Time For a New Goal

So, how are the New Year’s goals coming? Did you set one? Did you already cross it off your list and need a new one? Are you looking to get inspired to create one?  Well, it is never too late to set a goal for yourself.

One more step then yesterday, a few seconds longer in my standing position, or a few more attempts at getting up out of my chair.  Goals are personal, and just as meaningful to you as running a marathon might be to someone else.

You might recall from my earlier post this year, that one of my 2014 goals, the 800lb. gorilla, was to flip a tractor tire, solo, as in all by myself.  They weigh a little over 300lbs, and thankfully you never lift the full weight, but it is large and cumbersome and just getting down into a low enough squat and getting a literal grip on it, is a challenge.

On a Saturday afternoon in April (the 26th to be exact), after our regular workout in the park, I walked out back to find my husband to tell him something and out of the corner of my eye the tire loomed.  No longer snow covered, and looking larger than life, I could almost hear it's low growl calling my name.

Without thinking about it, I walked over, squatted down, and it was up.  I was standing there with a tire on end and desperately looking for my husband to validate to the world what I had just done.

I called out, “babe?”....  Nothing!  No coach/hubby coming to see.

I called out again, “baby?”...  and from around the corner of the house he came.  I pushed it over in front of him with a grin wider than my hips, and it hit the ground with a loud, echoing thud.

I then squatted down, and did it again.

My husband was so proud, he couldn’t have been more proud as a husband, a coach or a training partner; and while it was amazing to see his love and happiness for me, it had no match to my own sense of accomplishment. 

It wasn’t planned, it didn’t take more than a few minutes, and I have been walking a little taller ever since.  Time for a new goal!!!

March Fitness Challenge - Emotional Rescue

For the past month the fitness challenge has been an emotional one.  While it is easy for us as Lippy ladies to give compliments to others and see the hard work and progress they are making in their strive to become more fit, it is really a challenge to give ourselves compliments, and this was the inspiration for the March Challenge.

So while I sit here listening to Mick Jagger singing to me that he will be my knight in shining armor, coming to my emotional rescue I begin...

Hearing a compliment from someone, from anyone, is amazing and I find that my first instinct is to make light of it or joke about it, and my husband hates when I do this.  He finds me beautiful, just as I am; when I wake up with hair going every which way and Clark Kent glasses dangling ever so close to falling off my nose, he reaches for me and embraces me with a hug that reassures me I am his goddess.

For me just accepting a compliment is tough, but giving myself one, especially of a physical nature, well now you are crossing the line my friend.  It was only seeing others in the Lipedema Fitness facebook support group downplaying themselves that got me fired up enough to say NO MORE.

I was excited to see the ladies step up to the plate, at first giving themselves backhanded compliments (like from the waste up I am pretty) - while yes, it is very true, you are pretty, but not only from the waste up.  Then more and more obvious compliments started to show up, so much that if you didn't know it was a compliment one's self challenge and happened upon the support group you might think we were a bunch of self lovers - and why not?  Why shouldn't one love their own self?

I remember reading something a long time ago that God doesn't make garbage, and by not appreciating one's self you basking were saying that God made a mistake.  I'm a spiritual person, not overly religious, but that really stuck with me over the years.  Then I came across a movie "What the Bleep do we Know?" that had a part in it, an experiment where they complimented water both positively and negatively - I'm not sure what you believe, but it was an interesting view point for sure on the power of one's own words and the words of others.

I began slowly with my own compliments, "you have great hair", "you have a wonderful smile", then I got more in to it, "I love my secret muscles" - secret because most of the world cannot see them hidden under my lippy fat, but I can feel them, and they are damn sexy.  Shoulders I never knew I could have, sing on Mick, but know that I am my own emotional rescue.  We can not believe another until we can believe ourselves.

So get up and go to a mirror, look at it, that is you - you are a beauty!  Now say something nice about yourself.  You might find you laugh at first, find that you start with small compliments, but do it at least once a day - and say it out loud using your own name.  Try it for a day, for a week, for a month, for EVER - what can happen when you know you will get at least one great compliment a day from someone who knows you better than anyone else possibly could?  I don't know, but I look forward to finding out!

February Fitness Challenge

On February 1st I decided to start a fitness challenge for all my lipedema fitness facebook friends; it was inspired by the Tabata Intervals I have done with my CrossFit husband.

The biggest selling feature is that the entire workout takes just 4 minutes.  Everyone has 4 minutes, right?  It will probably take you longer than 4 minutes to read this, and in that time you could have completed a workout.

How it works is this, 20 seconds working (hard as you can while still keeping good form), 10 seconds of rest - repeat for 8 rounds.

There are even tabata timmer aps for your phone, iPad, etc. Some are free and adequate and some will cost you a little bit for more features, but basically they count down each round in various ways.  The very basic options with only a flashing light (or color change from green during workout, to red during the rest period), all the way up to a song created specifically for the workout that counts down while you jam out.  Pick one you like, for me I needed one with sound, as I couldn't always see the iPad I use for my timmer, but the song timmer I tried was annoying, I prefer my own music, and the one I picked allowed me to hear my music and the ap warnings when it was work vs rest phases.

