ZachPSU

Win: Generated some new creative exercises for a post-op ACL that had a failed hamstring graft from too-aggressive PT at a prior location.

NAW: Have not been communicating well at home, maybe had my head in the sand with the new job and sponging up everything at work.

Win: Did some IASTM (scraping tendons with what looks like a wicked butterknife) for the first time, didn't kill anyone and didn't get cussed at.

NAW: Got the different approaches for hip replacements mixed up with my boss just as I was going through someones second visit after their THA.  I was doing the right things, just couldn't identify the right approach.  He wasn't quizzing me like a jerk or anything, but it was just something that came up and then I wished I had known them better given I was currently working with someone with their new hip.

Welp, I've been busy!

First check-in after missing a few days.

Win for the day: Made great connections with both of my evals today on a level that should bring them back to therapy when we can do more fun stuff.

Not-a-win (NAW): Felt totally deer-in-the-headlights chasing a shoulder impingement on the first eval.  There is a whole lot of rust getting knocked off right now, but I'm going to get my head around it.

Here's to doing better!

Following along - Didn't know you are a dietician! Very cool, my new job has one on-site.

Hello Druids:

Well, I've been a First time challenger, a 2-time rebel, a warrior, and now a druid.  

The past 5 challenges have taken me from being a student on my final clinical rotation, that rotation being terminated prematurely due to COVID, boards being postponed due to COVID, being unable to work, ultimately fighting to get a seat for boards, passing boards, navigating a tumultuous healthcare job market, and finally (last week) landing a full time job.  I feel like I have been tossed by an angry sea for months and have finally been heaved onto shore somewhere, the sun is shining, but my clothes dry with salt-water stiffness and I am weary.  I'm thankful to have been washed to some sort of stability, and I am solemn for the majority of my classmates, friends, and former bosses in the clinical settings because most of them are still unemployed or furloughed.  

Still, I am exhausted.  My patience is short at home, and I am not at my best.  I want to cleanse and start my new profession off with my best foot forward.  I start next Monday once my insurance credentialing pushes through for billing and whatever they have to do.

I figure Druids is as good a place as any to go now as I continue my tour around the guilds.  

GOALS

1) Meditate, or otherwise chill-the-hell-out.  By the end of the day with the 2 kids I have been at my wits end, and zone out with some blue-screen stimulation. Either a show, a sporting event, or my phone.  That's okay, but I know I also need to just clear my mind.  This is my best time to do it.  I'm going to try to start with babysteps of being conscious of my phone use at night and limit it to no more than 5 minutes per hour, consolidated.

2) Journal.  I've learned about something called Imposter Syndrome lately.  It is apparently very common in the medical professional community where we just start to feel like we don't actually know the things we need to know, that we actually aren't qualified, etc.  Maybe its first job jitters, but I think journaling to be honest with myself about these feelings will be good.  I will try to score at least 5 days a week of a post here identifying a feeling I felt today.  A win, and a not-win.  "I felt great when I identified 2 special tests that were positive for this patient", or "I felt like a total noob when I couldn't generate more than one differential diagnosis for a case."

3) Workout/Nutrition.  I've been steadily fitness pal'ing with my wife and lost about 12 pounds or so and I am nearing a happy point for me, so i can resume a clean bulk soon.  Going to stick with the cut for another 2 weeks though, because technically this was to be my 10th week of the cut, we really went off the rails last weekend and I'm feeling it.  So I want to work that back out.  In addition to that, continue with my 3 day/week maintenance PPL program which is generally not a struggle for me, and then in 2 weeks switch to a 5 day/week PPL bulk.

It's nice to meet all of you and I look forward to us all sharing our success and struggles.

On 10/10/2020 at 5:41 PM, KB Girl said:

New job keeping you busy?  how’s it going? 

On 10/11/2020 at 7:47 AM, Chesire said:

Hello there!   Congrats on pestering the state and finally getting the official license!  
 

How’s the new job treating you?   

