There was a time when I would have given up exercising and eating properly if everything wasn't perfect. If I went over my calorie allotment for the day (or in the days of Weight Watchers - my points) I just went hog wild and ate whatever I wanted. If I was injured, I figured I must not be athletic and quit.
Not anymore, and I've been through my fair share of injuries in the past several months. So, I figured, I'd share what I've learned along the way about pain, injuries and how to keep going.
First, I don't believe in the "No pain, no gain" theory. If you're hurt, stop that particular exercise. But, maybe the word "pain" should be defined, because I know when I'm working my muscles it's not like a slow stroll through the park - it's work! Pain is caused by an injury, discomfort from working your muscles is not pain.
Yes, my muscles burn! I work hard and my muscles sometimes feel fatigued, but if I feel even a hint of pain - like joint pain, or a muscle strain, I stop immediately! And so should you. Continuing to do an activity that is causing injury will only make things worse.
But then what? Try a different activity, that's what! I first tried the Couch 2 5K program in November. The first run out, I injured my knee and I only jogged 30 seconds! Clearly, I wasn't ready. It was discouraging and I thought I may never run. But, I joined a gym and started with using the elliptical. That didn't hurt my knee. I was building up my cardiovascular system and getting stronger without injuring myself. I found something that worked for me.
For another person, it may be just going for a walk, at whatever speed works. At the gym, there was a woman, probably in her 70's, who clearly had osteoporosis. Her body was hunched over and her spine was twisted. She couldn't go probably faster than a slow walk on the treadmill, but she was there every day. Maybe riding a bike works better, or even swimming or water aerobics. There are so many choices for low impact exercising, that there is something out there for everyone.
I have my heart set on running a 5K. The Couch 2 5K program is a 10 week program, which I started in November. It's August and now in the last couple of weeks I finally finished the program. I will be running a 5K. It took a lot longer than I thought and I may not be the fastest runner, but I will be running. I'm here because I didn't give up.
Set aside a time for exercising - keep the routine, even if all you can manage that day is stretching. It's not about perfection, it's about consistency.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Good enough
I have a confession to make - I have trouble setting priorities. Well, maybe not setting them, but accepting that my priorities are perfectly acceptable even if they aren't extremely lofty goals.
For instance, my main priorities are to the Lord and my family. I go to church on Sundays instead of staying at home where I could get a lot of things done, relax or even do some studying. I also feel very strongly in making sure my children are raised "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4) Because I feel so strongly that I want my children raised to put the Lord first, to trust in Him and to learn His word, it means I have also chosen to stay home with them and postpone things that I would like to do. Like becoming a lactation consultant and/or a personal trainer.
That is the hard part for me. Realizing I can't have everything I want. I don't handle lots of chaos well and remembering to teach my children and making sure my family is healthy, happy and taken care of gets lost in the chaos unless I'm focused and organized. I have struggled for years with depression and am finally at a place where my family isn't suffering due to my inability to take care of everyone and be healthy myself.
I envy those who have five and six children and still manage to be a midwife, or teacher, or own their own business. I honestly don't know how they manage. My husband works and occasionally travels and I make sure the children do their Sunday school work, learn their Bible verses, do their school work and keep everything in order. That has been difficult to do in the past.
I know that my children are only young for a short time - lots of moms with grown children keep telling me that. But, it is hard to remember when I'm in the middle of the day to day grind of putting them before studying and going to classes or going to work. I struggle to be more than "just a mom."
So, I remind myself of my main goals: To have a household that trusts in the Lord first and foremost, to have sanity and calm so that my children feel safe and secure, and to have a husband with a happy and healthy wife.
These may not be lofty goals, but these are manageable for me. Now, I just have to accept that these are good enough.
For instance, my main priorities are to the Lord and my family. I go to church on Sundays instead of staying at home where I could get a lot of things done, relax or even do some studying. I also feel very strongly in making sure my children are raised "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4) Because I feel so strongly that I want my children raised to put the Lord first, to trust in Him and to learn His word, it means I have also chosen to stay home with them and postpone things that I would like to do. Like becoming a lactation consultant and/or a personal trainer.
That is the hard part for me. Realizing I can't have everything I want. I don't handle lots of chaos well and remembering to teach my children and making sure my family is healthy, happy and taken care of gets lost in the chaos unless I'm focused and organized. I have struggled for years with depression and am finally at a place where my family isn't suffering due to my inability to take care of everyone and be healthy myself.
I envy those who have five and six children and still manage to be a midwife, or teacher, or own their own business. I honestly don't know how they manage. My husband works and occasionally travels and I make sure the children do their Sunday school work, learn their Bible verses, do their school work and keep everything in order. That has been difficult to do in the past.
I know that my children are only young for a short time - lots of moms with grown children keep telling me that. But, it is hard to remember when I'm in the middle of the day to day grind of putting them before studying and going to classes or going to work. I struggle to be more than "just a mom."
So, I remind myself of my main goals: To have a household that trusts in the Lord first and foremost, to have sanity and calm so that my children feel safe and secure, and to have a husband with a happy and healthy wife.
