I HEART My Physical Therapist!!

Last week I started physical therapy and I just LOVE Jana.  I know she is going to help me rehabilitate and get back to the level of exercise that I'm used to.  I woke up this morning feeling so rejuvenated!  I had a fun girls' night with a new group of friends (I also HEART sushi!), and was looking forward to my therapy session. 

I was cautiously optimistic to hope that I could return to teaching my classes by May, HOWEVER, Jana believes it will be more like June (growling to myself...).  Here's how she explained it:  even though the machine is now fixed (aka, my injury is healed), it is still not working properly.  In other words, during my healing, my left foot, ankle and calf atrophied and now I must work on restabilization and balance.  I still have soreness and pain, but that's because those muscles are all "waking up" and have to be strengthened.

I LOVE that she has given me clear parameters to my gym workouts: 
-recumbent bike for no longer than 30 minutes and no higher than a 4 (to which I keep my RPMs above 100 and have been getting a great sweat!) - and only every other day
-Swimming no more than 2x a week - 75% breaststroke and 25% freestyle (due to the tendonitis that flared up in my right shoulder)
-Weights: only performing lifts that keep my elbows close to my body (bicep curls, alternating bicep curls, hammer curls, tricep kickbacks). 
-Continuing with leg lifts, strengthening the hips, outer and inner thighs, and adding in clamshells to strengthen the glute muscles that assit in your stride.

Another thing I've been working on is being conscientious of my stride because I've been walking on the outsides of both feet while favoring the injury site.  I've been trying to thinking about it:  make contact with your heel, roll slightly out on the outsides of your feet and finish by pushing off the ball of your big toe. 

Next week I believe I'll begin using the regular bike.  Jana doesn't actually like the recumbants as well because she says they put a strain on your quads and hamstrings and a false sense of stabilization in your back.  I'll be looking forward to transitioning away from them!  (And I'm DYING to get the "go ahead" to attend spin class!)

Here are my thoughts on returning to teaching:  June is looking good for teaching Turbo Kick at a low impact intensity level (no jumping); it will probably be closer to July before going back to Hip Hop Hustle, as that class is difficult to modify.  I also have high hopes to return to PiYo in the next couple of weeks.

I've been feeling so hopeful and energetic ever since learning that my foot has healed.  I'm going to start the Three Day Shakeology Cleanse next week and boost my metabolism even more.

Here's to a great week, everyone!  Keep your chin up and remember this:  SOMETHING is better than nothing.  Find the workout that you can squeeze into your day/week and make it a habit!  I would LOVE to be your coach, so please contact me if you have questions!

I WILL be back to Turbo Kick...VERY soon!  ;)

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Guess which girl has a healed stress injury?  THIS girl!  Guess which girl gets to stop wearing her rigid carbon insole?  THIS girl!!!!  That's right, the MRI shows that my injury is HEALED, PEOPLE!!!!  So that means no more tennis shoes in my house all day every day.  It also means that I'm not ready for high heels yet.  But I'm hoping to find some cute flats with a good arch that can suppress my urge to throw my tennis shoes out the nearest window.

So why, pray tell, does my foot still hurt?  According to the doctor, my foot is de-conditioned and I need to undergo physical therapy to SLOWLY return it to normal activity.  Translation:  I probably should not pop in my Turbo Kick DVD tomorrow and start learning the current round.  HOWEVER, I have my first appointment with the physical therapist (one who specializes in getting athletes back to their sport of choice) and I'm anxious to get on her program.  I'll be slowly, incrementally, gaining strength and getting back to Turbo.

Awwwwww  Yeahhhhhhh.... that's what I'm talking about!!!!  (Doing a happy dance, albeit it's more of a "hopping in a circle on my right foot" dance).

Bring on the Physical Therapy:  this Tuesday at 10:45am (not that I'm counting down the minutes or anything).

What was your workout today and how is your nutrition?

