Yummy Deliciousness

The last two days have been a bit tough both emotionally and ultimately physically. My workout yesterday consisted of 30 minutes cardio, chest and back, and Week 4 Day 2 of the twohundredsitups challenge. Today I only did my Week 5 Day 3 of the onehundredpushup program. I was home in time to make it to my bootcamp class; however, I just couldn’t put on the class face today. I needed to rest. Seems to be the theme as of late, which thinking about, is making me quite frustrated.

This afternoon, my friend introduced me to Wegmans. OH MY GOODNESS…that grocery store is marvelous! Yes, I said grocery store. I’d rather not go into the psychology of why I find a grocery store so exciting. Let’s just say we managed to spend an hour in there and that wasn’t nearly enough time. I could have spent hours in there. So many fun things to look at!

I couldn’t believe how packed the store was around noon (went during lunch break). What were these people doing there, doesn’t anyone work? Ha! The only other “negative” feature I thought was that it felt pretty chaotic in there and that was mostly due to the people. There was no order to their shopping; people were all over the place. Everywhere I turned I felt like I was in someone’s way. I wasn’t too surprised because I felt these people shopped/pushed carts the way they drive. But anyone that knows me knows I don’t like crowds and I don’t like my bubble aka personal space being invaded by other fellow shoppers. Word to the wise, say “excuse me” if you would like to get at something that I or anyone else may be blocking at that particular time. I’d be pleased to move for you. Let’s use our manners people! Anyways, this irritation was only minor. I did really enjoy the store and can’t wait to go back when I have more time.

I left with a cantaloupe, raspberries, strawberries, red grapes, a black Honest Tea, Oikos Greek Yogurt (vanilla and strawberry), and the Cooking Light magazine and I only spent $23. GO ME! I washed and/or cut up all the fruit, except for the cantaloupe (got it a little green so it doesn’t ripen too fast). It’s all ready to eat!

My evening snack was yummy deliciousness, see for yourself:

Getting started again

Today was my first day working out since Friday; for me, this is quite some time off. After work on Monday, I decided that I would rest my foot one more day. Mostly because it was still way too hot to running outside and I didn’t feel like dragging myself to the gym. Therefore, I stayed home, finished my book, and completed Week 4 Day 1 from the twohundredsitups program.

Today my workout started with a 10 minute warm-up on the Arc Trainer. I focused on my quads. I did a three movement circuit, rested for 1-2 minutes and then repeated 2 more times. The circuit consisted of:

12 - Step-ups (per leg), 20lb dumbbells in hand
12 – Front Squats, 30lb barbell
20 – Bench Jumps, no weight

To ensure total fatigue, I completed 2 sets of single leg extensions. First set was 20lbs and I managed to complete about 8 reps per leg. The second set was at 10lbs and I was able to finish 6 reps per leg. I believe muscle fatigue was accomplished!

Hard, but great workout! Right after that I attempted to complete my Week 5 Day 1 from the onehundredpushups program. I did fine until I was suppose to max out the last set. I was supposed to complete a minimum of 45 pushups on the fifth set, however I managed only 26. I think my quad workout had more of an effect on my whole body than I thought it would. Depending on how Day 2 of Week 5 goes I might have to repeat this week. I’m not feeling very confident about completing 100 pushups in a row at the end of this program. This program should be called the 6 + weeks program! Ha!

And of course I finished off with cardio on the Arc Trainer. I did the Interval Program set at level 6 out of 10.

Sore foot, what's next?

I didn’t end up working out yesterday either. My foot was still sore even after I rocked the running shoes all day at work. I figured it wouldn’t do me any good to irritate it more. So instead I did a TON of stretches. My mom was so nice and offered to bring me dinner over. She had made roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and some veggies. She also brought me over an ice pack. Thanks Mom! For about one hour I iced my right foot.

Let me describe how my foot hurts; it’s my right foot, outside ankle area. The muscle or the ligament, I really don’t know which (probably ligament), that runs perpendicular to my ankle feels extremely tight and wound up. Imagine a rubber band pulled tight; now imagine it rubbing up and down against your skin every time you point your toe. That’s what it feels like under my skin; sort of feels that it is going to pop because it feels so tight. Or like that cramp or joint that needs to be popped but it just won’t pop. It’s very irritating and uncomfortable. It doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t feel good either.

