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This journey has helped healed me

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Fitness and health have always been a large part of my life since my university days since my degree and focus was in Kinesiology.  A healthy lifestyle was important to me for taking care of my well being, being fit, feeling good, stress management and of course my love for food!  As we all know, ‘everyone’ has a story and so my begun – with some changes in my life my ability to focus on myself and my well being took a back seat.  My priorities and focus changed when my sister was diagnosed with a rare cancer in January 2010 and I don’t regret a single moment of those short 10 months except that I likely didn’t spend enough time with her…..there is never enough time.  I struggled with her battle as she had just changed her lifestyle around losing weight and gaining strength – focusing on her health, clean eating, getting a trainer and running a 1/2 marathon (Scotia Bank) in September 2009 and a few short months later we were dealing with this….it left me speechless and heart-broken??!!  Of course losing her changed a part of me forever and the healing is on-going and then came the inevitable next loss….my separation in 2011 which lead to my divorce in 2012.  No regrets on this – it was sometime coming but just derailed my ability for taking some time for myself!  That was the change point I needed to shift my focus back to myself – time spent developing my professional career, soul-search traveling, and training and running my first 1/2 marathon (Scotia Bank) in honour of my sister.  

Finally some light at the end of this dark tunnel…..but then……in October, 2013 I developed some right knee discomfort and attended at the local sport medicine clinic for evaluation and analysis.  I was scheduled for an MRI in November, 2013 which confirmed a completely ruptured ACL, severe bucket tear in my lateral meniscus and a minor tear in my medial meniscus.  With this diagnosis, my exercise lifestyle changed drastically as I was no longer able to skate competitively, run, x-country ski, cycle or participate in any impact exercise classes such as Step, Kick Boxing etc.  Wow – what an adjustment this was going to be for me.  Within a short time period I gained 10 unwanted pounds and knew that this would be a tough battle ahead.  I finally met with my surgeon in February, 2014 and was scheduled for an ACL reconstruction surgery on August 28, 2014 which still requires a 9 month recovery post surgery.  This change in my fitness lifestyle was far from over and I had a ‘poor me’ pity party for quite some time!  Surgery was a success and physiotherapy began immediately the day after, but I was feeling sore and tired.  My body was drastically attempting to heal and I was trying to fuel, rest and recover as best as possible.  At the eight week mark post-op, I decided something had to change.  I had now gain an additional unwanted 5 lbs., a total of 15 lbs. since October, 2013 and feeling low energy and not so ‘healthy’, a 2.5 inch quad loss in my right leg, and I began to hate my lower body.  I had always loved my legs and felt I had a fairly good looking ‘ass’ for 37 but hey…de-conditioning was wreaking havoc on my lower body!   It was at that time that I registered for the 4 Weeks to Fab Program starting in January, 2015 which I figured would give me a few extra months post recovery before starting this program (4 months post op)…I was nervous and excited all at the same time.  However, I needed a kick in the ass (literally) to focus on myself again and decided to make 2015 my year and take the ‘me’ time I so deserved!  

So my new journey began….I started the program and I was motivated and dedicated and it was a lot of work BUT completely worth it!  The program was amazing from the workouts, to the meals, and to the amazing support blog and page!  Things were beginning to change for me…..Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away – This program was one of those moments well multiple moments for me. To see each of theses ‘girls’  in their elements, their passion for their careers, their zest for life, and the support for their clients is heart filling!  To Dina Mansour for my amazing eyes and fabulous tan….(I may be addicted to the lashes) – I am grateful for our connection and story sharing. To Florencia Taylor – thank you for the initial skin consult, my skin is feeling amazing and actually ‘glowing’ now and to your true art work on my face at the photo shoot….stunning! To Paula Tizzard – you have a way to make a girl feel at ease, a ‘natural’ in front of the camera…you have a genuineness about you that is enduring – I look forward to seeing your masterpieces!  And finally to Your BeautyFuel with Rita Catolino – in the last five weeks you have transformed me inside and out….I feel healthy, I have no knee discomfort, my glutes are lifted, my right quad has definition again, I have lost weight (bonus) and I have developed a love for myself and body (especially my lower body) that I haven’t had in such a long time!  I can’t even express how overwhelmed I was by Rita and Paula’s compliments on my ‘ass’ and ‘legs’…..that was such a amazing feeling for me since only a few short months ago I really didn’t love this about myself! 

This journey has helped healed me in a way that none of you can even imagine….you have touched my heart and soul and I am forever blessed and grateful for having found some on earth angels

- Elisha