These may not be lofty goals, but these are manageable for me. Now, I just have to accept that these are good enough.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Motivation
I have to admit, I am fascinated with all things surrounding fitness and exercise lately. Today, I have been thinking about motivation - and how a person goes about having the motivation, specifically when it comes to exercising. What makes one person decide it's too much effort to spend even 15 minutes a day walking or moving, and another person will exercise for several hours a day. What is it that drives a person to move their body and want to improve their health while another person doesn't?
We all have excuses that could stop us from exercising, that sap our motivation to exercise. I will focus on just one of those excuses today.
No time.
Work, caring for children, maybe caring for elderly parents, going to school. There are always so many things going on in our lives, it's easy to let exercise and tracking food go by the wayside.
But, if there's one thing I've learned and I repeat to anyone who talks to me and complains about the lack of time, I say - you don't have time NOT to exercise.
I have four children - yes, 4! I home school them, my husband was traveling a lot and still works so he's not always around, I have a house to care for and my day is full, but I can honestly say that I have more productive time in my day now that I've been exercising than I ever did before. Why? Because I don't tire as easily. I can go up and down the stairs without getting tired. Doing laundry, cleaning the house, taking care of day to day chores isn't so exhausting anymore. It's actually enjoyable.
I can guarantee that you'll spend a lot more time doing basic tasks when your body tires easily. If you can't easily bend down to pick something off the floor, inevitably you're going to say to yourself, "I'll just leave it there and get it later." If you're tired, you're not motivated to do the things that you know need to get done. Guess what? That time you spend exercising means you're giving yourself a gift of extra PRODUCTIVE time later in the day.
It's true. I have learned that one myself. It still amazes me how easily I can pick things up, go upstairs to put something away, how much I WANT to move my body, because it isn't hard anymore. It's actually fun.
It didn't start out that way though. At first, it is horribly hard. All I could think is, "Why am I doing this to myself?" And, honestly, some days I still feel that way. But then I remember the reasons I want to move. I want to play with my children, to be able to run with them and keep up with them. I want my house to be tidier so we are all less stressed in the evening. I want to not wake up with aches and pains, and I want to be able to grow old and still maintain as active a life as I can.
Make a list. What will motivate you to move? Write down all the things you really want. Do you want to be able to walk without tiring? Do you want to be able to fit into an airplane seat? (That was my goal at one point in my life!) Do you want to feel less aches and pains when you wake up? Do you want to run a 5K someday? Maybe there's something you always wanted to do - like hike the Appalachian Trail. Write it down. Make your goals and then....
GET MOVING!
We all have excuses that could stop us from exercising, that sap our motivation to exercise. I will focus on just one of those excuses today.
No time.
Work, caring for children, maybe caring for elderly parents, going to school. There are always so many things going on in our lives, it's easy to let exercise and tracking food go by the wayside.
But, if there's one thing I've learned and I repeat to anyone who talks to me and complains about the lack of time, I say - you don't have time NOT to exercise.
I have four children - yes, 4! I home school them, my husband was traveling a lot and still works so he's not always around, I have a house to care for and my day is full, but I can honestly say that I have more productive time in my day now that I've been exercising than I ever did before. Why? Because I don't tire as easily. I can go up and down the stairs without getting tired. Doing laundry, cleaning the house, taking care of day to day chores isn't so exhausting anymore. It's actually enjoyable.
I can guarantee that you'll spend a lot more time doing basic tasks when your body tires easily. If you can't easily bend down to pick something off the floor, inevitably you're going to say to yourself, "I'll just leave it there and get it later." If you're tired, you're not motivated to do the things that you know need to get done. Guess what? That time you spend exercising means you're giving yourself a gift of extra PRODUCTIVE time later in the day.
It's true. I have learned that one myself. It still amazes me how easily I can pick things up, go upstairs to put something away, how much I WANT to move my body, because it isn't hard anymore. It's actually fun.
It didn't start out that way though. At first, it is horribly hard. All I could think is, "Why am I doing this to myself?" And, honestly, some days I still feel that way. But then I remember the reasons I want to move. I want to play with my children, to be able to run with them and keep up with them. I want my house to be tidier so we are all less stressed in the evening. I want to not wake up with aches and pains, and I want to be able to grow old and still maintain as active a life as I can.
Make a list. What will motivate you to move? Write down all the things you really want. Do you want to be able to walk without tiring? Do you want to be able to fit into an airplane seat? (That was my goal at one point in my life!) Do you want to feel less aches and pains when you wake up? Do you want to run a 5K someday? Maybe there's something you always wanted to do - like hike the Appalachian Trail. Write it down. Make your goals and then....
GET MOVING!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Every little bit counts!
I haven't posted anything in a long time, although those of you who read my prolific status updates know that I have been doing weight training and the Couch 2 5K program for the past 5 months.
I thought I'd share some of the things I've learned along the way - and show you pictures. I still struggle to accept that I have changed, both body and mind. It's only when I see the pictures that I see how far I've come. They are progress pictures, not "after" because it is a lifelong process. And my life isn't over yet as far as I know!
