Fitness Friday

Well I’m pleased to say my surgery was not postponed and I’m writing this post while relaxing on my couch.  Surgery went well and while I’m in quite a bit of pain and discomfort, the pains meds are keeping it tolerable and I’m in good spirits.  I will write more on that later though.

It was very exciting for me to be back in the gym again this week.  I still kept my workouts relatively easy and simple, as I can tell I need to work myself back into my usual intensity.  But as the week progressed and I was able to push myself a little bit more, it felt really good knowing I will be back to my normal routine in time.

Saturday 12/10/11

Rest

Sunday 12/11/11

15-20 minutes abdominals and stretching

30 mins elliptical - level 2

Monday 12/12/11

20 minutes abdominals and stretching

40 minutes stationary bike - levels 2 & 3

Tuesday 12/13/11

15-20 minutes abdominals and stretching

30 minutes elliptical - levels 2 & 3

Wednesday 12/14/11

20 minutes abdominals and stretching

10 minutes stair master (I always forget how hard this is!)

10 minutes stationary bike

Thursday 12/15/11

Rest - surgery!

Friday 12/16/11

Rest - recovery

Obviously, this up-coming week will probably be a week of little to no exercise as I build up my strength and recover from my surgery and that’s okay.  I’m not willing to push my body too hard after it’s been through a lot.  This up-coming week is a week to rest and take it easy and only bring about exercise as my body says it’s ready and if it’s not ready this week, that’s okay.  It’s all about listening to your body.

Fitness Friday - She's BACK!

I can’t tell you just how good it felt to be back in the gym this week!  For the first time in a few weeks, I was able to feel a little more like myself and could tell my energy was returning.  I kept it easy this week as I didn’t want to push myself too hard and hinder recovery, plus I developed a bit of a cold that I’m still working through.

SAT 12/3/11

15 mins abs and stretch

35 mins stationary bike - level 1

SUN 12/4/11

Rest

MON 12/5/11

Rest

TUES 12/6/11

15 mins abs and stretch

35 mins stationary bike - level 2

WED 12/7/11

Rest

THURS 12/8/11

20 mins abs and stretch

33 mins elliptical

FRI 12/9/11

15 mins abs and stretch

25 mins yoga

**In all technicality, this workout hasn’t happened yet but as soon as I hit publish, this is what will happen.  And then I’ll sleep.**

I’m sad that I won’t be participating in the 10k I started training for several weeks ago, but after all that has gone down in the last few weeks, there’s no way that could happen.  I know I will have an opportunity to train/run one in the future so I won’t get too disappointed.

Meanwhile, I’m working on some fitness plans to begin after recovery from my up-coming (rescheduled) surgery and I’m looking forward to returning to the weight room at the gym.  I look forward to feeling super strong again.

Number of Times Poked

It was a crazy week.  So much so that I don’t really know where to begin.  But I guess the beginning is always the best place.

Last Sunday morning (the 20th) I woke up with the previous night’s headache in full migraine mode and a 100*+ fever.  I tried to go to work only to be immediately sent away.  Thank goodness.  I went back to sleep and spent the day taking pain medications and trying to force my fever down.  I assumed I was just stressed with the next day’s procedure looming.

I woke up Monday morning and the migraine was still there.  I had a bit of an upset stomach but again I was placing all blame on nerves and mild anxiety.  I took the hottest shower I could stand to try to loosen tight muscles in my neck and shoulders to ease my migraine.  The shower was hotter than I could take and had to splash myself with cool water as I could feel myself nearly blacking out as I got out of the shower.

Amy picked me up and we headed off to the hospital.  She kept me sane and as calm as possible.  I informed the nurses I had a migraine but as my fever had surprisingly returned, now pushing 101*+, they became very concerned.  They took blood and immediately hooked me up to an IV of fluid.  When my white blood cell count came back over 30,000, I was informed surgery was cancelled.  (Don’t ask me what your white blood cell count should be but 30,000 is NOT good - that much I was able to gather).

We spent 7 hours in the hospital as I was pumped with more and more fluids, given pain medications and antibiotics.  I was sent home with the instruction to keep an eye on my temp and if it went back up, head immediately to the ER, otherwise, I was to see my primary doctor in the morning.

It was the longest night I can remember.  While my fever stayed reasonable throughout the night, I had the worst pain in my abdomen and spent the whole night sick.  After a 6:30AM crying call to my dad, more sick, I was back in the doctor’s office, hardly able to walk at this point.

They thought it was my appendix and they were preparing pre-op for my arrival as I headed to get a CT scan to confirm.  We spent hours waiting and while it was not my appendix, I was still informed to head directly to the hospital as I was going to be admitted for several days.  There was an infection that took over my entire digestive track that the CT scan detected and according to the 3 doctors watching over me, it was “really scary.”  My parents flew out here and I had friends visiting as I spent Tuesday-Friday on additional antibiotics, non-stop fluids and whatever food from the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet I could keep down.

