The Exercise Motivation Thread - 2016

[tammat]

Rohan suggested I do my legs TORQ on the weekend as a top up. Its the same deal as my extra shoulders TORQ. Just a little to get the blood flow and nutrients to the muscle and to practice technique with lighter weight and not after doing heavy sets beforehand. So that was a 5 min warm up on the elliptical and then 30/20/15 free standing squats with 45 sec rest. I also did 10 mins cardio sprintsx5 sit ups x5.

 

[artiemom]

Yesterday was a gyms day. It was also a "fat feeling' day...I weigh myself on Monday. 

I attempted the elliptical again..I say attempted because I am so darn out of shape that I am frustrated with it. 

I did worse than I did 2 days before!! 

I was only able to stay on for 12 minutes. My heart rate was too high the entire time!! and the back thigh muscles were really yelling. I was afraid to stay on any longer, nor could I...and that was without any resistance!! 

I really hate that thing...but I know I need it.

I went over to the recumbent bike and did 2 miles without resistance.. about 15 minutes.. dislike that thing also.

I did the rest of my exercises and spent over 2 hours at the gym. It was another day of not feeling into it...sigh...frustrating...

I really do miss the treadmill...I feel so good after using it; except for my knee..

Today is an 'off' gym day. I am 'on' tomorrow, but I cannot go there. I committed myself to helping them at the shelter at noon, and then I am taking a friend to a doctor's appointment. I will get home late afternoon..too late for me to exercise. 

sigh again..However, working at the shelter will be somewhat of a workout. I will be cleaning cubbies, feeding cats, stopping litter, playing with kitties. A different workout..

Last night I went out to supper with a friend. I tried to diet the best I could. I had just one glass of white wine, a big glass of water, a salad with dressing on the side. I dipped my fork in the salad dressing before I picked up the salad. I also ordered a salmon filet cooked on a cedar plank with mixed veggies. I should have told them 'no added salt', because it was too salty for my taste. I have stopped using added salt, in addition to avoiding 95% of sugar. 

I came home and had a cup of decaf green tea. I still feel fat...I am afraid to jump on the scale tomorrow. 

I will drink plenty of water and green tea today.. and eat sparsely...but with protein.

I am disgusted also. I lost 12 lbs. I saw a cute shirt in BJ's the other day. It was not a women's size, just a regular XL. I put it on to wear last night, and it was way too small...sigh... I though I was doing so well.. I guess once my jeans start bagging, I will be able to wear it; but it is disheartening. 

 

[Winchester]

JTbo, I'm glad you're OK and I hope your foot starts to heal quickly. And yes, if you have to go back to the hospital, GO!

Norachan, that's sad about the bear, but sometimes it's for the best. 

Good job, Tammat!

Hang in there, Artiemom. Forgive me for being trite.....you didn't put the weight on overnight and you won't lose it overnight. And I know, you already knew that. It's something that I tell myself when I'm really feeling down. Good things take time. 

 I'm really proud of you. Truly. Please keep going. You ARE doing well, even if you can't see it now, you will!

Did my stretching exercises before I got out of bed this morning. 

1.5 miles on the treadmill. (Weirdly enough, I had quite a bit of pain, until I sped up the treadmill. I started out at 3 mph with pain. So I took it up to 3.7 and the pain lessened. Didn't go away, but it wasn't as bad. Still only at 1% incline.)

 

[artiemom]

 
JTbo, I'm glad you're OK and I hope your foot starts to heal quickly. And yes, if you have to go back to the hospital, GO!

Norachan, that's sad about the bear, but sometimes it's for the best. 

Good job, Tammat!

Did my stretching exercises before I got out of bed this morning. 

1.5 miles on the treadmill. (Weirdly enough, I had quite a bit of pain, until I sped up the treadmill. I started out at 3 mph with pain. So I took it up to 3.7 and the pain lessened. Didn't go away, but it wasn't as bad. Still only at 1% incline.)

