Today's workout:
Hip Warmup Stretch
3 min Treadmill Warmup
25 min Arc Trainer workout (level 1 - heart rate between 140-155 bpm the whole time)
2 min Treadmill Cooldown
5 min stretch
Ow. I'm thrilled that I worked out today. I'm also a bit concerned about how my back is feeling. I was a little uncomfortable doing my hip warmup stretches, but it didn't bother me again until I went to stretch out my legs. I sat on the floor and almost cried. I can't sit on the floor. At all. I can lay on the floor with discomfort to stretch, but I can't sit without tears springing to my eyes. Grrr. I'm not pleased. I'm hoping this is a passing phase of the physical therapy. Driving and sitting (two things I do A LOT) are only mildly uncomfortable, but doing my PT stretches is almost impossible. A little Ibuprofen and a few prayers and hopefully I'll be well enough for PT tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
My Mission.
I need to lose 100 pounds.
The doctors have told me over and over again. Lectured. Berated. Denied treatment. My body screams from the soles of my feet to the top of my lungs. My health history is full of red flags - high cholesterol, family history of diabetes and heart disease, overweight (or obese) since puberty, sedentary job, ex-smoker. The extra weight I carry effects every part of my life.
I haven't lost 100 pounds.
Not for lack of trying. I start, I lose, I regain, I give up. Over and over and over. Every single time. Sometimes I don't even start before I give up. The need is ever present. Like the weight, it defines who I am. If I let it, it will define who I will become. I obsess over it. What will I do next? What is the right answer? Is there even a point? I get depressed. I get embarassed. I get overwhelmed. I GIVE UP.
I want to lose 100 pounds.
I want to walk upstairs without losing my breath. I want to roll around the floor with my kids without pain. Enjoy new activities without requiring physical therapy. Wear dresses comfortably with cute shoes. Walk trails carrying my food for the day. Go camping. Run a 5K. Wear the outfit I like so much on the model. Know the cat call I just heard was not making fun of me. Dance, dance, dance. Have acrobatic relations with my husband. Go skiing. Go skating. Inspire envy from another good looking woman.
I will lose 100 pounds.
I will make a plan. I will overcome the fear and anxiety I feel thinking about my body and my future. I will celebrate my accomplishments. I will learn from my failures and stop punishing myself for them. I will stop fearing food. I will show my daughters what a healthy, confident woman can do. I will become a healthy, confident woman.
The doctors have told me over and over again. Lectured. Berated. Denied treatment. My body screams from the soles of my feet to the top of my lungs. My health history is full of red flags - high cholesterol, family history of diabetes and heart disease, overweight (or obese) since puberty, sedentary job, ex-smoker. The extra weight I carry effects every part of my life.
I haven't lost 100 pounds.
Not for lack of trying. I start, I lose, I regain, I give up. Over and over and over. Every single time. Sometimes I don't even start before I give up. The need is ever present. Like the weight, it defines who I am. If I let it, it will define who I will become. I obsess over it. What will I do next? What is the right answer? Is there even a point? I get depressed. I get embarassed. I get overwhelmed. I GIVE UP.
I want to lose 100 pounds.
I want to walk upstairs without losing my breath. I want to roll around the floor with my kids without pain. Enjoy new activities without requiring physical therapy. Wear dresses comfortably with cute shoes. Walk trails carrying my food for the day. Go camping. Run a 5K. Wear the outfit I like so much on the model. Know the cat call I just heard was not making fun of me. Dance, dance, dance. Have acrobatic relations with my husband. Go skiing. Go skating. Inspire envy from another good looking woman.
I will lose 100 pounds.
I will make a plan. I will overcome the fear and anxiety I feel thinking about my body and my future. I will celebrate my accomplishments. I will learn from my failures and stop punishing myself for them. I will stop fearing food. I will show my daughters what a healthy, confident woman can do. I will become a healthy, confident woman.
Recovery Workout.
This morning's workout included:
5 min warmup on stationary bike
Warmup Hip Stretches
Hip Abduction (2 sets of 10 each side)
Bridges (10 reps held for 10 sec each)
Leg Stretches with Strap
2 min extra leg stretching
If you can't tell this was not a normal workout morning for me. I might no talk about it often, but every morning it is a struggle to get out the door of my house. This morning was an exceptional struggle. I have a child who wakes up between 4:30am and 5:30am each day. I try to leave the house by 5:15am. I usually fail at this because of aforementioned child. This morning was an epic failure. I came back inside to brush my teeth and get my bags while my car warmed up. While in the bathroom I stepped in poop. Enough said.
