Ending a long absence

It feels like forever ago since I last posted something. It's been a week! I've been so uninspired to write anything.

Anyways, I've been to two PT sessions so far, and I'm hopeful they'll be able to help me overcome this ITBS. Their approach is interesting, to say the least. I first met with John, who runs the place as I later found out from my boss. He was really friendly and nice and I instantly felt comfortable around him. He explained to be that we would be working on strengthening my core. In strengthening my core I will be putting less stress on my IT band while I run. He also noticed that my left ankle is not as mobile as the right, which is weird considering I injured my right ankle in '04. 

For all my prescribed exercises to do at home, I have to first activate my transverse abdominis muscle. It's a muscle often ignored and can be felt if you place your hands just inside your hip bones while you laugh or cough. The way he taught me to activate this muscle? He told me to do a Kegel. A what?! Are you serious? Aren't those for you-know-what? I wanted to laugh. 

So apparently doing Kegels are the key to curing my ITBS. Who woulda thought? Yeah if only. I have a lot more work to do than that. That's just the first step.

Meanwhile, I've been trying out some yoga. I tried Cardio Burn Yoga this week. I'm happy to say that I loved it! Yoga doesn't have to be boring! If you don't know by now, I like to kick my own ass with any workout I do, be it yoga, running, group exercise classes. If I have to put forth little to no effort to complete the workout, it's not worth my time. It's all or nothing, and that's my downfall.

It's amazing how sore I was two days after doing the full 50 minutes. I liked how challenging this workout was for this yoga novice, but I can do without the "soft smile" she keeps insisting on having us do. If I'm having a difficult time keeping a pose, the last thing I want to do is put a "soft smile" on my face, thankyouverymuch! I was cursing under my breath. Overall, I'm satisfied with this DVD and am ready to purchase! 

On to knitting! I was going to keep it a secret, but I've been working on Elefante (no, not Sara's yet...just a test knit). It didn't take me that long to knit her up, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to sew the head on. Once I figure it out I'll post pictures! For those of you who were interested in buying one off of me, I looked at the pattern and she doesn't want it used for profit. I would still be happy to knit one up for those who are really interested. I may ask that you contribute to yarn prices, though, if you decide on some swanky stuff. Just know that it might be a while until I get to it.

Good Friday is almost over, and I haven't forgotten about not eating meat. I've forgotten every other Friday this Lent. I'm so proud of myself! Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!

Yoga DVD's among other things

Well, I broke the news to my boss yesterday that I would be leaving my job late May. He took it very well and I'm relieved to finally have the news out in the open!

My sleep schedule is going through some changes. Jon has gone back to work and is back to waking up at 4 a.m. This means that I'm going to bed around 10 and probably just getting up at the same time he does. For some reason while he's on this sleep schedule I don't sleep very well, and wake up multiple times a night. I also can't go back to sleep after that alarm goes off. Anybody else have to change their sleep schedule due to their spouse's?

Side note: I hate that Jon's back at work. No more lunch meet ups and no husband waiting for me when I get home from work. I miss him already! When did I get so dependent on him? I've never been like this! Seeing him in evenings isn't enough for me....I'd be very happy having him with me 24/7. Is this unheard of? I'm blaming it on the last 15-month deployment and years of separation before we got married. We have a lot of catching up to do!

This morning I got up around 4:30 and popped in my yoga DVD after brushing my teeth and changing out of Jon's old PT shirt I use for PJs. I've decided to try out some DVDs on Netflix before committing to buying them so I wouldn't regret my purchase later. I have Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss at home right now. I really don't like it, but it's nice to do some yoga....it's been a while. Plus, the setting is in Sedona and the backdrop of red rocks is so beautiful!

I did this workout on Monday as well and yesterday I was SORE! My upper back, shoulders, and obliques. I was really surprised to feel this because as I did the workout it felt effortless. It really didn't feel like I was doing anything at all. I decided to give it another try this morning, and I've come to the conclusion that this DVD is going back out today and I'm going to try another. I didn't like the poses too much and it didn't seem to incorporate that many in that 40-minute session. I took a suggestion from Somebody's Princess and put Cardio Burn: Yoga next on my queue. I'm also looking forward to trying out The Biggest Loser: Weight Loss Yoga, but there's a long wait on that one.

