JK_Mom Recommits

[Aquamom]

Hello my fellow Rangers,

 

I have been extraordinarily poor about posting - not cool and I'm sorry.  I am recommitting to posting and staying in better touch with this community because it makes me a better person.  

 

In the past, my challenges have focused around running and preparing for a half-marathon in October.  Well that goal has been sidelined because my Achilles' tendons (yes, both legs) have rebelled and I need time to rehab.  The good news is that the doctor gave me the green light to keep lifting!  She encouraged me to find other cardio as well.

 

Overall Goal:

Cut body fat by 3%

 

Mini-Quest 1:

Keep on my lifting schedule (Stronglifts 5 x 5) which means lifting 3x's a week.  (Strength points)

 

Mini-Quest 2:

Stretch my Achilles' tendons every day.  (Agility points)

 

Mini-Quest 3:

Read The Compassionate Samurai.  The Quartet:  Orchestrating the Second American Revolution.  (Wisdom points)

 

I'm keeping it simple because I have tendency to overload, not post, get anxious, not post, get more anxious and give up.

 

 

A little about me:  I am an attorney who does regulatory compliance for a creditors' rights firm - at least that's my alter-ego.  I'm married and have two wonderful boys who turned 6 and 3 earlier this month (July).  I have severe anxiety and just adopted a dog (Fillmore) whom I am training to be my psych service dog.  I'm a member of Academy and going to CNF2015!  

[aimless]

Love it!! You've got this!  I'm following along for the ride!

[Ilham]

I'm keeping it simple because I have tendency to overload, not post, get anxious, not post, get more anxious and give up.

 

This. I should write that on my fist with a sharpie and punch myself with it every morning. 

 

I hope your tendons get better in the future, and in the meantime, hurray for you coming back to NF and commiting to a lifting routine! Good luck!

[WeeTerror]

I do the same thing, JK. I forget to post, get super anxious about how long it's been, and go into anxiety avoidant mode. But you got this!

[Aquamom]

Love it!! You've got this!  I'm following along for the ride!

 

Thanks!  

 

This. I should write that on my fist with a sharpie and punch myself with it every morning. 

 

I hope your tendons get better in the future, and in the meantime, hurray for you coming back to NF and commiting to a lifting routine! Good luck!

 

Yeah, I need to be better about just accepting myself for who and where I am.  It's such a struggle!

 

I do the same thing, JK. I forget to post, get super anxious about how long it's been, and go into anxiety avoidant mode. But you got this!

 

Thanks!  

 

****

 

So, I realize the challenge does not officially start until Sunday/Monday, but since I want to get back in the habit of posting regularly, here we go:

 

I did not lift yesterday morning even though I was supposed to.  I was out late gaming with my gaming group on Wednesday night and just needed my sleep.  Work has been super-hectic this week as a large bank will be conducting its second semi-annual audit next month and first set of deliverables were due yesterday.  Then, our Firm's computers went down around 1 pm.  Our servers were attacked with a virus and the whole office had to shut down.  Everyone went home.  So, I used the time to work on our yard for a bit (we have an enormous and overgrown yard - we bought the house 4 months ago).  

 

This morning, I was able to get in a good lifting session.  When I came home from the gym (bonus points for walking to and from), the office was still down.  I walked my kids to camp and the wife and I came back to the house.  After dealing with some serious anxiety on my part, we had a lovely breakfust and then proceeded to work on the yard.  I weed-whacked for a good 20 minutes or so and that felt awesome.  Needless to say, my upper-back is feeling quite worn at the moment!  (It was OHP day).

 

I wore my compression socks while I lifted, but my tendons have still be tight as heck.  I'm stretching them at every opportunity.  I also reached out to my friend who is an athletic trainer and asked if she had any KT tape.  We'll see. . . 

 

So far this week I've lifted twice.  Which is all I will get in at this point, because I won't lift tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I have been reading The Compassionate Samurai,  but I am stretching my Achilles'.