Last night I showed my husband the bruises on my legs from PT. I'm not sure that I'm okay with having bruises or not. I'm calling the physical therapist today to check on that. Regardless, he pushed me to at least get my PT exercises in so that I wasn't completely off schedule. I headed downstairs and did get that. I'm glad I did and I'm incredibly thankful for such a supportive husband.
Hopefully tomorrow will 'workout' a little better. Haha. I'm funny. :)
5 min warmup on stationary bike
Warmup Hip Stretches
Hip Abduction (2 sets of 10 each side)
Bridges (10 reps held for 10 sec each)
Leg Stretches with Strap
2 min extra leg stretching
If you can't tell this was not a normal workout morning for me. I might no talk about it often, but every morning it is a struggle to get out the door of my house. This morning was an exceptional struggle. I have a child who wakes up between 4:30am and 5:30am each day. I try to leave the house by 5:15am. I usually fail at this because of aforementioned child. This morning was an epic failure. I came back inside to brush my teeth and get my bags while my car warmed up. While in the bathroom I stepped in poop. Enough said.
Last night I showed my husband the bruises on my legs from PT. I'm not sure that I'm okay with having bruises or not. I'm calling the physical therapist today to check on that. Regardless, he pushed me to at least get my PT exercises in so that I wasn't completely off schedule. I headed downstairs and did get that. I'm glad I did and I'm incredibly thankful for such a supportive husband.
Hopefully tomorrow will 'workout' a little better. Haha. I'm funny. :)
Monday, January 23, 2012
PT: Day 2
So I figure I'm counting my PT appointments as workouts so I may as well post about them. If for no other reason I really don't want to forget all the exercises I'm learning. The hardest part is that I don't know what to call a lot of the stuff I'm doing. But I can describe them.
Today's Workout:
Warmup Hip Stretches - Stand facing a chair and put one foot in the chair. Lunge forward with arms straight over head, twisting upper body towards the bent knee and leaning to the side with the bent knees with arms over head. Do each modification 10 times. Switch feet and repeat.
Side Steps - Attach ankle shackles with latex stretchy bands connecting them (different bands offer different levels of resistance - therapist picks out the one she wants me to use). Side step for about 110 steps (length of the room) taking a big step out with one leg and a small step in with the other. Repeat going the other way without turning around.
Bosu Squats - Balanced on a Bosu Ball (picture of one to the right) squat and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Try not to fall off the Bosu.
Wall Ball Abduction - Stand sideways next to a wall with an exercise ball between you and the wall. lift the leg facing the wall sideways and hold 5 secs. Do 15 times. Repeat on the other side.
Leg Back Extension - This one requires a machine and exercises the gluts (butt muscle) when done right. I'm still learning to do it right and would need a glut machine (or whatever it is called) to repeat it.
Balance Board - The balance board used in the office has a half cylinder attached to the bottom of it, limiting the directions you need to balance (I couldn't find a good picture). Stand on the Balance Board for 2 minutes with feet parallel to the cylinder. Then stand for another 2 minutes with feet perpendicular to the cylinder.
Cage Stretch - Standing in the cage to the left, place one foot in the crook below the directions. Grab the bars above your head and hold for 30 seconds. Grab the bars to your right and hold for 30 seconds. Grab the bars to your left and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat twice for each leg.
Side Lying Abduction on Ball - Balance on your side on an exercise ball (kind of like a side plank but on a big ball). Lift the upper leg into the air 10 times. Don't fall. Repeat on the other side.
I was able to do all of these exercises to some extent except for the Hip Abduction on Ball. Maybe I was just tired. Or maybe I was doing it wrong, but I fell off the ball a bunch of times and definitely didn't get the movement from my hip that I was trying to achieve. Also the Leg Back Extension is still a strugle for me. if I don't concentrate I work the Quad instead of the Glut, rendering my leg sore and having to repeat it all again. However, I'm learning the exercises and I've definitely progressed from the last time I was in PT (2.5 years ago for the same problem).
One additional device of torture is the roller. A big part of my pain is from an inflamed and very tight IT Band. The only way to make it better is to massage the very sore side of my legs and strengthen the surrounding muscles. Can I just say OW. That is all.
Today's Workout:
Warmup Hip Stretches - Stand facing a chair and put one foot in the chair. Lunge forward with arms straight over head, twisting upper body towards the bent knee and leaning to the side with the bent knees with arms over head. Do each modification 10 times. Switch feet and repeat.
Side Steps - Attach ankle shackles with latex stretchy bands connecting them (different bands offer different levels of resistance - therapist picks out the one she wants me to use). Side step for about 110 steps (length of the room) taking a big step out with one leg and a small step in with the other. Repeat going the other way without turning around.
