Retired counseling psychologist Angela Cheney, 70, lives in Durham, North Carolina.
She follows the online strength training courseLiftoff: Couch to Barbellby Casey Johnston.
Ive never been athletic.
Others had worked so hard to keep me alive.
Just slow and steady progress.
I was still weakened from my cancer treatments, but I decided to try it.
Starting with body-weight exercises and moving on to 2- and 3-pound weights,I gradually gained strength.
Within a month, I could lift my food processor from a bottom shelf to the counter.
I began to feel more confident.
So I kept at it, and I kept progressing.
And to my surprise, it was fun.
There was joy in the challenge.
Eight months later, I was feeling pretty proud of myself.
No thanks, I told him.
I want to do it!
I hoisted that baby up in the most satisfying way and he cheered me on.
But I didnt fully understand how much strength Id gained until I was injured last November.
While walking my 44-pound labradoodle, Loki, I stopped to chat with a neighbor.
I fell and broke my wrist and pelvis.
After wrist surgery, I was sent to an inpatient rehabilitation program.
I had one leg and one arm out of commission.
Plenty of young male nurses were around to help me get to the toilet and supervise me.
I cant even describe the mortification of that!
Since then, I have worked hard on my recovery and have graduated from walker to cane to nothing.
And Ive gotten back to lifting weights with my physical therapists approval, of course.
With age, its natural to shrink.
Lifting weights gave me a way to grow.
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