Category Archives: Core

Big Plans and Goals

May 6, 2013 Kim 26 Comments

Today I used a medicine ball for my 43.

I don’t know if you can tell, but the ball in the top left has handles on it (handy, huh?!). It is an 8 pound ball and was perfect for today’s move.

I did a sit-up with an overhead press at the top of the move.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAbU6rR8Oh8′]

This was a nice 43 to work my abs and boy do they need it!! It’s been almost 2 weeks since I had a true workout and I can tell!!!

So, in 17 days I will be at Day for my Daily 43. That means that I have another super long run planned – 250 minutes (4 hours and 10 minutes).

My goal for the run is to run a steady 8:00 minutes/mile pace. If I do that then I will run just over 31 miles!!!

However, I didn’t plan on losing 2+ weeks of training and conditioning. I’m a little worried that I might not be able to meet my goal.

So, I may have to adjust my goal a little – I still plan to run 250 minutes. I might just have to cut myself a little slack on my pace and distance covered.

At least I still have 2.5 weeks to prepare – and by prepare I mean let my legs continue to heal and hopefully start working out again!!!

What do you do when the circumstances of life interfere with your plans and goals?

My plan is to adjust and keep on pushing!!!

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness, Thighs

Mistakes

May 5, 2013 Kim 25 Comments

For today’s 43 I actually worked my legs a little! I used this band:

I put the band on my right foot and held the other end with my right hand and did a side leg abduction while doing a cross-body curl.

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

It wasn’t super pretty (and I had to tap my toe after every rep to keep my balance) but at least I was able to get a little bit of leg action!! And, you know, this was the kind of 43 that had to be repeated on the other leg to keep things semi-balanced!!!

Yesterday I was a little short with both of the boys at different points during the day and later I felt really bad about it – they hadn’t done anything wrong – I just didn’t have any patience. I apologized and since they understood, I tried to forget about it but sometimes it is hard to let go of things.

We all make mistakes – I probably make at least 10-100 every day!!! Some are small and don’t affect any one but myself and others are bigger.

When Hunter was younger (1st and 2nd grade), he really struggled with making mistakes. He wanted to do things exactly right the first time and didn’t want to even attempt things that he felt like he might mess up on. I think this is something that many adults (like me) struggle with constantly.

It took time but eventually he has learned that mistakes are a very natural part of life and we all make them – and make them often. He finally realized that he could actually make a mistake, learn from it and move on.

I think that fear of making a mistake (or failing) often holds us back from really achieving greatness. It is hard to put yourself out there and risk being wrong or feeling/looking stupid. But the reward can be so great when you succeed!!

When you really think about it, life would be boring without mistakes. If we always got things right the first time – YUCK – what would be the point of trying new things?!

When I look back at my life so far, I realize that some of the bigger mistakes I made could have had far worse consequences than they did. (Let’s just say I used poor judgement for an entire semester of grad school!) Thankfully, I was able to learn from my many mistakes and move on!I think that some lessons have to be learned the hard way for all of us.Even though I make more mistakes than I would like to (in every aspect of my life), I will just keep on trying (and hopefully learning)!

I will keep asking forgiveness when necessary and also keep trying to forgive myself (much harder!!). I know that today (and tomorrow and the next day….) I will never be perfect. But that’s OK!!I think one of the best things that my boys (all of us, for that matter!) can learn is it is OK to fail because it shows that you were trying!!!

Do you beat yourself up over little mistakes or just shake it off and keep trying?

Happy Sunday and Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Kim

Chest, Core, Fitness

Prescription Compression Stockings are AWFUL!!!

May 1, 2013 Kim 42 Comments

I wanted to do a completely different 43 than the one I actually did – mostly because I want to be able to truly workout again – but today isn’t the day!!

For my 43 I combined a little ab work with some chest work – I did a hip lift with a press. Start by lying on your back with your legs straight up at 90 degrees, elbows bent at 90 holding dumbbells (10 pounds for me). Press your arms up while lifting your hips straight up, return to start and repeat.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl2_i4zRL-M’]

I really thought that I would be able to at least do the dreaded elliptical for a little bit today but there is no way that is happening!

Yesterday I put on my lovely prescription compression stockings for the first time.

The ones I have are from Medi.

See that stocking? It is supposed to go all the way to the top of your thigh!! Yesterday it took me 15 minutes of sheer pain and torture to get both of the lovely gems on.

Don’t you love my fashion statement? Stockings, Nike running shorts and Brooks running shoes – the best part is that you could sort-of see the top part of the stockings – CLASSY!!!

I followed the orders and wore these all day and night (except for a brief period when I had to take the right one off for an ultrasound to check for a blood clot in my calf).

