Hail Mary

I am not a very religious person.  Actually I am not religious at all.  I can’t remember the last time I went to church.  And I am not planning on going any time soon.  But I can say that I am a spiritual person.  I pray every night as I lay down to go to sleep.  I thank God for all he has given me and for keeping my family safe for another day.  When I can’t sleep at night, I will pray the rosary.  I usually fall asleep after the first few Hail Marys.  Never getting to the Our Father.

I have found when I am working out at Gold’s Gym saying a Hail Mary is mentally easier than counting to 10, 15 or 20 reps.  That is what my trainer is there for. She counts. I pray.   When I am in the zone, I let my mind escape by reciting the Hail Mary.  It takes me 13 seconds to comfortably recite the prayer.  I can say a lot of prayers during my work out.  It is mentally very soothing.

I have been working out with my trainer since September.  I absolutely love her.  Chantille is so kind but relentless.  What I love about her is that she sees my weaknesses and will work on them.  Currently my shoulder movement is very limited.  I broke my shoulder years ago and my arms just don’t want to go back.  So every training session we do a set of shoulder presses to strengthen my shoulders.  Slowly my flexibility is returning.

Another weakness of mine is step ups.  I know you all know what I am talking about.  If you have been to a basketball game or football game one needs to step up onto risers to get to their seat.  I did not want to be that person that has to watch a basketball game sitting on the first riser because I could not step up any higher.  So Chantille has me hold a kettle bell in each hand and has me step up on the step up stool for at least a whole rosary.  Actually it is 20 reps – 3 times – but it seems to take forever.  So one day I thought if I go a little faster I would get over this awful exercise quicker.  It did not work.  My foot caught on the edge of the stool and down I went – kettle bells and all.  I have learned that fast prayers do not work – just like fast work outs do not work.  Slow and steady is the best means to the end.

There is something to the adage The Power of Prayer.  I truly believe in it. I pray hard during my workouts.  I pray to pass the time and I pray that I won’t die during my workout.  So far my prayers have been answered.  I am getting stronger.  And I am still alive.  I actually have muscle tone in my arms.  My body is being reshaped.  Keep in mind that I do have saggy baggy elephant skin from the weight loss but underneath those flaps of skin is muscle.  I love it!

So I will continue with my prayers and my workouts.  I don’t want these last months to be that Hail Mary pass – like a touchdown pass in a  football game.  I want to continue strong and steady.  I will never be a power lifter or a body muscle model but I know for sure that I will be able to climb up the risers comfortably to be able to watch my grandsons play football and basketball.  I will be able to lift my camera bag without my back not going out on me.  I will be able to walk/run at a decent clip and not be totally winded.  I will be able to get down on the ground during a photo shoot and be able to get back up.  I am just looking for simple strength.

Now I wonder what I would be able to accomplish if I started to pray the Our Father.