Inuries Abound

Several things have happened since September's post.  First...school started.  I am a teacher.  I have found it very difficult to maintain my level of training.  Mostly due to my daughter's after school activities.  I need to reprioritize.  Second...I had several injuries.

During the third day of phase three, I was trying to discover what weight I could fail on.  Well, my shoulder began to hurt.  Not just muscle soreness but in the joint.  I stopped immediately to rest it.  I still did legs that week and cardio but my right shoulder was in severe pain.  I iced it.  I applied heat. I took ibprofen.  Eventually I called the doctor.  It ended up being bursitus.

WebMD: "Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of the bursa. The bursa is a sac filled with lubricating fluid, located between tissues such as bone, muscle, tendons, and skin, that decreases rubbing, friction, and irritation."

The way to treat it is rest, ice, and anti-inflammatories.  It took a month of rest before my shoulder felt normal again.  Around that time, it was Thanksgiving break.  My brother invited us to come to North Carolina to his in-laws lake house.  We had an amazing time but I fell down the stairs and injured my other shoulder!  Again...ice, rest, and anti-inflammatories.  No gym.

I have gained much of the weight back.  I have been feeling sluggish, fatigued, and mentally slower than I did during the summer.  I hate feeling this way. 

First 5K! Could I be a runner?

On December 8, I ran my first 5K!  I hadn't been training.  My shoes were worn down.  But I beleived in the cause and helped to raise money for my school team.  I ran with three kindergarten teachers.  All of them run regularly.  I thought, I was in really good shape.  My muscles wont fail me.  WRONG!  I alternated walking and running.  I tried to walk half a mile and run half a mile.  I lagged behind my team but at some point while I was running, I realized that had I went back to training when I was well or gotten into the pool, I wouldn't be struggling this badly now.  I finished in under and hour and was very proud of that.  I could barely walk the next day I was so sore.  I knew then that I would have to get back to what I know was working for me before my injuries.

This is from the Fit2Run website.

I am determined to return to my training.  For Christmas, Josh took me to Fit2Run.  It's a shoe store specifically for runners.  They digitize your foot print to discover where you are placing all your pressure.  They measure your foot and video record you running on a treadmill to assess what kind of shoe you need.  We discovered that I overpronate (especially on my right foot), which would account for the knee pain I experience after running.  The saleswoman recommend a shoe with a post in it and orthepedic inserts for my collapsing arches.  We tried many pairs on.  She jogged behind me to assess my gait and give me pionters on how to fix it.  It was a great (and expensive) trip.  I left with shoes, inserts, and compression socks.

This is the shoe I ended up getting.  LOVE them!

The next day, I was back to Phase 1, Day 1 of Jamie Eason's program.  I thought about trying somthing new but I had such good results the first time.  It was my own fault I didn't complete it.  Hopefully this time I will be able to.  I learned my lesson.  Keep the weights challenging but it's not worth it to push so hard I cause an injury.  So, wish me luck. 

Phase 3

I have now made it to the third and final phase of the Livefit program.  The past eight weeks have been all about building a solid foundation of muscle on which this phase will depend!  Finally...we are going to deal with the FAT!!!  Jamie Eason's program advises that its difficult to maintain muscle growth while creating the type of caloric deficit needed to burn fat.  Her recommendation?  HIIT!

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training.  I'll be combining HIIT with plyometrics, supersets, and active rests to keep my heart rate up, burn the fat, and maintain (maybe even grow) my muscle definition.

Remember a few posts ago when I mentioned talking myself through a set?  That was nothing.  While performing these...


Yeah...that's right...he's on one leg!

I was groaning, blowing out hard during a muscle contractions, counting out, and counting down.  I got some very strange looks.  I had to remind myself of my new mantra, "Get fit like no one's watching".  What did I care?  Could they do what I was doing?  They were probably just checking out my awesome new butt, amazing biceps, and kick-butt calves!

