Category Archives: Butt

Butt, Fitness, Quad, Running, Squats, Treadmill

Vein Stripping: Five Weeks Later

May 30, 2013 Kim 28 Comments

For my 43 today, I did more leg work (and a bit of core since there was a high level of balance involved!). I used my stability ball: (not the BOSU – it was just in the picture!!)I started with one foot on the ball – knee bent:

Then I did a single leg squat and slid the ball out in front of me:

And, like so many of the 43s in the past, this was a double because I want both of my legs to get equal treatment!!!

Another day of Insanity Asylum – Back to Core. Since this is my first time through the program I didn’t know what to expect from this workout – now I know that it is a LOT of controlled moves and holds!!! My upper back will be sore tomorrow for sure!!! The only equipment needed for this workout is a little band – Good times!!!

I decided to get in a little run today since this workout didn’t have much cardio (and I’ve been in a bit of a running slump) – I ran on the treadmill since it is STILL raining here! 1.5% incline – 4 miles in 30:54 + 0.25 mile cooldown

Not sure what the deal is with running lately – not super motivated. I’m trying to cut myself a little slack and push harder with other things because I don’t want running to ever become something that I dread!!Thankfully, I don’t hate running but I’m not loving it at the moment either – I have a small idea of what the problem might be. (coming up…..)

So, it has been 5 weeks since this lovely picture (the day after I had my veins stripped):

I thought I would just do a short follow up (no gross pictures today!!!) with my thoughts on the surgery. I’ve already talked about the fact that my DR completely misinformed me by not telling me all the possible results and how long the recovery could take.

Now, it has been 5 weeks and I can do all of my normal activities so that is definitely a good thing. The downside – my legs have hurt every second of the past 5 weeks!!! They don’t hurt as bad now as they did the first couple of weeks but I have a few areas on both legs that HURT all the time.

My left ankle has a huge knot right under the bone on the inside that causes my ankle to stay swollen and ache all the time.

My right calf, while better than it was the first couple of weeks, still has a knot in it.

right calk — right calf – hard to tell much

And, my right upper thigh is just a mess – little knots all over.

I have regretted having this surgery almost since the minute I got home from the hospital and I’m still not at the point where I’m glad I had it done!!! I’m hoping that maybe in a few more weeks I will at least be happy with the results but for now all it’s done is cause me a lot of pain.

And, that pain (while definitely manageable) is what I think has caused my little running slump!!! Every time I run now my legs feel like this:I keep telling myself that the DR said I can’t hurt anything so I try to ignore it but it is a joy sapper for sure!!!

Well, what I meant to be an update, came out sounding like a lot of whining! I’m done with that now because I know that I’m lucky to be able to work out and do all the things I want to do!!!

Oh, and I’m very happy that I know longer need any wraps or nasty compression stockings!! The DR said to wear them at least for a month – DONE!!!

But I’m still going on record as saying – I, personally, don’t recommend this particular surgery and if I had it to do again, I would not do it!!

Happy Thursday!!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Power Moves, Push-Ups, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

Tornado Tragedy

May 21, 2013 Kim 29 Comments

Today’s 43 was a killer!!! Taylor at Lifting Revolution did a post a couple weeks ago featuring 30 variations of burpees!!! I decided to turn some of those burpee variations into my daily 43s since I like ~~pain~~ to challenge myself.

Today I did a burpee with a box jump (43 times – what was I thinking???).

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA3x26yZPf8′]

Disregard the fact that I look like a total dork – and about killed myself jumping on the step!! Check out Taylor’s site – she makes the move look easy and she actually jumps into a squat on the box!! (I was lucky to jump up and not fall off!!)

Since yesterday I talked about my lack of motivation these past few days and the overwhelming consensus was to just “suck it up” and do it – that’s what I did today!!! After the intense 43 I ran!

I ran on the treadmill (still hesitant to hit the streets!!) – 1.5% incline, 6 miles in 40:43. I felt better after that run about working out than I have in awhile!!! I went for an easy 2 mile walk with a neighbor for my cool-down!!

Tragedies affect all of us differently. The devastating tornado in Moore, OK yesterday really hits home with me. I’ve never lived there but I think the fact that I’ve driven through Moore (on I-35) literally hundreds of times (one of those being less than 2 weeks after the huge tornado in 1999) and the fact that so many children were killed makes this one of those things that strikes a major chord with me!!!