Yes, the same for all of the above people!!

@Winchester    When I was using the treadmill, I was up to 3.5 mph for 30 min...that is when my knee blew up...sigh...no incline though..

I think you were 'waking up'  the muscles.. that is why it was painful. 

 

[Norachan]

I hope that heals up quickly @JTbo  It does sound like you might have been in shock. Please don't get an infection!

I ran for 30 minutes yesterday and then again today. We've got proper monsoon rain this evening, there are forest frogs hopping around in it.

 

[foxxycat]

Artiemom=I totally understand the feelings. I know I had the same thing happen as far as exercise=if I tried a higher weight I could do it-then two or three days after I tried to do it-and It was too heavy. So maybe it was the body being quirky. Did you stretch after doing 5-10 min on the elliptical? I find if I do something fast for a few minutes break a sweat then go to that stretching machine where you put the wrist straps on your wrists to stretch (but I never do)-if you stretch your legs out=I do the standing up with the seat pushed all the way back-hook your foot on the edge of it-there should be an illustration to show you=this stretches the front leg. I think the front is quad muscle-sometimes I have better range of motion after stretching-but you know never stretch a cold muscle-I use the machine I am on to stretch- I just hold the pedal out as far as it will go but sometimes it isn't enough. I also stretch my calves on that machine where you stand on it-has a back rest and you hold the handles and pull your knees to your chest or legs straight out=the way it is high up I can get a much better stretch on the calves. Those darn shin splints always get me.

And I understand the feeling like not progressing. I will agree with Winchester-we all didn't get here overnight. It takes time. The fact you are DOING something is reason enough to feel proud of yourself. Maybe try walking around your neighborhood if you still feel restless-just short one or two block walks-no long walks-maybe it will work better to keep your walks under 10 minutes at a time then sit down and rest for half an hour. Try that and see if the knee feels better with this kind of thing-maybe a park where there are benches. bring a book. sit and read a chapter then get up and walk a block. sit and repeat. I wonder if the pain is from muscles not being used to so much work as well as your knee with whatever is going on inside. I hate to see you throw in the towel after all the progression you have made. Try to pat yourself on the back-your eating is going well. You are attempting 3 times a week.

how many weeks has it been now? I thought you said in April. That's REALLY GREAT! Its hard to see progression when we are trapped in our own minds. But other people don't see you that way. Try to take heart-feelings are just that-they are not facts. Fact-you are trying. Fact-you are going to the gym. Fact-you have changed your eating habits.  Focus on those facts.

Had a long workout yesterday. Left work at noontime-needed to get some shopping done to find better fitting clothes for the gym.  I went to one store=second hand store. They were charging $10 for used yoga pants! OMG so I went to wally world and they had some on clearance for $9. Then the gym. did a bunch of aerobics after the weights. I ran into that guy that had messaged me-I met another girl he talks to-his neighbor-they were picking on each other and we were having a blast. we blasted away 30 min on that stairmaster elliptical thingy- before that I did squats overhead press and deadlift. I am at the same weights as before.

I figured out how to get myself higher up so I can do the deadlift the way it was designed, I stacked abunch of 25 lb plates ontop of each other side by side-got myself raised up about 6". now that was MUCH better.

 I also started getting that pain across my buttock=Winchester thank you for posting about that issue=I did some of those stretches for that area-it helped but it didn't go away. I went lighter on weights and it didn't make a difference.

Took a muscle relaxed last night to sleep-woke up pain is GONE until I started moving around. I will continue to use those stretches I found on youtube.

I was planning on going again after work but some family static has started so not sure about that. I cant go tomorrow. So hopefully Tuesday will be the next date. They are closing the gym for a day or two to install all new machines-The poster said Wed June 25 but the 25 is sat unless I read it wrong-maybe it said june 22. So hopefully they wont be out of commission too long.

Keep going everyone!

