I need a new plan. I'm going to be side lined from running for much longer than I expected. I'm now in a walking boot for the next three weeks, have PT starting on Monday and according to the sports medicine doc, it will be MONTHS before my tendons heal (I have three that are damaged). He wouldn't even give me a time horizon for when I'll be able to run again. He told me baby steps : (

So, for the next three weeks all I will be able to do is upper body and core work and nothing standing : (

After I'm pain free at rest (which I'm not) and some PT, then he may start me off slowly cycling or on an eliptical. I have a really bad feeling that my running days may be behind me : (

So, I'm going to need to be super careful with my food intake. I have lunch out today and Friday and soups and salads it will be. We have dinner out on Saturday at friends with no control over the menu. I sure hope that there are lots of veggies!

I'm definitely, definitely going back to no carbs at dinner time and no wine unless we are out and then it will be only ONE.

I hate that this is happening at the holiday time where I need more exercise not less!

I'm VERY frustrated : (

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
Finding moderation in all aspects of life, whether it be eating, exercising, cleaning, discipline, etc... is harder than it looks ; )

I guess if it was easy, we'd never be needing to lose 40-80 lbs... and would have never met.

Competitive and "spectacular" and "disciplined" are highly valued in our society.

Losing 150 pounds is remarkable. Losing "just" 35 and keeping it off... not really exciting. Barely even qualifies for the National Weight Control Registry. My sister... who has actually worked her whole adult life to control her weight and has only lost 10 lbs... doesn't even qualify. Although in our society, SHE is truly unusual and remarkable... to never have had a weight problem and to just eat and exercise with common sense. How unusual is SHE? But most people would write her off as "naturally thin" or "She's lucky. She has a good metabolism".

People that can do things like run 26 miles or lift twice their body weight are really admired. Walking 2 miles every single day... not so much.

Knowing myself, if I set out to run a marathon, after I got up to 4 miles a day and did that for 2 months... I'd start HATING it and burn out and not run again for two years. I've always seen this as a negative. I've not really seen much that is positive about that trait until yesterday. It probably keeps me healthy and injury free.

I do 4-8 (guy) pushups a day. Takes me like 40 seconds or 1 minute a day. However, building up and doing more and more and more is VERY valued in our society. Saying, "Oh I done 4 pushups a day, every day, for the past 4 years". NOTHING spectacular or remarkable about that. I'm STRONG enough to do more... maybe. But my joints would give out before my muscles.

PLUS, the way I figure it, I need to be able to haul myself up out of the snow... and the ability to do a couple of pushups works. I really have no NEED what so ever to do more. I have NO need what so every to be able to do 20 or 50 or 100 pushups, and I'm really, really sure that I'd hurt myself trying from overuse.

Ditto with other exercise. I can do about 20-35 minutes on the elliptical before I hate it. It isn't spectacular like two hours or doing a century on bike. But I've never had an injury.

I can pretty much do anything I need to do. I can lift a 90 pound box of music stands in and out of the car. I don't need to lift more than that... so have never worked on lifting more... just so I can SAY I can. I can go on any hike that I've wanted to. I don't have a bad back. I'm never in pain. Ever. No aches or pains. Pretty much feel like I did at 20.

There was a trainer at the Y and she noticed that I was lifting (relatively) heavy weights and was sort of encouraging me to lift more and I was, "I just don't think my joints can take it... and this is good enough. Plus, I just don't like it that much and don't want to spend more time doing it" and she seemed very disappointed.

It never occurred to me that a trait that disappoints many people and or deciding, "The heck with running... I'll just walk 30 mins a day" has probably gone a long way towards keeping me injury free.

quote:

but I don't push it like I've done in the past

Me too. Before I blew out my knee in college I was the "ski until the lifts get shut down" kind of girl no matter what. Seems like almost everyone I know who got injured skiing did so on their last run of the day, including me.

I need to translate that attitude to my other sports. I tend to be very competitive in nature, even with my self, so I always want to see how much further I can run, or how much heavier I can lift. I'm learning that my nearly 40 year old body isn't really meant for that.

Finding moderation in all aspects of life, whether it be eating, exercising, cleaning, discipline, etc... is harder than it looks ; )

I did hear some good news though that my ankle shouldn't side line me from skiing because the ski boots act almost like an aircast. I have no plans to ski until I'm "cleared" by my doc but this was good news(this info came from a ski instructor I know who sustained the exact three tendon damage running).

Of course we have had a super mild Fall and there isn't a snowflake to be had but that may be a good thing for now.

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
I refuse to stop doing the things that I enjoy for fear that it may cause problems down the road.

I hear you. I've got arthritis in my left hand and use this "ErgoBone" thing to prop my trombone on. I look like a dork... but my hand doesn't hurt.

And a lot of people assumed that I'd stop skiing when I dislocated my kneecap.

