Quality over Quantity

Have you ever lifted an impressively heavy set of weights thinking you were all that and a bag of chips only to have a trainer, or someone more knowledgeable than you, tell you that your form was wrong and by the time your form was right you were basically lifting the 2 lb. pink girlie dumbbells?

While the experience is a bit of an ego-buster, it is a good reminder that the quality of your exercises is more important than the weight of the dumbbells you lift.

I’ve been thinking a lot about “quality” these days because of my mother.  After her bout with pneumonia prior to Thanksgiving, she was taken off of weekly chemo and placed on “maintenance” chemo to be administered every three weeks for the rest of her life, however long that would be.

Four days into maintenance chemo, it really hit her hard.  She was in bed all day, only out to use the bathroom.  Normally, I could get her to drink three Boosts (a high calorie drink, like Ensure) but now getting her to finish half of one was an effort.  She didn’t want to take a walk.  She didn’t want to talk to anyone on the phone.  She seemed like she was disconnected from life.

Her doctor said, “I think we should stop the chemo,” and I asked, “but what if the cancer starts to grow again?” and she said, “Right now it’s important to think about quality of life versus quantity.  If your mom is lying in bed all day, that’s not living.”

My mom said, “No more chemo?  Great!” and then was like peace-out and left the room.  I’ve never seen a woman with a walker exit a room so fast in my life!

The difference has been wonderful.  She still sleeps a lot, but when she is awake she’s totally herself and sharp as a tack.  She’s having two Boosts a day now, takes a walk when the weather cooperates, and some fuzzy hair is beginning to grow back on her head.  We are continuing with the holistic side – she’s taking a lot of vitamins and such – and hoping that her next CT scan in February will show no tumor growth.  In the meantime, we’re taking her to restaurants (even though she only takes one or two bites) just so she feels more normal.

Whether you’re doing reps at the gym or just living your life, make sure the quality is good.  And you rock those girlie weights!

Lisa

Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two. You can read more about her in her new book, “She’s Losing It!” available at Amazon.com.

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