The tornado was about 2 miles wide! I know last night they had 51 confirmed dead and 20 of those were children!! Plus all the people they are still searching for!! And the loss of virtually everything for those who survived is mind boggling.

some of the heros!! — some of the heroes!!

Many prayers for all of the people who have been affected by this and other tornados recently!!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Squats

Silver Linings

May 19, 2013 Kim 27 Comments

Today for my 43 I did some squat and lunge work because yesterday I caught a glimpse of my backside and realized that I have lost a lot of butt toning the past few weeks (TMI??) and swimsuit season is here!!! Yikes!!

So today, I did a 4-step move to try and start back in the right direction (ie – not saggy!!!). I held 12 pound dumbbells during this move to add some extra intensity and weight!

I started with a side-lunge to the right –

Then I stepped my foot back to the center for a squat with feet together –

A side-lunge to the left –

lunge to the left (don't mind the fact that I'm not going super low - wraps get in the way!) — lunge to the left (don’t mind the fact that I’m not going super low – wraps get in the way!)

And finally, another center squat to finish the rep –

One thing I love about doing lower body work like this, I can get my heart rate up while toning!! By the time I finished all 43 reps, I was breathing hard for sure!!

I’m giving myself another recovery day because between being an idiot last week, the storms last night, and being awake from 2-4 this morning while waiting for Jordan and the rest of the band kids to get back, I think it will be the best idea for the day!!

A couple of weeks ago I read the book The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick and loved it!! It is pretty intense but the concept is awesome (I’m not going to do a book review here because you might want to read it yourself!!). The other day, Chris and I watched the movie!!! Awesome movie – great story (and enough humor that Chris even enjoyed it!!).

A lot of times, I don’t like to read a book then watch the movie – it drives me crazy when they don’t match up. However, in this case, I didn’t mind the differences between the 2 (and there were plenty!!). I enjoyed the movie more – it wasn’t as intense (plus, hello, Bradley Cooper!!).

One thing I noticed, though, the concept of Silver Linings is brought out a lot more in the book. Pat (Bradley Cooper), is convinced that he will have a silver lining after all of the hardships he has gone through. I tend to agree with this idea most of the time. I think the times that we need the silver lining the most are sometimes the times it is hardest to really remain positive and believe that every bad situation has some good aspect to it. I think we all have different ways of “looking for the silver linings”. Some of us run! Some of us pray. Some of us turn to friends and/or family. I think the main thing is to keep looking for that Silver Lining because it’s there!!Without the trying times in our lives, we would never fully appreciate the happy times!!

How do you look for the Silver Lining during the low times?

Happy Sunday – I hope it’s full of Silver Linings!!!

Kim

PS – I highly recommend the book (if you’re a reader) and the movie!!

Butt, Chest, Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Perspective & Gratitude

April 18, 2013 Kim 22 Comments

Today’s 43 was a great combo move! I did a bench press with my hips raised. (22.5 pound dumbbells using my Select Tech weights)

I wanted a weight that would challenge me to complete all 43 and this weight did the trick!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQHMwn_cn-Y’]

For the rest of my workout I ran (first time in a couple of weeks because of a sore hamstring). It was a great time for me to really think about some things and gain some much needed perspective!!!

8 miles @1.5% incline – 54:24 + 2.5 miles at a slower pace with higher incline for a total of 95 minutes.

Yesterday was one of those days!!! I had a long list of things to do and everyone of them took longer and was more difficult than it should have been. After dropping Hunter at school, I had 45 minutes before my dentist appointment so I went by the medical supply store to pick up some of these lovely support hose

However, the store didn’t open till 9:00. No big deal – headed to the bank to make a deposit. Went around to the drive-thru area and thought they were all closed. Fine – back to the medical supply place to wait.

When I went in the medical store, the guy was super nice and said they were cash-and-carry (no insurance) and recommended another supply store (because I guess these support hose are pricey!). OK. Back to the bank – only to realize that I’m an idiot!!!

What I thought were closed drive-thru lines (which I thought was weird since it was way past 7 or even 8:00am) were open. The problem – they all said open in RED!!! Red means STOP – everyone knows that!!!