I was finally set free released Friday afternoon and while I’m still not able to work out (next week, fingers crossed), I’ve returned to work and I’m slowly gaining back my energy and strength.  The end is near.

We also took the opportunity to count the number of times I was poked with a needle between Monday and Friday, either to take blood, inject an antibiotic, or set me up with a new IV: 11.  I have bruises and a tally to prove it.

(And I’ll return to my other doctor next week and begin the process of rescheduling my procedure, but at least now we have confirmation from the CT scan that it’s a cyst, not a potential tumor.) 

Time To Start Training

I love to run.  And I love reaching new distances.  I especially love when I hit those new distances without realizing it.  If you remember a few months back when I was doing the Nike+ Cardio Challenge and suddenly, without realizing, ran 6.5 miles.  That was a great moment for me.  It was a new distance record and just an overall amazing run that came with ease.

Ever since that day, I’ve been wanting to hit 6.5 miles again.  I’d even be happy with a 5 miler.  4 has happened but the general 2.5 - 3.5 mile runs have remained.  They are great runs and I’m okay with them being my “normal” distance but I want to push myself and create a forward momentum.

There’s a part of me that would love to some day run a 1/2 or full marathon.  I have bad knees and asthma so I’m not holding my breath that that day will come but a girl can dream, can’t she?  And meanwhile, I can at least keep stretching my boundaries and putting my body to the test.  I’m strong, remember?

Well a couple weeks back, a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she wanted to run the Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run 2011 on December 10th and was looking for people to join her.  I’ve never run a race, despite the number of times I’ve said I wanted to, I haven’t.  She wants to run the 10k and it’s a perfect opportunity for me to dive right in to my first race with a friend.  So I figured, why not?

While the initial 6.5 mile run came with ease, I know better than to just wake up on December 10th and hope my body feels like running a 10k.  Instead, I decided to find a training program to help me work into this distance safely (for my joints and lungs).  I decided on Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Training Program.  I used his program (I think) when I first started running a few years ago and it was the perfect ease.  While I’m sure I will break away from this program a bit to actually fit into my schedule and exercise cravings (like yoga!), I’m most concerned about the run schedule.  It’s a great way to ease into the distance without feeling like you’re moving at a snail’s pace.

With that, today was my first day starting the program (I’m not following the days of the week he has but changed them to work with my race day).  

As always, I welcome you to join me!

Fitness Friday

There was no doubt in my mind that today would be a “rest” day but oh man do I still have this urge to go to the gym or yoga.  Not so much because I feel like I need the physical activity but because I could use the mental release and relaxation it brings me.

I hope to make time tomorrow (if the energy is there) to break a bit of a sweat and relax.

SAT 10/8/11

20 mins abs and stretch

55 mins run w/ warm up and cool down (4.61 miles)

Sun 10/9/11

30 mins abs, legs and stretch

42 mins stationary bike

Mon 10/10/11

90 mins yoga

Tues 10/11/11

25 mins abs and stretch

40 mins run w/ warm up and cool down (3.2 miles)

Wed 10/12/11

90 mins yoga

Thurs 10/13/11

20 mins abs and stretch

30 mins stationary bike

Fri 10/14/11

Rest ** (Well deserved rest!)

It was nice having more yoga in my life this week and really breaking a sweat in most of my workouts.  Some people are afraid of sweating but it gives me a sense of accomplishment in my workouts.  Maybe I’m crazy, but it’s true!

Now it’s time to continue my well deserved rest and get some sleep! ...it doesn’t feel at all like Friday.  Are we sure it actually is?

Fitness Friday

Sat 10/1/11

40 mins abs, arms and stretching

Sun10/2/11

25 mins run w/ warm up and cool down

Mon 10/3/11

Rest

Tues 10/4/11

40 mins abs, legs and stretch

30 mins stationary bike

Wed 10/5/11

20 mins run

Thurs 10/6/11

45 mins arms, abs and stretch

25 mins stationary bike

Fri 10/7/11

20 mins abs and stretch

30 mins elliptical

As you can see, there was no yoga in my life this week.  I planned to go today after work, but my body was in pain the majority of the day (and still is) and I didn’t feel like 90 mins of a fairly intense yoga class was probably a good idea.  I may do 20-30 mins in a bit because I just feel it missing from my life but in general, I need to get back to my yoga heavy workouts (especially since I’m paying for them every month).

In fact, as I sit here drinking my hot tea, listening to the new Feist album and typing an email to my mom about a lot of the health stuff going on right now and as it’s making me all teary, I’m realizing I need to just go do yoga, read and hit the hay early tonight.

Fitness Friday

For the most part this was a pretty good week in terms of exercise.  It feels like I’m slowly getting myself back into my usual routine, bouncing back from being sick and traveling a bunch.  Feels good. :)

Sat 9/24/11

15 mins abs and stretching

5 mins stationary bike *

*Due to severe side pain, I had to leave the gym after only a few minutes. Listening to your body and what it needs is extremely important.  Remember that!

