It's been a very challenging couple of months. Actually, 2013 has not been the best year so far. One of heartbreak, health issues, frustration, disappointment and stress. Work, home, fitness.....I need to be able to find some bright lights in the near future. I know I am a very lucky person: a place to live, a good job, a supportive family, and good friends.
I am about to go off to Vegas for what promises to be an amazing weekend seeing old and new friends, working out to the best programs in the world. It's the first Mega Quarterly that I will be attending where I teach more than just BODYPUMP, so I am extra excited about going as an instructor of 3 programs. The last big event I went to in Texas two years ago, I hardly knew anyone but left with new friends. This time, I am going with the anticipation of seeing so many people I've met over the last two years and I really need that right now, to be surrounded by friends and fitness.
I just wish I were more excited. Life has been extra challenging at home and work. This week, AGAIN, I will be observed by no less than 15 administrators and district personnel, watching me teach strategies that I've trained hard to implement. It just happens to come during a week of serious health challenges, doctor appointments, tests and more tests. I am nowhere near ready for Vegas, and Franklin and Alexander are leaving for Dallas the day after I leave for Vegas. At least I can look forward to two weeks off from school right after I return from Vegas.
I need more hours in the day. Or a few more days before the weekend. Sigh.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Setback......
I am finally feeling better with all my various injuries.....PT has been renewed, just in time because Naomi found the spot surrounding my tailbone that has been giving me grief and we are finally able to address it. I've also had great results with neck traction; this has almost alleviated the pain in my neck.
This weekend I added in an additional BodyPump class, my PAC class on Saturdays. I will only do one a month there, as Deb is happy to have the other Saturdays and I teach 2 classes on Sunday. This is the first weekend since Dec. 1 that I have taught 3 classes in 2 days; feeling pretty good and I even finally increased my squat, back and bicep weights. I definitely feel the difference and am so happy to be on the road back to normalcy.
However, I have begun emotional eating.....not good. Things are challenging right now, and I find myself reaching for food that has no business being anywhere near my body....and I feel powerless to resist. I thought I had made so much progress, and then a friend posted a list of 15 things to give up and I find myself still doing 12 of them! Here is the list, with an asterisk by the ones I am guilty of:
Doubting yourself**
Negative thinking*
Fear of failure*
Destructive relationships
Gossiping
Criticizing yourself* and others
Anger*
Comfort Eating****
Laziness
Negative self talk*
Procrastination*
Fear of success*
Anything excessive*
People pleasing*
Putting others needs before your own**
Sigh. This list just makes me want to eat some Thin Mints and cry.
This weekend I added in an additional BodyPump class, my PAC class on Saturdays. I will only do one a month there, as Deb is happy to have the other Saturdays and I teach 2 classes on Sunday. This is the first weekend since Dec. 1 that I have taught 3 classes in 2 days; feeling pretty good and I even finally increased my squat, back and bicep weights. I definitely feel the difference and am so happy to be on the road back to normalcy.
However, I have begun emotional eating.....not good. Things are challenging right now, and I find myself reaching for food that has no business being anywhere near my body....and I feel powerless to resist. I thought I had made so much progress, and then a friend posted a list of 15 things to give up and I find myself still doing 12 of them! Here is the list, with an asterisk by the ones I am guilty of:
Doubting yourself**
Negative thinking*
Fear of failure*
Destructive relationships
Gossiping
Criticizing yourself* and others
Anger*
Comfort Eating****
Laziness
Negative self talk*
Procrastination*
Fear of success*
Anything excessive*
People pleasing*
Putting others needs before your own**
Sigh. This list just makes me want to eat some Thin Mints and cry.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Right Touch
Massage is something I used to consider a luxury. And in reality, it was. However, once I started working out regularly, it became a necessity - more so after I became an instructor. I have a monthly Massage Envy membership; it took several visits to find a therapist that could work out the many knots to my satisfaction. Aside from the last visit to her, which was horrible, I have been happy with my massages, although I truly need one twice a month because of the 7 classes a week that I teach.
All that? In the past, as a couple of weeks ago I went to a woman that my instructor friend Karin recommended, who, in my opinion, is a F***ing miracle worker. TRULY. I can't explain all I experienced but she is a true healer. I literally am now able to take a real, deep breath, not the shallow breathing I seem to have been doing. Honestly, the difference I feel in taking a deep breath? Like my lungs have the space inside my body cavity to take in more air. I feel like I was so compressed and now I am expanding.......and the increase in my hip range of motion is noticeable. Plus, in literally 11 minutes, she had my tight scapula floating around back there like a piece of driftwood on the ocean.....Can't wait to go back this week for another session!
I am now 5 weeks into my self imposed healing period. Years of not truly taking care of myself, all the while caring for others and teaching my LM classes, has put me in a position where my body has said enough. Multiple pains, from my trap muscles into the scalene muscles in my neck, my tight tight tight hip flexors, tailbone, quads, IT bands.....there's not much in my body that is not tight. So I subbed out classes for over a month, started physical therapy, and am finally listening. Not only to my body but to those who love me and have been telling me for a long time to rest and heal.
