MsLouise's Fat Busting Challenge

[SunSeeker]

I know this may seem drastic, but have you thought of sleeping in another room?  I have to do that at times when I'm having a particularly bad time at staying asleep.  

 

Love the picture!  Love the location!  I am currently living in Ohio and the trails here don't have beautiful vistas or incredible scenery or anything but lots of trees and bushes.  I miss the mountains of the Appalachian Chain and I miss Texas.  We move a lot.  I would love to get in a situation where we could live half a year on the coast and half a the year in the southwest and a half a year somewhere else spectacular....  We are hoping to get there soon!

 

The key for me in the balance poses is finding a spot on the wall to focus my eyes and concentrate on that spot.  If my eyes shift from that spot I lose my balance.  

 

I tend to just take Level 1 classes at the studio and the teachers really help people get into the poses correctly; however, we have been left in a pose for quite some time as she fixes each of us.  Thank goodness the classes where I go are pretty small.  I just started my home practice at the beginning of this challenge and I like it because I can focus on what I feel I need that day: trying different styles, the hamstrings, or just doing Sun Salutations.  

[MsLouise]

Woof.  Wednesday is a long day for me (extra work hours and stress), but I am getting through it.  My motivation for the challenge is still high, but I do have two things to work around this week.  One is that our fridge at home is broken, and I am really getting tired of only being able to buy as much perishable food as we can eat on the spot.  Having to go to the grocery store *every* night after work when we're hungry and not be able to keep leftovers is getting really old.  Unfortunately, this may take several more weeks to fix.

 

This week's second challenge is navigating through the medical insurance billing thicket while trying not to stress about money and my health.  I have some big test results pending, but it turns out that no one will tell me what they are until we sort out the billing stuff, so I'm spending more of my time on the phone with the doctor's office and the insurance company than I would like, and am dealing with the background anxiety of what the tests will say.  This is probably a week when I need to schedule relaxing activities to keep my mind distracted.  Yoga class this week is Friday, so that will help.  Maybe I'll call the studio and see if their spa has any massage appointments open before my class.

 

My muscles had some pretty strong things to say after all the hard new stuff I've been asking of them, so I'm taking a gym break today.  I did manage about 15 minutes of yoga this morning.  If I can squeeze in another 30 minutes here and there, I'll count that as a yoga workout, and if not I'll count this as a total rest day.

 

 

I know this may seem drastic, but have you thought of sleeping in another room?  I have to do that at times when I'm having a particularly bad time at staying asleep.  

 

...

 

I tend to just take Level 1 classes at the studio and the teachers really help people get into the poses correctly; however, we have been left in a pose for quite some time as she fixes each of us.  Thank goodness the classes where I go are pretty small.  I just started my home practice at the beginning of this challenge and I like it because I can focus on what I feel I need that day: trying different styles, the hamstrings, or just doing Sun Salutations.  

 

Melyssa, I do evacuate to the office sometimes, but our futon in there is pretty darn uncomfortable.  I think this will get better with time, especially if my husband can adjust to his mask--he is having a hard time with the air making his nose itch all the time, and then he rips the mask off to scratch it.

 

It sounds like you've found an awesome beginner class.  I should probably go take a smaller beginner class (our class is pretty big) to get those basics down.  I got through 15 minutes of Jason Crandell's morning class, and then his 5 minute desk yoga one today (that one was great for my horrible shoulders).  Hoping to fit in another 15 here at lunch and then a bit when my long workday is done.

 

I hope everyone is having a good Wednesday.  I am tired out, but seeing it through.

[UnterDennis]

Keep at it, Ms. Louise! Broken refrigerators and insurance hassles are definitely no fun, but taking control of the things you do have control over (your goals) will hopefully be empowering so you can take the other stuff in stride. Sounds like you're managing to do so, and I hope you are able to keep the great attitude!

[MsLouise]

Keep at it, Ms. Louise! Broken refrigerators and insurance hassles are definitely no fun, but taking control of the things you do have control over (your goals) will hopefully be empowering so you can take the other stuff in stride. Sounds like you're managing to do so, and I hope you are able to keep the great attitude!

 

That's an awesome way to look at it, UnterDennis, thank you!  Yes!  Tonight I will take control of dinner and plan something relaxing before bed.

[SunSeeker]

MsLouise!  Way to take control of your dinner.  I have little patience with mechanical failures...I just want things to work the way they are supposed to work and leave me be.  So I understand your frustration with the refrigerator especially since it is taking so long to get it fixed.  Then to top that off with insurance stuff and I can totally understand if you just threw up your hands.  Great job at keeping a great attitude and focused on maintaining control of your challenge.  

