Fit for FUN + Fit for LIFE

Showing Up

Sometimes it is easy to show up. Sometimes it is a struggle. Sometimes it is more than a struggle.

I have committed to something that goes well into May. It is more than the typical struggle of the daily grind. It is emotionally, spiritually, and physically draining. Yet I intend to see it through to the last day.

Hitting the gym after work is not as joyful as it has been in the past. But there is still something to the “showing up” that makes it worth it. I know that this struggle will not last forever. There is a time limit. Looking forward to that time, I know I will appreciate that I continued showing up at the gym.

Since the onset of my psoas syndrome, and after missing a couple of weeks at the gym, I have noticed my strength has lessened. By quite a bit. At first, I found this discouraging. Then I thought back to when I first began training. My baseline strength now is stronger than when I began. That’s a good thing.

When things are tough, keep taking steps forward. Keep showing up. Don’t compare yourself to where you were just before this most recent setback, think back to the beginning, when you were afraid to begin. You began. You took that first step. Now, take the next one. And know it is the right thing. Even if you don’t feel the joy, the knowledge that you showed up adds to layers of integrity. That’s important..

Clinging to Hope

Pain in the SI joint. Severe psoas pain along with pain in the hip and leg. Inability to flex my right foot. Limping. Drop foot.

– Signed up for a rowing challenge in February.

– Signed up for a mudrun in March.

I signed up for these challenges before this flare of intense pain, limp, and foot drop. I likely would not have signed up for the mudrun and certainly wouldn’t have signed up for the rowing challenge, which begins in just a couple of days. This is the first time I’ve ever dealt with anything like this. I am hoping and praying I’ll be able to begin the rowing challenge on February 1st.

I’ve been researching exercises to try, but am waiting for doctor’s approval to begin adding to the therapy already prescribed. Until then, I’ll continue to follow doctor’s instruction.

Have you ever had physical therapy?

Physical Therapy

Sleep Goals

Weight Loss – Body Composition

Sometimes we lose weight and change clothing size. Sometimes we don’t lose weight, but still change our clothing size by changing our body composition. Losing body fat and gaining muscle changes our body composition.

That said, I signed up for a Lose and Win “challenge” at work. As I shared before, I have gained several pounds since November. I have also shared that my frontal chain is not as strong as my posterior chain. So I am looking to both lose weight and change my body composition. I am also hoping to strengthen my frontal chain.

I need to add stretching to my workouts. I have neglected this and have been paying the price. I will take pictures and add these to the blog stories.

A couple of questions for you: Have you ever been part of a weight loss challenge? What are your favorite stretches?

Cardio Day Surprise

Cardio day is not my favorite day at the gym. Not having headphones at the gym is not something that makes me happy. The new sled at the gym, as you know, has been a bit of a letdown. It just isn’t the same.

I added a minute to the stairmill. (I may have shared this last week.) It used to be set at at 15 minutes plus the cool down. This six weeks I’m setting it at 16 minutes plus cool down. A minute isn’t very long. That’s true enough. However, it’s a stairmill. And it’s long to me. Next six weeks? Perhaps I’ll add 2 minutes. We’ll see …

Following this was the treadmill. It was set at 25 minutes plus the cool down. I set it at an easy walking pace, choosing the hills option. No running. And that’s it for cardio day.

After meeting the cardio quota for the week, it’s time for the cherry on top. The sled. The last time I used the new sled I pushed two 45-pound plates and two 25-pound plates. Today I started with two 45s and two 25s, then added two 10s. Then removed the 25s and 10s and added two more 45s. That is my record for this particular sled. So, my heart is happy.

It turns out, my dreaded, no-headphones cardio day ended up being one of my favorite days at the gym in quite awhile!

Show up. No shame in adding only tiny increments. Go for it. See what happens.

Remember, be fit for FUN and fit for LIFE.

– Cindy

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Workout Regrets?

I’ve always heard–and even experienced–that you may regret missing workouts, but you NEVER regret making your workouts.

I had an exceptionally difficult day at work yesterday. I was tempted not to go to the gym. However, I recalled all the times in the past when I didn’t “feel” like working out, and those ended up being the absolute BEST workouts. So, I went.

I was emotionally drained, but had a lot of, what I thought was, frustrated energy. I pictured myself shoving that barbell so hard over my head that I’d need to add heavier weights than my normal 2.5 lb per side. (A whopping 50#! Doesn’t sound like much, I know, but it’s more than I believed I’d ever lift.) Alas, it was all I could do to push that 45# bar over my head. And THAT was a struggle! It was so disappointing, I considered just packing it up and going back home.

I didn’t. I did the next exercise. And then the next. I continued to follow the plan.

I was disappointed in my workout.

Perhaps the disappointment was rooted in my expectations. All of those other workouts that I had done when I didn’t feel like it had ended up being so good. And this one? It was not. Even the cherry on top was a bit of a bummer. The gym had switched out sleds. It wasn’t my beloved “Yellow.” This one is much more difficult to push/pull. My all-time max on my beloved was 8 plates (360#), typical weight I push/pull is 225#. The new sled? I maxed out at 140# last night. It didn’t feel like much of a cherry on top, closer to stale whipped cream. Of course I knew I wouldn’t have hit my max last night, but hitting my typical? That would have felt pretty good. It would have been something, at least. (Yes, I hear you playing your violins, ha!)

Looking back at the workout, from the vantage point of a new day, I’m pretty happy with it. Not because it was an exceptional workout. It wasn’t. I certainly didn’t hit any new personal bests. I didn’t even hit my typicals! One thing I did get out of it? Self-respect. I honored a commitment. Commitments to other people are generally met, but commitments to myself? My track record is quite pathetic. So, it turns out, last night’s disappointing workout may actually be one of my biggest wins so far.

Remember, friends, be fit for FUN + fit for LIFE,

– Cindy

Thursday – Cardio

Strength training M-W-F, conditioning Tuesday, and cardio Thursday. That’s the plan anyway.

Conditioning and cardio, is there a difference? Do they mean the same thing? I tend to think treadmill, elliptical, and stairmill are cardio and tire-flipping or rowing are conditioning, elevating the heart rate while still engaging the muscles throughout the body.

I read somewhere that cardio and conditioning are interchangable terms, that conditioning is a preferred term for athletes and cardio is the term for non-athletes. <shrug> I don’t know. I will continue to use them the way I have.

Tomorrow is a strength day. The final day of my first week of plans I made up in the coaches app. I wonder what tweaks I will need to make for next week’s workout plan?

How do you decide your workout plans?

Anyway, be fit for FUN and fit for LIFE!

Cindy

Making Plans

I plan to post on Thursdays and Saturdays, though I’m not sure yet what topics I’ll be sharing.

I will likely share my personal fitness journey as well as the new things I discover in the world of personal training.

I gained just under ten pounds over the holidays. Having said that, I really don’t put too much “weight” in what the scale says. I tend to care more about being able get on the floor and get up from the floor…and lift heavy things.

I spent a few hours last evening making up a workout on a PT app. Today was my first time following a workout I designed on the app. During my workout I stumbled across a few mistakes. I wanted to message a few questions to the trainer. But I’m the trainer. So I had to make mental notes of what I need to work on when inputting instructions.

Until next time, be fit for FUN and fit for LIFE.

Cindy