Notice that I didn’t say I slept in them!! I wore them all night but there was ZERO sleep involved!!! These things hurt every part of my leg (including my now bruised toes!!). I already have a great deal of bruising and swelling from the surgery but now I have new bruises from the stockings!!! I didn’t unwrap to show it but my entire ankle bone is awful!!These stockings are 30-40 mmHg of pressure. To put that into perspective, most compression socks (or sleeves) that so many of y’all run in or wear after long runs are 20-25 mmHG at the ankle and about 18 mmHg on the calf.

Basically, wearing these was the equivalent of stuffing my size 6-8 body into a size 0!! MISERABLE!!! PAINFUL!! Not sure I can bring myself to put them on again (and I’m supposed to wear them all the time for the next 2-4 weeks!!).

In addition to the awful, pain-inducing stockings – my right calf is very swollen and I can hardly put any weight on it. I called the DR yesterday and she wanted me to go to the hospital for an ultrasound. The ultrasound tech was super nice and said it was fine – I hope so since she spent the entire time telling me all about her divorce, her kids, her boyfriend and his ex and their kids.

On the plus side – I met a super nice prisoner and his guard while I was hanging out at the hospital. Sad that he was all cuffed up since he seemed so nice!

Enough of my whining!!! Here’s a cute picture of Hunter!! The 6th grade orchestra has a field trip today to play at a retirement home here in town (and then lunch at the mall!) so he is all dressed up!!! Isn’t he handsome?!

Happy Wednesday – I’m supposed to sub a couple of hours of PE this afternoon (even though I can barely hobble around!!) – Good Times!!

Kim

PS – Have you ever had to wear the prescription compression hose or stockings?

Core, Fitness

Is Asking for Help a Strength or Weakness?

April 28, 2013 Kim 19 Comments

Today I wanted to work my abs. The trickiest part was getting on the floor (and back up!!) – temporary hazard but good for a laugh!! For the 43, I did a straight leg crunch with a side reach.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuoaJrRFKSk&feature=youtu.be’]

I counted a right crunch and a left crunch as 1 rep. This was a pretty good 43 for today and I was happy to get in some ab work!!

Asking for help is not something I’m good at – ever!

At some point when I was growing up I learned or decided (not really sure which) that weakness should be kept hidden. My motto became – Just do what you need to do and don’t complain or whine about it.As an adult there have been numerous times that things were rough and I would have liked some help but I have been “strong” for so long that I don’t really know how to do anything else. What I do know is how to keep on going no matter what the circumstance.

Now I’m at a point in my life where even when I wish I had help, I don’t know how to ask for it. All I know to do is – Suck it up!

So is it really strength or is it just a weakness on my part?

What do you do when you have spent your entire life being strong but then realize that having someone help you would be nice and not a sign of weakness?

I think you just keep on! I think that we are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for and often it is just a matter of pushing ourselves to reveal that strength.

What about you? Is it easy for you to ask for help?

I don’t even like to ask Chris for help (usually he just does it because he knows that I am too stubborn to admit that I need help).

And I don’t view it as a weakness when other people need help – in fact, I’m always impressed with people who are willing to ask for help.

Happy Sunday!

Kim

Cardio, Core, Fitness

6:00am Show Time for Surgery – Yikes!!

April 24, 2013 Kim 37 Comments

Today’s 43 was a challenge!! I did mountain climbers on a stability ball. The mountain climbers weren’t bad – it was staying balanced on the ball!!

I did them with my hands on the ball.

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

I counted 10 as 1 rep so to do 43 reps, I did 430! Just for fun, I did some (430 so that I had a double 43!!) with my elbows on the ball – these were harder for me. I think because I had to keep my elbows in close to keep them both on the ball – much less stable than the wide hand stance!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHZV306bUOU’]

About half-way through my workout I decided I’m not too bright. I can’t have any water this morning and here I am working up a sweat! If you look closely in almost all of my pictures you see this

I carry this cup everywhere – always full of ice water. I usually refill it between 6-9 times every day. This whole no water thing in the morning is not cool!!!

That is all I did for working out today because I have to be at the hospital by 6:00am – EARLY!!! (and because I can’t have any water!!)

Today I’m having my veins stripped. Several weeks ago, I talked about my varicose veins and whether or not I should have them treated. Since then, I’ve had several more appointments including an ultrasound to do more testing on my veins. The DR said that I have numerous breaks in several veins and a number of valves that aren’t working correctly. Her recommendation was to do surgery and strip (remove) some and ligation (tie off) on some.

The way I understand things – I will have an incision in my left groin to remove the greater saphenous vein. On my right leg, the incision will be behind my knee.

The only part of the surgery that bothers me out is being intubated!! I realize that I will never even feel it since I will be put to sleep – just the idea of a tube shoved down my throat freaks me out!!!