Bosu Squats - Balanced on a Bosu Ball (picture of one to the right) squat and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Try not to fall off the Bosu.Wall Ball Abduction - Stand sideways next to a wall with an exercise ball between you and the wall. lift the leg facing the wall sideways and hold 5 secs. Do 15 times. Repeat on the other side.
Leg Back Extension - This one requires a machine and exercises the gluts (butt muscle) when done right. I'm still learning to do it right and would need a glut machine (or whatever it is called) to repeat it.
Balance Board - The balance board used in the office has a half cylinder attached to the bottom of it, limiting the directions you need to balance (I couldn't find a good picture). Stand on the Balance Board for 2 minutes with feet parallel to the cylinder. Then stand for another 2 minutes with feet perpendicular to the cylinder.
Side Lying Abduction on Ball - Balance on your side on an exercise ball (kind of like a side plank but on a big ball). Lift the upper leg into the air 10 times. Don't fall. Repeat on the other side.
I was able to do all of these exercises to some extent except for the Hip Abduction on Ball. Maybe I was just tired. Or maybe I was doing it wrong, but I fell off the ball a bunch of times and definitely didn't get the movement from my hip that I was trying to achieve. Also the Leg Back Extension is still a strugle for me. if I don't concentrate I work the Quad instead of the Glut, rendering my leg sore and having to repeat it all again. However, I'm learning the exercises and I've definitely progressed from the last time I was in PT (2.5 years ago for the same problem).
One additional device of torture is the roller. A big part of my pain is from an inflamed and very tight IT Band. The only way to make it better is to massage the very sore side of my legs and strengthen the surrounding muscles. Can I just say OW. That is all.
Making Yourself Move.
Today I didn't feel like it. My kids were up at 4:30am. My oatmeal had spoiled in the fridge. My husband had knocked the little thing that sprays the windshield wiper fluid on my windshield (versus all over my engine) off while cleaning my car. And I have PT this afternoon. Saying I didn't feel like going to the gym this morning seems like the understatement of the year.
But I did.
My workout:
Today I decided to try the Arc Trainer. Since I'm using the Elliptical in PT for warmups and I haven't had great luck with the ones in the gym so far, I figured it was a good option. And I'm happy I did. I don't know if it is because the machines are newer or if it is just the way they are made, but there is a lot less friction in the movement. I don't feel as though I'm dragging my feet or the machine through the movement. That was very pleasant. And it left me to pay attention to how I felt and my heart rate/exertion level.
My sister said something this weekend while we were reflecting on our progress towards 5K completion. She said that as long as you were getting in the intervals, your heart would get better as recovering after a strenuous push. I had thought of the C25K intervals as training your muscles, but I hadn't actually considered that the heart is a muscle and you'd be training that as well. When thought of that way, the Arc Trainer really did work out perfectly for my interval training. I would push until my heart rate started to spike (I put that arbitrarily anywhere above 155 bpm) and then I would settle down and let it recover (less than 140 bpm).
I'm no doctor and I haven't done enough research to know that these are the correct or optimal numbers, but they worked for me today. I felt good getting off the machine and I'm still feeling good now (albeit still more grumpy than those around me would prefer).
Also, a note for history. I didn't get my workouts recorded at the end of last week. Thursday was my first PT visit which I will try to write about tonight after my second PT visit. Friday morning I tried a different type of elliptical and gave up on that machine after about 20 minutes. Pressure, or maybe tension, was building up in my calves and ankles and becoming uncomfortable. I switched to the recumbent bike for the last 10 minutes. I was surprised to find that I could still get my heart rate up just working my legs. I'm glad that I didn't give up, but I really wasn't happy with how I was feeling after that workout.
But I did.
My workout:
Hip Warmup Stretch
25 min Arc Trainer workout (level 1)
5 min stretch
Today I decided to try the Arc Trainer. Since I'm using the Elliptical in PT for warmups and I haven't had great luck with the ones in the gym so far, I figured it was a good option. And I'm happy I did. I don't know if it is because the machines are newer or if it is just the way they are made, but there is a lot less friction in the movement. I don't feel as though I'm dragging my feet or the machine through the movement. That was very pleasant. And it left me to pay attention to how I felt and my heart rate/exertion level.
My sister said something this weekend while we were reflecting on our progress towards 5K completion. She said that as long as you were getting in the intervals, your heart would get better as recovering after a strenuous push. I had thought of the C25K intervals as training your muscles, but I hadn't actually considered that the heart is a muscle and you'd be training that as well. When thought of that way, the Arc Trainer really did work out perfectly for my interval training. I would push until my heart rate started to spike (I put that arbitrarily anywhere above 155 bpm) and then I would settle down and let it recover (less than 140 bpm).