I set up this challenge with movements that are required for living life with lipedema (actually for anyone living life).  Push-ups, Sit-ups, and Squats.  These movements help you move your body, get out of a chair, get up from bed, etc.  But these movements also strengthen your core, helping you do more than live - they make you feel stronger, and encourage you to try more, to be more.

The challenge is this: day 1 push-ups, day 2 sit-ups, day 3 squats, day 4 REST.  Repeat those days for every day of the month of February (ot whatever month you choose to start this challenge, because if you are still reading this post, you either really love me, or are thinking about trying this out for yourself).

When I began, I acheived pretty good numbers, I went all out and could not understand how anyone could acheive higher numbers of reps than I.  Not because I thought I was the best in the world, but because I was truly pushing myself as hard as I could.  My husband was great, he inspired and coached and ensured I kept good form, and then hit me with the reality (his numbers).  But when your body is going as fast as it can, you wonder how in the world you will get faster, stronger, etc.

At the mid month point I looked back at my results so far, and I was floored.  Not only had I acheived more and more reps, but was consistently doing so.  It snuck up on me, not enough to notice while doing them, but substantial when looking back at the amount I had done.

A great motivator is to post your results, which I did on my lipedema fitness facebook support group page, and even a few of the other ladies posted their results.  It gets you up at 11pm to put your sneakers on, becuase you know you have to post your results.  But I also began posting on my regular facebook page.

I love realizing that my worlds are meshing, the news I share with others like me on the support group is the same news I share with others like me in different ways.  Those friends I've made on the support group have crossed over to my personal life and my personal friends, people I have known for years, most who knew nothing about my lipedema, are here reading this blog, learning more with every post - how special is that?  Very, so share your hardwork with those that care about you, get them involved, and watch the motivation, inspiration and validation you receive from each of the parts of your life.

We are LIVING with LIPEDEMA, emphasis on the LIVING!!!

Results to date for February Lipedema Fitness Challenge:

• Push-ups: 71, 74, 76, 94, 100
• Sit-ups: 96, 96, 112, 120, 122
• Squats: 123, 138, 136, 151, 156

But the most important thing I have learned from this challenge, is that I have a pretty big ego.  Here is a look at my facebook post from the 17th:

"Feb. Fit. Challenge, 2/17 results (push-ups): 4 rounds at 13, 4 rounds at 12, for total of 100 push-ups in 4 min.

Felt slow and out of sync, had music kicking even. Checked prior results this month: 71-74-76-94-100.

Crazy how our minds can take us out of our game, even when achieving more than we have.

New goal for me is not more reps per round, but less ego. Trusting my body, doing what I can and being grateful for whatever it is."

And to quote the White Stripes lyrics, "and I said it once before, but it bears repeating now"...

NEW GOAL FOR ME is not more reps per round, but less ego.  Trusting my body, doing what I can and being grateful for whatever it is! 

From Here To The Post Office

Listen to your body, when? All the time. Listen to your brain, when? Hmm, jury is still out on that one. We have to depend upon ourselves for so much, I for one would plan out events so I could pace myself physically (and honestly decide if the effort was worth the event).

But I have found that even now that I feel 100% more mobile then I did a year ago, I still listen to that inner voice that tells me I can't do something.

A year ago, walking to my mailbox (I know I've said this many times, so please forgive yet another reference) was a chore. I would pull into the driveway, park the car at the end, then get the mail and drive the rest of the way up to the house. I can now walk to that mailbox and back and the only reason I park at the end (when i do) is because currently my driveway is a sheet of ice and the fear of a fall outweighs the need to feel like I can walk it now.

Earlier this week, I walked to the post office from my office. It is a little over a block away (a little further than my mailbox), and it was the first time I had done it in the year and half that I have worked there. Typically I go to the post office on my way into work, drive there, then drive on to the parking lot. I walk further to and from my car every day, but something in my head said I can't walk to the post office, so I never did, until this week.

I was almost in tears when I came out of the post office and turned to head back, I could actually see the pillars on the front of our building from where I stood in front of the post office - it was that close. I know that walk would have been very painful when I first started my job and the fear of that pain has kept me from even considering it, until now - which by the way was a fluke that I even did so, I had parked on the street and while I was walking back to my car I noticed how close the post office was and decided I would walk to it, instead of driving to it as I left for the day.

This is a long post about a short walk; but it is monumental for me emotionally, I still have a lot to work on in thinking I can do something and not just continuing to immediately say "I can't do that".

Happy New You!

Well it is hard to believe that it is 2014, but here we are, only a few short days into the new year and visions of fitness goals are dancing through my head.

