Injured or Over With?

It started so subtly...
Push-ups felt just a little better if I dropped to my knees...
Side plank felt a little less steady...
I must be having an off day...
.
That right shoulder gets a little achy once in a while, so I hardly notice it anymore.
Then, suddenly, I realized: it actually HURT to do side plank!
This wasn't core strength - this was shoulder stability!

.

I was at the doctor for something else, but I decided to ask about my shoulder.

X-rays happened.

And massive amounts NSAIDS for 3 weeks....

No improvement.  In fact, I'm pretty sure it's getting worse.

I'm headed back to the doctor for a follow up.  I've been babying the shoulder per Doc's orders.

I'm grumpy because my workouts have become so limited...


However, that does not mean there are NO workouts!  There is still plenty I can do!
I ride my bike.  It's a stationary recumbent think, so it doesn't stress my shoulder, but it makes me breath heavy and sweat and feel like I've gone out and accomplished something!
I can walk! (I've been saving the walking for nice days with my husband.  They're more fun that way...)


I'm still riding my horse!  If I find my shoulder doing weird things, I just put both reins in my left hand and keep on going!  To play it safe, I haven't been jumping...


In the meantime, I'm working closely with my doctor.


I've had an MRI to see what exactly the problem is...
The images showed no tears.  The muscles all looked good.  Basically, everything looked normal except a small amount of swelling in the bursa.
So, we've done a steroid injection to reduce the inflammation.  In about a week, I should be able to get back to my more typical workout program.


The frustration of an injury is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be the end of your lifestyle!
I recommend working closely with your own physician when dealing with an injury.  Be clear with them about your short and long term goals.


My doctor suggested surgery might be a consideration if the MRI showed a tear.  We talked about physical therapy, as well.  I explained to him that I couldn't do my workouts with my shoulder like this.  We talked about possible modifications (which didn't make any difference).
I explained my priorities:
 - Fixing any underlying problem to prevent future setbacks
 - getting back to horseback riding by the time competition season starts (if possible)
 - getting back into my workout groove without this pain


Updates will be forthcoming, I'm sure.
I'll be starting back up with low-impact PiYo and building back my upper body strength and shoulder stability.  P90X2 has been calling to me for a while now...
Are you ready to join me?

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

You're Doing It Wrong - New Year's Resolutions

Are you going about your New Year's resolutions all wrong?

Take a look at your resolutions as you read through this post.  Perhaps you can improve on them!

Have you made the typical New Year's Resolution to lose weight and get in shape?

I actually advise AGAINST making resolutions.  To me, those resolutions always sound like ALL or NOTHING.  Or, maybe, it sounds like my life is being overhauled and remodeled.

Such dramatic changes can't happen overnight, and if they do, they typically don't stick.  So, why would I set myself up for failure?
This year, set yourself up for SUCCESS!

Don't start January 1st.

Don't start tomorrow.

Start TODAY!

Stop setting outcome goals. You can't control the outcome!
Instead, set action goals that you actually can control.
That number on the scale is an outcome. Those inches or dress sizes, those are outcomes, too.
Instead, set reasonable, attainable action goals. Pick a fitness program and hit play 5 days a week. Give it 30 minutes each day. Resolve to DO things!
Walk 20 minutes every day!
Find someone (or even a group) to be accountable to!

Don't say "No more soda/sugar/carbs/bread/sweets/whatever-food-you-demonize"...
Instead, say "3 vegetables servings every day!" or "Fresh fruit with breakfast each morning".

Then, find a way to hold yourself accountable!

Find a partner!  This may not always be feasible, but it's worth trying.

Torque supervises my workouts and makes weight recommendations!

My husband and I enjoy working out together, but our schedules and preferences don't always allow that to happen.  As a result, I still end up working out alone.  Unless you count the cats!  However, it's nice to know he is supporting my efforts!

Although we can't seem to work out together, we still work together.  We plan our meals together.  We shop together (online, for our groceries!  No kidding!).  We cook together.

Don't change EVERYTHING all at once!

Instead, choose one thing at a time.  Change something small!  Once that change has become routine, then work on the next change.  Another small thing.  If 5 minutes is all the spare time you have, then make use of it!  Spend that 5 minutes working out every day.  Make that 5 minutes a habit.  Make it non-negotiable.  Match in place.  Do push ups.  Just move!