I've finally accepted the fact that I can't run, or do my cardio kickboxing. I miss it though! I'm really looking forward to my PT session on Monday. I have high hopes they will be able to help me out with my ITBS so I can get back to doing what I love! However, I appreciate that this injury has opened up my stubborn mind to other forms of exercise. Yoga being one of them, and bike riding being the other more recent one. Jon had been obsessively shopping of the perfect road bike and finally found a Trek one he was happy with. Of course, he didn't want to go solo on his excursions so he got me one too! I just hope I can accompany him soon!

On another note, I need to find some time to catch up on blog reading. I miss one weekend and I'm just overwhelmed with all the catch up reading I have! I have to read them all at once, for some reason. Must be that all or nothing mentality I have. When I feel like this, I just don't even attempt it. That's why I haven't been commenting lately, but I'll get to them eventually! Happy Wednesday everybody!

Knee woes

There still hasn't been much progress on the whole ITBS situation. It's become bad enough that I called the doc, telling him my situation and how it's pretty much unchanged. Result? I'm going to spring for PT sessions now. 

Jon and I went for a nice 3 mile walk around Reid Park last night. Let me tell you, it was really hard watching all those people run by, while knowing full well it would be a long while until I could do that again. What made it even harder was that I wore my running shoes for this walking session. They only have about 6 miles on them now, so they were nice and springy! Jon tells me, "Why are you walking so fast?" It was just so hard to hold back with such nice, new shoes! 

A little over half way through, my knee started protesting. I couldn't believe it! I didn't know plain ol' walking would aggravate it! So we slowed it down as Jon got a phone call, and finished at a more leisurely pace. By the time I got back to the car, I was limping. 

I had also done my kickboxing class last Saturday, and the result was the same. Had I done it for half an hour instead of the full hour, I think I would have been OK. One whole hour was too much for it! However after that and after my walk last night, I iced it for a good while and was almost symptom free the next days. The fact that I got sore just from walking, though, was the last straw. So tomorrow I will be picking up the prescription the doc wrote me and scheduling my first PT session. I really want to nip this problem in the bud.

In the meantime, I've decided to try out some yoga DVDs. I have some in my Netflix queue...I don't want to go out and buy one only to find out later that I hate it! Anybody have any suggestions for good yoga DVDs? I'm also going to start lap swimming. As soon as Jon goes back to work (because it's hard to stay away when I know he's at home all alone), I'll try to hit the pool in the mornings before work. Jon was also surprised me today by buying me some 10-lb hand weights so I can keep up with light strength training if I don't make it to the gym.

Slowly, but surely, I'm adapting to my situation. I've finally leveled off with my weight gain, topping off at a 5-lb gain. I'm not happy about it, but it could be worse! I'm determined, anyhow, to lose all that. Hopefully swimming and yoga will be enough to accomplish this. My body really likes to hold onto its fat stores!

So do you like it as much as I do?

Nine more posts until I pick a winner for my giveaway! Don't forget to leave me a comment on the original post to be entered! I noticed I have a couple new followers. Would you like to be entered as well?

Like I promised I'm going to share with you all some pictures of my new haircut. Overall, I'm really happy with it! Lately I've been going to this place and coming back less than enthused about the resulting haircuts, but I've been trying somebody new each and every time. I think I finally found my stylist! Here is a before picture to compare. So without further ado, here is my new haircut

Don't mind my weird facial expression :P When I got home, Jon didn't even really notice a difference from before the cut. I added some side-swept bangs, which I think is noticeable, but people at work didn't say anything today either! For the rest of my hair I just got an all-over trim and my usual texturizing. Love it! Sammy seems to like it too!

In other news I resigned myself to the elliptical, realizing I was limited in my exercise options (no kickboxing either). Unfortunately, even that irritates the injured IT band so I stopped after only a couple minutes. All I could do was lift weights and do 2 (!!) pull-ups. Looks like Sammy will be getting more walks now!

Thank you, thank you!

Thank you everybody for the encouraging comments about my goal accomplished! I'm sorry....I'm so awful at responding to comments! I have a hard enough time posting since Jon's been home. He seriously hogs the computer! Even when it's free, I'd much rather snuggle up on the couch and watch How I Met Your Mother with him--he's been watching that while deployed and we just bought the first two seasons on DVD.