 

Keep up the good work!  "See" you Sunday evening.

[Elastoman]

 

 

BEGIN RANT: Before we get to the good stuff, can I just say how irritating it is that I am doing all the work, eating right, and sweating all the sweat without seeing the scale budge in either poundage or body fat % while my husband is sort of kind of eating better just because I'm cooking good food. He isn't exercising at all, and is eating and drinking stuff I am not,  and yet he is seeing weight loss?!  Seriously?  Stupid boy metabolism and muscles.  I mean, I'm thrilled for him, but just a little jealous.  END RANT.

 

Grade for the week: O for Outstanding!  I came in at 19/21 meals on plan with no deviations or unplanned snacks.  Exercise was 4/3 workouts, and I am feeling strong!  The scale may not be going anywhere, but I know for sure that my legs and backside are growing strong.  All those clams and resistance band side walks are paying off.  I am also at outstanding for my revised sleep goal, as I was in bed by 10 Monday-Friday, and I did pre-bed relaxation 3 times.

 

LOOT!  Yes!  An outstanding grade for last week means I can claim some treasure.  Self, you are owed one pair of neato new gym flip flops (for wearing in the gym shower, because ick).

 

So what went right in week one?

 

1. Planning ahead: I was in a good position to ramp up my exercise as I already had a gym membership and workout clothes.  I slayed the morning motivation dragon by prepping my gym and work clothes every night so all I had to do in the morning was stumble into my gym clothes and pick up my gym bag.  This is a winning combination for me.  I was able to stave off potential disaster (my work and home refrigerators were both broken) by steaming up tons of veggies so that I'd always have something healthy to eat.  

 

2. Asking for help: I found Nerd Fitness, and am really benefitting from having a healthy community to participate in.  I can't say it enough, you guys are amazing.  I also enlisted my husband for support, and he has been great about helping me stay on track with my food.  Next up, it's time for me to ask for help with my workouts (specifically: working on perfecting my squat form, need to decide on a few simple upper body exercises to add, and have a slew of questions for my physical therapist, mostly having to do with the boring repetitiveness of doing the same PT exercises all the time).

 

3. Making healthy substitutions and having healthy treats: in the past, trying to go cold turkey and deny myself everything good and be hungry all the time has been a recipe for disaster.  This time, I gave myself a free pass on steamed veggies, so I didn't ever have to feel hungry.  I have also worked hard to find healthy treats that turn this challenge from an experiment in deprivation into a delicious new way of eating.  For me, things like fruit, kombucha, the occasional fruit or veggie shake or yogurt and things like that are total treats and really help keep me on track.  I am worth it, and if spending money on blueberries and kombcha keeps me away from pastries, then that's a great trade off right now.

 

I'm feeling great, and had a fantastic workout at the gym this morning, so week two is off to a good start.  Potential challenges this week include some medical stuff, and the fridge at home being out of commission.  I need to plan ahead to keep those and other unexpected challenges from derailing me this week.

 

I am excited to catch up on threads and see how people are doing.

 

Never been a harry potter fan, but I love the grading system and that you're rewarding yourself. Also really appreciate how reflective you are being. I feel like that's really going to help you get the most out of this challenge. Regarding the man rant, my wife and I have the same issue. I can't seem to put on fat even when I try (yes, I've tried) and definitely make faster gains in the strength department. I think enlisting your hubby to support you in your quest is key. And as with any life improvement I really think this challenge is about the process - setting goals, building habits, being accountable, being self-aware, etc. more than the end results. It's just easier to focus on the results because those are easy post. Reflecting on and refining the process like you are doing is way more significant than specific numbers.

 

Woof.  Wednesday is a long day for me (extra work hours and stress), but I am getting through it.  My motivation for the challenge is still high, but I do have two things to work around this week.  One is that our fridge at home is broken, and I am really getting tired of only being able to buy as much perishable food as we can eat on the spot.  Having to go to the grocery store *every* night after work when we're hungry and not be able to keep leftovers is getting really old.  Unfortunately, this may take several more weeks to fix.

 

This week's second challenge is navigating through the medical insurance billing thicket while trying not to stress about money and my health.  I have some big test results pending, but it turns out that no one will tell me what they are until we sort out the billing stuff, so I'm spending more of my time on the phone with the doctor's office and the insurance company than I would like, and am dealing with the background anxiety of what the tests will say.  This is probably a week when I need to schedule relaxing activities to keep my mind distracted.  Yoga class this week is Friday, so that will help.  Maybe I'll call the studio and see if their spa has any massage appointments open before my class.