I wish I had someone take a pic of me during this workout.  I was focused.  I was pumped.  I was DRENCHED!  I have never been so sweaty in all my life.  I am notorious for running errands right after the gym since I'm out anyway.  I'm usually not sweaty enough to care about being around other people.  No way was that going to fly today!   Here's a pretty close mental picture --->

All in all, it was an amazing workout.  I am exhausted.  My quads and calves are screaming.  Tomorrow will be rough.  Thankfully it's a training day for teachers so I will be sedentary...although that might not be a good thing.  I've noticed that I'm not as sore when I keep my body moving and stretch in the morning or right before bed.

Weight/Measurement Check

Measurement	July 8	August 10	September 11
Weight	168.2	162	154.5
Bust	40 inches	39 inches	38 inches
Waist	37 inches	36 inches	33 inches
Hips	41 inches	41 inches	39 inches
Butt	43 inches	42 inches	40.5 inches
Biceps	R: 12 in   L: 11.5 in	R:  11.25in    L: 11.75in	R: 11.50in    L: 11.5 in
Thighs	R: 21 in   L: 22.25 in	R: 23 in          L: 23.25in	R: 22in          L: 21.5 in
Calves	R: 14.5 in  L: 14.25 in	R: 14 in          L: 13.5 in	R: 14in           L: 14 in

Total Weight Loss so far: 13.7
Total Bust Lost: 2 in
Total Waist Lost: 4 in
Total Hips Lost: 2 in
Total Butt Lost: 2.5 in

Biceps, thighs, and calves fluctuate and there may be some error in measurement placement. 

The Pics...duh duh duh

July 8

July 8

Aug 10

Aug 10

Sept 11

Sept 11

I am extremely pleased and motivated by these results.  I feel strong and confident.  My clothes are getting a lot bigger on me and I'm pulling things out of the clothes that I had given up on years ago.

My goals now include kicking it full tilt in the gym and improving my eating habits.  They are 100% better than they once were but I still struggle with eating on time and preparing my meals ahead of time. 

The Gym Experience sans headphones

Musings

I've had an interesting time at the gym the last few days.  I misplaced my earbuds so I was without my usual beat bopping tunes.  My time at the gym is usually extremely focused on my form and I use the music to time my reps and sets which helps keep my heart rate up.

Sans headphones, people talk to you more...a lot more.  While wrapping up my workout and heading to the stationary bikes for my cardio, I said hi to a guy who had made eye contact and was also on the stationary bikes.  This small opening sent him into a half hour monologue about all sorts of stuff...less than half of which I could understand due to his slurred speech pattern (not drunk just a strange speech pattern).  Now, every time he sees me he starts talking to me.  He's friendly enough but I can't understand hardly anything he is talking about.

I recognized a women whose children used to go to my school.  I said hi and asked how they were settling into their new school.  It was really nice to connect with another mom in my community.  However, an older women nearby jumped into the conversation to input her very strong opinions about the public school system and teachers.  It was entertaining to watch her backpedal when I told her I was a public school teacher.  I see nothing wrong with people expressing their views.  We are all entitled to them.  But she didn't stand by them once she knew I was on the other side of the fence. This effectively ended the conversation.

I noticed more people smiling and saying hello.  The meandering trainers asked how my routine was going and inquired into what program I was using.  It was kind of nice and I felt more a part of the gym with the earbuds off.  Also, you get to hear all kinds of interesting conversations.

Like the group of teenage boys (14-16) who are so very misinformed about diet and exercise and who spend more time texting than talking to each other or lifting.

Or the the two older guys who talk politics while lifting and poke fun at each other's faces while lifting.

My favorite though, is not a conversation.  I was doing barbell step ups next to the barbell "cage".  There were two young guys doing squats (again, there was more talking and texting than actual lifting).  In between sets they were grabbing the bar and "dirty" dancing with it.  I had to stop stepping for my own safety caught I was laughing so hard at them!  They laughed at themselves too.

Progress Report

I have two more workouts to complete until my next weigh in and measurement.  I'm so anxious to see if I have made any progress.  All the pants I bought for work are already too big at the waist.  They fit great in my thighs and hips but I'm going to have to have them altered at the waist.  My energy is 100% better than it was last school year.  I lost a lot of weight last summer but I didn't gain much muscle so it was harder to maintain the weight loss.  Now that I'm gaining a decent amount of muscle mass, I think it will be much easier to maintain.

This is a video from Jamie Eason.

