I actually did push ups today. I did my plank pose and then 5 push-ups during yoga.
Yes, both the plank and push-ups were the modified versions, but the fact I did them is what counts. In about a week, I’ll try the non-modified plank pose. But for now, I’m sticking to my knees.
Baby stepping one step at a time.
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.
Image courtesy of Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
When I decided to make my health a priority last year, I went from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one overnight. Bad move.
I severely limited my physical activity in 2012 thanks to pulled leg and back muscles, and knee and Achilles tendon injuries. My doctor recommended I start with yoga to increase my flexibility and mobility.
I got myself a membership at a yoga studio and felt better after my first class. I ended up going 3-4 times a week. I saw improvements in my flexibility and energy level. I became more confident with each class and stayed on track with my food program.
If it was so great, why did I stop?
While I loved doing yoga and could see results, in May I decided not to renew my membership at the yoga studio. It just cost too much money. I know you shouldn’t put a price tag on your health, but when you are a one income household, prioritizing where every penny goes is a reality. Sure I looked at other yoga facilities. But all of them were just too expensive.
Power walking became my sole form of exercise. After all, I don’t need a membership to walk. Now that’s stopped thanks to my knee. But hey, I saved some money. Oh crap!
Yes, I’m still kicking myself because I didn’t keep the yoga going. There are lots of free online yoga videos, why didn’t I try them? Why didn’t I spend the $8 on a yoga DVD? Would I have injured my knee if I still did yoga?
Shoulda coulda woulda. Ugh! I’m tired of second guessing myself. What’s done is done. Time to move forward.
Yoga is back on the workout menu. I dug my yoga mats out of the closet and ordered a beginners DVD from Amazon.
I scheduled an appointment with my doctor to check out my knee. I know that yoga can actually help with the healing process, but until I have the all clear the hero pose is off-limits. Once I get the green light, yoga will once again be a big part of my fitness routine.
Keeping the knee on ice today. Need to get that swelling down.
I woke up this morning to a very stiff, sore and swollen knee. I’ve lived with this bad knee for nearly two weeks and it’s not getting better.
In a few minutes I’ll take to bed with a new knitting project and ice pack. Like an idiot, I’ve stayed on my feet all day yesterday and didn’t apply any ice. What a dumb move. I’m paying for it now.
So for the next few hours I’ll keep the leg elevated and apply the ice pack for 15 minutes every hour. I’ll know tomorrow if I can avoid a trip to my doctor’s office.
At least I’ll get quality time to work on that sweater.
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Ugh! Fingers crossed that the knee is just a bit sore and that this isn’t in my future! Image courtesy Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I’ve heard of runner’s knee. Is there such a thing as walker’s knee? Or is it all the same thing?
This morning I felt a sharp pain during my walk. I slowed my pace and the pain dulled. I toyed with turning around and going home, but the pain went away. I chalked it up to age and weight and continued walking, but decided to just do 2 miles and not the scheduled 4. On the way home, I stepped off the curb wrong and sure enough the sharp pain came back. Again it dulled and disappeared after about 50 steps.
When I got home I decided to rest my leg. After 30 minutes, I felt great and decided to run my errands for the day – grocery shopping, cleaning the house, prepping all my veggies for the week. I only had one mishap with the knee. While carrying groceries from the car I lost my footing and fell on the walk leading up to my house. Both knees gave the concrete step a love tap, but it wasn’t too painful.
Now I’m sitting down for the first time since that morning sit and the knee is throbbing.
Great.
Good news is that it doesn’t hurt going up and down the stairs. With all the walking, plus my weight and age, perhaps my knee is feeling a little overused. I don’t think I pulled, sprained, ruptured or imploded anything.
I plan to take it easy the rest of the day – it’s a beautiful day out so I plan to go outside, drink ice tea (curses you 30-day No Alcohol Challenge!), and read with my leg raised. If my knee behaves, I might treat it to a nice ice pack to boot!
Tomorrow, instead of the 5-mile walk, I’ll do a muscle workout and give the knee a rest. With any luck, I’ll be back to my old self by the weekend.
The training starts now! Image Courtesy of: Sura Nualpradid and Freedigitalphotos.net
Run Walk, Fat Girl, Run Walk!
I hope by next spring I can run in my first 5K (I’m walking in them now). So yes, a marathon is truly a long-term goal.
