I would drive by the gym every day and watch people going in and out all of the time. I would always wonder and say to myself, “What do they do in there?”
Back in the 70′s and 80s’ running had become a very popular way to get fit and lose weight. I would see people jogging and running and since they were all skinny I figured they were all doing something right to stay that way. I knew nothing about fitness, exercise or how to eat healthy, but deep down inside I knew a change was coming.
I sat in my car for about 3 weeks, all 300 plus pounds of me, thinking about going into that health club. I would just sit outside for the longest time and watch people go in and out wondering what they did, I was so curious. I remember my head saying “GET OUT OF THE CAR AND JUST GO UP THERE!”
Day after day I would tell myself to do it but I would panic and drove home. On one particular day, I remember it clearly, I made up my mind that today was the day, just do it — if I thought about it anymore my mind was going to explode.
Right there, something clicked inside of me and I knew it was either now or never. I think it might have been some kind of self-preservation instinct. I was being emotionally and mentally battered by my boyfriend and living around alcoholism, violence, anger and rage daily. After a really bad argument on New Year’s Day, he had thrown me out of the house in my underwear in freezing Denver weather and he locked all of the doors. My neighbors had to take me in and the humiliation was more than I could live with. A week prior to that, he had driven his car right through the garage door. It was time to make a change in my life!
Debra