So, things I've learned.
1. It is not a competition. Just because your best friend can run 5 miles or lift 25 lbs doing bicep curls doesn't mean you have to. It's about improving yourself. Yesterday, I held a full plank for 2 minutes! 6 months ago, I couldn't even hold it for 30 seconds. But, if I would have beat myself up over the fact that my own husband could hold it a minute and given up, I wouldn't be able to hold a plank pose for 2 minutes today!
2. Love yourself. No one's body is perfect, not even the best athletes in the world would say their body is perfect. Hating yourself only makes you want to beat yourself up and punish yourself. I did it by giving up and eating whatever I wanted or once I started exercising, by pushing myself so hard I injured myself.
Accepting yourself and your limitations means that you can do what's best for you! And accept that you are OK the way you are. Sounds counter-intuitive, but really, it's not. You accept your limitations and understand that you can't run 5 miles, so you walk, or ride a bike or even stroll, but you move your body to the best of your ability. And those little things add up to much bigger things later on!
3. Count calories, log your food! Exercising isn't enough if you don't change your eating habits. In college, I went to the gym 5 days a week, but I kept drinking sodas, kept eating lots of junk food and guess what - I didn't lose any weight!
People OVERestimate the amount of calories they burn while exercising and UNDERestimate the amount of calories they eat. So, put that together and you're working hard for nothing!
4. Be consistant. Even if you're injured and can't do your normal routine, do something. When my foot or knee was injured and I couldn't jog, I'd go for a very slow walk. If I couldn't walk, I'd stretch and do what I could with what my body was telling me was OK. Don't let injury side track you. Set the time and stick to it.
Mornings are usually best. There's less that could get in the way, especially if you have children. The car could break down, someone could throw up, hurt themselves and have to go the ER, thunderstorms could pop up to keep you from going on your walk... anything. But, regardless, find a time and stick to it. If it can't be the full time, then do a shortened time, but don't give up that time for yourself. It's easy to get out of a habit, and much harder to get back into a habit - especially a good one.
So that's all for today. I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. I think of all these things while I am jogging or lifting weights. Every day is a surprise for me - at how much I'm changing and I am so grateful to the Lord for the blessings he's given me, including a healthier body.
So, now for the pictures!
This was me in college at my highest weight.
Then, there's me in May of 2011.
And, today after my 3 mile jog!
So, I can honestly say, I've been there and if I can change, anyone can!!
I thought I'd share some of the things I've learned along the way - and show you pictures. I still struggle to accept that I have changed, both body and mind. It's only when I see the pictures that I see how far I've come. They are progress pictures, not "after" because it is a lifelong process. And my life isn't over yet as far as I know!
So, things I've learned.
1. It is not a competition. Just because your best friend can run 5 miles or lift 25 lbs doing bicep curls doesn't mean you have to. It's about improving yourself. Yesterday, I held a full plank for 2 minutes! 6 months ago, I couldn't even hold it for 30 seconds. But, if I would have beat myself up over the fact that my own husband could hold it a minute and given up, I wouldn't be able to hold a plank pose for 2 minutes today!
2. Love yourself. No one's body is perfect, not even the best athletes in the world would say their body is perfect. Hating yourself only makes you want to beat yourself up and punish yourself. I did it by giving up and eating whatever I wanted or once I started exercising, by pushing myself so hard I injured myself.
Accepting yourself and your limitations means that you can do what's best for you! And accept that you are OK the way you are. Sounds counter-intuitive, but really, it's not. You accept your limitations and understand that you can't run 5 miles, so you walk, or ride a bike or even stroll, but you move your body to the best of your ability. And those little things add up to much bigger things later on!
3. Count calories, log your food! Exercising isn't enough if you don't change your eating habits. In college, I went to the gym 5 days a week, but I kept drinking sodas, kept eating lots of junk food and guess what - I didn't lose any weight!
People OVERestimate the amount of calories they burn while exercising and UNDERestimate the amount of calories they eat. So, put that together and you're working hard for nothing!
4. Be consistant. Even if you're injured and can't do your normal routine, do something. When my foot or knee was injured and I couldn't jog, I'd go for a very slow walk. If I couldn't walk, I'd stretch and do what I could with what my body was telling me was OK. Don't let injury side track you. Set the time and stick to it.
Mornings are usually best. There's less that could get in the way, especially if you have children. The car could break down, someone could throw up, hurt themselves and have to go the ER, thunderstorms could pop up to keep you from going on your walk... anything. But, regardless, find a time and stick to it. If it can't be the full time, then do a shortened time, but don't give up that time for yourself. It's easy to get out of a habit, and much harder to get back into a habit - especially a good one.
So that's all for today. I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. I think of all these things while I am jogging or lifting weights. Every day is a surprise for me - at how much I'm changing and I am so grateful to the Lord for the blessings he's given me, including a healthier body.
So, now for the pictures!
Then, there's me in May of 2011.
So, I can honestly say, I've been there and if I can change, anyone can!!
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