one in the beginner

class, taught by a 51 year old veteran instead of a 22 year old part

timer.. By the end of the day he had me zooming.

I am so glad I did not quit. I really really really wanted to.

I haven't had a body like this before. My mind wants to quit, but

for the first time my body is capable of so much more. I have to

push the envelope because I honestly don't know what I am capable

of. This trip proved that my perception of my ability is not in sync

with what I can actually do.

So, short of being foolish, I am going to be brave and try new

things. Sometimes it is scary, but it is always rewarding.

Smiles,

Vicki A.

> I was reading about 's adventures -- horseback riding, scuba,

and

> skiing -- and she mentioned that she's still at 230. It got me to

> thinking --

>

> I was at 415 (possibly more -- that's where the doctor's scale was

when it

> broke) and got down to the mid-200's. It's odd, but when I weighed

this

> amount in high school and college, I was a walker out of necessity,

but not

> very active otherwise. It seems that getting back down to this

weight, I am

> more active and more ABLE to be active, than I was at this weight

the first

> time, even when I was much younger.

>

> Does anyone else notice this? Things we thought we were " too fat to

do " on

> the way up, we're not too fat to do on the way down?

>

> BTW , congrats on the skiing! That's one sport I wouldn't take

up if I

> weighed 110 pounds -- too afraid of heights! I admire anyone

courageous

> enough to plummet at high speeds in a downward direction on a

slippery

> surface in the cold! I always thought cross-country skiing would be

more my

> style, but now I can't stand cold -- so I guess I'll have to settle

for

> having the Cabana Boy teach me to surf, or something! LOL!

>

> ~~ Lyn

April 29, 2003