 

Life. Just keeps getting in the way, right? Seriously though, kudos for powering through some significant hurdles. It's all the more rewarding when you can say "Yeah, my day/week/month sucked and I still nailed my workouts/diet/life quest." Keep it up.

[MsLouise]

MsLouise!  Way to take control of your dinner.  I have little patience with mechanical failures...I just want things to work the way they are supposed to work and leave me be.  So I understand your frustration with the refrigerator especially since it is taking so long to get it fixed.  Then to top that off with insurance stuff and I can totally understand if you just threw up your hands.  Great job at keeping a great attitude and focused on maintaining control of your challenge.  

 

Keep up the good work!  "See" you Sunday evening.

 

Hah, Melyssa, I have a very apocalyptic world view, so I'm never surprised when things break down since I pretty much assume that everything is on the verge of disaster most of the time.    However, for an introvert, I am a really bossy person, so what I struggle with is not turning into a scary control freak when this stuff happens, especially if I can't fix it by myself.  My natural inclination is to tell the burlier members of our household to get the fridge moved!  Just get it done! But that's not a super constructive attitude, and bossing them around never works.  I guess suppressing this inclination could be considered a character building exercise?  Although, sometimes I feel exactly like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes when his Dad attempts to build his character.  

 

 

Never been a harry potter fan, but I love the grading system and that you're rewarding yourself. Also really appreciate how reflective you are being. I feel like that's really going to help you get the most out of this challenge. Regarding the man rant, my wife and I have the same issue. I can't seem to put on fat even when I try (yes, I've tried) and definitely make faster gains in the strength department. I think enlisting your hubby to support you in your quest is key. And as with any life improvement I really think this challenge is about the process - setting goals, building habits, being accountable, being self-aware, etc. more than the end results. It's just easier to focus on the results because those are easy post. Reflecting on and refining the process like you are doing is way more significant than specific numbers.

 

 

Life. Just keeps getting in the way, right? Seriously though, kudos for powering through some significant hurdles. It's all the more rewarding when you can say "Yeah, my day/week/month sucked and I still nailed my workouts/diet/life quest." Keep it up.

 

Hey, Elastoman!  Thanks for the encouragement, your comments were really helpful.  I wish I had that problem with putting on fat!  I love to cook, so I'm trying to channel my natural inclination to make delicious fat/carb bombs (risotto! dutch bunny!  cake!) towards making delicious healthy food (cauliflower risotto?).  

 

I'm keeping at it, and am working on redefining success so that I'm not focusing on the numbers.  You're right, they're not actually all that important.  When I set out on this challenge, one of my unspoken mantras was just to focus on cleaning up my food and establishing a consistent exercise habit, both of which I've done!  It's easy for me to get caught up in the numbers when things are going well, and then to get down and beat myself up when the numbers aren't budging or my health is not good.  Some days, just taking care of myself and not making my health worse is in fact a successful and productive day.  

 

Plus, I think it's time to give myself some credit on the food front, although it's hard for me to do.  I am now at day nine-ish of a complete dietary overhaul, which is actually a big deal!  I'm eating according to plan 90% of the time (my target), and have given up a huge amount of unhealthy food.  I know one of the tenets of this site is "you can't outrun your fork," and that totally makes sense.  I just wish my subconscious believed that instead of telling me dumb stuff, like to push too hard at the gym, or to value myself by my weight, etc.  

 

Therefore, despite my evil subconscious beating me up for not working to injury at the gym this morning, I am giving myself some credit.  Right now.

 

I went to the gym this morning!  Despite having a couple of body issues acting up, I went to keep my habit consistent, and I adjusted my workout so that I didn't hurt myself.  I felt like I was phoning it in, but I was there, and I adjusted my plan when I realized that my body couldn't handle a hard workout.  That's good!  Right? (shh!  be quiet, evil subconscious!)

 

And, I am crushing my food goals!  I have eliminated fast food, fried foods, and all unhealthy carbs.  And I have added in a ton of healthy vegetables, and even tricked myself into eating my nemesis, the leafy greens.  That's a lot.  I'm proud of what I've done so far.

 

Hey, look, I feel better already!  That totally worked.  I'm very grateful for the helpings hands being extended to me here.  Thanks you guys.

[AshPS]

Wanted to stop in and say hi. LOVED the comment you left over at Meta's. It is wonderful to meet people with a good sense of humor!

 

Wishing you all the best with your challenge and the difficulties your having!

[Der Kreiger Konig]

Hi MsLouise! How has the sleep been going?

[cavemom]

Thanks for stopping by my thread.  It seems like we have a lot in common, even down to being nearly the same age.  I'm subbing to your thread, and will read through it all when I have a little more time. 