Thank you both for checking in!  Life was keeping me very busy, juggling the kids and coverage for random interviews.  Finally landed a full time job!  It is a little stressful because it is a physician owned group, which is some potentially sticky areas for physical therapy as PT fights to become more of an independent, direct-access point of healthcare, but options are very very limited and I need to do what is right for my family right now, and the clinic and group seems very nice and works with some really unique populations and has great stability even if COVID ramps back up here again, so those are all good things!  I should get a start date from HR sometime this week after they credentialize my provider number for billing, which I have no idea how that works but thankfully they do.

It's a big weight off my shoulders, and my family, so we did celebrate this weekend and had all of the delicious things in life.  Sushi, blizzard from DQ, Denny's for breakfast, and I am feeling very... ready... to workout and get back on the wagon this morning!

Going to move to a new challenge thread soon!

Yes, the above is correct, and the one or two CNAs that take their job seriously and are able to perform that caring patient care can make all the difference, they definitely get the most face-time with patients of most medical professionals.  

Today I ran for the first time since my tough mudder over a year ago.  Did 2.5 miles in about 24 minutes, could have went further I think but I knew better and stopped myself because I knew I would be sore, and lo and behold, I am sore tonight!

Eating 1980 cal/day from a TDEE calc for a 0.5-1lb loss weekly. 40/40/20 prot/carb/fat split. That said I usually end up around 150-170g of prot and carbs per day. 

Sleep is definitely an issue. Baby still in our room for another month in bassinet so usually I am sleeping from around 11:30 (after wifes last pump for the night) then we migrate into bed with me carrying dog to not wake baby with her toenails on hardwood. Wake around 2-4 if baby wakes for a feed, then I go to the couch in the living room so I can use an audible alarm to get up to lift. Or, wake up around 6:30 or so naturally if baby sleeps thru and then scramble to try to get lifts in before kids get up. 

Program has wednesday and sat/sun as rest as stands. Thinking about pushing it into a low volume PPL 3 day deal and add in steady state cardio T/R to help trim a bit more. Weightloss has stagnated around 162 for a few weeks so would prefer to add more cardio rather than cut calories more to stoke the fire. 

So sorry about dogdog  Looks like he had such a good life you gave him though, very happy pup!

Well damn, it's been a busy few days. First day(s) of work went well, got three days last week, just one so far scheduled for this week.  I've been at all 3 of this companys facilities.  The first 2 are literally holes-in-the-wall and floor, nursing staff that don't care (because they get paid peanuts and are mostly CNAs doing tough work for less than they could make flipping burgers).  Then the last one I went to for a full shift on Friday has been renovated, walked in to a 360 degree salt water aquarium with turtles and fish and everyone was pleasant and great to work with.  

Had a great phone interview with an ortho clinic last week, and have another phone screen tonight with a known orthopedic-mill, but they are both full time gigs which I desparately want.  I  can handle the grindstone for a few years doing 3-6 patients per hour to get some experience and then move on to a different job for sure.  I have a high tolerance for BS and don't burn out easily.

Warrior-related things, I've been struggling on my lifts, really tough.  I'm just not having any energy, maxing out my rests between sets, and usually just hitting my big 2 lifts for the day MTRF.  I'm thinking about reconsolidating and doing a MWF lift plan, just 2-3 lifts each day, and then add light cardio T/R, do my water rower one day and my treadmill the other.

Posting my log from past week of lifts in spoiler tag (hopefully it loads?)

Okay no idea I think its gonna be an attachment and not in the spoiler tag above   Who knows.  I will say on Thursday I tweaked my upper/mid trap overhead pressing.  I have a spot I have to stand on the floor (marked with tape) in order for any plates bigger than 10s to go up in between the rafters at lockout.  I was off a little and the left side slammed it pretty hard on my first working weight rep and knocked me sideways.  Recovered, but got a 3-4 day spasm there.  Mostly rested it Friday and took care at work with it and it's all better now.

Fight on!

19 hours ago, KB Girl said:

That is some serious dedication to working out! It's not an option to do it with the kids awake?

It could be done in between naps maybe, but would be rushed. My toddler would be entertained down there but the basement is a shared space with my tenants and his toddler curiosity would have him rummaging in all of their stuff. I look forward to a safer spot for the gym when we move eventually, so the kids can see us working out and get that positive messaging that it is fun and good for you. 