Its the same leg as my "sore" knee. I wonder if wearing my knee strap could be causing me to run differently on my foot? Does it have anything to do with my foot? I've never had any foot problems before. Hmmm...

Today I started out with a four minute walk on the treadmill. Then I proceeded to do 3 movements, 3 sets of each, for my chest, shoulders, and triceps. I threw in some abs in the middle of it all. I did supersets for most of the movements and did not rest very long in between. Since I hadn’t worked out in 2 days, I wanted to keep my heart rate up so that I was getting an aerobic workout as well as strength training. I felt pretty good. I ended my workout with 10 minutes on the row machine. Thought this would be a good alternative for my foot. I haven’t done the row machine in forever and WOWEE, my butt, legs, back, arms, and chest were really feeling it. I need to remember to incorporate that in more often. My foot felt a bit tight afterwards, but didn’t notice and discomfort while I was rowing.

To finish it off, I cleaned my house from top to bottom in 1.5 hours. Not too shabby!

Time to run some errands...I have to pick up some bread and salad for dinner tonight. Meeting up with some lovely ladies for a “girls night in!” Think Italian and lots of wine! Cheers!

Testing New Meal Ideas

This morning I woke up feeling pretty tired and couldn’t convince myself to go to the gym. Instead I rolled over and slept until it was time to get up for work. Last night I slept better than I have in a few weeks; uninterrupted pure sweet sleep. This is probably why I was so tired this morning.

Work started at 6am for me. Breakfast included a large mug of English Breakfast tea, bowl of Kashi Honey and Cinnamon oatmeal, and a serving of no sugar added applesauce. After breakfast and a bit more work. I did my only source of exercise today which was push-ups and sit-ups.

I started out with my progress test for the onehundredpushups program. I’ve been “stuck” on Week 4 for about two weeks, not because I felt like I needed to spend extra time on it but because for two weeks I forgot to do Day 3 of Week 4. Instead of starting Week 4 again for the third week in a row, I decided to proceed on to the progress test. I had to do as many pushups as I could at one time. This number helps me to determine which column I start in for Week 5, which I’ll begin on Sunday. I managed to pump out 44 pushups.

Next I finished Day 3 of Week 3 for the twohundredsitups program. I’ll start Week 4 on Monday. Like the pushups I managed to spend two weeks on Week 3 because I kept missing one day. I’m going to do my best to finish out these next two to three weeks correctly. Both the push-ups and sit-ups took me all of 15 minutes. That’s what I call a workout, lol, although, I’m itching to do something else. I’ll force myself to rest because my foot is still sore :(

For lunch, I had a Morningstar Farm Spicy Black Bean Burger on Ezekiel bread with medium cheddar cheese, red onion, spinach, and some ketchup. Delicious! Really enjoyed how all the flavors blended so well. My stomach felt content but still light. Not overly full! It was my first time trying Ezekiel bread as well as the black bean burger. I got the idea from ELR. She comes up with fantastic meals, making it very easy for me. Just means that I don’t have to think of new ideas on my own. I’m learning from other’s suggestions and experiences while building and creating my own! I rounded out my meal with Salsa Garden Sun Chips and a glass of skim milk.



Dinner was another new experience for me. I attempted to make Alaska Smoked Salmon Summer Pasta Salad. I first tried the salad at a wine festival at the beginning of June. They handed out a little pamphlet with several smoked salmon recipes, which included the pasta salad. I’ve wanted to recreate it for some time. I finally found most of the ingredients for the salad. Although the salmon is not from Alaska....shh, don't tell anyone. I invited my mom, sister, and the kiddos over to be my guinea pigs! It took me about 1 hour to finish the whole meal (prep and cook time). I’m a bit slow, but know I can make it quicker now that I know what I’m doing. We learned that the kids liked smoked salmon by itself! Dinner included the pasta salad and fresh cut peaches.

I thought it turned out pretty good. My mom and sister gave it two thumbs up (well that’s how I’m interpreting it, lol). I didn’t give it time to marinate, so I’m interested to see how it tastes tomorrow when I eat the leftovers for lunch.