Maybe you don't eat ANY vegetables right now.  Instead of jumping into eating 3 servings every day, just start with 1!

Want to know the easiest vegetable serving I eat every day?  I put a fistful of leafy greens into my morning shake.  It started as an experiment, but it has now become a habit!  That's 1 more vegetable than I was eating before!

Finally, accept that things are going to get off-track...

And get right back on track as soon as you can!

These aren't changes you're making for short term success.  These are changes you want to stick for the rest of your life!  There really is no time like the present.

What can you do for yourself TODAY??

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Ever Feel Like You're on "Worst Cooks in America"? (I *JUST* found this show on Netflix!)

The first time my husband came to my house for dinner, he left thinking I didn't know how to cook...

Neither of us can remember the exact details, but somehow, I was stuck finishing up a job that took way longer than I had anticipated, so he ended up doing all of the meal prep...

Being the artist that he is, my husband is also fond of certain visual appeal when it comes to serving meals.  He is a fan of pure white plates, colorful vegetables, and -like a typical man- LOTS of meat!

After reminding me for years about "that time he thought I had no idea how to cook", he looked at me one day and said, "You know, you actually are a really good cook!"

Maybe you can see why I might have once felt like one of those poor souls on "Worst Cooks in America"...

As I look at our kitchen habits, though, I realize we are wildly different in our strengths...  He will almost always create something with significant visual appeal...

Whatever I cook will just... taste good.

I feel as if I have come a long way in the kitchen.  Initially, my strengths were all in the baking department, and I wouldn't dream of deviating from a recipe for fear of irreparable ruin!

At least, now, I can adjust flavoring and figure out comparable replacements for things I don't like in a recipe...

My husband and I also have vastly different tastes in food, which makes cooking for each other a pain in the ass  ...challenging...

He's all about the heat.  The spicier, the better!  He wants to sweat when he eats.

I prefer a more comfortable dining experience - one that doesn't involve sweating.  And I find many "normal" flavors a tad spicy for my liking...

My husband makes enchiladas, and he always makes 2 different pans - which he has dubbed "the man pan" and "the bland pan"...  Guess which one I eat...


Well.  While I might not have the presentation bit down, I'm getting really good at the "tastes good" part.  And I only do it once a week!
Now, my husband didn't immediately buy into this...
It started with making our fresh-produce-vegetable-soup and freezing it.  That meant we had fresh produce until it was gone!!
I hate shopping for produce every other day when it's winter.....


Then, I kept trying to fit in riding and dinner in the same evening, and that meant dinner was happening right before bed...  THAT is certainly less than ideal.....
So, I started cooking big enough dinners to not have to cook again for a few days...
But some weeks get out of control.
So, I started planning a week at a time.  I would cook over the weekend and package my entire week's worth of food!  You know what I discovered?
I had a whole lot more time during the week!
BONUS: my vegetables weren't wilting before I could use them!!

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Change IS Hard....

...and that's ok...

Let me tell you a story about my chickens.....

My husband bought us 7 adorable chicks to raise.  This is my first batch of chickens...

But there are certain universal behaviors that one can expect from chickens.

1) Chickens put themselves to bed at dusk.

2) Chickens nest to lay eggs...

We moved the chickens into the coop when it came time, and they happily and readily accepted it as their home.  They put themselves to bed each night....

Nevermind that it was THE SAME BED......

I tried to make an appealing bed in the nest boxes by adding straw....

However, ALL the straw ended up on the floor....  Chickens insisted: NO straw in the nestboxes!!

The hens began to lay, and I continually found their eggs NOT in the nestboxes!!

Change is hard.....

I had to accept that my hens preferred to lay their eggs in the "upstairs" landing of the coop.  The change to anywhere else was just too hard!

So, I put straw in the "upstairs...  and in the nestboxes...

Do you want to guess where it ended up??

NO straw!  WHY is there STRAW in my nestbox??

NOT in either of those places!

I was getting concerned about the hens staying warm as the temperatures dropped.  I though, maybe NOW is the time for straw!

I Wanted to work with that nesting instinct.  I had seen them nest the grass... So, this time, instead of putting loose straw in, I put it in as a flake!!

I put one flake "upstairs", and 2 flakes in the nestboxes.

...and I waited....

It took them a whole week, this time (as opposed to 2 days previously) to kick ALL of the straw in the nestboxes out on the floor.....

