Recap week 35

Monday – 30 min road walk, foam rolling, JM x2

Tuesday – AM:  50 min bush walk, PM workout:  3x sit-up get-up, 3x TGU, JMx2, 2x (3R/3L bottom-up clean w/8kg, 8 goblet squat w/12, 20 2hs w/16), 2x (5R/5L tall kneeling press w/8kg, 10 bicep curl w/8kg, 8 tricep extension w/8kg, 10L/10R high pull w/8kg)

Wednesday – 50 min bush walk.  Had an all day yoga workshop.  We did do about an hour of asana work but it was primarily meditation focused.

Tried on my ‘thermometer’ pants the other day.  They are more comfortable than last time.  I still don’t think I would wear them in public as they feel a little tight around the upper thighs.

Thursday – 350 sh & dh swings w/12kg

Friday – 60 min bush walk

Saturday – 60 min yogaglo, 2x Joint Mobility.  Had my first acupuncture today – to my periformis muscles.  I had a dull ache the rest of the day so decided to wait until Sunday for my 3rd workout of the week.  Even stayed off the foam roller.

Surgery is Wednesday.  I’m ready.  Luckily, I’ve not had any attacks for the last month.  My plan for post surgery is to focus on restorative yoga & studying the Somatics book by Thomas Hanna for the first week until I can get back into my bush walking in the mornings.  I’m not sure how long it will be before I can swing my bells or lift anything.  I’ll take it as it comes.

Sunday – TR 2013 WO#2 (300 swings/dh & sh w/8, 12 & 16kg bells), 60 min yin yoga, 20 min road walk.

Could have very easily skipped my kettlebell workout today but I did it with Diana in mind!  I kinda did it for her because she is recovering from surgery and can’t workout right now.

Realities of this 54 year old body

Today I’ve been thinking about my body.  The realities of MY 54 year old body.  The realities of this body that has been dieting since the age of 12.  The realities of a woman who dieted her way up to 300 pounds.  The realities of a body that has gained and lost hundreds of pounds over the last 42 years.  The realities of a body that has lost over a hundred pounds and kept it off for nearly 5 years.

What brought this on?  A long look in the mirror prior to my shower this morning.  And, I’m going to ruin it all by telling you the end of the story up front…..I didn’t look away with displeasure or disqust – I looked at my body with love and respect – in spite of the fact that I’m not thin.  In spite of the fact that I don’t have a visable six-pack.  In spite of the fact that my doctor called me FAT (well, he didn’t exactly call me ‘fat’….he said I was a BIG woman).  Yeah….you heard me right…..I LOVE AND RESPECT my body.

Some of my realities?

I have skin like a shar-pei puppy.  Everywhere.  It’s one of the downsides of losing a large amount of weight for many people.  When I was 300 pounds, I didn’t have lunch lady arms.  They were full to the max with fat.  When I was 300 pounds, my stomach was nice and smooth – now it’s wrinkly and deflated.  When I was 300 pounds, my legs were firm and toned and now they are wiggly and squishy.

Another reality of this 54 year old body is that I have hair issues.  Yes…..HAIR issues.  Men are not the only ones who have hair issues.  The hair on my head is thinner and softer than it’s ever been, which means it’s no longer fashionably curly – but rather annoyingly fuzzy.    Don’t talk to me about chin and nose hairs…..I’ve made all my friends promise that if I’m ever in a nursing home, that they’ll come by weekly for a plucking.  And let’s just say…..the grey hair doesn’t just happen on your head (I know, I know….TMI!).

Aches and pains (for me it’s my hip & knee) and slower recovery time are all part of my reality.  Sometimes I take an extra day of active recovery or even total rest.  I fight HARD against feeling guilty about taking these extra days but truly, if I don’t listen to my body when it complains, I’m going to hurt something.  The reality is that I’m not 25 or 35 or 45 years of age.  Not that age is an excuse – but it IS a reality.

BUT – and here’s one of the things I love…..I have great muscles!  Sure, they are hidden under the excess skin and remaining fat – but under that I can feel muscles.  When I soap up my arms in the shower, I feel really  nice muscles – and it makes me smile!  Damn, I think to myself, those muscles feel good.  During a massage this week, my therapist even commented about my muscles.  How cool is THAT?  :)

Another reality?  I can barrel up the hill and walk in the bush for an hour and barely get winded anymore.  I can swing a 16kg kettlebell for 20 swings, feel invigorated doing it and do it again and again.  I can do single hand swings with my 12kg kettlebell without injury.  Yoga?  Love it.  Boogie boarding?  BRING IT ON, GIRLFRIEND!

Here’s another thing…I really don’t give a rats ass what YOU think of me.  Nope.  I’ve spent way too many years worrying about what others think.  What’s important is what I think.  You haven’t lived my reality.  You are most likely clueless to my life (as I am probably clueless to yours).  It’s good that we can respect each other but that’s probably enough.

Another reality of mine?  I have a partner that loves me NO MATTER WHAT.  He only wants for my happiness and health.  Unlike my ex-husband (who said his happiness was dependent upon MY weight) My Mister loves me unconditionally.  (And between you and me, it doesn’t get any better than that!)

And the absolute BEST reality of mine?  I love and respect myself for exactly who I am today.  I seriously didn’t think I’d ever get here.

Week 34

Monday – Back to the Lauren Brook’s Kettlebells for Women program.  I’m starting at month 2.  Today was Tabata 2 plus 3 rounds of Joint Mobility.  I hate Tabata but it’s over and done with before you know it so I really shouldn’t complain.  I did the sh swings with the 12kg and the dh with the 16kg.  I DESPISE squat thrusts but did them anyway.  I tried the jumping jacks but they hurt my knee so I substituted pushups.  All to a 20 second work/10 second rest.

