And I felt more curvaceous than ever when around them.

That, and the fact that certain areas of my body were a bit flabbier than I cared to admit.

I had always taken pride in my shapely arms for example. But they were feeling rather sausage like as of late.

I am an eighteen-year metastatic breast cancer survivor and devote my life to my health, and to the health of others.

I eat a super healthy diet, lead a very active life, and prescribe to many healthy lifestyle practices.

But I am a rebel when it comes to exercise.

I do not like structure or schedules, so do my own version of free spirited exercises, such as biking, walking, yoga, and swimming. 

I am a nature girl!

But at age fifty-eight, my free spirited exercise program was clearly lacking and I was searching for something more.

My free spirited "work-outs" were clearly NOT working out for me!

My svelte sister, and her perfect daughter, could not hide their utter disgust at my out of shape body.

It wasn't that bad. 

But to them it was!

And they reminded me again and again of my need for an effective exercise program.

Their repeated comments about my lack of "shape" were offensive and irritating (to me) until they said: "I am shocked that you would let yourself go like this".

"Fat is bad for cancer".

They equate anything that is not muscle, with fat.

I had never looked at it that way, but you know, they were right. I had a lot of flabby "stuff" going on within my body that was clearly NOT muscle.

What a wake up call that was. They had said the magic words. I did not want to do anything to put myself at risk for a repeat of cancer. So I listened to them instead of shutting them out.

They felt that the missing link for me was free weights for strength and tone.

I am sure that is not my only missing link, and I had absolutely no idea how to use free weights, but it resonated with me.

I liked the sound of it, and it was actually something that I had always wanted to do but had just never gotten around to.

I didn't know how to, for one, and I did not want to join a gym, being a "free spirit and all", for another.

Excuses, excuses!

It was finally time to drop the excuses!!

I let my sister and niece show me some very basic and simple moves.

How perfect!

We used water bottles for weights since we were travelling and had no real weights. And obviously we did not want purchase weights and then end up carrying them around with us in our suitcases.

Please remember this: Water bottles make excellent weights!!!

They taught me beginning bicep and triceps curls.

Please look up how to do them on line, or perhaps you already know how, or have a friend who knows how, OR, maybe you could attend an exercise class that teaches the basics of free weights.

There is probably a lot to learn about free weights, as with all things, but very simple basic moves can get you started.

And getting started is the key, and is good enough until and whenever you want to take it further.

For myself, I saved purchasing real weights until I got home from my trip.

Once home, I purchased 1 pound and 3 pound weights right away.

I started small to be sure to avoid injury. I started with the 1 pounders, but quickly graduated to the 3 pounders.

Yay me!!

I always used to walk on my rooftop terrace at night for exercise, but not with weights. What a waste, sigh.

But even before the family trip, I had taken to walking in circles in my driveway after dinner each night so that I could hang out with my (then new) cat.

My Cat!

So, once back home from the trip, I stood outside in my driveway each night after dinner - to continue to keep my cat company - and did several sets of arm repetitions, just as my sister and niece had shown me.

It was helping my arms, but it was not particularly exciting.

Even my cat was bored.

Plus, I needed to MOVE!!!

My cat began pacing the driveway, so I began walking in circles with her around the driveway, all the while lifting the weights in unison with my stride.

It was a fun game, but rather cramped in the driveway.

I was missing my rooftop, but did not want to abandon my cat.

I was not ever really a night walker, but I decided to throw all caution to the wind, and join the nightly parade of walkers, joggers, dog walkers, baby strollers, and even electric wheelchair / service dog walkers, that goes on in my neighborhood, right in front of my house, each night.

It felt safe enough. I began this new health ritual in late summer. It was light out until 9 PM or so at night, and it was also much cooler and more pleasant to walk at night, after dinner, than in the heat of the day.

It is also VERY healthy, and excellent for your digestion to walk after dinner.

That, and there is absolutely no traffic on my street after about 8 PM or so. It was quiet, and peaceful, and even though I only went up and down my own street, it gave me enough space to really get a decent workout. I was close enough to my front door to make a run for it if I had to. And close enough to my neighbor's doors too. I know them all and took comfort in knowing that they were all within easy reach should I need them.

I only mention this because I would not want to encourage anyone to be out on the streets at night in an unsafe area, whether due to auto or human traffic!

Please Note: This exact same "routine" can be done in the daytime as well!

The freedom of being able to let loose and really move my body was just great.

I had really found a new groove.

And I just LOVE adding new healthy practices to my daily / weekly "routine".

I would warm up with triceps curls, bending forward and leaning one arm on a patio chair (to support my back), while raising the other arm behind me (with weight in hand).

After doing this with each arm for several reps, I was then ready to take my show on the road.

While walking back and forth on my street, I then did a series of bicep curls.

You can lift the weights with your inner forearm turned up, or to the side, to tweak all surfaces of the bicep muscles.

It is SUCH fun to learn to do specific moves that target the specific areas of the body that you want to tone.

When I took my show on the road, I assumed that my cat would hang out in the driveway / front yard and wait for me.

But to my great surprise, she joined me on my walks.

How odd it felt to have a cat walking with me.

But cute.

SO cute!

And fun.

I love having my furry little pal waiting for me at my front door each night, encouraging me to put everything down and join her for a nightly Cat Walk.

She really enjoys our walks, and I figured: It is good exercise for her too!

I couldn't stop her from joining me anyway.

She tended to get easily distracted and wander back and forth across the street though.

As with all things in life, more is not necessarily better.

Maybe I have hit my sweet spot with the 5 pound weights.

Maybe not.

To be determined.

I have not rechecked my bone density since beginning my Cat Walk / Free Weight practice, but I expect that it has improved.

Or at the very least, remained stable.

I, WE, may not be able to improve bone density necessarily, although we may, but we can certainly do such things as (free) weight bearing exercises to prevent bone loss!

I am loving the results of my new free weight, aerobic, Cat Walk practice!!

Who knows if I am looking better.

Gayle Before Strength Training

Gayle After Strength Training

Whether I am or not, I am feeling blessed and grateful nightly that as a result of my sister and nieces not so gentle prodding, I am improving my muscle to fat ratio, micro-managing muscle building for the first time in my life ever, and feeling much stronger, more independent, and more balanced, while helping my body to remain cancer free and healthy.

You may not be able to do the Cat Walk part per se, that was just an unexpected bonus for me, but I hope that you can find some way of incorporating some version of weight lifting / weight bearing exercise into your own lives because, as I have tried to point out above, I have really come to appreciate it's value and importance.

That is why I have shared my TRUE story with you.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Please don't forget to take a look at the May 7 Wholly Macro Delivery Menu, below.

It is a great one!

Weight lifting, muscle building, and body toning go hand in hand, and work MUCH better when coupled with a healthy and well balanced diet!

Tofu Kale Lasagna

May health, happiness, and prosperity be your unavoidable natural state and your ongoing daily experience.

Gayle and Jaime / Wholly Macro