[Aquamom]

Anxiety (aka the "Big Guy" - think the Hulk) reared its ugly head on Sunday.  BUT my dog Fillmore was really able to help a bit while I sat and waited for the meds to kick in.  He gave me something else to focus on which was really important in that moment.

 

Then, I went and ripped out some small shrub/tree trunks.  4 to be exact.  And that was on top of my lifting session.  (Squats, 5x5 @ 85 lbs; Bench, 5x5 @ 75 lbs; Bent-over rows, 5,5,5,4,5 @ 85 lbs).  Here's a picture of my "landscaping":

 

 

Tomorrow - I lift again!  

 

Achilles tendons are healing . . . I guess?  I need to be better at taking a solid 10 minutes and stretching them every few hours.

[Aquamom]

I lifted yesterday - which was awesome!  But incredibly hot!  (It has been ridiculously humid this week).  Let's see Squats were 5 x 5 @ 90 lbs. and OHPs 5 x 1, 4 x 4 @ 75 lbs.  And that last set was tough!  I felt like Superman in Man of Steel when he saves the people from the oil rig and is screaming as he holds the collapsing part up.  

 

I am stretching my Achilles all the time.  Every time I am at a co-worker's desk, I'm stretching.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure its helping as they actually have felt worse the last couple of days.  

 

I gave up on reading The Compassionate Samurai.  It wasn't really doing it for me.  Maybe I will try it again, but I'm done with it for now.  I'm changing up the book to be The Quartet:  Orchestrating the Second American Revolution by Joe Ellis (my thesis advisor from college).  Ellis is a fantastic writer and this is a subject and argument in which he believes fervently.  It is interesting to read more about Robert Morris and his role as Financier under the Articles of Confederation.  I'm also looking forward to reading a bit more about John Jay.  The others, G-dub, A-Ham, and JimmyMad I have read biographies on.    I figured since it was just day 2 (technically), I could make this swap.

[Aquamom]

Good week lifting. Despite the daily stretching my Achilles seemed to get worse this week. I called my doc and I will be going to physical therapy for the next couple weeks. I really hope that helps!

Making really good progress in The Quartet.

Well, it's late. I hope to spend some serious time on the Fora this weekend.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

[aimless]

 

Anxiety (aka the "Big Guy" - think the Hulk) reared its ugly head on Sunday.  

 

 

HULK SMASH...

 

 

...NOT fun... but glad you are being able to find an outlet, and that your pup is helping.

 

Great lifting consistency!!! And living in St Louis I can totally relate to the HUMID HEAT... Ugh.

 

Keep it up!

[Aquamom]

 

 

Great lifting consistency!!! And living in St Louis I can totally relate to the HUMID HEAT... Ugh.

 

Keep it up!

 

 

Thanks!  I'm working really hard on staying consistent because it does help with my anxiety.  Even if only for a little bit!

 

Yesterday was a great family day!  Took my sons to Pep Boys first thing in the morning to get a lawn mower battery.  (Despite the new battery, the lawn mower still wouldn't start.  Then I found out the lawn mower is nearly 30 years old.  I told my wife that and her response was "Oh, we're getting a new lawn mower!")    After the lawn mower debacle, I got some serious sanding of the kitchen cabinets and doors done.  I have about 75% of the doors left and then on to the attached part of the cabinetry in the kitchen.  Yay progress!

 

Then, the whole family went to the pool where my oldest son got to go down the large waterslides because he earned is green wristband on Friday!  I am so proud of him!  After exhausting them at the Y we hit up the local fair for its last night.  All in all, a very productive and well spent day!

[aimless]

I got some serious sanding of the kitchen cabinets and doors done.  I have about 75% of the doors left and then on to the attached part of the cabinetry in the kitchen.  Yay progress!

 

Oh, man... you do cabinets??? I may have to hire you!!! I've hated my kitchen for 15 years!!! There's always been a home project that has taken priority.... *sigh* ... SOMEDAY!!!