I also had a lovely beach walk and threw in an hour of yogaglo for good measure.  I just felt like I had the energy to do more since I had taken 2 days of rest over the weekend.

Tuesday – 60 min bush walk in AM, PM workout:  3 30/30 rounds of (chest press w/12kg,  clean & squat w/8kg, alt swings w/12kg) then 3 20/10 rounds of (pullover to crunch w/8kg, Russian twist w/12kg, mini-plank, farmer walks w/12&8kg), JM x2

Wednesday – 60 min bush walk in AM, JMx2, 20 min yogaglo hip opener, foam rolling & stretches in front of Rugby

Thursday – 60 min bush walk, 3x (3/3 bodyweight windmill, 5/5 bodyweight single deadlift, 12 alt swings w/12kg), 3x 20/20 (goblet squat w/8kg, push-up, single arm row w/8kg, high pull w/8kg), 3x 20/20 (Russian twist w/12kg, mini-plank).

A friend who is a massage therapist indicated that she thought working with 8, 12 & 16kg kettlebells was TOO heavy.  I suppose without proper training/education, she may be right but I feel totally comfortable with these weights.  Actually, once I recover from my surgery, a 20kg kettlebell will be finding its way to my home.  :)  I LOVE my kettle bells!

Friday – 50 min bush walk.  I just couldn’t NOT go for my morning walk this morning. 50 min yin yoga.

Saturday – 3x sit-up get-up, 3x TGU, JMx2, 2x (3R/3L bottom-up clean w/8kg, 8 goblet squat w/12, 20 2hs w/16), 2x (5R/5L tall kneeling press w/8kg, 10 bicep curl w/8kg, 8 tricep extension w/8kg, 10L/10R high pull w/8kg)

Sunday – JM x2, Tabata 2 (I hate Tabata!), 30 restorative yoga

It’s how I roll, baby!

I love my foam roller.  I truly think it was instrumental in helping me overcome some intense hip pain, periformis muscle issues and shoulder pain that I was experiencing about 12-18 months ago.

There are some studies out there that support the use of self myofacial release (SMR) but there are probably just as many that don’t.  One of the things that I’ve come to realize over the years is that whether there is scientific evidence to support something or not really doesn’t matter (to me).  If it works (for me) then that’s enough evidence (for me).  I really don’t care if it’s a placebo effect or not.

HERE is an article from T-Nation on SMR and HERE is a beginner’s guide to foam rolling by Pure Performance Training.  One more article from Breaking Muscle is HERE – which includes a peer reviewed study.  There are also a ton of youtube videos to watch on the subject (google is your friend).

The place that got me started was THIS article in Men’s Health.  It’s short and sweet and gives diagrams.

Here is a very comprehensive pdf document from Robertson Training Systems that will probably cover everything you’d ever need to know.

Right now I have the dark blue hard density foam roller.  I also use 2 tennis balls that are tied into a sports sock (thanks for the tip Tania!).  I found that putting them inside a sock and then tying a knot at the end helps me from chasing the little suckers all over the lounge room.

Below is my dream foam roller – the rumbleroller.  Next time I place an order for kettlebells, one of these little babies is going to come live at my house.

When do I foam roll?  Pretty much every night when I sit down in front of the TV I start by sitting on my foam roller.  I don’t spend long on it (maybe 15-20 minutes) but it feels good and based upon what I’ve read, I think it’s good for me.

The best thing is that it helps keep my hip and shoulder pain at bay.  Some people do their foam rolling before they exercise – some afterwards.  As with most things, I think it’s important to find what works for you and then do it.

Week 33 recap

Monday – 60 min bush walk, kettlebell ladder of dh, sh & transfers w/12 & 16kg (315 swings total), 30 min foam rolling & yoga stretches

Tuesday – 50 min road walk, 5/5 static lunges/split squats w/8kg (I’ve seen these called both), 3/3 1/2TGU to kneeling w/8kg, 3x core sequence (10 Russian twists, 40 sec forearm plank, 10 overhead crunches), 30 min yogaglo w/Marc Holzman – strengthen and prepare to balance – focus on core & legs.

Hips are hurting more lately – not sure why.  Hill/bush walking?  Will spend time tonight w/foam rolling & hip opening stretches.

Wednesday – 60 min bush walk

Thursday – 60 min yin yoga, 50 min bush walk – took a new route.  VERY hilly and boggy.  Came home with a tick and a leach.  Enjoyed the walk though!  Planned to swing my bells later in the day but ran out of time.  Will get my 2nd kettlebell workout done tomorrow with the 3rd on Sunday.

Friday – KB ladder workout-365 swings (5×10 dh warmup w/12kg, dh 10-15 ladder w/16kg alternating with 6-1 pushup ladder, sh 5/5-10/10 ladder w/12kg alternating w/ 6-1 squat ladder, 5×10 dh w/12kg. 5×10 swing/transfer w/8kg for cooldown).

Saturday – rest day.  Will do some foam rolling and yoga stretches in front of rugby this afternoon.  I pulled a muscle in the back of my left leg yesterday.  I wouldn’t say I’m in PAIN but I am in DISCOMFORT.  Will take it easy today.  My quads are quite tender today also – I suppose from the squat ladder yesterday.

Sunday – another rest and recovery day.  Did 60 minutes of restorative yoga.

I’ve decided to cycle back to Lauren Brook’s Kettlebell for Women program.  I’m going to start with the 2nd month, week 6.

Still no surgery date.  Will call the surgeon this week to check on where I am on the list.  No attacks so I’m not stressed about it or losing patience or anything – I just need it done with plenty of time to recover before our holiday later in the year.