I get up pretty early during the week - about 5:15 or so. I found that most days I needed a lot of caffeine along with still feeling like I was dragging through the day. Last week I decided to sleep in a 1/2 hour - it wasn't necessary for me to be up so early the next day. It really has a made a huge difference in my energy levels!! Now I also go to sleep at the same time I would if I got up that half hour earlier so I'm sure that is helping. I have found I need about 8 hours of sleep every night to feel my best.
I have been very sluggish lately on the weekends - sleeping for about 10 hours a night and still needing naps most days. I'm hoping this will change that and even help with energy levels on the weekend. There has been a lot of research lately about getting enough sleep to help you lose weight. If you don't get enough sleep your cortisol levels rise which makes your body want to hold onto fat.
To feel your best and for your overall health, please get enough sleep.
I went on a cruise a couple of weeks back to Alaska. Amazing trip - beautiful part of the country. I worried about how I would fit in my workouts...continue to build my strength. But I have been reading lately about giving yourself recovery weeks - taking an entire week off. I have never consciously done that. There was a fitness center on the ship that I could take advantage of. So my final thought before we left - I'll take the week off and enjoy it.
Well it wasn't completely a week off. I did take a spin class on the ship - always looking for new ideas. My husband and I also hiked at one of the ports and on another we decided to take a bike ride excursion through the rain forest. We also did a lot of walking - a lot. I did indulge a bit but tried to keep on track eating lots of salads, fruits and lean proteins. So it was a light activity vacation.
I got on the scale today - after not wanting to see the results. I lost a pound from where I was before the cruise. And when I got back to the gym - the 3 sets of 15 push ups I was doing was just a bit tougher than I remember. And kickboxing? No change in my performance. I was surprised at how little things did change. And I felt re-energized hitting the gym. I think I need to work in a few more breaks throughout the year!
I finally made it back to cycle and Turbo Kick classes after more than 6 weeks off letting my knee heal. I figured I'd start with cycle as it should be less impact on my knee. We do sit but we also stand on the bikes so I was hoping to survive. Class went great - no issues with my knees.
Next up was Turbo Kick. I wasn't the instructor this time - in case I had isses I couldn't just stop class and walk out. So, I let the instructor know I may need to leave early depending on how my knee responds. I kept it all low impact - no jumping for this girl as much as I love to jump. 50 minutes later I was still standing tall.
Even after all this I have realized that my knee is still not right. Somestimes when I stop apparently in a strange way I feel a twinge up my knee. I imagine that can't be good. I have decided that when we get back from our cruise (we definitely need a vacation!) I'll be calling my doctor. Sometimes we really need to heed our own advice.
So finally did a good 45 mins of cardio -kickboxing - and my knee feels pretty good a few hours later! I'm excited to go to a class on Thursday and see how it goes. I kept it all low impact which means no jumping and I love to jump but I'll do what I need to do to keep from getting another injury on it. So we'll keep it all low impact for a while. I need to get back into my cardio.
Its in the 110+ degrees here in Phoenix and I'm so looking forward for it to cool off. The kiking trails are calling me and I want to get back to better conditioning and am looking forward to be able to climb the mountains again!!
Jumped on the elliptical - have n't done much cardio in over a month - and felt the knee a little but not too bad. Still nursing it but got in an upper body lifting session and feel pretty good. Tomorrow night I will do lower body and see how the knee holds up. I've been taking the stairs up at work but not down as that puts too much pressure on my knee. Feeling strong, doing lots of push ups and upper body. Ready to get back into my cardio (miss kickboxing!) and lower body workouts. In fact, I am teaching cycle on Tuesday so we'll see how my knee holds up then.
No news on the knee injury. Not quite sure what to do at this point. I have put ice on it a few times, no cardio, no lower body training for nearly 2 weeks. Some people have suggested maybe I see an orthopedic surgeon. I guess I'm still hoping it will get better on its own. Why is it we can always be the first to advocate for others to get care and treatment when needed yet when it comes to ourselves we always put it off? I know my health insurance has a high deductible and everything for me it out of pocket so that is one reason I am hoping it will get better on its own. I did some yoga today hoping that stretching it may help. I'm getting frustrated not able to do any cardio or lower body work. Perhaps my next post will be post doctor visit.
I have re-injured my knee. I am concerned that there is something more wrong with it than just resting will heal. I wasn't doing anything crazy - just walking in the office at work and I felt something weird. That was one of my normal days off from working out and the next day felt fine. Decided to do a work out that day - 3 sets of Tabata and some weights. The next day I was doing OK until I walked down stairs and I got a sharp pain through my knee. Skipped my usual kickboxing workout that night and iced it and I think it's worse. A colleague had surgery on both of his knees and I'm worried I may need to do the same...just one knee. I can't stop wondering if its something that bad...
I have a full time job and work in fitness part time. My time for my own workouts seems to dwindle every day. I have been trying to find the "ideal" workout - hit all the major muscles and get in some cardio in under an hour. Can it be done? I did it today. I did a 16 min HIIT DVD and followed it up with a full body strength training DVD. We hit all the major muscle groups in the strength training DVD and as for cardio...my heart rate his 92% at one point. It was a killer work out and I feel reallly good afterward. Did I find the best workout? I think I did find the best workout mix for me. Under an hour and time to start my next project...
Still trying to get back into running on a regular basis. I would much rather run outside than inside but with daily temperatures over 100 degrees I don't find myself doing that at all. And running the treadmill...I just dread it. I worked out at home yesterday rather than hitting the gym because I didn't want to run on the treadmill. I want to love running again and starting small I thought would help. But the thought of getting into the over hot car to get to the gym only to sweat it out didn't appeal to me yesterday. We'll see if I can find my love of the treadmill run tomorrow.
I had been doing the Insanity program. I was about 6 weeks in when I pulled a muscle deep in my chest and I was out for about 5 weeks. The first week I took off completely from exercise. Week 2 I started just with walking. Then added some light training and was about back to my normal self when bam - I got sick. So another 3 weeks of light cardio (when I could) and weights (again when I felt ok) I finally started back at it this week. I decided to do an "easier" Insanity work out today and forget it - I could barely keep up. Felt like I was stopping every 20 seconds. Now granted I still can't breathe through my nose (it was a sinus infection) but wow...just 2 months off and man has my fitness level dropped. I have work to do - and know I will get back there - but it's definitely a reminder of how things can change in such a short period of time. Now back to Shaun T...
