Finally. Some weather this weekend that approximates spring. It's about damn time.
Cold makes me a cranky pants.
My fitness program and progress does not make me a cranky pants. I've settled into the weight training nicely (except for some problem with the plank leg lifts which I'll talk to Rog about on Monday). I'm walking outside again, three times a week, around the flood control lake near the house early in the morning. It's been chilly but tolerable. Everything on my body is looking a bit tighter and sleeker, especially the booty and legs. Nowhere near where I'd like it but it's making me happy.
Weight was down to 216.6 lbs. on Wednesday. The monthly weigh in on Monday will tell the tale on how productive March was, so if I get 3 lbs. I'll be happy. Considering the number of weekends I slacked off and the lack of exercise for most of the month. I'm looking forward to making great progress over the next three months and getting close to the goal weight.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
All's Right With The World
Last night I suddenly had such a sense of order returning to my world after weeks of disorder. Rog is back and we caught up last night. I'll be getting a new training plan soon and will be back to rocking the weights. Health issues (both mine and the hubster's) are at least under control again. Spring is coming...slowly, slowly, but it is coming. Soon I can break out the spring coat and T-shirts.
Life is good.
Life is good.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Positive Changes
A quickie because I've got to get out the door to the gym this morning...PICTURES!! New Year's Day to St. Patrick's Day. Momma is happy.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Coming Out Of The Dark
I have been very very lazy about posting this month. I have excuses, oh yes, lots of excuses. Too many doctor and PT visits, a husband in the hospital, winter just won't go away, I have a cold. They are excuses but the reason is that I have been lazy.
Time to stop being lazy. (ha!) I am still making progress with my weight loss but it has been extremely slow. Maybe I needed it to be slow because my excuses, although excuses, are true. But spring will be here on Thursday, my health issues (and my hubby's) are abating, and my cold isn't really all that bad.
My pattern has always been that I have extreme difficulty being on a diet and following a strict fitness plan at the same time. I've been known to do it for three or four weeks and then slowly one or the other starts to fall off until I'm left with only one. This time it was the fitness plan. I did have a good reason (not an excuse!) because my PT asked me to quit lifting. But I didn't follow through with my plan to keep up the cardio. So much for my reason! My hands and wrists are essentially back to normal. Although I won't be able to jump into full heavy lifting right off the bat, I can do lighter sets until I get my strength back. I can get on the Air-Dyne twice a week and do some intervals. I can get my butt out of the house and walk the neighborhood a couple times week. All doable. It just takes commitment and not being lazy.
My diet has been pretty good. Not spot on every day. I've had a couple of breaks where I don't track my calories but stick to my "no sugar/no grain" rule which keeps me in check. I lost another pound last week and am down to 217.8 lbs. That's only 1 1/2 lbs so far this month. Not that great but still going in the right direction. However, when I look at my legs, hips and booty, things look smaller. Maybe it's my imagination. I'll take pictures today because I missed it when the hubby was sick. Relying on the scale is ok but pictures tell the story, morning glory.
So...more posting, back to the gym, get on the Air-Dyne, get out of the house and walk. That should jump start this old body out of the doldrums!
Time to stop being lazy. (ha!) I am still making progress with my weight loss but it has been extremely slow. Maybe I needed it to be slow because my excuses, although excuses, are true. But spring will be here on Thursday, my health issues (and my hubby's) are abating, and my cold isn't really all that bad.
My pattern has always been that I have extreme difficulty being on a diet and following a strict fitness plan at the same time. I've been known to do it for three or four weeks and then slowly one or the other starts to fall off until I'm left with only one. This time it was the fitness plan. I did have a good reason (not an excuse!) because my PT asked me to quit lifting. But I didn't follow through with my plan to keep up the cardio. So much for my reason! My hands and wrists are essentially back to normal. Although I won't be able to jump into full heavy lifting right off the bat, I can do lighter sets until I get my strength back. I can get on the Air-Dyne twice a week and do some intervals. I can get my butt out of the house and walk the neighborhood a couple times week. All doable. It just takes commitment and not being lazy.