I'm no doctor and I haven't done enough research to know that these are the correct or optimal numbers, but they worked for me today. I felt good getting off the machine and I'm still feeling good now (albeit still more grumpy than those around me would prefer).
Also, a note for history. I didn't get my workouts recorded at the end of last week. Thursday was my first PT visit which I will try to write about tonight after my second PT visit. Friday morning I tried a different type of elliptical and gave up on that machine after about 20 minutes. Pressure, or maybe tension, was building up in my calves and ankles and becoming uncomfortable. I switched to the recumbent bike for the last 10 minutes. I was surprised to find that I could still get my heart rate up just working my legs. I'm glad that I didn't give up, but I really wasn't happy with how I was feeling after that workout.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Trying too hard?
Wednesday morning is brought to you by:
Warmup Hip Stretch
30 min on the Elliptical - Interval workout
Alternate 2 min 1 resistance 4 slope; 2 min 8 resistance 10 slope
5 min cooldown
2 sets of 15 on each leg Strengthening Hip Abduction
1 set 10 Bridges(5 sec hold)
5 min Leg Stretches
I finished my workout, but I'm not feeling great today. I'm a little concerned that I'm over doing it. The Elliptical feels easier if I go faster (ave 100 strides per minute), but at the rate I'm going my heart rate gets over 170 bpm for sustained periods of time. That might not be a good thing. It's good to know that I can push myself, but I don't want to over do it. I'm going to have to think on this.
Additionally there was no yoga strap available in the workout area for me to do the Leg stretches with the strap. I'm going to Target after work today to pick one up. I'm also looking forward to talking with the physical therapist tomorrow. I don't like how my knee feels when I use the strap for my stretches. I suspect I'm doing it wrong, but that's what she's there for - to get me doing it right.
Warmup Hip Stretch
30 min on the Elliptical - Interval workout
Alternate 2 min 1 resistance 4 slope; 2 min 8 resistance 10 slope
5 min cooldown
2 sets of 15 on each leg Strengthening Hip Abduction
1 set 10 Bridges(5 sec hold)
5 min Leg Stretches
I finished my workout, but I'm not feeling great today. I'm a little concerned that I'm over doing it. The Elliptical feels easier if I go faster (ave 100 strides per minute), but at the rate I'm going my heart rate gets over 170 bpm for sustained periods of time. That might not be a good thing. It's good to know that I can push myself, but I don't want to over do it. I'm going to have to think on this.
Additionally there was no yoga strap available in the workout area for me to do the Leg stretches with the strap. I'm going to Target after work today to pick one up. I'm also looking forward to talking with the physical therapist tomorrow. I don't like how my knee feels when I use the strap for my stretches. I suspect I'm doing it wrong, but that's what she's there for - to get me doing it right.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Biggest Loser Workout.
Tonight I'm watching the Biggest Loser and getting in a set of my PT exercises while I'm at it.
5 min bike warmup
10 bridges (hold each for 10 sec)
2 sets 15 reps each leg Hip Abduction
Warmup Hip Stretch
Leg stretches
I love watching this show, but I definitely don't think I want to by yelled at by Bob Harper. I'm not sure if that is a positive way to think or not. If I'm serious about getting in shape, should I want him push me through a workout? Could I do everything he told me to do? Watching the show he asks contestants to do more than they ever thought they could. And they do it. Does he ask more than they could really give? Or does he just know when there is some place they haven't tapped?
Deep thoughts for a Tuesday evening. Thankfully tomorrow's lunches are made, my gym bag is packed and the laundry has been swapped and folded. Fit life - fit body? Who knows.
I'm going to enjoy my show now.
5 min bike warmup
10 bridges (hold each for 10 sec)
2 sets 15 reps each leg Hip Abduction
Warmup Hip Stretch
Leg stretches
I love watching this show, but I definitely don't think I want to by yelled at by Bob Harper. I'm not sure if that is a positive way to think or not. If I'm serious about getting in shape, should I want him push me through a workout? Could I do everything he told me to do? Watching the show he asks contestants to do more than they ever thought they could. And they do it. Does he ask more than they could really give? Or does he just know when there is some place they haven't tapped?
Deep thoughts for a Tuesday evening. Thankfully tomorrow's lunches are made, my gym bag is packed and the laundry has been swapped and folded. Fit life - fit body? Who knows.
I'm going to enjoy my show now.
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