So...  I have worked out every day this week and feeling really great.  I've been hitting it hard on the weights and my legs, so now my body's totally sore.  Today's workout consisted of a great swim.  40 laps in 35 minutes.  I'm sure I'm not breaking any records, but I guess it's a good pace for me because it's consistently my time.  Also, I only swim once or twice a week.  It's pretty hard for me to get to the pool and the times you can lap swim are scattered, so I don't go as often as I'd like.  But I'm trying to make the hand bike hip (come on - you see how cool I look on it and you know you want to try!) and using that and the recumbent bike as part of my cardio routine.  side note:  YES - it's true!  You can burn 22 calories in 10 minutes on the hand bike!!!  Isn't that inticing!??  LOL  I seriously don't know how it's only 22 calories because it really does feel like more of an exertion that THAT!  But oh well.  It gets my body warm and ready to lift.

Now to the next subject...I've said it before and I'll say it again... Nutrition and what you put in your pie hole constitutes for 80% of your efforts.  In other words, if you workout every day of your life, but eat like crap, you're never going to lose weight and/or change your body.

I have to say, this is a big reason how I've stayed in "somewhat" good shape during this LOOOOOONG drawn out injury ordeal.  Like I've said in past posts, I did put on some weight due to depressed and emotional eating at times, but I'm over it now and I'm back on track.  A lot of my nutrition depends on my health shake for which I preach about all of the time (probably driving most of my friends mad), but I'm so passionate about the impact on health that this one little shake makes.  For more information on it, click here.

Make sure you're eating whole grain carbs (DON'T YOU DARE cut out carbs.  That the WORST health trend I've ever seen. Very unhealthy and it will derail your efforts), plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and getting lots of protein.  Try to stay away from processed foods if you can, but as with everything... MODERATION is the key.  You don't have to cut out processed foods altogether (hey... I'm not!), but try not to eat them daily or rely on them for the bulk of your nutrition.  I'm talking about frozen meals and basically most things in the pantry.

I guess I'll get off my soap box now.  Just wanted to lecture today, I suppose!!

I'm gearing up for my 2nd MRI tonight and a follow up with my doctor tomorrow.  I can't wait to see how my foot is healing and to hear when he thinks I may return to Turbo.  Plus, the thought of laying in the MRI machine sounds dreamy.  Am I crazy?  Some time to myself, laying down prone, with no one needing anything from me?  Sorry, it sounds lovely to me.

Peace out!

Time keeps on slippin slippin slippin... into the future...

First off, by recommendation of a dear friend, I have changed my blog name to reflect that I am, in fact, a fitness "addict" more than anything else.  It's true.  Exercise is certainly my drug and I really have been feeling like I'm going through withdrawls.  Once you become addicted to exercise and you're pulled out of the game, it can be very depressing and sink you deep deep down to a dark place.  HOWEVER, I believe that I've pulled through the worst of it.  My attitude, though I still feel low at times, is SO much better and now I'm dreaming of a day when I can TURBO again...

I've also decided to call this my "Diary" instead of "Adventures."  I guess that's because sometimes it just doesn't feel like I'm on an adventure.  Adventures are fun and this has been stressful!  ;)

Moving on!

Okay folks, March is gone and I officially felt it was my best month in terms of "being good."  Lots of swimming, leg lifts, core training and upper body lifting.  Zero biking (well, one 5 minute session on resistance level 1...boy that was a hoot) and zero impact on the foot... sans your basic walking around plus up and down my stairs eighty times a day due to the small children and their constant need for this or that.  But I have been wearing my shoes with the rigid insoles at all times, just like I was told!!  See?  I CAN follow orders!

This past week I had a bone density scan and that came back normal.  So now I know that I am actually a low risk for stress fracture.  Great.  Thanks bone density machine.  Can you please tell my foot that?

Now I wait...next orthopedic check up is this coming Tuesday.  Waiting...waiting...waiting...  Tick/Tock...

In the meantime, I feel that over the past 2 weeks I have really put my nutrition and eating in check.  No more eating just because I'm sad or feel sorry for myself.  Feeling a lot better and things are starting to seem brighter...

Maybe the doctor will tell me that I can do squats!  WOW!  (These are the little things that make my day).