Right now I power walk 5 days week, alternating between 4 and 2.5 miles, with the former focused on distance and the latter on increasing speed. The other 2 days, I walk at a normal pace.
Interval Training Out. Walking Plan In.
I tried interval training a few months ago and it didn’t go well. The training itself was fine. My knees afterward were not. My doc advised that more weight – 60 lbs – needed to come off before I try running again.
As I tooled around the Weight Watchers site this weekend, I came across a walking guide complete with a suggested training schedule. With plans for beginner, intermediate and advanced walkers, I could easily tailor the advance walking training to fit my needs.
So What’s The Plan?
My power walking goes from 5 to 4 days a week. Why? Because I’m adding in cardio – aerobics, biking or hiking. Toning is too important to ignore, so I’m keeping my 2 day muscle workouts. I built in 2 rest days and will adjust as I go, but for now the schedule doesn’t seem overly taxing. By mid September, I’m aiming for a consistent pace of 15 min/mile and hitting the 6 mile mark.
The WW suggested plans are in 8-week increments. I decided to build the plan out for the next 4 months. That takes me to January to hopefully start interval training. But for now, I can use the walking plan to build up my endurance, strength and speed.
Sweet!
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No longer sitting on top of my fridge, I’m cracking this puppy open after my next workout.
For some reason, I’ve felt hungry the last couple of days. Seriously, I just want to eat non-stop.
Yesterday I decided to track not just what I’m eating, but when I felt hungry. Immediately after my walk, I was starving and a bit dizzy. I grabbed an apple, sliced it up and spread 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter on it. That did the trick…for 20 minutes. I got an early lunch – a hamburger patty and a small salad. Hungry 45 minutes later. I ended up eating a sausage link to keep the hunger at bay until time for my afternoon snack. Starving at snack time, I devoured my celery and cream cheese. I then drank a ton of water to keep the stomach grumbling to a minimum until dinnertime.
My workout is the hunger-triggering culprit. I’ve upped the intensity. A week ago, I averaged 2.5 miles on my walks. Now I walk 4 miles a day, but on the 3rd day I walk 2.5 miles as fast as possible. Clearly I’m burning more energy and I’m not refueling my body accordingly.
My husband suggested a post-workout shake. I picked up a low carb shake powder back in mid-April. I left for Arizona and completely forgot about it. I found the powder on top of my fridge, unopened.
I opted for a low carb shake with whey protein. The high protein levels help with rebuilding my muscles and the low carb aspect won’t escalate insulin, which keeps my blood sugar level in check. Nice!
Today is my recovery day, so no workout and no shake. I’m still tracking when I get hungry to see if something is going on other than just the exercise. So far so good.
Tomorrow I crack open that jar.
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Guess my workout today! Image courtesy of Idea go and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
I’m too busy to go for a walk. But don’t fret, what I have on tap today will be more intense than any walk. I’m doing housework!
It’s amazing how one thinks that you need to join a gym to get in your exercise. I was one of those people. For a good workout, I thought I need to do yoga, aerobics or PX 90 class.
Truth is, an active lifestyle is what’s important, not just spending an hour at the gym.
I’ve discovered that housework can give me just as good a workout as weight training. And yes, you can work up a sweat by cleaning. Try lugging 5 loads of laundry up and down the stairs – that will get your heart pumping. Hell, just blast your favorite workout playlist and you can have your very own dance party while you dust. Trust me, there are lots of ways to get a solid workout by cleaning,
Even while blogging I workout my core by sitting on that exercise ball.
Now if your thing is counting calories (consuming and burning), don’t come to me for how many calories do you burn cleaning house. I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m not about calories in/calories out. I reduce my carbs for weight loss. I’m active for overall fitness – improve balance, more energy, better muscle tone. I don’t lose weight because I’m more active. I’m more active because I’ve lost weight (there’s your moment of zen for you!).
No walking today. Instead I’ll be working in the front yard, doing battle with weeds and trying to tame some wild-looking rose bushes.
Afterwords, I’m sweeping and mopping the floors. Then I’ll start painting prep for our second bedroom – taping trim, moving furniture away from walls, taking down curtains, dusting/washing walls, and spackling nail holes as needed.
A workout? You better believe it. Who needs dumbbells when you have a mop and a big-ass bucket of hot water to carry up and down the stairs?
Weight Watchers has a good article on everyday chores as exercise.