Physical therapy has been awesome so far. I love my therapist, Naomi, who actually helped Alexander 3 years ago with his knee/groin injury. I've been consistent with the stretches and strengthening exercises she has given me. My tailbone pain? Not the sacrum, but stems from the hips, glutes and low back. My traps? The neck. So I have already felt better since I started therapy. I am religious about my strengthening and stretching exercises. It takes time each night, but 30 minutes out of my day to take care of specific issues is a small price to pay so that I can get back to doing what I love - teaching Les Mills programs. Naomi thinks that three classes back to back are just too much for me right now because when I get fatigued, my form suffers and therein lies the problem with my injuries. It just saddens me to think I am doing too much, when in reality this is what feeds me, teaching these classes. It's all about BALANCE. Sigh. Not my strong suit.
Last week I added back in to my schedule my BodyFlow classes and they are truly helping my healing along. I tried adding back in my Triple on Tuesday, but BodyPump and CX followed by Flow in one fell swoop was too much, so those classes are subbed out for another week. It is so hard to find someone who can teach those two that I may have to go back to teaching sooner than I am able, and find a way to modify it so I am not in pain. Last Thursday was my first full BodyPump class back in San Carlos and I was so warmly welcomed back that it almost brought tears to my eyes. It was like coming home again.
Probably one of the best things that has come out of taking this time off to heal was something a member, Martha, said to me before class last week. I was expressing to her how much I missed teaching and how I couldn't wait to get back full time and she told me, "We miss you, but you need to take the time to get better so you can come back. You are teaching us a very valuable lesson; if we don't take care of ourselves, we can make things worse. You are setting a great example for us as your members to listen to our bodies and take care of them." I couldn't have been more proud to hear that. I have myself ignored that message many times and now my body is telling me to slow down. I may have to give up one of my classes in the long run if it means that's what my body needs, but I will discover what is a good balance for me as I add my classes back in slowly. I am getting better at not being so impatient; it was a true struggle the first few weeks. Now I am just happy to teach Flow and one Pump.
LESSON: it is great to have the drive, dedication and determination to push yourself hard, to go outside your box of comfort and experience a new level of fitness. What is difficult about this is learning to read the signs your body gives you and to plan in scheduled rest periods. This includes stretching EXTRA and taking care of your body on the off days, getting regular massages and knowing when to say enough is enough. Because in the long run, it will only help you go further than you ever dreamed.
All that? In the past, as a couple of weeks ago I went to a woman that my instructor friend Karin recommended, who, in my opinion, is a F***ing miracle worker. TRULY. I can't explain all I experienced but she is a true healer. I literally am now able to take a real, deep breath, not the shallow breathing I seem to have been doing. Honestly, the difference I feel in taking a deep breath? Like my lungs have the space inside my body cavity to take in more air. I feel like I was so compressed and now I am expanding.......and the increase in my hip range of motion is noticeable. Plus, in literally 11 minutes, she had my tight scapula floating around back there like a piece of driftwood on the ocean.....Can't wait to go back this week for another session!
I am now 5 weeks into my self imposed healing period. Years of not truly taking care of myself, all the while caring for others and teaching my LM classes, has put me in a position where my body has said enough. Multiple pains, from my trap muscles into the scalene muscles in my neck, my tight tight tight hip flexors, tailbone, quads, IT bands.....there's not much in my body that is not tight. So I subbed out classes for over a month, started physical therapy, and am finally listening. Not only to my body but to those who love me and have been telling me for a long time to rest and heal.
Physical therapy has been awesome so far. I love my therapist, Naomi, who actually helped Alexander 3 years ago with his knee/groin injury. I've been consistent with the stretches and strengthening exercises she has given me. My tailbone pain? Not the sacrum, but stems from the hips, glutes and low back. My traps? The neck. So I have already felt better since I started therapy. I am religious about my strengthening and stretching exercises. It takes time each night, but 30 minutes out of my day to take care of specific issues is a small price to pay so that I can get back to doing what I love - teaching Les Mills programs. Naomi thinks that three classes back to back are just too much for me right now because when I get fatigued, my form suffers and therein lies the problem with my injuries. It just saddens me to think I am doing too much, when in reality this is what feeds me, teaching these classes. It's all about BALANCE. Sigh. Not my strong suit.
Last week I added back in to my schedule my BodyFlow classes and they are truly helping my healing along. I tried adding back in my Triple on Tuesday, but BodyPump and CX followed by Flow in one fell swoop was too much, so those classes are subbed out for another week. It is so hard to find someone who can teach those two that I may have to go back to teaching sooner than I am able, and find a way to modify it so I am not in pain. Last Thursday was my first full BodyPump class back in San Carlos and I was so warmly welcomed back that it almost brought tears to my eyes. It was like coming home again.
Probably one of the best things that has come out of taking this time off to heal was something a member, Martha, said to me before class last week. I was expressing to her how much I missed teaching and how I couldn't wait to get back full time and she told me, "We miss you, but you need to take the time to get better so you can come back. You are teaching us a very valuable lesson; if we don't take care of ourselves, we can make things worse. You are setting a great example for us as your members to listen to our bodies and take care of them." I couldn't have been more proud to hear that. I have myself ignored that message many times and now my body is telling me to slow down. I may have to give up one of my classes in the long run if it means that's what my body needs, but I will discover what is a good balance for me as I add my classes back in slowly. I am getting better at not being so impatient; it was a true struggle the first few weeks. Now I am just happy to teach Flow and one Pump.
LESSON: it is great to have the drive, dedication and determination to push yourself hard, to go outside your box of comfort and experience a new level of fitness. What is difficult about this is learning to read the signs your body gives you and to plan in scheduled rest periods. This includes stretching EXTRA and taking care of your body on the off days, getting regular massages and knowing when to say enough is enough. Because in the long run, it will only help you go further than you ever dreamed.
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