I’d say my day of new food experiences was a success! I’m looking forward to incorporating these dishes into my meals in the future.

LARABAR

Yesterday, for the first time I tried a LARABAR. They are all natural fruit and nut bars. I tried the Chocolate Coconut Chew flavor. It had the consistency of a brownie. It’s not as sweet as I’m use too. But I must say that the flavor was light and I enjoyed the whole bar. To me they were filling and kept me satisfied for a good period of time. I ate it for my late afternoon snack, about 1-2 hours before my 5 mile fun. Not sure if there is any correlation, but I had a great run. A lot of times when I try a new energy bar I typically like the first two bites but after that I’m over it. Not this time! I’m actually excited that I like these bars. There are tons of flavors; slowly I’m going to try all the flavors and see which I like best.

I like how Lara, creator of LARABAR, describes her bars on the back of the wrappers:

“We at LARABAR believe that a healthy body, mind and spirit are derived from what you eat – and that food is healthiest and most satisfying in its simplest, most natural state. Made from 100% real food, LARABAR is energy in its purest form. A magical harmony of fruits, nuts and spices. LARABAR harvests the best natural ingredients to lift your vitality and sustain energy with every bite. Simple. Pure. Delicious. Enjoy the energy bar and start humming!”


Workout:
Warm-up: 10 minutes on Arc Trainer
Back and Biceps
Abs
20 minutes on Arc Trainer (Cardio, level 6)

My workout was pretty good today. I started out with my biceps and to warm-up I did two sets of chin-ups using my full body weight. I was able to do ten my first set and five my second set. Typically you should start with the larger muscle group and then move to the smaller muscle group. To change things up and to challenge my muscles I started out with biceps and then moved to back. My back is starting to feel a good sore, so I know it’s worked!

At some point today I noticed my right foot feeling sore. It actually feels as if I have a constant cramp in it. I’ve been stretching it off and on all day. I’m hoping that I can work it out. I might consider walking or biking tomorrow for my cardio. I’ll see how I feel in the morning.

5 Mile Run

It started raining on my way home from work yesterday. Debated whether I should wait the rain out and attempt to run outside. In the end, I decided to head to the gym to do my running on the treadmill. No point in wasting time.

I started by walking about 4 minutes for my warm-up. Stopped and stretched. My goal today was to just run at a 10 minute mile pace and run for as long as I felt like running. I turned on Maxwell and off I went. Overall, I ended up running 5 miles in just under 50 minutes. I felt good and probably could have kept running, but it was getting late and I still had to go home and shower and eat dinner. As good as my run felt, I did experience some interesting things while running…some that you would only experience at a gym and others because that’s just how my body works.

Here’s a play by play…

Mile 1 to 3: Breathing, stride, pace, knee, and overall body feels great! I’m in my zone, listening to Maxwell. Maxwell’s music is very chill, amongst other things; helped me to relax my mind and body.

Mile 3: My friend comes up and starts talking to me. Of course I can’t hear him because my music is too loud. So off come my head phones, maintaining my run, looking to my right; he’s asking me how the knee strap is working for me and how my knee felt. I told him so far so good, but he’s now walking to my left so I have to shift my head and try to maintain my balance on the treadmill. Doing my best not to trip! I realize after he leaves that I was practically yelling when I was talking to him. LOL! Sorry gym buddies, I’m sure that was an annoying distraction as well as I’m sure you really cared to hear about my knee.

Mile 3 to 4: Maxwell ended. Switched to the Black Eyed Peas, time to get pumped! Uh-oh! My lower stomach is starting to cramp a little…that can only mean one thing …the dreaded gas! All this running got my system working. I did my best to hold it in, but I can’t say that 1-2 petite farts didn’t escape! I’m pretty sure they were quiet and I’m almost certain they didn’t smell. But you never know. I just hope nobody was behind me on another piece of equipment. An occasional fart when I’m running outside is ok in my mind. For one, nobody can hear or smell it (if either is an issue). Secondly, I like to think the gas is giving me a little boost, propelling me forward. The gym is another story and I really do my best to avoid letting one loose at all costs. But sometimes, it can’t be controlled. Today was one of those times! Luckily, it quickly passed and I was back on track! <-- yes, I totally went there!

