Moderators LadyM Posted April 30, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted April 30, 2015 Chugging right along. Doing OK. Food is fine, exercise is good, and I'm sore as all get out. Low back tweaked a bit in bootcamp this morning with those damn kettle bell swings. As soon as it happened I stopped and did squats instead. Hope it gets better quickly. Holy man is my core strong from barre! When we do our ab series at the end of bootcamp class it's like nothing. Sweet! Definitely eating to satisfaction and focusing on real food successfully, though I am using whey for recovery and that seems to be working nicely. Feeling calm and normal about food. So happy about that. Had a moment of overwhelm meltdown yesterday morning at the end of a meeting. Recovered OK, though. Big deadlines today, so better get to it. Barre on tap this evening. Can't wait. It's my prize at the end of this brutal day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Strong core - love! That's awesome. Glad to hear you were smart about your back, I'm sure you'll be earning the dividends of that smart move for awhile. Hang in there during this stressful week! I hope barre gives you the bit of decompression you need tongiht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 It sounds like you're doing great! Just a few days back on W30 and I'm back to that calm place, too. I'm hoping being on W30 will help me stay there for the long term. I got sick of bouncing back and forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted April 30, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted April 30, 2015 Yes, the bouncing back and forth is the worst. It's like we're all part of a diaspora alienated from the homeland of our bodies and seeking solid ground. Returning to a mental, spiritual, physical place where we can truly feel at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I'm glad you seem to be doing better. This thing is an ongoing process that is not at all linear, as much as we would like it to be. It's more like a spiral. Glad to see you on the upward curve. Low back tweaked a bit in bootcamp this morning with those damn kettle bell swings. As soon as it happened I stopped and did squats instead. Hope it gets better quickly. If kettle bell swings are tweaking your back, you aren't using your glutes like you should (very good choice to stop and squat!). This reminded me of some work I'm doing lately, so I hope you don't mind but anyway: I have gotten really strong but Max and I realized recently that my quads are overtaking my glutes to the point that whenever a movement allows it my body automatically activates quads and it is exacerbating the imbalance. He designed like a 30-step glute strengthening program for me and just spending 15-20 minutes every other day focussing on that is making a huge difference--like suddenly on the bike I can feel my glutes firing where I didn't before. It's pretty amazing. Anyway, sometimes I think it is more than just intellectually knowing where the power should be coming from (as I'm sure you do) but also mobility and practicing activation that starts to really make a difference. Rolling your glutes on a lacrosse ball might help, along with specific exercises, let me know if you want some (more) details . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted April 30, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted April 30, 2015 Thanks, mm, and yesyesyes! Been working on balancing quad dominance for years. Finally feel like my glutes are getting the right attention with barre--to the point that, like you, I feel them firing when I do other activities, like walking. I'm really just a little pissed that there's so little attention given to teaching form in these bootcamp classes. I thought mine was good enough, but kettlebells are something I don't have much experience with. Anyway, yes, would love to hear more details! (Who besides you has a lacrosse ball laying around, though?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Lazy glutes is so common it is scary! My chiropractor and I are working on specifically outer glute strength as we fix up my knee. I actually tend to fire my hip flexor and hamstring first a lot. I get annoyed too when I watch trainers run bootcamps and I see very poor form not addressed. The whole point of these smaller group classes is to be able to pay more attention to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I'm really just a little pissed that there's so little attention given to teaching form in these bootcamp classes. I thought mine was good enough, but kettlebells are something I don't have much experience with. So much this. Kettlebells require excellent form, there is just too much potential for injury otherwise. If you can find an RKC instructor in your area, it might be worth getting some more specific instruction to bring back to bootcamp? Anyway, yes, would love to hear more details! Ok, highlights: clamshell (lay on one side, knees bent, rotate upper knee open and closed (feet stay together), repeat on opposite side. bridge with adduction--bridge, consciously firing glutes (don't try not to fire them, like I've been coached to do in yoga), hold something (yoga block? lacross ball?) between your knees. straight leg bridge on swiss ball with feet externally rotated--basically head and shoulders on the ground, feet in first position on the swiss ball, lift your hips to form a straight diagonal from ball to ground. hold for time. weighted bridge on swiss ball--shoulders on the ball, knees bent at 90 degrees, driving heels into the ground, place a weight across your hip bones while holding your butt up to about a horizontal line with your knees. Hold for time, then pulse up and down for count (stabilize the weight with your hands but lift it only with your glutes). We started with a 25b dumbbell, but now I'm using a barbell with plates for this one. Awkward, but effective. (Who besides you has a lacrosse ball laying around, though?) hmmm, I dunno, Nadia, probably? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia B Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 HAHAHA dying over here. I have 2 - big and firm + small and spiked Kettlebells are my love for life. Yes, lower back pain indicates that form needs a bit more attention. Main points are: pulling shoulders back and not up (chest proud), doing a proper hip hinge (no squatting, think deadlift with neutral spine), really pushing your derier back, keeping the bell at the proper level (never goes below the knees) and executing a good hip snap at the top (with the mighty abs squeeze). Also, I have noticed that one of the biggest downfalls of the swingers (that came out wrong LOL) is a set up/bring down position. Pleople do it properly but then round their back to put the bell on the ground at the end. This is a cry for an injury! Sorry for the hijacking the thread with my advice here. MM, weighted bridge is a great one. I have never done it at the swiss ball though. Does it give your legs more instability to deal with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 MM, weighted bridge is a great one. I have never done it at the swiss ball though. Does it give your legs more instability to deal with? actually, the main difference (vs. doing it with a box or bench) is that I find it a little easier to get into position. I rack the barbell low and kind of scoot under it with the swiss ball under my back then lift and slide backwards to get into the right position (if that makes any sense at all ). Instability isn't a major factor, but I suppose it makes me engage my abs a little more to keep everything in the right position. Weight is high enough now that it is getting pretty tough to do the setup alone, actually, I'll have to see what suggestions Max has for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia B Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Yeah, we do it on the floor without the bench or box, I think I usually get up to 75 lb bridges which is fine for doing it myself, I am not a ninja like you. We just place a mat on our hips to make this unrack and place the barbell move easier. Interesting about the ball, gotta try it and see if there will be difference. Hi Lady M. Sorry to hi-jack your thread. Love N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Yeah, we do it on the floor without the bench or box so your shoulders are on the floor? interesting...I'll have to try it that way too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 4, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 4, 2015 Great conversation, y'all. The owner of the barre studio asked me after class Saturday about my low back when she saw me struggling with forward bends in class. I told her about the kettle bell fiasco, and she said she'd teach me how to do it. Today she brought in a kettle bell, showed me how to use it properly, and then sent me home with it. I love her. She's definitely not on board with the heavy lifting school of thought, however. I think I may be OK with that as well. Otherwise, feeling a bit punk so far this week. Grumpy about having to work through the weekend but grateful to have torn myself away briefly for a luxurious bike ride yesterday. I also did as much walking as I could, and have the blisters to show for it. Sockless winter feet in dress shoes walking many miles is the culprit. And now I'm in flip flops. Extremes. It's where I live. My cousin and her husband were in town and we had a great time. Showed them around Saturday night--on foot--and hit many of the local breweries, which they loved. They asked about my not drinking and were totally on board. Nobody minded that I drank water. In fact, they may have been grateful that I was such a cheap date since they wouldn't let me pay for anything! Another crazy work week and I'm trying to find my inner zen place instead of stewing in my own pissiness. I want to move through this week gracefully and not in anger. Perhaps that is my mantra. And I will only do what I can do and do it well. I have a massage scheduled for Friday afternoon and shall keep my eye on that prize! