Namaste! Knee Pain Gone But Yoga Still Kicking My Butt

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Image courtesy of Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Image courtesy of Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

My knee feels great. No more pain, swelling or tightness. The 3-week break from walking, the yoga and a liberal application of ice did the trick. This afternoon I plan to test the knee with 30-minutes of yoga followed by a 10-minute walk at a moderate pace.

The yoga workout is full body, so I’m thinking that the more intense stretching (compared to my stretching before the injury) is what the doctor ordered for my knee.

If all goes well, I plan to walk 2 more times this week. If no pain, then I’ll see about bumping to an every other day schedule – but keeping to a moderate pace. I want to wait a couple of weeks before I start thinking of speed again.

Plank Pose Is Bane Of My Existence!
I’m still not able to do all of Level 1 on the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD – damn you Plank Pose! But I am getting better. I’m still on my knees for plank, but now I can do the modified sideways plank.  But full plank followed by push ups…I’m just not there yet with the upper body strength. My goal is to do the full, non-modified Plank section of the DVD by the end of next week.

Modified 30-Day Sit Up Challenge
After pleas from some family members, I decided to do a more modified version of the 30-Day Sit Up Challenge. So yes, it is still challenging, but I’m not running the risk of injury. Instead of increasing the number of sit ups by 5 a day, I’m doing the same number each day for a week and add 5 for the next week. This week, it’s 10. Next week, that number will bump to 15. I’m also breaking them up in to sets, taking a short break in between for water and stretching. I’m getting a workout, but no pain or Charley Horses.

 

Charley Horse Visited My Abs Today

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It’s day 4 of my 30-Day Sit Up Challenge.

I started off strong. Sit ups 1-15 were a breeze.  But by my 18th it felt like someone added 50 lbs weights to my back. I experienced a major Charley horse in my tummy when I hit my 23rd sit up. I stretched for a few minutes. When the cramp faded, I continued the abuse sit ups.

When I reached 28, I wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball.

This is an amazing difficult challenge for me. Hell, I can’t even keep my feet completely on the ground when I sit up.

I did reach my challenge goal of 35 sit ups today and I feel great. Tomorrow is a rest day (thank god).

Tonight I’ll work on adding more magnesium (think fresh greens!) to my diet to keep the muscle cramps at bay.

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Fighting The Belly Fat: 30-Day Sit Up Challenge

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The 30-Day Situp Challenge: Because losing 113 lbs. to get to my goal weight isn't enough of a challenge!

The 30-Day Situp Challenge: Because losing 113 lbs. to get to my goal weight isn’t enough of a challenge!

I’ve decided to do fitness challenges each month. I’m not able to target specific areas of my body for weight loss, but I can pick areas to tone.

Also, I worry about sagging skin. I’m in my 40s, so I know as I get older, my skin loses its elasticity.  Slow weight loss and toning my muscles can help with my skin snapping back.

So this month, it’s the 30-Day Sit Up Challenge. It’s the area of my body where have the most jiggling and the source of major health issues – my big, fat belly!

I know that belly fat brings with it serious health risks – diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Belly fat doesn’t just jiggle around. It churns out hormones and inflammatory junk. Abdominal fat breaks down easily into fatty acids, flowing into the liver and muscles. When they go to the liver, they trigger a chain reaction – increasing bad cholesterol and insulin resistance. When your hit insulin resistance, you gain even more weight. Blood sugars go out of whack. Fats and clots get into the bloodstream.

It’s not a pretty picture!

The nice thing about the 30-Day Sit Up Challenge, it’s just one exercise. The bad thing about the 30-Day Sit Up Challenge, I have to do sit ups.

Right now I can do 20 sit ups. That increases to 35 by the end of the week.  At the end of the month, 140 sit ups.

The belly fat battle is one I intend to win!

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