See – why I thought they were closed?! Oh well – marked it off the list. Next stop was the post office and thankfully that went smoothly!! By this time, it was almost 9:30 so I spent an hour at the dentist – he thinks I might need a root canal but wants to wait until my next visit to decide (6 months) – Joy!!

After the dentist I headed to the other medical supply place (across town) – found it, along with a sign on the door saying they have moved!! Awesome!! Another drive across town, a phone call (couldn’t find the place) and I finally made it. A super sweet lady helped me, measured my legs and said they might be able to get them here by next week (supposed to have them before Wednesday) and my insurance might cover them. (She called later in the afternoon to say they would be in and insurance would cover 80%!!)

I called Chris on my way to the grocery store to vent – he answered and immediately asked if he could call me back. Of course – par for the day (not his fault, he was in a meeting – just seemed to fit in with everything else). While grocery shopping, I got a text letting me know that my PE sub job was cancelled (track meet cancelled due to rain & storms) – not gonna lie – I was elated!!!

Oh – it was rainy and cold all day yesterday, too (and again today) – sort-of wish I was still enjoying the 90 degree weather that Texas had when I was down.

However I know that the events of my day yesterday are so trivial and insignificant when I look at the tragedy in Boston on Monday and the awful explosion in West, Texas last night. My family is all together and healthy and I really don’t have a single thing worth complaining about!!!

In fact, I have much to be thankful for!!!

I wanted to end with something that made me super happy yesterday – I received my newest shirt from the super talented Cait.

I'm out to chick you — I’m out to chick you

Check out Cait’s online store to see her other T-shirts as well as art work. She rocks!!!

Happy Thursday – I’m going to spend my day being grateful for all of the wonderful things in my life and not complaining about the things that don’t even really matter!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings

Happy Birthday, Hunter!!! (and the link-up that wasn’t meant to be)

April 8, 2013 Kim 24 Comments

Today is Hunter’s birthday – my little boy is growing up – not really little anymore!!

I still got in a 43 amidst the before school birthday festivities! Today I adapted a move that Tina at Best Body Fitness had as part of her Move-It Monday Lower Body Burner. She had a sumo deadlift as one of the moves. I did a pretty close version of the move she showed but I chose to keep my legs straight on the way down.

I used my kettlebell (20 pounds) which I really like for deadlifts – it helps keep me centered!!I stood with my feet in a wide squat:

From that position, I leaned forward until the kettlebell was right at the ground.

I love deadlifts – I think because you are supposed to stick your butt out!!!

This was a fun 43!!

The rest of my workout was a run. I was planning to link up with Miss Zippy because she is having a #Best Run link-up today. However, near the end of my run I decided there was no way to qualify today’s run as a best of anything!

I ran 5 miles in 37:00 (1.5% incline) and did another 1.5 miles as a cool-down. The problem today is my hamstring hurt the entire time I was running. Last week when I ran 24 miles the only part of my body that was really sore was my left hamstring and butt. I figured it would go away (isn’t that how things usually work??!!) Today it still hurt when I ran – really?? I thought that a hamstring injury was a sprinter problem!!! (OK – I know it can happen to anyone but seriously, I just got back into hard running after my stress fracture – ugh, and it was my left hip – coincidence?)

Anyway…..this wasn’t my best run so I’m not going to even pretend that it was even though I really wanted to participate in the link-up fun!

But, it’s still a great day because today is my baby’s birthday – I guess being 12 means he isn’t really a baby at all!

Hunter was born 6 weeks early and had to spend his first week in the NICU. Sadly, I didn’t even get to hold him until he was already a day old because I had my own problems and the nurses and DR wouldn’t let me get up. The bottom pictures are his last day in the hospital (which was Easter that year!) and Jordan meeting Hunter for the first time – brotherly love from the start!!

This morning, Hunter opened his presents – mostly new Rubik cubes which is exactly what he wanted! The bottom right picture is him under the clock at his exact time of birth (7:31 am).

I’m very proud of the young man that Hunter is becoming! It is been 11 awesome years and 1 year that was not quite as awesome :Wink: (When Hunter was 3, was really into pitching fits – lots of them -all the time for no reason at all – GOOD TIMES!!!) Hunter really does make me happy every day!!!

Happy birthday, Hunter!!! I love you!!

Happy Monday!

Kim

Day With KT