Mile 4.25 to 5: Back at mile 3, I recognized the guy running on the treadmill to my left. When he was done with his run and was cleaning off his treadmill, out of politeness, I looked over and said “hi” (still running). He said “hi” back, but didn’t stop there. He proceeded to turn the treadmill back on, walking pace, and started talking to me. Apparently, he chose to over look the fact that my headphones were on and my music was blaring. It wasn’t like I could pretend I didn’t hear him and run off in a different direction, I was on a treadmill. SOOO, to avoid being rude I took my headphones off and chatted while I finished off my 5 miles. So there I am, my headphones flopping uncomfortably around my neck, trying to pay attention the conversation, thinking to myself “how long is this guy going to stay and talk? He was done, finished, finito…what happened?!” He talked for approximately 7 minutes! Notice I said he, because I randomly answered but for the most part faced forward and tried to focus on my running. Don’t get me wrong, nice guy, but come on! I’m running, please DO NOT DISTURB!!

My treadmill buddy finally decides to head out. I cool-down by walking about 5 minutes. Finish out by stretching. As I was in the bathroom, washing my hands, I looked in the mirror and noticed deodorant balls coming out of my armpits. There’s a reason why I don’t wear solid deodorant when I do cardio…frothing armpits are a prime example. That’s hot….a hot mess! Haha!

Aside from my yelling, flatulence (as my mom would prefer I say), unwanted conversation, and armpit foam…my run was FREAKING FANTASTIC! I really felt I could run forever, ok not quite, but a little while longer.

7/17 Meals/Workout

Meal 1: Over-easy fried egg with 2 slices of whole wheat bread, applesauce, English Breakfast tea
Meal 2: Tri-color chickpea salad with Kashi whole grain crackers, hardboiled egg, glass of skim milk
Snack: Kashi chewy granola bar
Meal 3: Chicken breast, homemade sweet potato fries, broccoli, glass of skim milk
Snack: 4 Squares Lindt Dark Chocolate

Workout:
10 minute warm-up walk on treadmill
chest/shoulders/tris
3 sets of morning stretches - 20lb barbell
3 sets of leg raises (laying on bench)
20 minutes on Stairmaster (Free Climber) - level 8, 9, 10
Stretch

7/16 Meals/Workout

Meal 1: Kashi Go Lean Honey & Cinnamon Oatmeal, hardboiled egg, English Breakfast tea
Snack: Sugar free Pomegranate Applesauce and handful of blackberries
Meal 2: Leftover spaghetti, spinach leaf salad w/ sprouts, raisens, and low-fat ranch dressing (ick!)
Snack: Blackberry yogurt (Dannon Lite and Fit) <-- do you sense a theme?!
Meal 3: Chicken breast, homemade sweet potato fries (seasoned w/extra virgin olive oil, paprika, pepper, and sea salt), and steamed broccoli
Snack: 4 squares of the Lindt Dark Chocolate with a touch of sea salt

Workout:
Week 3/Day 2 of twohundredsitups

I got a little lazy today. Because of traffic I got home too late to make it to my Boot Camp class, so sad. So I sat down for 30 minutes to rest thinking I could convince myself to go to the gym to lift. Yeah, no luck in that department. Plus it was too hot to go running, too hot for me anyways! So instead I did my sit-ups and called it a night :) I did make a very tasty dinner though, highly satisfying.

CHOCOLATE and Energy Bar Mix-Up

After work today, I ran a few quick errands. My first stop was Sports Authority to return/exchange a pair of running shorts I bought last Friday. I’ve never worn running shorts and wasn’t sure how they were supposed to fit. So I wanted to try a size down from what I got. Figured out the size I bought was correct but also found out the shorts were on sale this week. So I got the $4 back, but exchanged them for a different color because I also found a purple Nike Dri-Fit tank top, on clearance, that matched a pair of dark brown/black and purple running shorts perfectly! Score!! I’ll write more about my new running outfit in a future post.