For a week, they sat NEXT to the upstairs flake, and continued to lay on the bare wood.

I'm told chickens aren't that smart...

Finally, one day, the flake began to look different!!

One hen had created a hollow and started laying in the straw!!

Another week, and ALL the hens were laying in the straw!

No more worry about eggs rolling off!

SUCCESS!!

One of these things was just too big for my hens to change.  I don't know why, but it just is.

The other, I was able to use her current habit to HELP establish the new behavior, rather than work AGAINST the current habit!

If we can find a way to make the steps small enough that they work WITH our current habits, we can make change just a little bit easier....

Change is hard.

And it's ok that change is hard.

However, change is still POSSIBLE!

In order for the change to be more successful, make it small.  Make it work with your current habits.  Make that teeny tiny shift it's own new habit...  Then, build from there!

Are you ready?

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Creative Problem Solving?

The kitchen can really be a disaster zone for me....

My husband cannot cook unless the kitchen is immaculate!

Me, I just can't keep the counters cleared off...

However, the more organized I can keep the kitchen, the better I eat.  So the stakes are high!

For a year and a half, my husband and I have been trying to take the dishwasher. For example:
Once the dishwasher had run, these 2 blue lights are lit up! If you open the dishwasher, they remain lit up... until you latch it closed again......

You know what happens when you share a living area with someone else?

They come in and mess up your system!

I don't know how many times I've told my husband: as long as you don't latch it, I know the dishwasher is still clean, and as soon as I have 10 minutes, I can put the dishes away!

We have continued to have the discussion about: Is the dishwasher clean or dirty?

We originally had planned to use a magnet we could flip for clean or dirty, but the dishwasher is stainless steel, so this imaginary magnet would never stick anyway...

Our magnets will only stick to the side of our refrigerator, and my husband is easily offended if the magnets are not expertly arranged.  And don't put just any magnet up there!!

.............................................................................................................

One day, a run across "window crayons" at the store...  Could this be the best thing since dry erase markers??

I bought them.  Can you imagine the face my husband is making at me when he sees them?

(My poor husband gets picked on so much when I write...  I wonder if he knows?)

One morning, I started the dishwasher as I was leaving for work.  So, I left a note for myself in case my husband opened (and closed) the dishwasher!

(God forbid he unload it!  At least he can take care of the loading part - if he knows it's dirty...)

#creativeproblemsolving #embracingmyinnerchild #childlikeenthusiasm

.............................................................................................................

Now, on my window, I keep a running commentary on the state of the dishwasher.

And you know what?

I'm saving a little bit of time.

I've eliminated a steady source of confusion.

My husband still asks me if the dishwasher is clean or dirty, but he notices that I check the window to verify...  Maybe one day he will read it on his own!  LOL

My counters are staying just a little bit clearer!!

Where do you save time in the kitchen?

Does it help you eat any healthier?

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Delicious Halloween!

Have you seen what everyone is wearing?
The costumes get more creative all the time!

I wonder what candy everyone is giving out this year?

My husband and I live in a neighborhood that doesn't get trick-or-treaters, so I have to live vicariously through Facebook.

And as I started to see the pics going up of piles of candy...  I actually started feeling a little sick to my stomach...

Now, that could just be because of some bug I've been fighting off this week - BUT!

I suddenly realized that, if we DID get trick-or-treaters, I couldn't hand out candy in good conscience!

Don't get me wrong...  I have a sweet tooth!

I can be my own worst enemy.

I try to minimize what I bring into the house, but I'm not ready to give up the decadence completely...

I just try to save it for a treat!

If we ever get trick-or-treaters, I'm going to have to put a plan in order... I'm beginning to think something fun like Play-Doh might be a guilt-free bet!

If you pigged out on the candy (or maybe you still are?), don't beat yourself up for it.  One week night a year isn't going to make or break your long-term health.

I could have made all kinds of pumpkin-flavored creations if I had been ready before the pumpkin carving began...  Instead, our chickens feasted on pumpkin guts and kept vigilant watch for more!

Did you adjust any Halloween traditions this year?

Are you planning to in the future?

Tell me about your challenges and triumphs with this spooky holiday!

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

2ptober 2015! Hosted by Viva Carlos and Equestrian at Hart!

It's that time again!
Have you heard of this?