When Jon's alarm went off at 5 I was wide awake. I couldn't get out of bed until 5:30, though, because somebody fell asleep with his arm around my waist and I didn't want to wake him up! Poor guy...he didn't get home until 11 on Monday night and had to get up at 2 the next morning to prepare for the second round of soldiers coming home. Now he's going in every day and in charge of reintegration classes, meaning he will also being working this weekend. Boo! He's so ready for his block leave!

Anyways, I got up and did my Turbo Jam DVD workout, determined to keep up with working out and losing weight. It went OK, but I didn't get nearly as sweaty and out of breath as I do in my cardio kickboxing class on base. Unfortunately, my IT band was bugging me even during this workout so I don't think I'll be able to make it to my class tomorrow if it's still inflamed. I'll just have to suck it up and jump on the much dreaded elliptical trainer.

I got a foam roller today and tried it out on my injured leg. Owowow!!! I could barely put any weight on it while I was able to put a lot more weight on my uninjured leg. But the injured IT band feels looser and more stretched out. I really hope this helps!

In other news, I feel like knitting something pretty for somebody! I just noticed that I'm almost to 200 posts (so behind a lot of you!) I'll be having a giveaway much like Loqui's. Mine will be knitted, and I will give the winner a pick of what they want, and of course, what colors she wants it in. I'm so excited about this! And it gives me an excuse to buy some more yarn.....

Stay tuned!

Body image issues

I think I've already touched on my body image issues in one of those "about me" posts. It was in fourth grade that I actually became conscious of my body, and in my opinion that's too young, although this happens a lot earlier to children today (not even getting into that).

That being said, I've been feeling humongous lately. I haven't been getting the exercise my body needs and since Jon came home, any semblance of a healthy diet has gone out the window. I've been eating out more because I actually have someone to eat with! While Jon was gone, I wouldn't go out to eat very often because I refuse to eat alone. That left me with having to deal on those nights when I couldn't cook because I came home late from the gym or was too busy baking. Those nights I ate a bowl of cereal or threw some cheese into a couple rolled up corn tortillas. A guy cannot eat like this, so we sometimes resort to outside sources. Last night it was Pizza Hut's dinner buffet. And no, I didn't even go to the gym last night. Neither of us felt like cooking.

It doesn't make matters any better that I can't even run. I think that is probably the only reason I'm upset about it right now; the injury couldn't have come at a worse time because when I'm feeling bad about my body I like to strap the running shoes on and pound out my frustrations. Even when I'm injury free it's really hard for me to stay motivated enough to go out for a run here because I need pretty scenery while my mind wanders. The city of Tucson (and most cities in Arizona) aren't very pretty cities. I don't know who decided that miles and miles of strip malls and mini-highways for streets were a good idea. Back in Seattle, I'd be happy running in the city because no matter where I lived, there was always a good place to run! I was so against driving to my running destination and that is just what I have to do here. On top of that, I think I just need trees and greenery.

Running is so easy because all you need is a good pair of shoes and you're good to go. There's no equipment needed, you don't really need to drive anywhere, and it's free! Don't even get me started on cardio machines! I've done it all (thanks to previous injuries): stationary bike, stair master, treadmill, elliptical trainer, rowing machine, you name it. I have one word for you: B.O.R.I.N.G!! I'd be happy doing something else, but I just checked the schedule for group classes at the AFB and there really isn't much to pick from. The only class in the morning I can go to is Spinning at 7, which is a little late for me and to be honest, I have zero interest in spinning. Then the next class isn't until 11! Evening classes are sparse too! Do a lot of these AF wives not have jobs that the majority of the classes are during the work day? I wonder the gym on post is any better. Probably not, and it is 75 miles away so it's not even an option. I might need to cave for another gym membership.

