Don’t the smaller, more frequent meals make you feel better?? It is easy to get off track on the weekend--as Scott so often says.

Joan - 11 February 2008 10:16 PM

Don’t the smaller, more frequent meals make you feel better?? It is easy to get off track on the weekend--as Scott so often says.

I guess they do, at that, Joan. Depending on what I choose. I find I need something substantial, some protein, early in the day, so the Egg Beaters (which take literally a minute in the microwave at work) fit the bill lately and are satisfying. I’ve been trying to cut back further on the breads and processed grains, though I had sandwiches twice over the weekend. Tomorrow I’ll need to hit the supermarket, either early before work, or on my lunch hour, as I’m really low on my work supply of good foods. I should be back to normal tomorrow and not so hungry from the carbs.

I bought some of the whey protein powder and have been mixing it with skim milk for a between meals snack that’s high in protein. It helps me ward of counterproductive snacking.

Joan - 11 February 2008 10:54 PM

I bought some of the whey protein powder and have been mixing it with skim milk for a between meals snack that’s high in protein. It helps me ward of counterproductive snacking.

Did you find a brand you like, Joan? I tried Spirutein’s whey protein formula but I didn’t like the taste (too sweet) so I went back to their soy protein shake mix. I’m having one now. Funny, I had bought the nonfat milk for the office, and had none at home, and the powder and the immersion blender are at work too, so I just came back to the office for my dinner shake.

Tuesday, Feb 12 (Day 56): 7pm Jazzercise class. Nice to see some women who haven’t been to the evening classes in a while. I’d run to Target today at lunchtime, and they seem to have a bigger, expanded section now of Champion fitness clothes for women, in with the sleepwear oddly enough, so I picked up some synthetic sleeveless tops and wore one tonight. Very comfy, though I managed to ‘pill’ part of the front of it with the velcro from my wrist weights. I might have to put something around the enclosure where it doesn’t get covered up. It’s pouring rain, was only drizzling when I got to class.

What was recommended to me was “ON 100% instantized Whey Protein Dietary Supplement.” I bought the smallest size which was a pound since I wasn’t sure whether I’d like the flavor. I got the “double rich chocolate” which I like just fine. I have another brand which was my first purchase and that one’s vanilla. I put a little of that on my cereal for breakfast to up the protein content there.

Wednesday, Feb 13 (Day 57): went to the chiro, and he always asks how everything is, so I mentioned that, though my back has been just fine, my leg muscles have been so tight that they actually feel somewhat sore, even while I’m in bed. He helped me with some good stretches—a quad stretch, then resisting backwards, for ten seconds each way three times, and then on my back, I had a knee pulled up to my chest while he pulled the other leg down and forward. Felt lots better.

Then I made the mistake of going to Ruby Tuesday’s, thinking I’d like to hit their salad bar. Trouble was I decided to do the Ruby Mini’s (burgers) with the salad, which is essentially the same price. I did have a pretty healthy salad plate, only a sprinkle of cheese and no oil, not much creamy stuff, just a spoonful of pasta. But I was full after that meal! Had to FORCE myself to get on the treadmill, and I know I could have pushed it more if I weren’t so bloated. But I got a half-hour out of it, and some work on the weight machines.

Thursday, Feb 14 (Day 58): 7pm Jazzercise class. There were six of us on Valentine’s Day. I broke out my new red Champion jersey top. Didn’t use the wrist weights to avoid the little pulls on the new top, and my arms felt absurdly light. Wish I’d thought of it sooner, it would have been nice to pick up a little something—lip balm, ZonePerfect snack bars, mints—for the women who came to class on Valentine’s Day, but we enjoyed each other’s company anyway. I got to tell one of the newbies, a breast cancer survivor/thriver, how much she inspires me with her attitude and spirit (she’s amazing) and she in turn was floored when I told her how much weight I’ve lost over the past 18 months or so.

It’s Friday and I have the invite to drive to Orlando to spend some time with my friend Cyndi. It means foregoing the double-class on Saturday, though I could still do one in Winter Park, and I might be able to rope my friend Jim into a brisk walk (any walk with 5’2” me and 6’5” him is a brisk walk for me!) or maybe even dancing at our old hangout. I’m headed down there next weekend too, so I will have to plan ahead in order to get my exercise in and stay on track with the food. It’s easier not being the holidays.

Sat, Feb 16 (Day 60? Wow!): 930a Jazzercise class in Winter Park. Nancy is one perky woman, and her class is fun. Different routines, some which were old to me and some which we maybe haven’t done in Jax. Good workout, but whew, more leg-lifts from the hands-and-knees position which means the glutes are still a bit sore! I hope I’m not walking funny!

Will try to have a decently healthy lunch, even though we’re going someplace diner-y and not known for its healthy choices. If nothing else will watch the quantity.  My hair is looking really healthy, thanks to the Clairol Beautiful haircolor (it’s peroxide-free and ammonia-free, just a coating that makes my porous hair smoother, and has jojoba oil--nature’s little miracle--in it), my new ceramic-coated flat-iron, and probably the fish-oil that Dr. O suggested I start taking. I know it’s working because my gills are radiant.