Well, let me tell you about it!
October is the month of 2 point!
For those of us that ride horses and jump, it the jumping position where we hover over the saddle.  And we're competing for the longest time!


Check out the details over at Viva Carlos or at Equestrian at Hart!
In case this month's challenge caught you off guard, I'll give you a head's up about November.....


No Stirrups November!  A month of no stirrups!
Some exceptions excused, such as shows and hunts...
Are you almost ready to remove the stirrups from your saddle?


Perhaps we should focus on one grueling punishment inspiring challenge at a time...
So!  Are you game for some serious 2 point?

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Taming the Chaos

When my husband and I got chickens, we bought a pre-manufactured coop that we just had to assemble.  I named the 4 areas the chickens used in the coop:

“Inside”: the enclosed area of the coop that provides protection from the weather

“Nesting Box”: the part that sticks out the side where my chickens don’t nest…

“Front Yard”: the open area still enclosed by wire

“Attic”: the area designed to be storage, but we only left the floor/ceiling on half of it, so we can peek in from above.

freshly assembled coop

 

The chickens love to nest down in the sand we put on the floor of the coop, but they insist on kicking everything out of the nesting boxes.  I’ve tried straw, shavings, pellets, and even grass!  Nothing seems to please them.  No biggie, though.  It’s their home and they can keep it however they like, I guess.

...they were so tiny...

 

When they started laying, I found a couple eggs on the floor “inside”, but I found the majority of the eggs in the “attic”.  I’m fine with that, too.  That just means I don’t have to bend over to gather the eggs!

How do they get there?

Now, I wasn't sure if they were laying in the attic and on the floor... or if they were all laying in the attic, and some were rolling to the floor...

So, I made an attempt to find out...

Before the verdict was in, the sky fell!

At least, I'm sure that's what the chickens thought...

I went out to gather eggs, and the attic floor had fallen down into the "inside".  None of the chickens would go "inside", even after I removed the pieces.  Suddenly, it was chicken chaos.

They were laying under the deck...  They were laying in one of the rain barrels...  I was finding a single egg each day in the coop.  I'm sure several each day were getting trampled, broken, and consumed... 

They would settle down for the night in the "front yard".  When they did go "inside", they were obviously looking for the attic to fly up to, but it wasn't there.  They voiced their concerns and distress.

Can we come in?
The sky is falling!!

Finally, we decided we needed to help them figure things out again.  The chickens were just going to have to go without yard privileges for a few days until they realized that the sky was no longer falling.

After day 1, we had 4 eggs in the nesting box!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The wheels are bound to come off sooner or later.  Something will inevitably throw a wrench into your routine and knock you off of your groove.  A holiday weekend might have involved more processed foods than healthy foods...  Sickness, injury, or just plain life may have prevented you from getting your workouts in for a few days...  or a few months...  or even a few years?

What can you do to reset your system and tame the chaos?

Sometimes, we just need to take our world back to the bare minimum to get everything back on track.

Maybe that's a week of strict nutrition.  I'm not saying "Never eat cake again!"  I'm just saying maybe it would be helpful to stick to strictly whole foods.  No cake or cookies for that week...  Then you can return to the occasional indulgence!

Perhaps a fitness challenge or boot camp would help you out.  30 days.  Working out 6 days a week.

Or maybe even just ensuring you are getting 8 hours of sleep for 2 weeks straight!

Is the sky falling in on you?

Can I help you put it back in place?

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

THE Recipes! Veggie Wraps

Veggie Wraps

1 Tortilla

2 oz Spread

1/2 cup Mixed Greens

1/2 cup Broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup Carrots, chopped

2 oz shredded Cheddar

 

Smear spread over tortilla.

Layer with mixed greens.

Top with Broccoli and Carrots.

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar.

Roll up and enjoy.

Wrap in paper towel to prevent sticking to neighboring wraps.


This is another recipe that was adjusted from the prescribed spread of cream cheese!
Not that there is anything wrong with cream cheese, but I'm really impressed with the Greek yogurt spread!!


This has been a road trip staple for us for the last few years.  They work great for the first day of a backpacking trip, too!
Sometimes I use straight spinach instead of mixed greens, but you really can't go wrong with this wrap.


I think the original recipe also called for ranch dressing and bacon bits, but we try to clean it up once in a while.
Wrapping in a paper towel is a life saver when it comes to easily eating these wraps.  No matter how dry you think they are, they *always* stick to the next one!!