Last year I accomplished so much; way more than I thought I would, and heck I even blew the doors off goals I didn't even know I would make for myself.  I owe a huge thank you to my coach (and loving husband) for motivation, modification and above all patience, and I also want to thank my training mates (Deb, Bob, Paul, Chris, Anna and Paulie), I have no words to fully express what it means to train with athletes, especially when you don't see yourself as one, but they see you as they see themselves.

By now we all know that with a New Year comes R-E-S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N-S.  Personal goals we set for ourselves.  I have never really been a goal girl.  I always tried to improve upon myself throughout the year, but something struck a chord with me this year.  If I can accomplish what I did last year with no goals set, what could I accomplish this year with goals in place?

You dear follower may not know this about me, but I'm incredibly competitive (especially with myself).  So if I give myself a goal or a challenge, chances are I'll do everything within my power to prove I can do it.

SO LET'S GET TO MY GOALS:

• Initial Goals - I say initial because like I said above, I have no experience setting goals for myself; so I read what another training mate posted (lift more weight - heavier olympic lifts) and agreed that was a good one for me, too - especially since my coach feels this is an area I will excel in.  The other initial goal was better recovery after walking lunges.  2013 was the first time I did a walking lunge, the first time was with weight overhead and the second was in an attempt to do so for 10 laps.  The second attempt ended at 5 laps (13 minutes) as my coach wanted me to get some time in on the other parts of the WOD; I was sore for a good solid week, and the muscle pain was equivalent to what I experienced after walking my first 5K (that took over an hour).  So you see improving the recovery is a valid goal, but also inevitable, the more experience the more quickly I should recover.
• Actual Goals - I'm still sticking with the above two goals, they are good goals, but not really a challenge beyond continuing to workout, the more you do, the easier they become (better form, tighter core, quicker recovery, etc.).  But I wanted a challenge, I wanted to give myself a goal that I could potentially not be able to complete.  So when I thought about what challenged me throughout the year, the 800lb gorilla that stood out was the tractor tire flip.  I had only been able to do the flip with help last year, and this year I want to flip the tire myself.

I'm not sure how long it will take me, or even if I'll be able to do it by year's end, but I will give it my all.  So what fitness goals did you set for yourself this year?  Are they good, solid, but doable goals, or are they challenges that you just might not reach, but the effort and hard work along the way will make them all worth while just the same?

Eating Changes - 1 Year Later

I have been eating zone style for a year now and I feel it plays a big role in the wonderful changes to my body. 

In the past I ate for comfort, I was in a depressive, nothing I can do, state of mind, and food was used to make me "feel better", although in reality it just masked the pain and did more damage to my body and overall health.

In journaling my efforts to increased health this past year, I have realized the effects of eating zone; I can see the added energy during workouts, I can feel the beneficial results in recovery after workouts - food is amazing. Not in the this tastes amazing way (although a lot of it does), but in a look what this food can do for my body way.

I drive a vehicle that requires the highest octane levels for optimum performance; one day that hit me, I notice when I change the quality of the gas I put in my vehicle, and choose to use the higher priced premium grade because it performs better - why oh why wouldn't I do the same for my body?

I think looking at food for more than taste, or memories, etc. (an emotional eating experience), and realizing the basics about what food is, has allowed me to make the transition to a healthier style more easily.


What do you find enables you to eat healthier? Any advice you can give to those trying a new eating style for better health?

FAITH

SATURDAY IN THE PARK

Today found me back on the track, the same track I recently walked for my second 5K this year.  Walking still proves to be my biggest challenge and I will not lie, seeing the track again brought some anxiety this morning.

The workout involved pushing a prowler (picture a wooden sled on wheels, with 260lbs of weight inside, plus a 100lb kid for good measure) for 100 yards, then rotating to the next person in the group, then the next, etc. – all athletes in my group, and they began not only pushing it, but doing so while running.

I was quickly dropped and feeling a little out of place and unfit, when I remembered the graffiti on the skater ramp (a butterfly that had reminded me of my lippy sisters being on my journey with me back during the 5K).

I was looking forward to seeing my butterfly, but then I saw something new.  Larger than life, expanding across the top of one of the ramps, the word FAITH was spray painted in purple paint.  I reminded myself that I was not alone.

Just then I heard my husband/coach from across the track, “we’re coming to you and then it’s your turn.”  It didn’t take long for them to reach me and then it was indeed my turn.  I lowered myself to the prowler and with my strong body I began pushing, and did so half way around the track.

I finished up and they began rotating their last lap, and I walked proudly for mine.  At the end, when they were recuperating, and as I reached them, I told them I was going for one more lap and I was taking the prowler with me.

One of the guys said he was coming, too, if I didn’t mind his company. I told him I wanted the company, just not any help; I wanted to do it on my own, and I did.  Not just with his, but with my husband and another man in our group walking beside me and cheering me on every step of the way.

TIP OF THE WEEK – Have faith.  You are not alone, and you will get there if you just keep trying.