Oh, my. I seem to have reinjured myself. Why only in Central Florida?

I’m theorizing… maybe this has to do with doing Jazzercise on a carpeted floor (I’m used to smooth flooring), and not wearing my usual Ryka Mary Jane sneakers but a pair I had in my trunk. Maybe it was bound to happen anyway. Maybe the leg-lifts do aggravate it.

I’m lucky Dr. O can fit me in, and hope I can still exercise this evening.

Mon, Feb 18 (day 62): first I went to the chiropractor. Yep, my hip was well out of alignment. We talked about the factors that might have caused this, but it went back into place and the doc did some good stretching. Then, of course, therapy. I asked him about whether or not I should go to class and he said he wasn’t going to tell me not to exercise, that he thought it couldn’t hurt as long as I stopped if it hurt or didn’t feel right.

So I went off to class. I did feel limited at first, as I felt sore and my legs still sort of hurt, but after about 15 minutes when I was thoroughly stretched out and warmed up, I felt way better. Was careful about some moves. I had a hot bath afterwards and feel pretty good. Tomorrow will tell. Of course if I took off class tomorrow I could see “Spamalot.” But, much as I’d like to, I really need to work out consistently this week. I did overeat over the weekend, and I suspect this coming weekend, also an away weekend, will be hard, so if I can maintain or step up the exercise, I’ll minimize the damage. Actually, all tolled (or is it all told?), the weekend wasn’t THAT bad, just heavier meals than I’m used to and it all adds up.

I’m very thankful for a doc who is working with me so closely (I didn’t expect a chiropractor to be such an overall health advisor, but I’m glad of it) and that my body does seem to be responding to treatment when I have a problem. Being stopped by pain was one of my big concerns.

It’s amazing what a good chiropractor can do. I think you’ll find a number of us making reference to them at times. Mine told me he’s proud of me and glad to keep putting me back together as I keep messing myself up on this journey to fitness. The ironic part is that I originally went to him because of what’s labeled a skin condition (rosacea) but which is really an intestinal/food issue.

Hope you continue to feel better.

Joan - 18 February 2008 10:22 PM

It’s amazing what a good chiropractor can do. I think you’ll find a number of us making reference to them at times. Mine told me he’s proud of me and glad to keep putting me back together as I keep messing myself up on this journey to fitness. The ironic part is that I originally went to him because of what’s labeled a skin condition (rosacea) but which is really an intestinal/food issue.

That’s really interesting to me, Joan! I had issues with rosacea myself. I wasn’t getting the really red facial flushes all the time, but I had a corneal ulcer in my left eye, and after that healed continued to have eye problems related to skin irritation on the eyelids (blepharitis) which was linked to rosacea. I don’t have those problems anymore, thank goodness.

Both my chiros are very young men (maybe 25 at the most) and are really caring, involved practitioners. They also were inn school together. They switched branches of the same chiropractic firm, which is why I ended up having two. I admit the first guy was funnier (I nicknamed him Dr. Goofy behind his back), but I really liked them both. Their boss, though, the older chiro who owns the franchise, he subbed one night early on around the holidays, and he was kind of grouchy. He told me I shouldn’t be Jazzercising or doing a treadmill with my back situation (30 years post-surgery for scoliosis), but should take up swimming and biking, which just isn’t going to work for me on a regular basis.

I’m a bit sore on the other side today (might need another adjustment by tomorrow), but not too bad. I’m just being a bit cautious and trying to remember to stretch more than usual.

Glad to hear that you have a good medical staff looking after you.  Maybe you can find a low impact activity to enjoy as well as Jazzersize.

Tue Feb 19 (Day 63): 7pm Jazzercise. Went pretty well. I’m still taking it a bit easy, but the stretches really helped.

Wed Feb 20 (Day 64)… just wanted to report I am feeling so much better. The exercise, hot baths, and stretching (including THE stretch) seem to have worked wonders in a short time. Just had my lunch salad, with HB egg, a tiny amount of cheese, and vinegar, along with some lowfat cottage cheese and a few pretzel nibblers, for lunch. I feel like I am now taking more supplements than food: multivitamin with iron, a separate calcium-magnesium-zinc horsepill, fish-oil capsule, green tea capsule, something called biotin which is supposed to help metabolize foods, a fiber thingy, and two ibuprofen. At least I know the fiber is doing something. And I haven’t felt wiped out like I was when I thought I was anemic, so it’s a good guess it was that and some fatigue.

THE stretch is leaning in towards a wall and tucking the pelvis up and in, and holding it. It’s gentle and it really takes the pain off the lower back/hip/glute sore spots.

Tonight’s one of my “free” evenings, when I have no fixed commitment to the chiropractor, Jazzercise, or anything else. I could still make a class over at the beach, but I’d have to rush after work. I could do the treadmill, which is likely. Or I could rest. Right now I’m going to grab those dumbbells which I brought into the office, and work my arms and back a bit.