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

THE Recipes! No-Bake Chocolate Energy Bites

I made a minor change to the original recipe.  It called for chocolate chips. I used sliced almonds, instead.  These are just decadent any time...




No-Bake Chocolate Energy Bites:

3/8 cup honey

1/2 cup no-stir almond butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Up to 4 Tbsp water, as needed

 

1 cup old-fashioned oats (raw)

3/4 cup raw or toasted coconut

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

6 Tbsp Sliced almonds

 

Combine honey, nut butter, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder.  Add water as needed for a sticky consistency.

Add oats, coconut, flaxseed meal, and almonds.

Mix and roll into 1” balls.  Refrigerate.

 

Makes about 20.

Suggested serving size: 3 balls.


I picked up some local honey.  It was amazing...  I used said local honey in my energy bites, and they were out of this world!


Did you try this recipe?
Did you tweak it?
Tell me about it in the comments!

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

THE Recipes! Sandwich Wraps

This is a basic substitution with unlimited potential. I love to use the cucumber sandwich spread in place of mayonnaise.

Sandwich Wraps:

1 Tortilla

2 oz Spread (from here!)

3 oz Sliced Turkey Breast

1/2 cup spinach leaves

2 oz shredded cheddar

Smear spread over tortilla.

Layer with spinach leaves.

Top with turkey breast slices.

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar.

Roll up and enjoy.

Note:

Wrap in paper towel to prevent sticking to neighboring wraps.(ask me how I discovered this...)

I try to avoid bread or wraps as an every day food, but if I'm hitting the road for a weekend or so, I won't hesitate to pull some in. They are easy to transport, easy to eat, and scalable!

Of course, you can replace turkey with roast beef or ham. You can adjust your toppings to taste. This is just a wrap that *I* use. 

What will you put in your sandwich wrap? 

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

THE Recipes! Spread and Cucumber Sandwiches

NOTE:
There will always be more recipes...

 

First, I want to talk about the most awesome spread I've come across.
It started out as a spread for cucumber sandwiches.  Cream cheese and seasoning...
However, I **really** wanted to make it a little healthier.  One day, at a tea party (yup, I was hosting a tea party!), I served 2 different plates of cucumber sandwiches.  One plate used a base of cream cheese for the spread.  The other plate used a base of plain Greek yogurt for the spread!
Five out of six taste-testers (me and my guests) preferred the Greek yogurt based spread.

 

I now share the results of that experiment with you!

 

 

GREEK YOGURT SPREAD:

 

8 oz plain greek yogurt

1/4 tsp each:
            Lemon pepper
            Onion powder
            Garlic powder
            Sea salt
Combine.

 

 

Seriously, this stuff is better than mayonnaise!
Just for fun, here's the recipe to make cucumber sandwiches! (Which are also yummy on the go)

 

CUCUMBER SANDWICHES:

• Pepperidge Farms Ultra Thin White Bread
• Greek Yogurt Spread
• Cucumbers (peeled and sliced)
• Sea Salt

 If you prefer, remove the crust from 2 slices of bread.

Spread one slice with Greek yogurt spread.

Layer cucumber slices (peeling is optional, and slicing thin is highly recommended).

Sprinkle cucumbers with salt.

Top with the second slice of bread.

Cut into quarters for presentation.

Have you tried this recipe, yet?  Tell me what you think in the comments!

 

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

What To Eat Away From Home?

I constantly wonder how I can eat better at a horse show.

My horse show fare used to look something like this:
Breakfast - Lamar's Donuts (it was kind of a tradition!)
Lunch - hotdog, chips, and pop from the concession stand
Dinner - wherever we went out to eat once the day was done...

Dehydration was a constant companion!

This did NOT support my performance!!

So, what do I do now?  How can I eat better?

WATER!!
The first change I made was to fill a large water bottle, keep it near me at almost all times, and drink from it EVERY time I check my horse's water, head to warm up, or come out of a class.
If you have a groom, hand them your water bottle and give them explicit instruction: "Make sure I'm constantly drinking this water!"

I added HUMAN food planning to my show prep list.  I mean, no one forgets hay and horse feed...  But, I always ended up at the show grounds with nothing to nourish myself!