My diet has been pretty good. Not spot on every day. I've had a couple of breaks where I don't track my calories but stick to my "no sugar/no grain" rule which keeps me in check. I lost another pound last week and am down to 217.8 lbs. That's only 1 1/2 lbs so far this month. Not that great but still going in the right direction. However, when I look at my legs, hips and booty, things look smaller. Maybe it's my imagination. I'll take pictures today because I missed it when the hubby was sick. Relying on the scale is ok but pictures tell the story, morning glory.
So...more posting, back to the gym, get on the Air-Dyne, get out of the house and walk. That should jump start this old body out of the doldrums!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Stepping Back Onto The Long Road
After my diagnosis of RA, I realized just how much more important my diet and fitness efforts are now. It's obvious that my joint problems will not go away and I'll never reach a point where I'm completely pain-free. That being said, getting down to a healthy manageable weight and focusing on mobility and strength training will keep my body as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
I'm committing to getting back into the gym three days a week, doing mobility exercises every day and walking 5-6 days week. I'll do what I can to improve performance but I'll always need to pay close attention to any joint pain that comes up. From my research into exercising with RA, it seems that joint pain can flare up at any time and there won't be any warning. I think my hand and wrist pain got so bad because I kept lifting very heavy weights despite the pain and I wound up with tendonitis.
Here's my workout for today:
Leg press 90# x 1 x 6, 90# x 1 x 5, 90#, 2 x 3
One-arm DB row 15# x 3 x 8
DB push press 7.5# x 3 x 10
Plank on elbows 3 x 30 sec
Y portion of Y, T, I shoulder lift on a ball 3# x 3 x 15
Using dumbbells was difficult due to the pain in my left wrist. I'm going to try cables on Wednesday to see if that works better. I think I'm going to be very limited on how much dumbbell work I can do and I think barbells are out of the question right now.
I'm committing to getting back into the gym three days a week, doing mobility exercises every day and walking 5-6 days week. I'll do what I can to improve performance but I'll always need to pay close attention to any joint pain that comes up. From my research into exercising with RA, it seems that joint pain can flare up at any time and there won't be any warning. I think my hand and wrist pain got so bad because I kept lifting very heavy weights despite the pain and I wound up with tendonitis.
Here's my workout for today:
Leg press 90# x 1 x 6, 90# x 1 x 5, 90#, 2 x 3
One-arm DB row 15# x 3 x 8
DB push press 7.5# x 3 x 10
Plank on elbows 3 x 30 sec
Y portion of Y, T, I shoulder lift on a ball 3# x 3 x 15
Using dumbbells was difficult due to the pain in my left wrist. I'm going to try cables on Wednesday to see if that works better. I think I'm going to be very limited on how much dumbbell work I can do and I think barbells are out of the question right now.
Friday, March 8, 2013
A New Life Chapter
Well...
I'm at a bit of loss as to what to say here so I'll just come out and say it.
Yesterday I received an official diagnosis of RA (rheumatoid arthritis). This is something that has been dancing around the edges since my hand/wrist pain started back in August. Although I've been pursuing this as if it was just really bad tendonitis, I had a couple of blood tests that were pointing to RA. Yesterday I had my appointment with the rheumatologist who did a thorough examination and believes I do have RA. I still am having trouble believing it because my symptoms are so mild that there are at least a half dozen reasons I've been telling myself why I have them, ranging from plain old age to over use to injury.
I'm being put on a medication I need to take once a week, along with a daily high dose of folic acid. Apparently this medication goes after folic acid and can causing nausea and other unpleasant side effects. I've started reading what's out on the intertoobz but so far it's not been very helpful. Mostly along the lines of "everybody's different, there's no clear disease progression and you'll have to be closely monitored, and oh by the way this disease really really sucks." Nothing to make me feel good or hopeful about any of this.
I guess the good thing is that I don't need to see the physical therapist or hand specialist again. I'm told the medication will make the pain better. We'll see. I have no restrictions on weight training so I guess I just need to play that by ear and work closely with my trainer.
*sigh* It's always something.
I'm at a bit of loss as to what to say here so I'll just come out and say it.
Yesterday I received an official diagnosis of RA (rheumatoid arthritis). This is something that has been dancing around the edges since my hand/wrist pain started back in August. Although I've been pursuing this as if it was just really bad tendonitis, I had a couple of blood tests that were pointing to RA. Yesterday I had my appointment with the rheumatologist who did a thorough examination and believes I do have RA. I still am having trouble believing it because my symptoms are so mild that there are at least a half dozen reasons I've been telling myself why I have them, ranging from plain old age to over use to injury.