[MsLouise]

Yay Friday!  I'm feeling reinvigorated about exercise after a great physical therapy appointment this morning (amazing what someone noticing all the hard work I've put in did for my morale), and am looking forward to my challenging vinyasa yoga class tonight.  I treated myself to some fancy new shake ingredients today with delicious results.  Who knew sparkling cucumber water was a thing?!  Mixed that up with aloe juice, watermelon, lemongrass, and mint and felt like I was on vacation.

 

Wanted to stop in and say hi. LOVED the comment you left over at Meta's. It is wonderful to meet people with a good sense of humor!

 

Wishing you all the best with your challenge and the difficulties your having!

 

Hey Ash, thanks for stopping by!  That whole exchange over at Meta's thread is hilarious, and I love that we're getting to have some fun with this challenge stuff.

 

Hi MsLouise! How has the sleep been going?

 

Hey Warrior King!  Mixed.  I wish I could say "great!" but I think we're looking at small steps here.  I'm making some progress on keeping my brain quiet when there are background noises like wind or branches by using white noise or music in earphones at night, but still having trouble with waking up at red alert adrenaline levels whenever there's a louder noise.  I have been doing very well with prioritizing my bedtime and doing some pre-bed relaxation.  I am hopeful that my improved health along this road will contribute to better sleep.

 

Thanks for stopping by my thread.  It seems like we have a lot in common, even down to being nearly the same age.  I'm subbing to your thread, and will read through it all when I have a little more time. 

 

Hey cavemom! Thanks for stopping by.  I don't know about you, but my thirties have definitely been the time when background aches and pains have gotten noisier, which is part of why I'm working on my fitness.

[cavemom]

Hey cavemom! Thanks for stopping by.  I don't know about you, but my thirties have definitely been the time when background aches and pains have gotten noisier, which is part of why I'm working on my fitness.

 

Yes!  I feel like an old lady sometimes, and I'm thinking, I'm only 34 now, how am I gonna feel when I'm in my 60's and 70's?  That's why I've gotta figure life all out right now so I can relax when I'm older.

[Elastoman]

Hey, Elastoman!  Thanks for the encouragement, your comments were really helpful.  I wish I had that problem with putting on fat!  I love to cook, so I'm trying to channel my natural inclination to make delicious fat/carb bombs (risotto! dutch bunny!  cake!) towards making delicious healthy food (cauliflower risotto?).  

 

I'm keeping at it, and am working on redefining success so that I'm not focusing on the numbers.  You're right, they're not actually all that important.  When I set out on this challenge, one of my unspoken mantras was just to focus on cleaning up my food and establishing a consistent exercise habit, both of which I've done!  It's easy for me to get caught up in the numbers when things are going well, and then to get down and beat myself up when the numbers aren't budging or my health is not good.  Some days, just taking care of myself and not making my health worse is in fact a successful and productive day.  

 

Plus, I think it's time to give myself some credit on the food front, although it's hard for me to do.  I am now at day nine-ish of a complete dietary overhaul, which is actually a big deal!  I'm eating according to plan 90% of the time (my target), and have given up a huge amount of unhealthy food.  I know one of the tenets of this site is "you can't outrun your fork," and that totally makes sense.  I just wish my subconscious believed that instead of telling me dumb stuff, like to push too hard at the gym, or to value myself by my weight, etc.  

 

Therefore, despite my evil subconscious beating me up for not working to injury at the gym this morning, I am giving myself some credit.  Right now.

 

I went to the gym this morning!  Despite having a couple of body issues acting up, I went to keep my habit consistent, and I adjusted my workout so that I didn't hurt myself.  I felt like I was phoning it in, but I was there, and I adjusted my plan when I realized that my body couldn't handle a hard workout.  That's good!  Right? (shh!  be quiet, evil subconscious!)

 

And, I am crushing my food goals!  I have eliminated fast food, fried foods, and all unhealthy carbs.  And I have added in a ton of healthy vegetables, and even tricked myself into eating my nemesis, the leafy greens.  That's a lot.  I'm proud of what I've done so far.

 

Hey, look, I feel better already!  That totally worked.  I'm very grateful for the helpings hands being extended to me here.  Thanks you guys.

Credit where credit is due. And it is definitely due. You're right, you've made some HUGE dietary changes and the fact that you're still going strong is fantastic. You should indeed be proud. Again, I appreciate your reflection. Striving for some of the same. As for the leafy greens, cook them in bacon fat! So delicious.