On 9/20/2020 at 8:45 AM, KB Girl said:

so I hope we get the test results tomorrow (which I assume will be negatives) and I can get out of this cage and go do some more lifting and rowing. 

The powerlifter in me says "Yes, get out of that cage so you can go get in another cage!"

Hope you're feeling better.

Starting work at my per diem gig tomorrow, just orientation and then probably shadowing/checking out their EMR and seeing how it runs.  I remember during the interview I asked, and it was one I hadn't heard of before so it might be pretty home-brew like and clunky, but what EMR isn't?  Workout this morning was okay, but I was a bit slow and sluggish fitting the trend with the cut.  Looking forward to reversing course soonish.  Probably mid-october, I don't have a firm end date but I want to give it a solid 8 weeks or so and I think I'm at 4 right now.

Spoiler for workout log (I'm trying to improve my handwriting, I thought of Harriet's short story she made of my last log :D)

Lat raises definitely looks like "Lat Rakes" - which is probably a great workout to build your lats.

6 hours ago, h3r0 said:

I'm late to the party but welcome to the warriors! Good luck on the challenge. 

Thanks!

7 hours ago, Harriet said:

 

Either my handreading skills are rusty, or this could be the start of an unusual novel: "String got me 185. Rear wort Ns. Wull." 

 

Oh, apple picking sounds so wholesome and pleasant!  

 

Your handwriting skills are astute, thats exactly what I wrote

Apple picking was really nice!  We picked concord grapes too for a change, my wife is becoming quite the preserver/canner so she is planning some jelly with them. My son, all jacked up on about 7 apples, decided to socially distance himself from the fam for the picture. 

We stopped for some food at some new restaurant in the country-area we were, and it was delicious, but we all endulged on ice cream after lunch and holy shit is my body revolting. I can tell I have been tracking and being mindful of my food because it literally feels like I swallowed a lead ball. 

DL day a good day, hit all of the lifts and felt like I could have done more. Apple picking with the fam today!  Hello Fall, my favorite!

20 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Ah it's not always an issue.. but I have these hip issues ever since my first pregnancy that are definitely overuse related. And since you use your abs quite a lot... especially when you're breastfeeding- and I do that like 8-10 times a day for an average of 15 minutes so that's like.. 2 hours a day? 

I also think that butt injury I had 3 months ago was probably from overuse- so not in exercise, but just in daily life. 

Disclaimer: In my recent studies I only had one lecture on pelvic floor -- the full elective is currently restricted to females only because of the internal exam portion in the lab and such.  I'm wondering if you had diastasis recti with your first or second pregnancy?  I know that can cause some neural overlapping of the motor fibers between the normally-separated abdominal and pelvic floor motor units.  Also, my wife has had some challenges with her SIJ after the second pregnancy which caused her pretty sharp pains for the first few steps after rising from the floor.  I'm able to reset it from time to time, and then if she does a solid few sets of bridges it will be better until she slacks off and stops doing the bridges lol.

Nice job Mudd!  In 9 months going from walking the second mile of a 5k to churning out 10ks on the weekends and a sub 7-minute mile, that's awesome.

18 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Fourth day of the lockdown! 
She’ll be 6 months this Sunday... crazy right? 
 

must have been a little scary for you guys? It seemed like hospitals were really full over there at the time? 

It wasn't too bad for us, in our area there were 2 hospitals designated as the COVID hospitals, and the 'premier' labor and delivery unit was at a different, smaller hospital, so there was actually only one active case there.  I stayed in the room almost the whole time, except to go get food at the cafeteria or get something out of the car, but never left the hospital grounds.  The leading up to it was more stressful, she was a late-April baby and so we had a month and a half or so of straight-up lockdown because my wife did not want to go in there without me because of me testing positive or something, so we were instacarting, sanitizing everything through the door, etc.

Happy early 6-month birthday to the little one!  I can't wait for ours to hit 6 months because then my wife is okaying removing the bassinet and moving her to her crib at night and I can finally set actual alarms on my phone to wake up and work out instead of moving to the living room if there is a nighttime feed so I can set an alarm out there on the couch, or, relying on my inaccurate-at-best internal clock to wake me up before 6 to give me time to get the workout in before kids up.