Reflection

I was going through some old photos.  My inspiration for staying on track:


Mother's Day 2012 w/ my daughters, Jordan and Emily.  Look at that belly!



This one is from April 2010.  This is when I first started my journey.  This was a few months after I had Em.  Don't I look so excited to be holding that snake?  I lost a bet with my students and had to hold it.



Excuse the messy room.  This was last summer at my lowest weight 155.  Gained all I lost back last year because even though I counted calories and exercised regularly...I hadn't really changed the way I think about food. 



Phase Two!

Great Changes!

I've been doing the LiveFit program for five weeks.  Somehow I managed to stay away from the scale for four whole weeks.  It was hard at first since it was a habit I had formed but now I just schedule it on the calendar and don't think about it until it's time. 

Just so we can be clear on the growth here.  At my first weigh in and measurement take...

July 8:
Weigh: 168.2

Sorry the ones on the left are blurry...my five year old took them :o)

bust: 40 in
waist: 37 in
hips: 41 in
butt: 43 in
biceps: 12 in (R), 11 1/2 (L)
thighs: 21 in (R), 22 1/4 (L)
calves: 14 1/2 in (R), 14 1/4 in (L)

Remember there was a week and a half hiatus with lots of resteraunt food....I wonder how much more dramatic my results would have been without that break.

August 10:
Weight: 162lbs
bust: 39 in.
waist: 36 in.
hips: 41 in.
butt: 42 in.
biceps: 11 1/4 in (R), 11 3/4 in (L)
thighs: 23 in (R), 23 1/4 in (L)
calves: 14 in (R), 13 1/2 in (L)

The changes =

Weight...down 6.2 pounds
Bust....down one inch
Waist...down one inch
Hips...no change
Butt...down one inch

My biceps and calves both went down a little, my thighs went up.  This may be a measurement error since I am measuring myself but I am okay with these parts changing to be more shapely! 

Plus/Delta

The easy part of LiveFit are the workouts.  I print them out each day, I head to the gym around the same time each day (kids in tow), and push hard while I am there.  I love the time alone.  I put on my music and tune the world out.  For one hour each day, I am completely focused on doing my personal best physically.  And seeing the types of changes I have been keeps me motivated.

The most challenging is the food.  The food is delicious but I it takes a lot more prep time than I had anticipated.  I haven't stuck to my meal plan each week.  My hubby is doing a juice fast right now though, so I will be able to only focus on me and not worry about whether or not anyone else will eat the meal because I know I will.  I offer my dinners to my daughters and they often will try a bite or two but often wont eat it. 

The Meals

This morning I made this Strawberry Banana Protein bread for breakfasts for the next few days.  It's cooling right now but I'll let everyone know how it is in the next post. 

I made this 3 Bean Turkey Chili last night. It makes 10 servings so it will be my dinner all week long.  My 15 year old neice liked it enough to have two helpings last night.

For lunches I will have a big salad with baked chicken on top and a half a sweet potatoe. 

My mid-am meal is always a Chobani greek yogurt.  I prefer the apple/cinnamon or peach flavors.  My mid-pm meal is always a protein shake.  My recipe is 1 cup Almond Milk (unsweetened vanilla is my favorite), four frozen strawberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, and 8-10 frozen peach slices, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder. 

Gaining Confidence

Took a little hiatus while I got back into the grove of the LiveFit program.  I am currently on Day 25.  For the past two weeks, I have done the same workout four times and been able to increase the weight each time.  Today, I moved from exercises to exercises knowing I could handle the weight and that I would be a little sore the next day and that would be a good thing.

I know I am guilty of wussing out.  For example, I have to do chest presses with the a bar.  I could do them on a machine but I feel I get a better workout with a bar.  For a long time, I was convinced I could only do the bar with no weight.  I do 3 sets of 12 and be proud of my work.  I have never gotten the kinds of results I wanted doing this.  The past couple of weeks have been about breaking my own boundaries.  I threw 5lbs on there.  It felt good but I didn't feel a burn.  I threw 10lbs on.  Slight burn.  15lbs...burn by the third set.  By the fourth workout I was doing 3 sets of 10 with 25lbs on the bar!