I started planning travel-friendly meals.  For single-day shows, I'd make up a batch of breakfast burritos to share with the whole crew instead of buying donuts.  They packed well in large, flat tupperware and retained heat long enough to get to the barn.  I wraped them individually in papertowels to keep them from sticking together.

A power-breakfast was a great start for me!

I'd like to share my current meal-plan for eating away from home.
I am NOT a nutritionist (not yet, at least).
However, I strive for balanced nutrition and minimal processing.  I know there are places I will fall short, and that's OK.  I hope you get value from this meal plan!

THE MEALS

 

BREAKFAST:
Shakeology - with almond/coconut milk, ice, peanut butter, and spinach

SECOND BREAKFAST:
Banana
2 Hard-Boiled eggs
Cheddar cheese stick
Baby Carrots

LUNCH:
Veggie Wrap (with mixed greens, broccoli, and carrots)
or
Turkey Wrap (with mixed greens and cheese)

SNACK:
Diced Melon (or Strawberries, or Pineapple)
No-Bake Energy Bites

DINNER:
Grilled Chicken Salad

In my next post, I'll share my personal touches on each of the recipes and how I make them work for me!

What do you eat when you're away from home?

Please share with me in the comments!

 

 

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *

Working Out Around Injuries

I have the stupidest injury.

In fact, in the last 2 weeks, I’ve had 2 of the stupidest injuries…

 

I’ll let you in on a little secret…

Today is the first day in 11 days that I’ve worn real shoes…

...not my shoes...

Yup, I’ve been wearing flip-flops for the past 10 days.

 

After a day of practicing over cross-country jumps, I finished my horse chores in my tall boots.

I live to do this stuff!

My tall boots are nice and soft and flexible at the ankle, but they have a zipper that runs up the back.  As the ankle has softened, the zipper has, too.  Now, it rubs the back of my ankle on one foot.

I learned a dear lesson…  Change out of these boots as soon as I’m done riding!

All that walking around rubbed the WORST blisters on my ankle, and before I even knew they were there, they had bubbled up and burst.

Lesson learned!!

 

Then, today, I woke up with the strangest soreness in my chest…  It feels like a pulled muscle, but it’s such a small area…

Yup.  I pulled a tiny muscle right in the middle of my chest.  How does that even happen?

(I’m pretty sure I just got a little enthusiastic while doing a windmill stretch…)

 

So, what do I do about my workouts when I’m injured?

 

Well, since my daily workouts are with a video in my home, I decided I was just going to do them barefoot.  This is not my general recommendation!

I decided that, because of my dance background, I have strong feet that don’t rely on my shoes for all of their support.  I paid close attention to what I was doing and made sure I wasn’t straining anything in my feet while I was working out. It’s  been working out pretty well for me!

And my landing are so much softer when I have to jump…

Go figure.

 

So, this little muscle in my chest?  It runs from my sternum to one of my ribs.  It’s a tiny little thing.  It only hurts if I move just wrong.  (as in, when I engage said muscle)

So, while it’s healing, I’ll make sure to use a little bit lighter weights for upper body work.  I’ll only do push-ups and planks if it doesn’t hurt.  I’ll let my body be my guide and I’ll just focus on lower body, core,  and cardio for a few days while it sorts itself out.

 

I know my body, so I can make these calls confidently.

If you are working out around an injury, always consult with your doctor first!

 

Remember, I’m always working out around an injury, and I will be for the rest of my life.

Bulged discs never completely heal and are always at risk for re-injury.

I’ve learned that it’s very easy to overdo it when I do too much plyometric work or if I push too hard in certain exercises.  I’ve learned to modify the things that will hurt later in a way to still work the muscle group but to take the strain off of my back.  I don’t jump with weights.  Instead, I’ll step.

Some days I can’t squat as low enough to touch the floor.  That’s ok.  I squat as low as I can without sacrificing good form.  Sometimes, I’m just too tight, stiff, or sore in my back to do any of my usual routines, so I hop on my recumbent bike, instead.

 

I buy into the statement “There is no bad fitness”.

However, I do believe that there can be *unbalanced* fitness.

That’s one of the reasons I use the home fitness programs that I do.  The guesswork is taken out.  The balance has already been done for me.  Strength, flexibility, cardio, core stability…  It’s all built in, and all I have to do is follow the program and push play every day.

 

And when something comes up…

I just modify to work around it!

Let's keep in touch!

* indicates required

Email Address *