 

Yay Friday!  I'm feeling reinvigorated about exercise after a great physical therapy appointment this morning (amazing what someone noticing all the hard work I've put in did for my morale), and am looking forward to my challenging vinyasa yoga class tonight.  I treated myself to some fancy new shake ingredients today with delicious results.  Who knew sparkling cucumber water was a thing?!  Mixed that up with aloe juice, watermelon, lemongrass, and mint and felt like I was on vacation.

 

Glad to hear about this positive turn. Hope you rock the weekend!

[Nwarth]

Thank for your kind words on my post. I hope things get a little easier for you, but at least your putting for 100% effort!

 

Good luck with your sleep situation, I know how important that can be!

[Artemis1]

Hi Ms Louise.  You are a rockstar!  I've been catching up on some folks threads and I am just so inspired by everyone.  So many obstacles are being demolished and it really gives me strength seeing some of the same problems I face shared here for all to see and support.  I too have sleep problems so I know how frustrating that can be.  I wear a sleep mask and run a fan and take the melatonin as well.  I also got a window unit air conditioner because if it's hot, it's not happenig.   Have fun with your Vinyasa practice and I can't wait to hear more from you!

[SunSeeker]

I tried to get a picture of me doing fabulous yoga poses on my paddleboard over the weekend, but the only pose I was able to accomplish was mountain pose. lol.  I will keep working on doing some yoga on the board to get a picture worthy enough to go along with your horse head picture above.  

 

 

Yay Friday!  I'm feeling reinvigorated about exercise after a great physical therapy appointment this morning (amazing what someone noticing all the hard work I've put in did for my morale), and am looking forward to my challenging vinyasa yoga class tonight.  I treated myself to some fancy new shake ingredients today with delicious results.  Who knew sparkling cucumber water was a thing?!  Mixed that up with aloe juice, watermelon, lemongrass, and mint and felt like I was on vacation.

 

That shake sounds delicious!  Sounds very summery and refreshing.  Nice that your physical therapist noticed your hard work!  Always good for morale when someone notices your improvements.  I saw you were thinking of trying a few different classes, restorative and circus (can't remember the proper name, but DrDidg's photo looked very cirque du soleil to me).  I can't wait to hear your reviews of these.  I just don't think I'm ready to hang from a hammock upside down yet, but I'd love to hear of someone else's experience.  

[MsLouise]

Hey friends, just a quick Monday morning check-in to say that I am still here!  I go lighter with online time on the weekends, but I'm doing well.  Just downing a cup of coffee before the gym, and then I'll post an update and week two roundup later today.

 

In other weekend news: we bought an inflatable kayak!!!  My thrifty genius husband spotted it in the damages section at REI and we spent a long time assessing its condition and our pocketbook.  It has never been used and it looks like the original purchaser returned it because of a faulty floor (two of the floor baffles are messed up so you get a big fat spot when you inflate the floor).  I think we'll call it Igor after the character in Young Frankenstein because they both have humps.    We think we can work around the messed up floor, or find a replacement part.  

 

Back later, hope everyone is doing well.

[MsLouise]

Alrighty, week two report!  We are a third of the way through this challenge!

 

I feel good, and I know that I am going to finish this challenge strong no matter what.  I'm doing grading post first, and then a what went right in week two post after that.

 

Week two grading:

 

Goal #1 (Exercise): I did 5/3 workouts!  Three days at the gym, one physical therapy session, and one yoga class.  O for outstanding here.

 

Goal #2 (Food): I hit my goal of 19/21 meals on plan!  I used my one weekly dessert on movie snacks (junior mints) when we went to see the new Wolverine movie.  O for outstanding here, but the weekend was harder.

 

Goal #3 (bedtime and relaxation): I was in bed by 10 five nights last week, but only did pre-bed relaxation twice, so E for exceeds expectations here.  Last week was slightly better with sleeping, so I am still hopeful that diet and exercise will help with my sleep issues.  I got a fitbit one for my birthday, so I plan to start using that to see what my sleep is actually like.

 

So that makes my grade for week two an E for Exceeds Expectations!  I'll take it.  Deviating from slightly from my third goal was really just a result of poor planning and prioritizing, so that's an easy fix.  I feel extra good about exceeding my exercise goal last week.

 

Exceeds expectations means I have earned LOOT!  Self, you are owed one set of spiffy new gym towels.  We have lots of towels, but I'd love to have some larger towels for the gym so that I can preserve my modesty a little better in the locker room.  I'm tired of trying in vain to hide my cellulite from the people of the locker room (double meaning of vain fully intended, there).  Ideas for future rewards include new yoga clothes, yoga blocks and strap.