JTBo-yes you were in shock. Shaking and cold then sweats is shock. I hope you are drinking enough fluids. And yes you can get infection. Did they give you antibiotics or is it watch and wait? Keep it clean and elevated. Don't let it get puffy red. It will be hot to touch and very sore. You don't want that to happen. Then they have to open it back up and clean it out. Trust me take the pain meds if you go through this again. Don't try to be tough guy. The body heals faster when pain is under control. You can probably walk around in 4 to 5 days but please let it heal for the next 3-5 days. It will make a big difference.

 

[jtbo]

What if whole feet is swollen and turning very light blue? It should be red for infection.

I guess I need to go to medical care tomorrow to show if things are normal or not as they are not open today.

 

[artiemom]

What if whole feet is swollen and turning very light blue? It should be red for infection.

I guess I need to go to medical care tomorrow to show if things are normal or not as they are not open today.

@JTbo   You need to go to the Emergency Room or Hospital. This is very bad.. It could be a sign of a severe infection...Please go!!!  NOW>>> not tomorrow!!! Keep foot elevated in the mean time. You need stronger antibiotics and whatever else they decide!   The blue could be bruising, but you do not want to take a chance. Are your toes cold to the touch?? 

I know. I had an infection in my foot from a cat bite...

Please take care of yourself and not wait!!

@foxxycat    Oh, I am discouraged, but I am not quitting! I am determined to continue. it is just that I feel so frustrated with that darn machine. I am doing good on the others. I am frustrated because I know that when I walk, I can feel my knee..

I did try the elliptical again, after I did all the others. It was a definite 'no go'... I guess it will just take time. Rome wasn't built in a day...neither was my inactive muscles. 

I have strong walking muscles, but not the climbing one! That is because I have been avoiding stairs for a while. 

I will continue. As long as my scale is going the correct way--down....

It will take me a long time because I am hypothyroid also. Double Whammy!!!    Easy to put on weight but almost impossible to get it off. 

Yes, I did join Planet Fitness in Feb. I started working out in April. I took the month of May off from exercising. I went back this month. I did continue to lose weight even while I was home. I was busy cleaning and purging things. It was a different type of physical movement. 

I have been pretty inactive for several years because of my shoulder and other stuff, no wonder I am so out of shape..

Thanks for the vote of confidence. 

I plan to eat light today. The ring I was finally able to re-wear, was a bit tight this morning. It is fluid retention, form the sodium on the fish last night. It was really too salty. I should have sent it back. Well, I learned something from that dinner. 

  NO more ADDED salt!! I am salt susceptible. Since I started this dieting, my blood pressure has never been as good as it was last week! And my blood glucose, was down 10 points!! I check that at home because I have a strong family history of it.. I do not have diabetes, but just being cautious. 

@JTbo  -----  GET SOME MEDICAL CARE FOR YOU FOOT BEFORE IT GETS REALLY, REALLY BAD...

hugs!!!

 

[Norachan]

What if whole feet is swollen and turning very light blue? It should be red for infection.

I guess I need to go to medical care tomorrow to show if things are normal or not as they are not open today.

BAD! VERY BAD!!!!

Please go to hospital right away, this can't wait until tomorrow.

 

[Winchester]

Get thy butt (and foot!) to thy hospital, JTbo! Please!

Did my stretching exercises while still in bed this morning, then did 1.5 miles on the treadmill, then did another round of stretching exercises (which is what the therapist told me to do).

I've got PT this morning.

Tonight is an exercise night, but since I will have already done my PT stretches twice today, I won't do them again tonight, unless the therapist adds another exercise for me to do..

 

[Winchester]

Had my PT session and the therapist added 3 more exercises. I told him that if he keeps adding exercises to my routine, til I'm done with the stretching exercises, I won't have time to do my other exercises! He laughed and said that right now, it's more important to do the stretching ones.

The bad news is that I'm still having pain when I'm walking and we don't know why. I have stretched and stretched and stretched and that area should be very loose by now, even though it's only been one week. He said to continue walking, but to keep the incline down. I can walk faster if it helps the pain, and it does. I feel more pain at 3.0 mph than I do at 3.5 mph. Go figure.