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I hope you can have a zen week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 5, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 5, 2015 Talked myself into zen yesterday and everything went much better. I was even more productive. A good reminder. Calm, benign acceptance of self and circumstance is always the best way. Sometimes it takes a little doing to get there, though. Barre class was exceedingly tough yesterday, which is a clue that I'm in the week leading up to AF. It helps so much to know my body and give it what it needs. Stocked up on Japanese yams yesterday at the co-op, and I'll plan to have one with M3 every day. They'll do me right, and oh how I love them! Made a batch of taco meat yesterday to have on romaine with guac this week in honor of Cinco de Mayo as well as Moroccan chicken apricot meatballs just because I had ground chicken. Chicken livers breaded with spiced almond meal and pate on hand as well as egg bake, hb eggs, and loads of greens means I'm all set this week. I also have cod, mushrooms, and peppers to try a recipe from the new W30 book. Had to talk myself out of eating one of those technically compliant bars that are like candy/crack last night after dinner. It was a struggle. The sugar dragon needs to be lulled back to sleep for sure. I wasn't hungry but wanted something sweet. I told myself I could have another portion of dinner if I wanted, but that didn't sound good at all. That's how I knew it was the sugar dragon. That beast. So, I'm committing publicly to no bars and no after meal sweets this week. And I think recognizing AF is on her way and that my body therefore needs more starchy veg should help with those cravings too. Bootcamp this morning was good. Fifty reps of a bunch of different exercises. I went a little lighter on weights and I think that was a good move. Perhaps I can build up in time, but the important thing is to stay strong and injury-free. Barre this evening. Rain all week except Thursday, so I might head out for a bike ride then. We shall see. It's one of those blissful spring days with a steady soft rain to nourish the tulips and flowering trees. Grateful to be able to prepare for class this morning with the pleasantly damp cool breeze and symphony of raindrops in the background. Happy Tuesday, friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Sorry for the grumpiness. When I used to have to work weekends (tax season), I was definitely grumpy, all the time. Great job of getting out of the funk, good for you! I love those blissful spring days, but honestly, only when I don't have to go anywhere. I'm lucky to be enjoying some beautiful sun. Yesterday I made a point to go stand outside for 5 minutes, just to enjoy it after this seemingly endless winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 5, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 5, 2015 Also, would love to hear your thoughts on this article about being too mindful about eating. I think a true Whole9 lifestyle addresses it, but it's easy to go overboard when you're just starting with Whole 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Interesting article. I think I can get obsessive about food pretty quickly. I don't want food/weight/health to become an obsession. Always a balancing game.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thanks for posting that. It is a good article. I can definitely get obsessive. That's why my goal is calm eating. I've also calmed down a lot about what husband and the kids eat. I feel a little guilty about it sometimes, but I don't let myself get anxious about it or dwell on it. I do the best I can to encourage healthy choices and my kids are way better eaters than most kids I know, so I choose to focus on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 7, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 7, 2015 Officially sore in all the places, places i'm generally not aware of. So very happy I scheduled that massage for Friday at 3. By then, life will be so good. I mean, life is good now, but there will be more spaciousness. All for me. I am very selfish with myself these days. I think it happens toward the end of a school year full of people who constantly want something from me. With the vista of summer not too far off, I begin resisting any and all unnecessary demands on my time, especially those that do not hold any promise for delight. Anyway, tough bootcamp this morning I wasn't even sure I should do. But I'm glad I did, because it was fun, and it works my body in a totally different way. Sore is good. It means change is happening. We'll see about barre tonight. It promises to be a perfectly clear, sunny, 85 degree day, so I'll probably just want to go for a bike ride instead. But my a$$ is still sore from the one I took Sunday, and I have a 50 miler on tap for this Sunday. Decisions, decisions. Planning to walk to and from work, anyway. That will give me some luscious outdoor time. Oh, how the flowering trees bring me joy! So grateful to fully take in the little joys amid so much work. They make all the difference in the quality of the day, no? I walked to and from class last night--because it was beautiful out and because my lower back was bothering me. Gentle movement helped a lot. Note to self: gentle movement helps a lot. I really need to get interested in food again. Still haven't made that cod; chicken breast is going bad in the fridge; all I can muster is salads lately. Certainly could be worse, but my palate is eager for change. It's just that the rest of me isn't so interested in putting in the effort. And this weekend is full of work, so not much promise there. I'll make it to the farmer's market, though. Slim pickings this time of year, but it's so fun to see more and more things on offer