I still ski 30-35 days a year... but I often quit early, or ski slower or easier. But usually just stop before I get tired. I think to myself nearly every time I'm out, "I can stop now and ski ALL of March and April... or I can keep going... and get tired and risk injuring something and miss the whole rest of the season". And I call it a day.

The kneecap thing is the only injury I've ever had to go to the ER or a doctor. Knocking on wood! Need to take a brownie offering to the ski patrol gods.

I'm still skiing... but I don't push it like I've done in the past.

Definitely an overuse injury but I did have an apex moment with it that forced the total rest and subsequent trip to the doctor.

I started having pain on and off this summer and did back off. I stopped running every day and on the days that I had pain, I walked.

The doc said that the tendons I damaged are typical for runners. Since yesterday I met two women with the same injury from running. One was able to return to running (although she still has pain) and the other did not.

At this point, I'll take it day by day and take what I can get.

I refuse to stop doing the things that I enjoy for fear that it may cause problems down the road. Listening to my body though is something else ; )

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
ccording to the sports medicine doc, it will be MONTHS before my tendons heal (I have three that are damaged). He wouldn't even give me a time horizon for when I'll be able to run again.

Sending hugs... it must be REALLY frustrating.

I've been thinking about this all day... and I'll post it, since I'm GUESSING that you've been thinking about it, too.

Your body probably has been sending you signals to slow down for a while... like weeks?... months?... or even years. I'm guessing you've been ignoring it and "pushing thru" it? (and correct me if I'm wrong and it was some freak accident, like falling off a curb).

Since my stepfather was a competitive marathoner and belonged to running clubs and groups... I've known a LOT of runners. I've eaten a LOT of dinners with runners and heard a LOT of stories.

Them that listen to their bodies are able to run into their 50's, 60's and 70's or even 80's (my step father is turning 78 next summer and still runs, albeit 2-3 miles... not 23 miles..).

Them that don't listen and push and push are forced to turn into walkers. Eventually, a person injures themselves enough... they simply can't do an exercise. As you've already found with swimming.

Not to be the voice of doom and gloom or anything... but eventually, if you damage enough body parts... swimming will be out; and running will be out; and lifting can be taken out. And as we get older... things are damaged and injured all that more easily... and they heal more slowly. You may hit 45 or 55 finding that most exercises are not do-able for you. Got to tell you, 55 will be here SOON and it isn't all THAT old.

If you love lifting and running... you COULD be doing them at 55 or 65. But it will take listening to your body.

Sending hugs... and I'm sure you've been thinking about this (if is an overuse kind of injury... I may have missed some other injury...)

But sending hugs because it is frustrating and change is HARD... even after all these years.

You know, it dawned on me that you could do water running if you are really permanently banned from actual running. No impact. (And it's not swimming either.) I've done that in the past when I've had ankle issues, it's not quite the same, but it works.

Thanks for all the support ladies. I'm definitely bummed out but I know I'll get through it.

I had a good food day today and more will definitely follow. Good, healthy choices at lunch, a salad for dinner with fish and I turned down the glass of wine waiting for me when I came home from band rehearsal.

quote:

Originally posted by Nbox:
Just an idea for when your ankle is better: how about swimming? Your ankle wouldn't be immobile but it wouldn't have to support any weight.

No swimming since my rotator cuff tear/repair. It's the one activity that gives me lots of trouble. The doctor said that after the boot is off in three weeks, that the physical therapist may get me on a bike. From there I should be able to move on to my cross country skiier, eliptial machines and stuff that have low impact. I can't wait to do that stuff again!

Just logged on fitday
Calories today: 1343
total fat %: 12

This is a low cal day for me. It is so much easier for me to stick to plan when I do not work. I really want to turn around my stress eating response after work!

BUMMER!!!!

Just an idea for when your ankle is better: how about swimming? Your ankle wouldn't be immobile but it wouldn't have to support any weight.

I can't run, for several reasons. Nordic walking and biking are good substitutes. I'd love to swim more often but can't seem to make time for it.

Big hugs from me too. I am hopeful that the rest and rehab will mean good healing. More hugs.

I totally respect and support your thoughts about sticking to a clean, lean plan given limited cardio.

Here's my plan today:
E: 30 minutes step and 45 minutes weights.
B: raspberries, ff soy yogurt- large, 1 slice bread
L: brown rice, veg, 1/2 c ff cheddar
D: veggie sandwich on ww roll.

Oh, no!!!!!!! Just the thought of no more running would kill me! I'm soooo sorry! Here's hoping that maybe that won't be the case.

I do know that you are definitely going to come through this challenge.

{{{{{{Brie}}}}}}}

hey brie, hang in there. i know you can find creative ways to exercise and to keep fit. I know you can do it--I have total faith in you.