My Progress!

Monday, February 8, 2010

FINALLY!


I've been trying all week to post, but I had so much to update, I was only getting it done in fits and spurts. In a nutshell, I've seen the cardiologist, had an echocardiogram, and had my psych appointment. I also had a horrible cold for over a week that kept me from blogging as I still had to work and was just wiped out from not sleeping. I will update more on some of the above stuff when I can this week, but I wanted to get something done this morning.

I have been eating ok. A few slips here and there, but overall, doing ok. I've been walking on the treadmill sporadically, but in the last few days more routinely. I'm up to about 6 minutes at a time and have managed to get two walks in a day. I'd like to get up to 3 and then start to increase my minutes.

I also got up at 5AM this morning to go to the pool. Here was my workout there. Keep in mind this was all done in the pool:

50 jumping jacks
15 minutes running
100 stairs on each leg (by the time I stand on the stair in the pool, half my body is out of the pool. I felt it in my legs, but honestly, I really felt it in my back. My core strength is just as bad as my strength in my arms and legs)
50 leg raises to the side on each leg
100 tip toe raises

I want to try to do some upper body later today. I'm probably going to do the push up workout I used to do only against the wall. I just don't have the strength to haul myself up off the floor yet. I made the mistake of getting on the floor over the weekend to work on my computer (I put in new memory..am I a bad ass or what?). I spent about 20 minutes on the floor trying to make a mess of the spaghetti of wires under my desk and when it was time to get off the floor, I realized I was in a pickle. It wasn't so much my strength, but my knees. I either had to kneel on one knee and use my hands on the other to get up (you try putting 440 lbs of pressure on one on one of your knees and see how it feels) OR grab my desk and use some upper body strength to pull myself up. The problem with the ladder was that for the time it took me to pull myself off the floor, my knees were going to have to still support most of my weight as I hauled myself up. I literally sat there for about 10 minutes brainstorming how I was going to get off the floor without calling Erik in to help. I honestly don't know how I managed to get up without causing my knees to blow out, but it was difficult enough that I am not going to risk getting stuck again anytime soon!

Does anyone have any ideas for how I can start strengthening my lower back and abdominal muscles? They can be pool exercises (keeping your balance in the pool works your core strength as well) or out of the water exercises, but nothing where I have to get down on the ground obviously. I've wondered if I could try to do crunches in bed lol, but I dont think it is firm enough.

Ok, have to get the tanman off to school. I may update more later. If you want to track my food and exercise, visit me here.

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10 Comments:

Leslie said...

Hi - This is my first visit to your blog. I'm going to browse back through your archive and see how it's all going. I wish you well on this journey. I was intriqued to see you exercise in a pool. I've been trying to get myself over the phobia of looking ghastly in a bathing suit to start swimming, because my knees are both pretty screwed up now and I can't do the cardio stuff I was doing before December. I've talked on my blog about the whole bathing suit thing, and I need to just freakin' get over it! I'll be following to see how it goes for you!

Cole Walter Mellon said...

That's one of the best reasons to lose the weight: taking the stress off your body and allowing you to move in new ways. I can't tell you how much easier little everyday things are at a lighter weight.

Keep up the great work!

My Big Fat Super Super Obese Blog said...

LESLIE: honey, this is a VERY private pool lol. When I use the pool at the YMCA I usually go in a swimsuit COVERED by swim shorts and a tshirt lol. Check out Junonia.com . They have a lot of swim options that look more like a sporty top and shorts along with flattering swimsuits up to a size 6X. Very good quality stuff too.

JACK: When I've lost weight before, I am always ASTOUNDED at how even 10lbs can help. At my weight you wouldn't think it would make a difference at all, but it does! Thanks for the support!

Crista said...

Good job on your pool exercises. I know that push-ups are great for one's core so maybe you could focus on tightening your core while doing wall push-ups.

Unknown said...

I know for me that I can do just about any crunch exercise that you can do on the ground - standing up.
If you make sure your pelvis is tilted, you can do a crunch the same way you would as if you are laying down. it can strengthen the obliques, back and stomach muscles. A lot of PhysioTerrorists recommend it for those that have hurt their backs.
In a pool, I've hung onto the side or the ladder and crunched my knees up slowly that way. Be careful of your back though, you don't want to do too much at once until it has gotten a bit stronger. Nothing worse than hurting your lower back.

And while doing your wall pushups, make sure you suck it in. That will definitely work all your core while working the upperbody at the same time.

Miz said...

I know for me when I was starting out merely focusing on CONTRACTING MY CORE, HOLDING and RELEASING helped to strengthen it tremendously.

it also really helped to get my mind connected to those muscles/help me LIVE in my body.

me? I did these, uh, contraction exercises in the bathroom after I did my business :)
nothing to do with my...business it just had me doing them a few times a day :)


MizFit

mandatorybloghere said...

Good job and keep it up.
I was going to suggest pushups off the wall too. When you get better you can move on to using the back of a chair (sturdy) for pushups

Jules AF said...

Way to get out there and work out! I'm starting tomorrow. I'm lazy.

My Big Fat Super Super Obese Blog said...

Thanks guys for all the feedback! I've already started doing the crunches and wall pushups. Thanks for the tip about doing them off a sturdy chair. That probably would be a good in between step before moving back to the floor.

I missed my pool workout yesterday...I was just too exhausted and had a full day and night of work ahead of me...excuses, excuses, I know!

I'll blog more later.

Kate said...

Hey, great work on the treadmill and getting to the pool! I'm not sure how this would work for you, but have you considered small crunches on an exercise ball? You can even sit on one while you watch TV and move around a bit to force yourself to repeatedly flex your abs to stay in place. Good luck and keep up the hard work!