My next stop was to head next door to Borders. I wasn’t in search of a good book (although I’m always looking for a good read), but my mission was to find this chocolate:

I can’t take credit for finding this chocolate on my own. I kept reading Eat.Live.Run’s (ELR) blog about her discovery of this chocolate. I’m a huge chocolate lover and she just kept talking about how fantastic it was. Here’s where I first read about it (scroll down). I just had to try, so into Borders I went. Got up to the register and the lady asked me if I found everything and then she realized that I was only buying chocolate. I laughed and excitedly said YES!! She got a good chuckle out of it!

My review…I totally agree with ELR. It’s delicious, smooth, and melts in your mouth! At the end of the bite, it's like small salt crystals materialize and a small hint of salt hits the taste buds. I looked at the chocolate closely but couldn't see any granules of salt, magic? Ha! I'm not a big fan of salt in my sweets, but I think it works well with this chocolate bar.

My last stop was to the Vitamin Shoppe. I was looking to try the Amazing Grass Chocolate Whole Food Energy Bar. Again, I heard about these on ELR’s blog. They are all natural. When I went into the store I was a bit unprepared. I thought the name of the company was “Organic Green Superfood” and it wasn’t. What I figured out is that this is language that some natural food companies use (from what I gather anyways). I am just learning about all this natural food stuff. Long story short, I walked out with these:


I had a feeling they weren’t what I was looking for. I was right. I debated on whether I should keep them and give them a try, but after looking up their website and comparing them to the Amazing Grass website, I decided to return them (I called and the Vitamin Shoppe does refund unopened products). My reasoning....Amazing Grass had organizations (USDA, COOP America, Natural Products Association) accrediting/supporting their product. I couldn’t find anything on the other website. I’m not saying one is better than the other because I really don’t know. I had to go with my gut. Also, I’m not a energy bar fan, meaning I haven’t found any that I like, but this is recommended. I’d like to give it a try to see if they are tasty. If they are, I plan to only purchase them for when I travel or am away from home for long periods of time and need a healthy snack. I’m still in search of the energy bars…will provide my review at that time!


7/15 Meals/Workout

Meal 1: bowl of Special K protein plus, hardboiled egg, ½ mug English Breakfast tea
Meal 2: Tri-color chickpea salad with Kashi multi-grain crackers, 2 tbsp of peanut butter
Snack: plum
Meal 3: 4 hard tacos (only lettuce and cheese), glass of skim milk
Snack: glass of Sauvignon Blanc and 2 squares of Lindt Dark Chocolate

Workout:
10 minutes warm-up on Arc Trainer
Quads
1 set of obliques
20 minutes on Arc Trainer (Cardio program, level 6)
Stretch
Week 4/Day 2 onehundredpushups

7/14 meals/workout

Meal 1: over-easy egg, 2 slices of whole wheat bread w/butter, cottage cheese, English Breakfast tea
Vitamins: multi-vitamin and fish oil tablet
Meal 2: leftover Mexicali black bean pizza, plum, water, Diet 7-Up
Snack: banana strawberry yogurt (Danon light and fit)
Meal 3: tuna melt with sprouts mixed in, blackberries
Vitamins: calcium, vitamin C, and fish oil tablet
Snack: glass of Sauvignon Blanc and way too much peanut brittle

Workout:
10 minutes warm-up on Elliptical
Back and Biceps
Hanging Leg Raises and Bicycles
20 minutes on Stationary Bike
Stretch

Week 3/Day 1 twohundredsitups

I'm not sure how long or often I'm going to post my meals. Testing it out, seeing how I like broadcasting my habits and not so good habits... Although, the whole point of this is holding myself accountable and being honest with myself! Hmmm...sometimes not an easy task.

Running for Pennies

7/13 meals and workout

Meal 1: Kashi Go Lean Honey & Cinnamon Oatmeal, hardboiled egg, English Breakfast tea
Snack: Banana
Meal 2: Leftover tilapia, tri-color chickpea salad on spinach leaves, plum
Snack: Large handful of blackberries and Kashi chewy granola bar
Meal 3: Kashi Mexicali black bean pizza, small spinach salad w/carrots & sprouts, small handful of blackberries

Workout:
Week 4/Day 1 of Onehundredpushups
Stretch
Run: ~3.6 miles at 36.29 minutes = 10.08 minute mile
Stretch

Knee Status: Wore the strap. My knee was a bit sore starting off, but after getting into a comfortable stride the soreness went away.