Side note:  Here's another thing that always makes my day... when I slip on a hoodie I haven't worn in a while and find a Pomegranate Burt's Bees lip balm in the pocket.  Mmmmm-mmmm ... luscious!

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for reading!  XOXO

Day ??? - Who's Counting?

Okay, so I'm changing a few things with my blog.  For starters, I'm abandoning my original countdown.

When I started my blog, I had this hair brained "goal date" of when I would be returning to my normal activities.  I've come to realize that you can't set a date for your body to realize (DUH!).  My brain is FAR more ready to resume my normal fitness levels than my body is.  And guess what?  That's OKAY.  So now, no more counting down the days until I can return.  Instead, I will be taking things one day at a time.
Will I gain weight during my recovery?  Yes, probably.  And I already have.  But that's okay.  Right now I am focused on staying healthy and getting recooperated.  There are SO many more important things to worry about and I don't want to spend anymore time worrying about myself. 

I'm giving myself permission to rest on all fronts.  I will continue to exercise carefully.  That means, I probably won't be doing any major calorie-burning sessions at the gym any time soon, but I will continue to stay active and keep my habit of working out.

My shoulder is still bothering me and it's been 10 days since I swam (oh, but who's counting, right!?!?), but I have still been going to the gym. Yesterday I even climbed aboard the recumbent bike for FIVE WHOLE MINUTES.  Hey, it's a start and I'm really trying to follow the doctor's orders.  Really.  Like, for serious.

When you're injured, it's very easy to fall into some sort of a depressed state.  Today is a new day.  Today I will rest, I will enjoy my family and I will look forward to going to the gym tomorrow for another light, but effective, workout.  Side note:  I joke about only being able to do leg lifts at the gym. You know, the inner/outer thigh 80's style workout?  But MAN those suckers are HARD!  Move over thighmaster!!  Now get down on the floor and lift your leg 100 times!  Go on, try it! 

The next thing to look forward to is my doctor appointment in early April.  I'm determined to have a better appointment than this month's. 

It's time to start honing in on my willpower.  It's time to stop eating as though I'm burning 800 extra calories a day.  I CAN do this but I know it takes more than that.  You really have to WANT something in order to make the change and I WANT it.  Like, for serious.

And you, dear reader, what do YOU want?  Don't just say you're doing to do something.  Come on!  JUST DO IT (thanks to Nike for the most incredible catch phrase ever).

Day 31 - Attitude Adjustment

Are you like me?  Do you workout even when you're injured, ignoring slight pain just to get your workout in?  Are you a crazed fitness fanatic that will stop at NOTHING (almost) to get a workout in?  It's a DRAG not being able to workout to my full potential, but I have been trying.  PEOPLE, I have been TRYING!  Somehow, however, I still manage to stay injured or ... the latest ... exacerbate an old injury.

I am not sure what I ever did to my right shoulder, but I have a reoccuring issue that becomes inflamed every now and then if I am not careful.  After several sessions with the lovely Jennifer Nevala, my favorite Physical Therapist, I was armed with some simple shoulder strenthening exercises.  They are wonderful to pull out of my arsenal if ever I feel the pain coming on. 

Today I'm taking another rest day.  My last workout was on Wednesday and it was an amazing swim.  I beat my time by 5 minutes, and decided to stay in the pool for an extra 10 laps.  I was feeling awesome! 
(side note:  I TOTALLY beat that woman swimming laps next to me!!  Plus, I could see underwater that she was putting her feet down during her breast stroke.  Cheater!!  Really, I'm just joking... ;)  Also, I had lifted heavy on Tuesday.  I did the same routine this past Saturday plus a swim on the same day.  My right shoulder had been bugging me for a while, but did I stop and do my physical therapy exercises before continuing to push through the pain?  NO, I did not.  I did, to my credit, THINK about doing it.  "Hmmm, my shoulder is starting to bother me again.  Maybe I should take this week off shoulders (including swimming) and just do my physical therapy exercises for a week."  That was a thought I had recurringly throughout this past month.  Hard headed as I can be, I did not rest my shoulders.  I was getting SO excited about swimming, that I didn't want to lose my stride. 