I get that "everything in moderation, including moderation". But it's very frustrating.

 

[jtbo]

Nurse had not seen blue feet before, but thought that wound is ok and blue is not related, however I got doctor to have a look and he told that it is infection so antibiotics and he also removed stitches.

So now instead of 10 days it is longer that I can't use sauna or exercise, but exact time was not given.

They had no explanation to blueness though, they just were thinking that maybe it was because feet was cold, my feet are always cold, even in sauna and it was warm day.

So now I just wait again and see if it gets worse, oh and eat antibiotics.

 

[artiemom]

Glad you went to see a doctor.. Good that you have antibiotics. Make sure you eat a lot of yogurt. Antibiotics can upset the bowel...

 

[Norachan]

I'm glad to hear you went to get it checked out @JTbo  Were both of your feet blue? I wonder if it could have something to do with circulation, maybe the dressing was too tight? My father had a vein collapse in his leg last year and one of the first things he noticed was that one foot turned blue.

An hour of yoga yesterday and today. It looks like the rain is clearing up, maybe I'll get a run in this afternoon.

 

[tammat]

Take care jtbo
I did my biceps and triceps today with Rohan. It was a great workout. Yesterday was back and shoulders with him yesterday. I'm really tired and sore tonight. Hunger comes with that territory and I've been fighting urges to eat cookies ect.... All afternoon. Tomorrow is a rest day and I'm welcoming it.
Keep going everybody

 

[Winchester]

JTbo, I'm glad you went to the doctor, even if it means you're taking antibiotics. That infection could have gotten nasty.

Did all my exercises last night, so all I need do tonight are my PT stretches.

I did 1.75 miles on the treadmill this morning. Despite all the stretching, it still hurts. But it hurts if I do 1/4 mile or 1 mile or 1.5 miles, so I might as well keep going and see what happens. It hurts whether I stretch before walking or not. It doesn't matter.

 

[jtbo]

I'm glad to hear you went to get it checked out @JTbo
 Were both of your feet blue? I wonder if it could have something to do with circulation, maybe the dressing was too tight? My father had a vein collapse in his leg last year and one of the first things he noticed was that one foot turned blue.

An hour of yoga yesterday and today. It looks like the rain is clearing up, maybe I'll get a run in this afternoon.

Only one foot was blue, it still goes blue at times, one with injury, I think there is some blood circulation issue, not sure if it is because of the wound or if it something else is just showing up now easier.

They just write it as paranoia if I complain too much about it.

Vein collapse sounds horrible, some veins of that leg look bit weird though, but have been so for a long time.


Because I now eat antibiotics I though it would be fine to fell few trees with chainsaw, it had broken in garage, fuel tank ventilation thing was not ok so chainsaw was not running. So I took axe again and chopped few trees down with it, but then axe head fell off.
Then I picked up handsaw and felled few trees, until I realized that I do have electric chainsaw too, it is around 25 years old, but works just fine, except it does not have any safety devices as those have broken off.

Managed to fell some trees with that, but incredibly hot weather and armies of blood sucking insects took better of me, so I did end up with 1 hour 10 minutes and 737 calories.

IT was quite painful, especially when managed to fell one large branch straight on top of the wound in foot.

I better wait for the night for doing anything, 19C (66F) is bit too much for me, had to squeeze sweat from the shirt.

 

[foxxycat]

you really are pushing your luck!

 

[artiemom]

You should be resting that leg..not felling wood..and keeping it elevated!  

I agree with foxeycat-- you are pushing your luck...

 

[jtbo]

Little movement should improve blood circulation, right?

I can't stay still and do nothing as that leads to over eating so easily, but I guess I should.

e: According to this page, I could have up to 20% higher amount of calories because of injury. Might not be so bad thing that I have been eating bit too much.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrition-for-injury-part-3