When I got home from work yesterday evening it was still too warm for me to run outside. So I took a 20 minute nap. Got changed and did my pushups for the day. At around 7pm, I decided to head out. I walked for about 3 minutes to warm-up.

My goal for yesterday’s run was to pace myself. Last Monday’s run was a disaster. I don’t run outside all that much, which is crazy being the weather has been so great! The hardest part for me when running outside is setting a comfortable pace. I almost always start out way too fast. That’s what happened last Monday, 4 minutes into my run I was already breathing heavily. I ran/walked and only ended up running for 22 minutes. I had no energy to go farther. Very frustrating!

Yesterday I focused on starting out at a somewhat slower pace. I ran the first loop in about 17 minutes. The second loop, I ran and walked at a 4:1 ratio. I found my stride feeling stronger and my breathing more controlled. I got the idea of run/walk from reading other blogs and them referencing the Galloway Method. The idea is to run/walk at the beginning and middle of your run and then as needed towards the end.

For some, having to walk during a run may seem like a failure. In the past, I’ve been hard on myself if I had to stop and walk when it wasn’t in the plan. But after more and more reading, I’m learning that walking is a valuable tool in your training for any type of race and achieving your personal goals. I’ve only just started testing out this method, time will tell. I can say that I felt GREAT after my run last night!

Almost forgot…while I was running I noticed lots of pennies on the ground. It took A LOT of restraint not to stop and pick them up. You may laugh and say “they are only pennies, forget about them!” NO WAY! I am always finding money (coins mostly) on the ground and I almost always pick them up no matter if they are heads or tails up (no superstitions for me). Every American coin says “In God We Trust,” and I do my best not to pass up anything that has something to do with God! I didn’t come up with this concept myself; I heard/read about a man who gave this reasoning. I thought it was a fabulous concept! I also heard somewhere that money found is left by a family member or friend that has passed. Whether, it’s true or not, I don’t care! It makes me feel good and I felt all warm and fuzzy inside during my run last night knowing I had two “cheerleaders.” Now I just need to remember to bring something to carry my treasures in! Happy Running!

Success!

For the past couple of days, I’ve been struggling with my second post. I had no problem writing it. My problem was with formatting. Oh, the stress I suffered with trying to get the text in my post to appear let alone formatted the way I wanted it. There was some yelling at the computer, whining, and thoughts of quitting (I don’t consider myself a quitter, but can’t deny I don’t think about it on occasion). Luckily, I was alone and nobody had to experience my temper tantrum. LOL!

I spent most of today watching my dear friend’s son play in his baseball tournament. He has become quite the baseball player! When I got home I showered and made myself tilapia and a spinach salad topped with broccoli and clover sprouts as well as this delicious salad:



Thank you Sweaty Hugs for the recommendation!

After dinner, I decided to take another stab at my second post….and what do you know, it was a success!! Phew. My brief and irrational feelings of desperation and despair and thoughts of quitting have vanished.

To celebrate, I treated myself to a glass of Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc and two pieces of peanut brittle (yes Misty, I swiped some this afternoon when nobody was home. I couldn’t resist and thank you!)

Once I get through this learning curve, I know posts (including more than just text) will become easier and way more enjoyable! Patience Brea!

Knee Brace vs. Knee Strap

In 2007, I played the role of Horse while my niece and nephew played the role of cowboy and cowgirl. I took them on a nice horseback ride, crawling around on my hands and knees all over the house. While it was very entertaining, this old horse needed a break, so buck them off I did! I headed up the stairs (on two legs) and discovered that my right knee started to crack. It sounded like a nut caught in a nutcracker. Although annoying to the ear, it wasn't painful.

Every now and again my right knee would ache but it wasn't anything that bothered me. Until a couple of weeks ago; my right knee started to ache more consistently, during workouts and not. At the end of June, I went to see an orthopedic doctor. They told me I had Patellofemoral Syndrome.