So now, here I sit, shoulder in excruitiating pain.  One nice thing about my shoulder bothering me is that I haven't noticed any foot pain in the last 2 days!  This is what I have decided to do:  This week I will continue to stay out of the gym and work on floor legs and abs at home, as well as my shoulder strengthening exercises.  That is going to have to be enough for this week.  AND, I am wrapping my head around aligning my eating with my decrease in activity.  I simply can not eat as much as I like if I am not able to workout as hard as I like.  That's the simple truth.

Today is the day I stop feeling sorry for myself, stop pushing myself unnecessarily, and start paying better attention to my body.  I will stop comparing myself to others (why is that 50 year old ultra marathon runner injury free!?!?!?!?  Why is the woman who created Turbo Kick 10 years older than me and doesn't have any of the issues I do!?!?!?) and start taking more pride in myself. 

We are all made differently.  Our bones and bodies are each unique.  Some of us are just simply more prone to injury for some reason or another.  It doesn't make you or me a weak person.  It doesn't even mean we have to stop all activity and become lazy.  It just means that we, as athletes, have to take a little extra care when doing our favorite sports or activities. 

So I'll keep taking my Vitamin D and Calcium supplements, as well as my Shakeology, and start exercising more gently until there is no more pain.

What about you?  What will you do to better yourself or your outlook today?  Do you have something going on in your life that is bringing you (and your attitude) down?  Let's figure out a way to turn it around.  We're in this together, dear reader!

Day 22 - Hand Bike and the Blues

So I have had some really great workouts this week, but I'm pretty depressed.  On Monday, I felt so great.  I did 25 minutes of core and floor legs.  Then I set out to do 20 min on the recumbent bike.  I kept it at a low resistance of 3 (I think that's low!!!  I'm trying SOOOO hard to follow directions!)  After 20 minutes, my tunes were so kickin', that I thought I'd shoot for 10 miles instead of watching the time.  I kept my RPM at 100 the whole time, and I was consciously trying to put most of the pressure on my right foot.  I must've been favoring the outer part of my left foot, however, because by that evening I was in a lot of pain.  Woke on Tuesday to the same pain.  I decided to swim on Tuesday and that felt amazing, but the foot was still sore.  ARGH!!!  GETTING SO FRUSTRATED!!

I have to say, it's really hard to stay positive when my foot hurts each and every day.  I have been keeping my shoes on all day everyday, but I do a lot of standing and walking.  I hope that's okay, because that is my life.  There is very little sitting down and I don't know how to change that, unless I hire a nanny and live in house keeper!!

Side note:  I am obsessed with all things "Real Housewives of..." on Bravo.  They just started a new crew of ninnies from Miami.  These women are so beautiful and perfect, and some have had more than 2 kids!!!  If I had nannies for each child, plus a personal chef, then I'd have no excuse not be in tip top shape!  Although the show is so silly, I'm still totally obsessed with it.  Just love all of those crazy broads for some reason. 

So even though my last 2 workouts were really great, I did not start off my week very well.  I know it's because of the foot.  It's getting hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel...

I woke up this morning and thought, here we go... each day is a fresh start.  I did an awesome biceps and triceps circuit (3 times through), then abs and 10 minutes on the hand bike.  That thing is harder than it looks!!!  I had to make myself stay on for 10 minutes and at the end, my arms were burning.  I had, however, just lifted pretty heavy, so I'd like to try it BEFORE my lifting next time just to see how it feels.  I actually got a teeny little sweat out of it, but the readout said I only burned 20 calories.  I guess that's my coffee creamer.  Woo-hoo!!!  I'm going to be skinny now!!!  haha

Okay - send me some positive thoughts.  I'm heading to my orthopedic doctor this afternoon and we'll see what he says.  I hope he says that this is all normal and that it's just a long and slow progression and that I just have to be patient.  PLEASE pray that no surgery will be required...

Man, this was a bummer post!  Gotta go hug my little guy and get some happiness vibin' through my bod.  Cheers!