 

Observations from week two:

 

It's a good thing I set my food goal up as 90%=success, because the weekends are when it's really hard for me to keep my food on track.  This will get easier when we get a working fridge, but I need to start planning the weekends a little better.  I also need to brainstorm more pre-bed relaxation routines, and prioritize doing them.  Note to self: GO SLOW when adding arm exercises in and adjust week accordingly.  It doesn't matter what other people are doing, nothing is worth making my tendons angry.  If I'm going to add arm exercises in at the gym, then I *have* to cut out tendon-aggravating activity at work.  My arms can handle one or the other, not both.  The work will still be there when my arms are stronger, and in the meantime, there are other people with healthy arms who can do the manual labor.  

 

When my health is acting up, I need to adjust rather than pushing through injuries and remember that this is about a long-term health journey, not about toughing it out from day to day.  The point of this is to help my body get healthy so that I don't have to tough it out from day to day, so toughing it out is not the way to go for me. I am much more of a "I can take the pain!  Work through it!" person than I am a person who uses injuries as an excuse not to exercise, and I need to be careful of this tendency.  Case in point, my knee is messed up right now and I need to baby it while still exercising.  I fractured my left kneecap years ago and didn't get it treated, so it healed up wonky and is easily angered.  Despite how much I want to do them, squats are OFF the menu this week and possibly next week.  If I behave myself and the knee is feeling better next week, I am allowed to explore squat alternatives then. I will also discuss this at my next physical therapy appointment in two weeks.  It doesn't make any sense to keep hitting my PT (for sciatica) hard if it's making my knee worse.  I'm a whole person, not just a sciatic problem, and I need PT that addresses that.

 

Cheers!

[MsLouise]

Now that I've graded week two, I want to talk about what went right in my second week.  I really enjoy going through this review process, and find that it helps me set each week up for success.

 

So, what went right in week two?

 

#1.  Consistency+adaptability FTW.  Learning to keep my goal progress consistent without becoming a mindless habit hobgoblin is made of win for me.  Life isn't a consistent, predictable beast, and neither am I, but that doesn't mean I can't have consistent progress by adapting!  My dad used to quote Ralph Waldo Emerson to us, saying "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..."  I choose to interpret this as a spur to intelligent consistency.  For me, this means constant adaptation in order to achieve consistent progress toward my goals.  Thus, if I can't run on a certain day, I walk, or if I can't walk, I redefine a successful and productive day as a day wherein I take good care of myself, and so on.  

 

#2.  Keep what works, kill what doesn't.  As a natural extension of #1, it's important for me to consider what's working and change what isn't.  Planning ahead and pre-packing my gym bag is working, going to the gym is working, yoga class is working, my food plan is working, so I'm keeping all that stuff and keeping it consistent!  My scale is a big liar, and combined with my husband's superior metabolism, it had me feeling down about myself despite how well I'm doing.  I got a little too invested in hoping to see all the numbers going down fast instead of focusing on my actual improving health.  Therefore, I'm killing the scale!  I may look at the numbers from time to time, but I will only be celebrating the ones that make me happy and consigning the rest to oblivion.  Hah! Take that, scale!  Suck it, numbers!

 

#3.  Ask for help.  Yes, again.  Yes, some more.  Help, friendship, and expert advice don't have to be finite resources, and just because you've already had some some doesn't mean you don't need more or can't ask for more.  Thanks for the life lesson, Oliver Twist.    When I struggled in week two, I came here, asked for help, and got it.  Thanks, you guys.  People of Nerd Fitness, you rock!  I asked friends for help with yoga, and got it.  I asked my physical therapist for help, and got it.  This doesn't mean that I can just have whatever I want for the asking, but it helps reinforce the idea that if I ask in the right way, people just might help me.  I learned an important lesson in week two, which was that when I am struggling with exercise, it is very beneficial for me to get out of my own head and bring in outside help.  In week two, this meant going out to yoga class, and going out to physical therapy.  Just getting away from my own stuff and interacting with experts changed my attitude around and I went from dragging at the gym to excited about exercise again.  Yay!

 

In week three, I will rock on with my bad self.  This week, I need to keep up the good work with food and exercise, plan for pre-bed relaxation, continue getting out for yoga class, and ask for help with my knee.  Success, I am looking you square in the eye.