[Aquamom]

Oh, man... you do cabinets??? I may have to hire you!!! I've hated my kitchen for 15 years!!! There's always been a home project that has taken priority.... *sigh* ... SOMEDAY!!!

You could totally hire me!

In lifting news, yesterday was a great day! At first I was worried about the 105 lb squats but those were not the problem. I rocked the squats and bench. The barbell rows were the weak spot. I only did 4 reps on my first set and then managed 5 on remaining sets.

I haven't read much of The Quartet yet this week.

Anxiety has been a roller coaster and that has made things tough too.

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[Aquamom]

Huh - I haven't been so great at posting this week.  I think I'm a little more nervous about posting at work (which when I usually post) because of the virus that struck our Firm's server a couple weeks ago.

 

Anyway, I've been doing a very good job with lifting every other day!

 

I'm up to

• 115 lbs on my squats (5x5)
• 90 lbs on my bench (5x5)
• 90 lbs on bent over rows
• 60 lbs on OHP (I had to deload from 70 lbs)
• 125 lbs on deadlifts (I know I can go higher, but I've only been at this plan for about a month)

My Achilles' tendons I have not been good about.  I have to go to PT once I get the referral from my doctor.  In fact, I feel like they have actually gotten worse over the last month.  Getting downstairs in the morning really hurts.  

 

On the reading front, I finished Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.  I was listening to it.  I know many people disagree with her argument and have given her a lot of flak, but parts of her argument really resonated with me.  I'm probably about halfway through The Quartet and enjoying that quite a bit.

 

 

Overall, I've been really good about my fitness and diet.  The problem is that I need to shift my expectations; meaning I'm expecting instant results and I'm not getting any (because that's a ridiculous expectation).  

[Aquamom]

Wow.  My posting has been horrid!  

 

Ok.

 

Weight-lifting is going well!  My last workout:

 

Squats @ 125 lbs 5x5!

Bench Press @ 100 lbs 5/5/5/2/5

Bent-over Row @ 100 lbs 5x5!

 

Next workout:

Squats @ 130 lbs

Overhead Press @ 64 lbs

Deadlift @ 145 lbs.

 

I've also been incorporating NF Yoga and that has been fantastic.

 

I started PT for my Achilles tendons this past week.  The first session was fantastic!  The session yesterday, not so much.  I'm a lot of pain and feeling super stiff today.  I didn't go to the gym because of the stiffness, so I'm hoping to make it there tomorrow.

 

I finished The Quartet!  So I definitely scored those wisdom points!   Yay!!

[Aquamom]

Hey look it's only been a 1 week since my last post!  Yay!

 

Ok. . . .

 

I have not gotten to the gym in a week because of my Achilles tendons BUT I feel like I am finally making some progress.  I'm going to look into getting some minimalist shoes and seeing if that helps - long term solution.

 

I have done 2 yoga sessions this week and a mini-session.  Yay!  

 

I'm currently reading Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.  It's really good, but I have a feeling its going to get sad and chick-litty, which isn't necessarily my favorite genre.  

 

I'm chalking up this last week's non-lifting to injury, but staying strong with my PT for my achilles, and reading is going well.  I'm feeling good about this challenge!

[Aquamom]

Ok, I know I'm a little late for the wrap up and did not do a great job of posting, but overall I feel very good about this past challenge!

 

Main Goal - Cut body fat by 3%.  During the Challenge I dropped .5%  Yay!  Slow and steady, right?

 

Mini-Quest 1 - Keep up my lifting schedule.  Yes!  I did this except when my Achilles tendons became so incredibly tight I was told not to.  That means I get 3 Strength Points!

 

Mini-Quest 2 - Stretching my Achilles tendons daily.  YES YES and YES!  (And as a result, I can start running!).  1.5 Constitution & 1.5 Dexterity points.

 

Mini-Quest 3 - Finish The Quartet.  DONE!   Yay!  3 Wisdom points!  

 

***

 

Ok, for anyone who is still following or reading, THANK YOU!