OK, so the result of all this is the general unhappiness I feel towards my body. I do not like what I see in the mirror. Well, I've come to accept and love my muscular legs, when at one time I hated how big they were. I've got the arm wave down to a minimum--my triceps are actually stronger than my biceps now and they are my favorite part of my body I like to develop. My butt is the second. My genes have decided that I'm not supposed to have an ass. What little I do have is a result of hard work. It's the whole middle part of my body that I hate. I've been battling the back fat and the fat around the midsection for a long while now. I'm just genetically predisposed to gain weight in those areas! Let me just list what I hate about my body:

Back fat--I can seriously grab a handful at each side

Stomach fat--another two handfuls

Fat right above the hips--you guessed it....two more handfuls for ya

I just measured myself yesterday (tape measurers don't lie!) Looking at the actual numbers, it doesn't look that bad, but looking at my reflection, I really don't like! Thankfully, I don't gain weight in my hips. They're 37 inches right now (Latina hips!) My waist is 29.5 inches, but I've never had a small waist. I think I wouldn't be able to get smaller than 28, maybe 27 inches. Jean sizes don't lie either. Speaking of sizes, I really wish they would universalize them! If I buy a pair of junior's pants, depending on the brand, I'm anywhere between a 7 and 11. No joke, if the brand says I'm a size 11 I don't buy them! Women's sizes, I'm between a 6 and 8. The sizes themselves don't sound too bad either, but I'm 5'4" and remember I do have issues with my body! I fully admit that right from the beginning.

Bottom line, I just want to get leaner and I don't know how to do that right now. There's just nothing like burning lungs and rhythmic pounding of pavement to help me feel better about myself, and that's just not happening right now. All I need to be happier, I think, is a good workout!

Work break

I'm in the middle of a timecourse experiment right now and my next time point collection is at 7. Sooo I'm sitting around waiting for another hour. How I love science!

I just checked back in my archives and I got that GC shot in my knee on 30 January. Wow I hadn't realized it's been that long! The doctor had advised me to skip out on running for a week, which I followed, no problem. I've learned not to run through injuries! Then, Jon came home, making it easier for me to put it off even more.

On Valentine's Day weekend, I went out to get a new pair of running shoes. I decided on the Saucony Grid Hurricanes because I loved them so much when I wore them last in 2004. I don't know why I didn't just keep getting those! I just got fitted for a new pair of shoes every time I had to go in for new ones. So I went back to those, but unfortunately, they didn't have my size. The store ordered them for me and they just got in last week.



So yesterday I was super excited to run again! I had been stretching my IT band as best as I could and keeping up with my cardio kickboxing class as much as I could (last weekend's interview didn't make that easy). I went to my favorite running path after work, happy with the 80-degree weather, thinking this was the perfect day to run. I decided I would take it really easy, running my 3 mile loop at about a 10-minute mile. Well, I got to mile 2 and, like in my last run, I started experiencing that dull throbbing in my left knee. Actually, I felt it towards the beginning of the run and just kept going, not too bothered by it. I stopped running at about 2 miles and walked. I was really raring to go so when I couldn't feel any more pain I started running fast. When this injury first popped up in 2006, I noticed that if I ran fast I didn't feel the symptoms during the run so I felt I could keep running. I thought maybe my gait was that drastically different when running fast as opposed to when I was just doing an easy jog. Of course it hurt after the run, but I was dumb (and stubborn) back then to keep doing it. So I decided to give it a shot yesterday. It was not the case. Rather than a dull pain, I experienced an intense throbbing pain within a few seconds! I gave up and walked the rest of the way.

I stretched really well when I was done. I didn't feel any pain in my knee at all, which just frustrated me because only a small amount of running aggravated it. I ran the length of the parking lot back and forth a few times, trying to get it to hurt again (I was trying to find anything wrong with my gait). The only time it hurt was when I stopped and turned to go back. It felt good otherwise. But I'm hobbling today and taking the stairs like a two year old.

This is the most frustrating injury I've had. Granted, when I hurt my ankle it took two years for me to be able to run without recurring pain, but at least it hasn't happened in a while! It did flare up last weekend for the first time in two years, but switching out my boots for good supportive shoes for a couple days put it back in its place! To think my main concern in '04 when training for my marathon was shin splints. I'd take shin splints over ITBS any day! I feel like I can't make any progress with this stupid IT band! What more can I do? I stretch, but is that enough? I find it difficult to stretch. Are there any good stretches out there for it? How long should I stretch it for each day? Should I invest in one of those foam rollers? Will that really help? A lot of questions that I'm asking any runners to help me answer. Any advice?