Decided to rest yesterday. Legs still feeling a little sore/tingly from the hip thing. I ran some errands and soaked in a hot bath, then got ready for bed. This is not the week to push it, I rationalize.

Thursday, February 21 (Day 65): 7pm Jazzercise class. I did work a bit with my dumbbells in the office in the little breaks, nothing too strenuous. I’m still remembering to stretch and warm up extra due to my soreness. Felt pretty good tonight. I did everything except the small jumps; Jazzercise always has a low-impact option to every high-impact move so I did those and tried to get as much out of those.  I used FitDay all day today to log my food. It’s not bad, though it’s a little tedious to enter all the salad ingredients and the three vegetables I steamed together, item by item, but I wanted to see the accurate nutrition results as well as the calories. I had to add something to the end of my day at 8:15 as I hadn’t had enough calories.

Fri, Feb 22: work, then the 2+ hour drive to the Orlando area. I did a little shopping, but no actual exercise.
Sat, Feb 23: skipped the Jazzercise opportunity in Winter Park. In the afternoon, watched a little TV in my friend’s living room while doing some floor and standing exercises. Nothing actually approaching a cardio workout, but I did do some Pilates-type ab work, some glute work, a few pushups, stretching, and standing crunches.
Sun, Feb 24: a little more of the same as Saturday, but not much.

Mon, Feb 25 (Day 69): 7pm Jazzercise class. A few instructors switched schedules yesterday so I had one I haven’t seen much, who used to do the 7pm ones last summer. She’s always a little tougher (in a good way) in that she picks some really high-energy routines and shakes it up. Left with delts fatigued. Exhaused from early morning return trip.

Tuesday, Feb 26 (Day 70): 7pm Jazzercise class, with some stretching during the day but short on time, didn’t get to do more. I stayed on the 8lb hand weights tonight in class, second day of the new upper body routine which works delts and rhomboids. Much harder by the end of the second day; I could feel the fatigue but managed to get through. I know some of the people here use weights many times heavier than that, but for the amount of reps to fill an entire song, that’s all I can manage for now, and it does work the muscles. We did something tonight which had us really out of breath—maybe just a new combo of tunes at the top of the aerobic curve, but the instructor told me she was a bit winded too, and I am never usually that out of breath. We didn’t do much specific glute work, so I want to keep up the leg lifts on my own, as I am finally beginning to feel like they’re working. Been really annoyed about a deliberate insult by someone whose rude behavior I’ve tolerated for just about long enough, so those jabs and uppercuts felt really GOOD tonight. I suppose that’s not very Quakerly, but better to work it out while not actually aiming at anyone. We all get angry. Learning how to get rid of it and move on, well, that’s been a life’s work. I feel better for having worked out and not turned to cake and ugly words.

Wed, Feb 27: rest day, by virtue of having to work all day and all night. It was the end of the TV sweep and I went back in after the chiro visit, and worked on reports.

Thu, Feb 28 (Day 72): long day at work, but a welcome Jazzercise class tonight. Actually I arrived early enough to do the second half of the 5:30p class, so I had some extra strength and stretching, then did some great stretches on my own between classes, and a few standing pushups and ab crunches. Shoulders and upper back finally stopped being sore from the new weight routine, so that’s good.  Really worked to the out-of-breath point again, kind of cool. Then at the end instead of slowing down, she put in an old favorite and I got my second wind and really hopped to it.

One hot bath later and I feel marvelously relaxed. If only tomorrow were Saturday!

Sat, March 1 (Day 74): 2x Jazzercise classes, 8am and 9:15am.

It was an effort.

Didn’t do any exercising Friday due to being so tired, and to being at the office late to see off my friend for the last time. I had a delicious hot bath and unwound, and had a thorough night’s sleep, except for waking up a few times.

Woke up and got to class. Jeannine was teaching again, and her workouts just seem to be my personal hardest, which is a good thing. Only this morning it seemed to be wringing every last bit of energy out of me. And about 2/3 of the way through the class, I started to feel vaguely ill. I’m attributing it to there being a Glade oil plug-in air freshener in the back of the room. I’m not usually in that section. I’m sometimes sensitive to such things. Damp-Rid, for example, makes me sweat and almost pass out. So after class, a friend and I agreed that we probably didn’t have it to go another round. I splashed cold water on my face, neck, arms, and blotted myself off. I was red. (Is my face that thin? It looked profoundly thin and red with my hair pulled back snugly.) I walked outside and got some fresh air. I almost immediately felt better, though still really tired. Still, I went back inside, and unplugged the air freshener, turned on one of the fans, and went through the second class, sometimes at a lower level of intensity than I’m used to. It was mostly different songs and routines. I felt pretty good when I got out of there, though I will have do so some serious leg stretches today, as the muscles are extremely tight. Abduct, adduct, pelvic lifts, lunges, pliés (basically squats), and enough hopping around to make me feel a bit used up.

Still, after a little rest and my latte, I’m sure I’ll be fine. Woohoo, glad that’s done for the day!