Workout below:

Assuming nobody can make out my chicken scratch, that's a MTRF split with three-ish 'maintenance' exercises, where I'm going for a tough 3x8 (I am considering dropping this to 3x6 because the numbers just aren't where I'd like them to be on some of it, lowering my volume some), and then 2-3 accessory lifts where I usually do a set of 12-15, wait 15 seconds, do another set to when I feel like I'm about to fatigue, wait 15 seconds, and try to pump out four additional sets at that mark.  If I can't get to that mark on a set, I call it there for that accesory.  For example, I did spider curls on 9/7 and did a set of 12, then managed to hit 6 reps 4 sets but couldn't get to 6 on the fifth set.

I frankenstein everything so it is what it is.  I use alot of shorthand, some of it medical PT shorthand (W check/"/" = wrist flexion/extension), some of it my own gibberish (SLDL - single leg dead lifts - probably not my own gibberish that's probably pretty common but I don't see any of my other originals on this pic I snapped).  

This mornings workout SUCKED.  I didn't get to do my accessory before my toddler was waking up and I had to go get him before he woke up the baby and momma bear.  Failed on my OHP at 95 lbs, when I was doing a variation of a 3x5 program I was pushing around 125 there, trying to get to body weight, but I'm just totally pooped on this caloric restriction.  So, I'm embracing the suck of being stuck at 95.  I hit 3x8 last OHP day, but barely (as I indicate with underlines under the last set of 'jesus that sucked, totally out of steam'), so I didn't push to 100 lbs, I have fractionals though so I could've went to 97.5 I guess.  Also missed my BP set this week, went 8/8/6, just a tough upper body week.  Lower body lifts went good.  Deadlift day tomorrow (I just do 1x5 for Deadlifts, not the 3x8, because I'm more interested in keeping the weight high for the deads than the volume).

------------------

Regardless, I'm doing well on the cut, I'm down to 162 according to the scale yesterday.  I've always had an easy time cutting weight, helped alot when I did MMA to drop a weight class for a smoker fight.  I might push it down to 155 or so (on my 5'5" frame, totally appropriate weight) and then slowly add more clean calories back into my routine so I can stop feeling totally drained in the workouts.

Also, got my license finally!  Calling and bitching every day has paid off.  My per diem employer is already in the works of scheduling me so I should start there next week, and I have 2 other recruiters looking for me for other part time or per diem work while the area here bounces back.

1 hour ago, KB Girl said:

our kids are almost exactly the same age

Oof, so you did the whole giving birth at the early stages of a pandemic thing too, what a story the kids will probably never appreciate lol

4 minutes ago, KB Girl said:

Being patient with toddlers is just not very easy.. what helps for me is regularly reminding myself that they simply cannot control themselves. And by regularly I mean like chanting to myself in my head "she's only 3, she's only 3, she's only 3" on bad days

Yes, this. Last night he wanted to put his lotion on, but he already squeezes the toothpaste tube too hard putting his toothpaste on, and we ended up with a living room covered with lotion after he slipped away and ran down the hall squeezing the tube with both hands. 3 mins later he snuggles you and says he loves you and Im just thinking about a rapid cycling mood disorder he must have, or just being a normal pain in the butt toddler. The 2s were great. 3s?  Yuck. 

4 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

Sympathies on the work situation! I can only imagine the levels of stress that causes, and I hope it improves soon. 

 

What program are you following with the lifting? Is there a link to it I can see? (I have barbell withdrawal and live vicariously through other warriors right now.)

 

 

 

 I actually just looked for about 5 minutes on Legion Athletics website and couldnt find my base. Someone might recognize it when I snap a pic of my workout log tomorrow for in here, or might not because I always frankenstein for my enjoyment. 

Hanging tight?  Even routine surgeries are crazy in today's times.  My area just opened up elective surgeries after 6 months of a close-down.

