Progression

Turns out that my posts are just getting short... I have so much to say and so much in my heart, but it seems as though I can never concentrate my thoughts long enough to make a beautiful succinct piece of writing anymore. :)

Once upon a time, I used this blog as a way to motivate myself and others to continue to progress in their health and fitness. While I totally back girls who are working out to better themselves simply for aesthetic reasons, because I believe in loving your body...  This is also to support peeps who really want to better themselves, progress their physical fitness, and work on long-term health. I guess its safe to say that I semi-fell away from that, mostly because I was in preparation for my first competition.

Yes, there will be competitions for me in the future - the fire in my heart never died. I desperately want to hit the stage again... But just like anything, there is a process. And while working through an injury, the process is slow.. but any progression is good.

SO! I'm happy to report that I am progressing. My diet has been tight, which has been the only thing I've been able to control with my hip injury. I'm up to doing hot yoga 3x a week, and doing cardio 3x a week with a light lift (OMG YAY!). I basically can only do upper body at this point and core, no lower back strenuous movements, but that is WAY better than I was doing last month. I'm not walking around like a hunchback, my transitions from sitting to standing are fluid (finally!) and I'm definitely not having major muscle spasms anymore - which means, I'm completely off medication again! WOOT!

My goal throughout the healing process, was to be able to get to regular lifting by September, and I think I'm on track with that. By all intents and purposes, I am lifting regularly, so I suppose I should clarify that I mean regular lifting WITH LEGS by Sept.

{It's not about how many times you get knocked down, it's about how many times you get knocked down and continue to get up.}

So, here is my beginning of August progress pic. For myself, I am going to start posting my progress... and once I feel comfortable with it... A whole segment on my legs & backside... because this is going to be a serious project. ;)

Oy, this is hard... My legs have far to go... I do always love my shoulder roundness!

What's everyone working on now?? What body part are you working hard on or what goals are you crushing?? Because I KNOW you are!!! :)

Cardio Bunny Woes (Alternate Title: Another Post About Why All People Benefit From Lifting)

How is it possible that although I'm working out, and my weight is declining by scale standards, that my body physically looks worse? No weightlifting, that's how.

Reason enough for me!

I weigh myself once a week, not really because I care, but sometimes it really can become a guide! In this instance, I'd rather have my weight be UP and look the same or tighter. Not exaggerating, my weight has declined, and my bo

Big Weight Loss Misconceptions.
All I have to say here is that cardio is not the cure-all in fat loss. Just like you can't eat whatever you want and expect to lose weight, and just like weight lifting won't make you bulky.

See example above, if you're eating right and doing your squats & lunges... you won't get big and bulky like male body builders... women do not produce enough testosterone for that. What you're left with are beautiful, toned, tight, round muscles... And do NOT tell me you don't want round glutes!

I miss the ass burn.
I miss doing legs at all. This being injured stuff is some bullshit. I am still on top of my diet, still doing cardio 3x a week with hot yoga the other 3 days a week... but man, do I ever miss lifting weights. Still working toward being able to lift in September, and hoping to the iron gods that I will be well enough to do so.

You know the whole saying "while you're sleeping, your competition is training" or any saying of the like? Yeah, its pretty much all that goes through my head.
               "I bet my competition just PR'd."
               "I bet the girls I will be standing next to are coming up on cardio 2 about now..."

Mostly this is theoretical contrition based on guilt from my injury. It was making me seriously depressed. Although I feel past the depressed stage, it definitely brings an anxiousness. Doing only cardio [which is only elliptical, there is no way I can do stairs or run, and I refuse to ever stationary bike again (vag pain + Hip inury = never EVER again!), so basically I feel like a sally] and hot yoga and walking only makes me feel complacent. Trying to enact the words of wisdom that every newbie competitor hears from their coach: Trust the Process.

Let's talk about this injury. It awesome!
And by awesome, I mean awful, but by saying awesome, it makes me feel a tad better about it. :) Gives me something to laugh about!

As mentioned above, I feel a remorseful over this injury. In hindsight, I should have been doing MORE yoga and MORE stretching if I was going to be lifting as heavy and doing as heavy of a workout-workload. Working legs 3x a week, requires more restorative work. And I wasn't prepared for that.

I have been seeing my doctor about it, and for a long time, we thought it was my SI (sacroiliac joint - remember, I do love anatomy & physiology!), but after working with my doctor and my chiropractor, it turns out to be my Piriformus (connects your sacrum to the greater trochanter of your femur). As you can see from the image, the sciatic nerve foramen - the holes your sciatic nerve goes through - are right all in there. Which explains the constant pains & numbness going down the outsides of my legs.

We still aren't quite sure what exactly it is, could be a miniscule tear or strain (same thing), either way, this has been a long healing period. If the pain doesn't go down after my rounds with chiropractic, the only thing to do is a round of steroid injections.

All of this to say...
You're lucky to have leg days, and be able to lift weights at all!

What is everyone doing for leg day these days?? PLEASE, let me live vicariously through all of you - Tell me what your current leg day looks like (can be as detailed as you like)!