According to the pamphlet provided me by the doc, printed by Syntex Laboratories:

This syndrome is caused by an irritation of the undersurface of the patella (kneecap), which is normally smooth. The irritation can lead to a roughening of the patella undersurface, a condition called chrondromalacia. The patella glides up and down in a shallow groove formed by the femur (thigh bone) and its covering ligaments. The pain is caused when increasing tension gradually increases the pressure between the patella and the femur. The irritation and roughening of the patella cause inflammation that causes pain.

Contributing Factors:

• When the patella is not centered in the groove of the femur, there is an imbalance that results in wear and tear.
• This poor alignment can be identified on special knee x-rays.
• Overuse, especially the pounding shocks absorbed during jogging, hiking, or downhill running.
• Knock knees
• Abnormal twisting or rotation of the lower leg
• Flat (pronated) feet
• Weak front and inner thigh muscles
• Previous injury to the knee
• Family tendency
• Obesity

Treatment: Rest, Ice, Medication, Physical Therapy, Surgery

They provided me with a knee brace and told me I could wear it as needed. They showed me the correct way to wear it. My question to the doctor was, "Do I have to wear this out of the office?" He just chuckled and ever so politely said no and helped me take the brace off. Here is what it looked like:



It practically covered my whole leg! It was extremely uncomfortable, hot, and constricting. Not sure how they expected me to workout in this thing. Needless to say, I did not wear the brace. My decision to not wear the brace didn't ease the pain. About a week ago, my knee was really bothering me during my Boot camp class. My instructor suggested I try a knee strap. A knee strap is so much more appealing than the crazy knee brace, but does it work?



Thursday I gave the knee strap a try during my Boot camp class. My knee felt supported and there was no pain. I felt a twinge here and there but nothing major. I tried it again Friday during my workout:

warm-up: 1 mile (1o min run)
stretch
strength training: hamstrings, calves, and shoulders
cardio: 20 mins on StairMaster
stretch

In the evening I also did a run/walk for about 1 hour with my friend on a gravel trail.

So far my knee feels great during my workouts! Now it could be all in my mind or it could actually be working. Hey, doesn't matter to me as long as I'm feeling comfortable during my workouts. I did notice when I took the knee strap off my knee felt a bit sore when I started walking. I'm going to try stretching after my workouts with it off, see if that will eliminate any of the soreness. I'll provide an update in about a week or so.

Welcome!

From early childhood through high school, I’ve played a number of sports…tumbling, dance (jazz & ballet), t-ball, swimming, softball, gymnastics, indoor track, volleyball, and tennis. I also started strength training in high school. After graduating high school, I joined a gym where off and on I continued with my strength and cardio training. This inconsistent cycle continued for a few years. August, five years ago, I lost one of the most important people in my life. I lost a parent, best friend, mentor, and kindred spirit all in one day. The following year, I experienced depression and weight gain amongst other things. I was unmotivated and lethargic, couldn’t get myself into a regular workout routine. I missed the natural high (sweating, pushing myself, accomplishment) I experienced when working out. At the time I knew I wasn’t strong enough mentally and emotionally to do it alone, I needed help! I hired a personal trainer. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I trained with a personal trainer for approximately two years. Thanks to his expertise and support, and my motivation, desire, and persistence; I’m now in the best shape I’ve ever been in. It has helped me both physically and emotionally. For the last two and a half years I’ve been training on my own and have maintained my fitness.

In December, I’ll be turning the big 3-0! I’m ok with this for the most part. But at the same time I feel like I need to kick things into gear. That’s where this blog comes in. My friend started a blog to document her workout goals. I thought it was a great idea and began thinking that I should do one too. I’ve never been much of a journal writer; I’ve started a few and ALWAYS quit them after a few days. Just wasn’t my thing. However, this time it feels different. I’m excited about the idea of documenting my goals, progress, failures, successes, etc. when it comes to my health and fitness. I’m always talking about it with my friends and family, even when they’re not listening, ha! This way I can write it down and they can read and focus on it at their leisure. This blog will also be a way of holding me accountable; help me to pinpoint what works for me and what doesn’t.

My goal is to write about anything and everything that goes into my overall health including but not limited to workouts, new activities, food, and my mental stability or lack thereof ( at times), ha! I hope to learn more about myself and gain knowledge that others are genuinely willing to share. This will definitely be a work in progress. I ask for your patience, but more so patience from myself for myself!

Enjoy!