with each new week of the growing season. Right now greens and more greens aren't a bad thing. Might pick up some pork, too. Haven't had any in a long time. All right. Time to get on with the day. I hope yours surprises you in the best possible ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Get through this busy time and your interest in food will probably return. But with summer, probably with lots of interest in light. Plenty of options for movement today, love that. I am also really enjoying all the blooming trees, the flowers, everything is so green and bright and vibrant. My allergies don't love it, but I do. Good luck with your work and hope you enjoy the heck out of that massage tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 8, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 8, 2015 Get through this busy time and your interest in food will probably return. But with summer, probably with lots of interest in light. Good perspective, Sara, as always. Thank you! I might have been losing sight of the forest for the trees a bit. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 8, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 8, 2015 I ordered a copy of The Performance Paleo Cookbook, and I'm glad I did. Lots of delicious and simple recipes as well as the all-important reminder that food is fuel. I have to confess that I still resort to fearful thinking that I'm eating too much even when I'm fully listening to my body and following its hunger cues. Especially this week, the lead up to my period, in which I've deliberately added a giant Japanese yam every night as well as pre and post workout food, sometimes twice a day--for post wo food, anyway. In the book Stephanie points out that eating for performance is not the same as eating for aesthetics, and that eating to get thin will often compromise not just your workouts and energy levels but also wreak havoc with your hormones. All good reminders. And yet. I still would like to drop more fat. If I'm going by the scale, it's 10-15 pounds. Though I know in my heart I wouldn't care what the scale said if I could just further tweak my body composition. But I must remind myself that this is vanity speaking at this point. I am in excellent shape and at the top end of a healthy weight range for the first time in my life. I came across a collection of old IDs and drivers licenses yesterday and was struck by how dramatically I have changed over the years. The physical mirrors the internal changes as well. But I could see how very sick I once was in the photos and how vibrant and healthy I look now in comparison, even if signs of aging are also showing up. It was a strange and wonderful experience to look at those images of my face from the past 22+ years. I also realized that my passport expired a couple weeks ago and that makes me anxious. What if I have an opportunity to leave the country but can't? Must get a new one, stat! Anyway, seeing my sickness in images of my face also remind me that I am now off my thyroid meds. As truly amazing as that is, it also means I'm slowly coming off a slightly hyperthyroid phase which may have made it easier to drop some weight, and my body is making all kinds of shifts and changes in this process. My lesson now may be to get cozy with myself as I am and get even more patient with the process. Resist my impulse to try little cleanses and detoxes for jumpstarts and recommit to my marriage to Whole30 and Whole9. If I could just keep the sweet bars out of my life, I have a pretty great system. I know what works for me and what doesn't, and by and large I'm enjoying living in my body. Wow. I could have never said that before now. Let me just pause and bask in the glow of that profundity. OK. So, I skipped the bike ride yesterday and walked everywhere. I did get to barre in the evening, and then I felt physically wrung out. I'm definitely pushing limits this week physically, but appropriately so, I hope. I do think I need to make sure to bring back some yoga nidra a couple times a week. I let the stress and busyness get to me more than I'd like. Must remember to draw on these tools I have to support my staying calm on the inside regardless of what is happening outside. My plan is to also add a third bootcamp class next week and see how I do with that. I really enjoy the process of gaining strength, and lifting heavy in short, intense bursts works so differently that barre does. And long walks and bike rides do something else altogether. It's also almost time to return to the pool, and I'm thrilled for the calm joy of swimming. Glad for a moment of reflection at the end of this week, and grateful to have regained a bit of perspective and gathered my wits. Onward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Love it! I know what works for me and what doesn't, and by and large I'm enjoying living in my body. Wow. I could have never said that before now. Let me just pause and bask in the glow of that profundity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Wow, LadyM, Wow! Powerful words and thoughts you have chosen to share. I hope you come back to them many times. Not being satisfied with being where you are is one thing, but enjoying your body, lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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