Staples

Member Since July 2008

My Story
A few years ago I worked out at curves and liked the program. But after falling down some stairs and spraining my ankle I couldnt work out. During that time I noticed that my right leg felt weak and occasionally wanted to give out on me. I didnt know what was wrong and kept having near falls plus a couple other falls. I wasnt able to walk as fast as I used to and just felt unsteady. I finally went to the Doctor and he thought I had a slight stroke. Over the next year or so I continued to have more problems and went to see a neurologist. She didnt think that I had a stroke but thought that I had some kind of motor neuron disease. I got a second opinion a few months later from another neurologist and he agreed that it was a motor neuron disease " probably something in the MS family. My muscles were stiff and I started having a lot of spasms " kind of like charley-horses but worse. I had physical therapy and they worked on stretching my legs to increase my mobility and also tried to find ways to improve my balance. Even tho the stretches were painful it felt good to have those muscles stretched out. I started using a walker to help decrease my chances of falling.

2 years ago I decided that I needed to lose some weight so if I did fall it wouldnt be so hard for someone to help me get up. Over a year I lost 30 # by just cutting down on portion size. Then I was reading an old Diane magazine article. It was about a woman who could barely get out of bed by herself. She called her local curves to see if they would assist her on and off the machines because she couldnt do it herself. They said that they would be glad to help her and it started her on the road to better health. My sister-in-law started going to curves a few years ago and is still going. I told her about the article I had read and she said that she would ask Autumn (the owner of our local curves ) if she would help me like that. When she went to curves the next day Autumn asked Barb if she thought Id come back to curves if she helped me on and off the machines. I dont really believe in coincidences but believe that they are Gods timely interventions. This motor neuron disease that I have didnt catch God off guard. As it says in Jer 29:11-14 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope".

I rejoined curves a year ago July and needed help on all the machines " not just because my legs didnt work very well but because I also had balance issues. I was told about the curves smart system and it sounded just like what I needed. Autumn set me up on an endurance program and adjusted the time spent on each machine for a longer period of time so I started out only doing one round. I am unable to use the recovery stations because of my balance problem, but I am now able to do more than one round and sometimes I do the full workout. Because each machine takes me longer I am amazed at how willing the other members are to accommodate me by just going around me. I love the curves smart system because it gives concrete measurements of how my muscles are working, it tells me if the opposing muscles are working evenly, and if Im progressing on the machines. Best of all I like that it tells me about how many calories Ive burned. My local curves doesnt have the stretch machine yet but Ive used it at other facilities and I really love it because after my muscles have warmed up I can stretch those muscles and feel them relax if only for a short time. With my motor neuron disease Im not able to stretch as well as I would like to. I heard that if you dont stretch after a workout you can lose up to 20% of the benefit of exercising. Ive gotten a bonus from all my hard work by losing another 20#s (which was my goal) and over 17 inches.

My husband and I travel to Detroit Lakes, MN 3 times a year for a week each time. Deb (the owner of that curves) and her crew are all wonderful to work with. We also travel to Mesa, AZ for the winter and Leo(the manager) and her crew also are more than willing to help me in any way they can. Ive also gone to some other curves and the story is the same every where I go. Everyone wants to help. I feel so blessed by their thoughtfulness and help.

Isnt that what curves is all about? Women helping women reach their goals in weight loss, improving our bodies, our health and our sense of well-being. We become like family. Its like going out to coffee with friends minus the coffee. Im so humbled by the women who are working out with me wherever I am because they tell me that Im an inspiration to them. Theyve said that if I can work so hard then they can too. I have great motivation to work hard because it will keep me out of a wheelchair longer. Over the last year I have gained strength in all my muscles. A year ago I couldnt get in and out of the pool by myself but this year I could. I no longer need help on many of the machines and even the ones that I do need help on I have gotten stronger so I can participate in lifting my legs up on the machines. When I saw my neurologist in June she was very satisfied with my strength and the fact that my muscles havent started to atrophy.

What has curves done for me? It has given me a new lease on life!

My Photos