[AshPS]

When my health is acting up, I need to adjust rather than pushing through injuries and remember that this is about a long-term health journey, not about toughing it out from day to day.  The point of this is to help my body get healthy so that I don't have to tough it out from day to day, so toughing it out is not the way to go for me. I am much more of a "I can take the pain!  Work through it!" person than I am a person who uses injuries as an excuse not to exercise, and I need to be careful of this tendency.  Case in point, my knee is messed up right now and I need to baby it while still exercising.  I fractured my left kneecap years ago and didn't get it treated, so it healed up wonky and is easily angered.  Despite how much I want to do them, squats are OFF the menu this week and possibly next week.  If I behave myself and the knee is feeling better next week, I am allowed to explore squat alternatives then. I will also discuss this at my next physical therapy appointment in two weeks.  It doesn't make any sense to keep hitting my PT (for sciatica) hard if it's making my knee worse.  I'm a whole person, not just a sciatic problem, and I need PT that addresses that.

 

Cheers!

 

Yeah, about 5 yrs ago I tore my right calf muscle pretty badly (don't ask me how , still don't know). It turned all black from the back of my leg to my ankle. Couldn't walk on it for 2 weeks and it was a month before I could fully put my weight on it without seriously limping. Didn't have it checked either and it healed all wonky. Now it will seize up on me sporadically, especially during intense exercise. Irritates the life out of me.

 

I tend to do the same thing. Two peas in a pod, eh!

 

 

In week three, I will rock on with my bad self.  This week, I need to keep up the good work with food and exercise, plan for pre-bed relaxation, continue getting out for yoga class, and ask for help with my knee.  Success, I am looking you square in the eye.

 

Awesome on the asking for help I couldn't agree more!

 

Rock on Girl!!! LOL

[Stronkey Kong]

 Way to go on another awesome week!

 

I really like how you're reflecting on your progress and focusing on positives (what went right instead of wrong).

 

#1/#2 - I definitely agree. You have to be willing to stick with something, but to be smart about it. Way to go on ditching the scale.

 

#3 - If I can help just ask.

 

Rock on!

[MsLouise]

Well, the knee thing is more serious than I realized.  Grrr.  I will take appropriate care of it while still rocking my challenge.  My husband rightly pointed out tonight that I could stand to work on paying attention to stuff that hurts before it gets really bad.  What an idea.    I think I just assume that life is painful, and that anything that isn't cripplingly painful will just get better on its own, which it doesn't always.  This would be why I didn't notice my first kidney stone until I started crawling around on the floor because I couldn't stand up anymore, and even then, I was like, "I'm fine!  I don't know why I'm on the floor, I'm sure it will get better!"  I also need to work on separating out painful stuff.  I tend to lump all the pains together and go into system shutdown rather than trying to think about each one and ask whether there are pains that are traceable to a specific cause and/or are new or unusual.  

 

Yes!  I feel like an old lady sometimes, and I'm thinking, I'm only 34 now, how am I gonna feel when I'm in my 60's and 70's?  That's why I've gotta figure life all out right now so I can relax when I'm older.

 

Bwahaha!  Cavemom, I am with you on that whole pre-planning thing.  Planning can be good, but I do tend to overplan.  My husband and I are totally in the opposites attract camp.  I can tell you right now what I'm doing every weekend from now till October, while my impulsive husband has trouble letting me know what time he will be done with work every day with more than five minutes of notice.  

 

Hi Ms Louise.  You are a rockstar!  I've been catching up on some folks threads and I am just so inspired by everyone.  So many obstacles are being demolished and it really gives me strength seeing some of the same problems I face shared here for all to see and support.  I too have sleep problems so I know how frustrating that can be.  I wear a sleep mask and run a fan and take the melatonin as well.  I also got a window unit air conditioner because if it's hot, it's not happenig.   Have fun with your Vinyasa practice and I can't wait to hear more from you!

 

Hey Artemis, you too!  Heading on over to your thread(s) to see how you're doing.

 

 

Credit where credit is due. And it is definitely due. You're right, you've made some HUGE dietary changes and the fact that you're still going strong is fantastic. You should indeed be proud. Again, I appreciate your reflection. Striving for some of the same. As for the leafy greens, cook them in bacon fat! So delicious.

 

Glad to hear about this positive turn. Hope you rock the weekend!

 

Thanks, Elastoman.  Now you've got me wondering how they'd taste if I added bacon fat and then braised them.  Hmmmm.

 

I tried to get a picture of me doing fabulous yoga poses on my paddleboard over the weekend, but the only pose I was able to accomplish was mountain pose. lol.  I will keep working on doing some yoga on the board to get a picture worthy enough to go along with your horse head picture above.  

 

 

That shake sounds delicious!  Sounds very summery and refreshing.  Nice that your physical therapist noticed your hard work!  Always good for morale when someone notices your improvements.  I saw you were thinking of trying a few different classes, restorative and circus (can't remember the proper name, but DrDidg's photo looked very cirque du soleil to me).  I can't wait to hear your reviews of these.  I just don't think I'm ready to hang from a hammock upside down yet, but I'd love to hear of someone else's experience.  