I'm being put on a medication I need to take once a week, along with a daily high dose of folic acid. Apparently this medication goes after folic acid and can causing nausea and other unpleasant side effects. I've started reading what's out on the intertoobz but so far it's not been very helpful. Mostly along the lines of "everybody's different, there's no clear disease progression and you'll have to be closely monitored, and oh by the way this disease really really sucks." Nothing to make me feel good or hopeful about any of this.
I guess the good thing is that I don't need to see the physical therapist or hand specialist again. I'm told the medication will make the pain better. We'll see. I have no restrictions on weight training so I guess I just need to play that by ear and work closely with my trainer.
*sigh* It's always something.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Coming Out Of The Fog
So where the heck have I been the last few weeks? Lost in the woods, dazed and confused, just plain out to lunch.
To recap:
1. The hubby had a nasty run-in with an Internet "herbal pain remedy" that mimiced the symptoms of a TIA. This went on for a week and finally land him in the hospital. Fortunately, that is not what it was but it was a big scare for both of us. I kept up with my food plan for as long as I could but while he was in the hospital over the weekend I let go of tracking my food but did stick to my "no sugar, no grain" rule with good results.
2. The good result was another pound off this week. I started February at 224.2 and started March at 219.4 (about 5 lbs. gone). This was with minimal exercise of any kind.
3. My wrist is still slowly getting better. I got a new wrist wrap and am making every effort to use my left hand as little as possible. This seems to be making a big difference.
4. I got real tired of the lower body circuit Rog gave me and quit it altogether during the hubby scare. But, feeling antsy to get back in the gym, I went in this morning and did a weight training workout, foam rolling and mobility exercises first of course. Here's what I did.
Leg press 3 x 10 x 50#
Monster walk/sumo walk 3 x 10 each direction
Machine chest press 3 x 8 x 10#
Seated machine row 3 x 8 x 15#
Standing Pallof press 3 x 12 sec x 8#
Wall glute march 3 x 10
This felt just about right, not too hard and not too easy. The chest press bothered my wrist a little bit but not enough to matter. I think I can return to weight training as long as I stay away from free weights and most cable exercises. As long as my wrist is in a stable non-weight bearing position I should be ok.
We've got a huge snow storm coming tomorrow. They are predicting 7-10" so I'm not sure I'll be dug out by Wednesday morning to get to the gym. Hopefully this is the last snow of the season because I'm so ready for spring it's insane.
To recap:
1. The hubby had a nasty run-in with an Internet "herbal pain remedy" that mimiced the symptoms of a TIA. This went on for a week and finally land him in the hospital. Fortunately, that is not what it was but it was a big scare for both of us. I kept up with my food plan for as long as I could but while he was in the hospital over the weekend I let go of tracking my food but did stick to my "no sugar, no grain" rule with good results.
2. The good result was another pound off this week. I started February at 224.2 and started March at 219.4 (about 5 lbs. gone). This was with minimal exercise of any kind.
3. My wrist is still slowly getting better. I got a new wrist wrap and am making every effort to use my left hand as little as possible. This seems to be making a big difference.
4. I got real tired of the lower body circuit Rog gave me and quit it altogether during the hubby scare. But, feeling antsy to get back in the gym, I went in this morning and did a weight training workout, foam rolling and mobility exercises first of course. Here's what I did.
Leg press 3 x 10 x 50#
Monster walk/sumo walk 3 x 10 each direction
Machine chest press 3 x 8 x 10#
Seated machine row 3 x 8 x 15#
Standing Pallof press 3 x 12 sec x 8#
Wall glute march 3 x 10
This felt just about right, not too hard and not too easy. The chest press bothered my wrist a little bit but not enough to matter. I think I can return to weight training as long as I stay away from free weights and most cable exercises. As long as my wrist is in a stable non-weight bearing position I should be ok.
We've got a huge snow storm coming tomorrow. They are predicting 7-10" so I'm not sure I'll be dug out by Wednesday morning to get to the gym. Hopefully this is the last snow of the season because I'm so ready for spring it's insane.
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