I'm in the camp of onlookers wondering about the Avocado Oil as well.  Did it have a nice taste?  I guess its technically better for you than EVOO?  Are you even allowed to use EVOO in a cast iron?  All I know is cleaning up ours with the little chainmail thing, my wife tells me to re-oil it with basic vegetable oil and not the fancy stuff.  I'm just a sous chef, I am not the mastermind in the kitchen in the slightest.  Unless its protein shakes/smoothies.  I can broscience some of those up real nice.

Hello Warriors!

Just a rebel here finding his way.  Initially the warriors called to me as just about the only thing I can control in the chaos of my life right now is my morning workouts, the rest of my day is dictated by baby, then toddler, and fitting in wife-time throughout.  A brief introduction since I haven't interacted with most of you (except Hazard and Harriet briefly for my form check on my deadlifts a month or two ago).

I am a 30something career changer who decided to change careers from mental health counseling to physical therapy because I wanted to continue to help people, but sitting all day was driving me nuts and killing my back.  I'd also always been interested in sports and working out so it made perfect sense!  Flash forward 5 years later and I graduated with my doctorate of physical therapy in May, just in the middle of our friend COVID-19.  I'm in New York which has been one of the more stringent/hard hit (at least early spring) states.  So, the rehab services area has not been bouncing back so well.  Most of my colleagues who passed their boards are also still waiting on their license (like me), but cannot line up any of the very few jobs available.  Therefore, I am Mr. Dad'ing it with my 4 month old and my 3.5 year old, so my days are pretty much full anyway, but the novelty of being home with the kids has worn off over the past 6 months or so and I am very ready to get back to the real world and make some income.

Anyway, my past few challenges over in the Rebels area were kind of well-rounded, I developed a goal for a traditional character sheet for Strength --> Charisma.  I'm going to try things a little differently this time.

Goal 1: Hit 160 on the scale.  - Currently around 168-170 or so, but my body comp has definitely changed some since I'm not on my feet in a clinic doing PT work with people all day (usually got around 22k+ steps per day when I was in outpatient or inpatient units), and my diet has only been slightly adjusted.  So this is more of a bodycomp goal really.  Had to dress up for the first time since business casual for my last day in clinic in March, and my polo was usually a nice sport fit, but it definitely looked a little more 'rounded and filled out', so I need to get back into business casual shape for when my license hits and I finally get to be a real adult again.

Goal 2: Maintain workout.  - This has been tough since I started MFP again and went on a slight cut.  I was working out 3x/week with an incremental load focused on DL progressions, but that ran straight into a wall almost immediately after starting my cut and food logging.  So I stretched my workouts to a 4x/week program, lower volume with high-ish weights to try to maintain muscle mass without having the high volume/reps to eat away the muscle.

Goal 3: Be more patient. - This is more ambiguous, but I think its a combination of feeling very caged in from experiencing life and not having a job for the, I think, longest streak since I have started working in my teens; and the lack of adult interaction, the slightly reduced caloric intake, or even the seasonal change to winter imminent; but I have not been very patient with my toddler.  

Goal 4: Start working. - This is totally in the hands of NYS.  They furloughed 3 of the 4 people who work in the department that pushes the licenses for allied health professions after new applicants pass their boards.  In my opinion, this should be a simple click of a button that compares that applicants degree conferral to the state board exam results, and then prints a license number.  I also think this should be something that can be done from home.  Evidently I am incorrect on both fronts and this takes 2-3 hours per applicant being reviewed, and there are a few hundred at least in NYS, given this office processes PT, OT, SLP, PA, and all nursing licenses.  It's a hot mess.  I have been calling daily hoping they get tired of me but now I go to voicemail so that's fun.  BTW, they've had my money for the license application since February.  /rant off.  I have one per diem employer on the hook who has been waiting very patiently for over a month, I offered to already complete the onboarding paperwork virtually so that saves them from paying me for a half day of paperwork or so, but they are getting antsy to fill the position.  I've had 2 other positions (both really good ones) pass me up because NYS cannot process my license yet.  It's incredibly frustrating.  Okay, /rant off for real this time.

That's it, 4 simple goals, and I hope to get to know all of you soon.  I'll post my actual workout log here tomorrow.  Right now I'm MTRF for my lifts, so Wednesday is my chill day and I typed this up quick during babygirls first nap!