 

Melyssa, I can't wait to see paddleboard pictures, yoga or not!  Far as I'm concerned, standing up on it IS yoga.  I tried Warrior III at the gym today, but didn't do so well.  Then I tried eagle pose and realized it hurts my knee.  Hmpf.  I will definitely be working on finding yoga I can do that will help my body and not hurt it.

 

Yeah, about 5 yrs ago I tore my right calf muscle pretty badly (don't ask me how , still don't know). It turned all black from the back of my leg to my ankle. Couldn't walk on it for 2 weeks and it was a month before I could fully put my weight on it without seriously limping. Didn't have it checked either and it healed all wonky. Now it will seize up on me sporadically, especially during intense exercise. Irritates the life out of me.

 

I tend to do the same thing. Two peas in a pod, eh!

 

Well, it's frequently a bass-ackwards pod, but I'm glad to be in such good company!    It always makes sense at the time, right?  Like, "I have finals and my doctor is in a different town and my knee will probably be fine!"  YES, so very irritating.  Learning to operate within my physical limits is a lesson I will be re-learning over and over.

 

 Way to go on another awesome week!

 

I really like how you're reflecting on your progress and focusing on positives (what went right instead of wrong).

 

#1/#2 - I definitely agree. You have to be willing to stick with something, but to be smart about it. Way to go on ditching the scale.

 

#3 - If I can help just ask.

 

Rock on!

 

Thank you, Darwins Demon.  House Stark is the best!

[AshPS]

Well, the knee thing is more serious than I realized.  Grrr.  I will take appropriate care of it while still rocking my challenge.  My husband rightly pointed out tonight that I could stand to work on paying attention to stuff that hurts before it gets really bad.  What an idea.    I think I just assume that life is painful, and that anything that isn't cripplingly painful will just get better on its own, which it doesn't always.  This would be why I didn't notice my first kidney stone until I started crawling around on the floor because I couldn't stand up anymore, and even then, I was like, "I'm fine!  I don't know why I'm on the floor, I'm sure it will get better!"  I also need to work on separating out painful stuff.  I tend to lump all the pains together and go into system shutdown rather than trying to think about each one and ask whether there are pains that are traceable to a specific cause and/or are new or unusual.  

 

Well, it's frequently a bass-ackwards pod, but I'm glad to be in such good company!    It always makes sense at the time, right?  Like, "I have finals and my doctor is in a different town and my knee will probably be fine!"  YES, so very irritating.  Learning to operate within my physical limits is a lesson I will be re-learning over and over.

 

LOL! How right you are! And your description of your kidney stone made me laugh. It reminded me of when I had to have my gallbladder removed, lol! I remember being on the floor on my hands and knees and telling myself it was just gas!

[SunSeeker]

Sorry to hear about your knee.  I have to modify quite a few poses because of my knee and there isn't even anything wrong with it.  Poor thing just resist some of the poses (I can't even sit cross-legged with my left foot over my right foot).  I think one of the reasons I like the level 1 classes is because they show modifications for my older body.  In my 20's and 30's I subscribed to the "No Pain, No Gain" philosophy.  In my 40's, I have started to listen to my body and realize that pain means slow down and modify.  However, it doesn't mean give up.  "Never give up!  Never surrender!"  

 

Your kidney stone story reminds me of one of my first dates with my husband.  When I opened the door for him, he collapsed on my living room floor due to a kidney stone.  Spent the evening in the emergency room as we had no idea what was going on.  Great date.  lol  

 

I have a YogaGlo class scheduled today that is all about the 3 warrior poses.  Can't wait to see how that goes.  I am thinking it will give modifications that will allow me to get work up to the full pose.  I did try to do some one legged balances on my paddleboard.  I was only able to stand on one leg for a few seconds at a time, but I will keep working at it.  Reminded me of the wobble things my trainer used to make me use during our sessions.  

 

Have a great Tuesday!

[Artemis1]

Oh MsLouise you do make me laugh!  This might sound weird but your kidney stone story is amazing.  I've had them as well.  I was in a show when the first one struck.  I thought I just hurt my back. I thought I could just work through it.  I didn't go to the hospital until  my Mom found me writhing in pain on the floor of the bathroom and she realized something was amiss.  The second go round I recognized the symptoms and went to the hospital much sooner.  Your organization is amazing. I am the opposite of a planner so it is inspiring me to get it together so to speak.  I can't wait to hear more!  Make yourself a great day!