Sun 9/25/11

25 mins Jillian Michael’s 30 day shred level 1 (workout DVDs really do come in handy sometimes)

Mon 9/26/11

10-15 mins abs and stretching

30 mins run with warm-up/cooldown

Tues 9/27/11

45 mins abs, legs and stretch

35-40 mins stationary bike

Wed 9/28/11

Rest

Thurs 9/29/11

15 mins abs and stretching

38 mins stationary bike

Fri 9/30/11

15 mins abs and stretching

30 mins run w/ warm-up/cooldown

**And hopefully there will be 90 mins of yoga happening after work today.  Keep word, hopefully!** 

Juice boxes & Harry Potter

I’ve always hated doctor’s offices for as long as I can remember.  I honestly have a hard time thinking of a doctor that I’ve liked and actually trusted myself with.  Because of that, I choose to not go.  As someone who promotes living a healthy lifestyle, this has always surprised me.  I know and understand the importance of getting routine checkups when nothing seems to be going wrong, but especially when things seem off.  Yet, I still choose not to go.  But when pain and discomfort follow for periods on end, so much so that I nearly (or do) take myself to the Emergency Room, I am reminded why I should go. ...especially when the ER bill delivers itself to your mailbox.

And while I have (barely) avoided the ER this time around, I am making myself go to doctor’s appointments.  I’m rearranging my schedule and spending my days off wishing I was somewhere else, doing something else, enjoying my “free” time.  But life and my body are making me stop.  And it’s not easy.

I’m trying to practice my patience, breathing and relaxation.  I’m trying to make myself go to more yoga classes (especially since I’m paying for unlimited!).  I’m trying to give myself the proper time for me without giving myself so much time I go into a panic thinking about the worst case scenario.

Tests have been done.  More tests will be done.  And countless hours and days of waiting will continue.  Answers will eventually reveal themselves but for now all I can do is ask for positive thoughts as I’m doing all that I can to find out and fix what’s going on.  And maybe someday, depending on the diagnosis, will tell my story.  But then again, maybe not.  Maybe it just becomes my story.  My story that I choose who or who not to tell.  Maybe I tell no one.  And literally no one.  But however this story plays out, I just ask for your support, your love, your positive thoughts.

And in case anyone was wondering, should you cry at your doctor’s office, they might just bring you a juice box with the box of tissues.  (I cry when I’m stressed and frustrated.  It just happens.  Sorry.)  But when the nurse left to get tissues and came back with a juice box, I couldn’t help but laugh.

I need to find a way to simplify my life again with all that’s going on and I haven’t quite figured it out yet.  I took a lot on and I’m finding it hard to focus on me somedays.  Not being in school this semester will definitely help but it stills feels like I need to do something else, not sure what though...

Things at work are going awesome and after my store leader unexpectedly pulled me out of the store as I walked in to work over the weekend, I was reminded how much I love my job there and got the reassurance that I need sometimes that I’m exceeding others expectations on a daily basis.

Also on a positive note, I finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this evening!  Justine, book 2 is now ready for you to borrow (& book 1 if needed)!  I’m debating starting Book 3 tonight or watching the Netflix movie that arrived last week so I can get the 2nd movie asap.

bought myself flowers and read by candlelight to relax

Fitness Friday

While people often call me “crazy” regarding my exercise habits, the thing they don’t quite understand is that I listen to my body.  I know when it’s had enough.  I know when it can take more.  I like to push myself hard because it makes me feel good and strong, but when my body needs a break, I listen.  Sometimes it has to scream it, but I will hear it and give it what it’s asking for.

This week, it asked me to slow down.  I did, but not enough.  It asked me again but it wasn’t until today that it let me know, I had not slowed down enough.  It needed time and rest.  I started by skipping my trip to the gym (again) and continued by canceling my plans for after my 1/2 day of work to come home, eat some soup and take a nap.

While a part of me is craving a nice long, sweaty workout, I’m not getting down on myself for the few days off from exercise this week because I know my body needs it.  With that, here’s this weeks recap of fitness:

SAT 8/27/11

45 mins stationary bike (I’m getting further in Harry Potter!)

SUN 8/28/11

Rest

MON 8/29/11

60 mins Circuit Works Training (cardio/lifting intervals)

*I have a few more sessions to use of my Living Social deal and plan to review this soon!

TUES 8/30/11

Rest - sick

WED 8/31/11

90 mins yoga

(I coughed through a big chunk of it and skipped a few vinyasas but it was a difficult class)

THURS 9/1/11

Rest - sick

FRI 9/2/11

Rest - sick

I’m off to take some more of the “Wellness Formula” capsules, drink some juice and possibly watch a movie on the couch.

Source