I have gained so much confidence in the past four weeks of this workout.  I feel strong and while I don't know if I've lost very much weight (due mostly to my week and half hiatus) but I know my clothes are fitting very differently.  I will be taking my measurements this weekend to see if they have changed much since the beginning.

On another note...I'm now obsessed with workout fashion since I'm spending 5-6 days working out.
I am a major fan of the cropped workout pant.  I recently tried on about 10 different pairs of shorts and can't deal with having that much leg exposed while working out...yet.  One article I read said that layering long leggings with shorts is an in trend for fitness wear.

My biggest struggle is the sports bra.  It is near impossible to find one I like that is also somewhat affordable.  When you have a decent sized rack finding a bra that keeps you locked and loaded can be difficult.  Feel free to comment on your finds ladies because I am stumped! 

Love these capri length blue pants and the mosaic bra

Love these from here



Took a stay-cation

My mom was in town this past week.  I haven't seen her in two years since I haven't been able to get up to Ohio and she has been able to get down to Florida.  I took the week off of the LiveFit program while she was here.  I didn't make it into the gym and I was off my eating schedule.  We ate out a lot as well.

While I feel like I tried to make better choices while at a resturaunt there was definietly an increase in fat, calories, and especially sodium.  Twice I completely threw up my hands because we went to two of my favorite places.  Mr. Souvlaki's...a Greek place in Tarpon Springs that has the best Greek I've ever had.  And Bahama Breeze...another of my all time favorites to celebrate the fact that I had passed my oral defense for my masters degree.

Needless to say though that I am ready to get back on track.  I am not going to start from the beginning but will pick up where I left off.  I am going to start week 4 over.

Today, Thursday, is Day 22 on the program and my favorite workout...legs.  I'm supposed to do single-leg barbell deadlifts with kettle weights.  That are seriously difficult.  Especially on my left leg which is a log weaker than my right leg.

Tomorrw is Day 23...back and biceps. 

Feel pretty unmotivated but going to force myself to get it going again.

Pilates = Birthing Positions 101?

Until this morning, I had never attended a Pilates class.  I tend to think in pictures.  This was my mental picture of Pilates…

Got this picture of this website

These women are extremely fit and they use those slider apparatus thingies that look like torture devices from the medieval times.  I think those things look terrifying!  I was freaked out that I was going to have to do something I was physically incapable doing.   Deep breath.  I reminded myself that I was Getting Fit like No One is Watching.

I’ve been attending my sister-in-laws gym in the mornings with her this week.  We decided to give it a whirl.  I’ll admit I was a little nervous about what I would look like doing God only knows what kind of exercises.  I have almost no flexibility so I know my range of motion would be limited.

I realize now that my mental image should be reserved for advanced Pilates loyalists.  Here’s my new mental image…

Here’s what I loved about it:

1.     Atmosphere: The instructor kept the lights dim. The music was very new age and relaxing.  I found myself relaxed afterwards even though I had worked my butt off.

2.     Breathing: The focus on when you should inhale and exhale allowed me to actually contract and release my muscles as needed.  I found it easier to make it through a whole exercises when focused on my breathing versus thinking about how awkwardly I had to hold my legs or feet.

3.     Flexibility of movement: Although I know I don’t have much flexibility, I see the benefits of exercising your body this way to strengthen the core and gain more flexibility.

Here’s what I didn’t like about it:

1.     No mat:  I don’t own a yoga mat so I was doing the exercises on a towel on a wood floor…my poor tailbone!  Anytime we did an exercises were we were balancing on our bottoms, I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t really focus on the exercises.  If you plan to start taking a Pilates class, invest in a mat.

2.     Low calorie burn: I don’t think I burned as many calories in this workout as I do other classes so I would do this on top of my regular exercises routine…unless you take it to another level with those torture devices.

I’m brand new to think and I do believe I will be trying it again.  I found myself having to keep myself from giggling several times.  Rhythmic breathing, there is a lot of grasping your legs behind your knees, contracting and releasing.  I’ll bet people who do Pilates regularly have amazing pelvic floors.

Today is Day12 on the LiveFit program.  It’s a rest day. I’m sticking close to home.  Doing some housecleaning and maybe even taking a nap!