Adapting But Still Moving

I've been inspired by the blog called Carrots 'N' Cake. Tina shares photos of her day and posts them to her blog. I decided that I will try and do the same thing, maybe not every day or even every post, but I will try to post some pictures here and there as I see fit.

My exercise routine is going to have to change some again for a little bit due to more shin splints. This time I have shin splints in my left leg, while the last time I had shin splints it was in my right leg. They seem to be switching from one leg to the other. I had just gotten back to doing one mile again after not being able to do a mile for a few months. I just started to have pain in my left ankle and shin last week. Instead of trying to force myself to complete one mile every time I was on the elliptical, I decided to take some time off. I think I caught it in time, because it does not really hurt when I'm off the machine. When I first had shin splints I remember it hurt no matter where I was, I could be standing or sitting or even lying down and it would ache. So I am being smart this time and am not pushing it.















Next Monday is the beginning of Spark People's boot camp called Spark Your Body Boot Camp. It lasts for one month, just like all of their other boot camps. During this boot camp they will show a ten minute workout video everyday for the first week. After that the videos will replay for the following three weeks. Also five days a week they say you should do some sort of cardio exercise for 30 minutes every day. I hope my shin splints are gone by then, but if not I will do some sort of cardio other then my elliptical. Spark People has a few cardio videos that last for ten minutes that I can do as a replacement. The instructor, Coach Nicole, gives alternate ways of doing the movements which I love. These videos are adaptable to anyone's needs.

So because I have to stop my elliptical workouts for now, I need to really pay attention to what I eat. I adjusted my fitness goals to reflect my lack of cardio. Doing this changed my calorie range to 1200 to 1500 calories a day. I'm going to try to eat in the lower range as much as I can. If I have to eat half a sandwich then I will. I am in control of what I eat for breakfast and lunch, but dinner I have no control over as I do not cook that meal.


















For today's lunch I had the last of my left over Domino's pizza. Two slices of Philly steak and tomato pizza, an apple, and for my drink I had my usual water. Not the best lunch, but it could have been worse. Two slices of medium pizza was about 360 calories. So far today I am at a total of 647 calories. My dinner can be anywhere from 563 to 913 calories. I intend on having a banana for a snack in about an hour and I honestly have no idea what dinner will be. Hopefully it won't be anything too heavy.

As far as today's exercise went, I did do my strength training routine, which consisted of my normal ab routine, floor arm routine with eight pound weights, standing arm routine with eight pound weights, and standing leg routine. I did two sets of the arm routines and for the most part I felt fairly strong while doing it. I did get on my elliptical for about five seconds before deciding there was no way. It would be too uncomfortable and I would have injured myself further. I did that last time, and ended up taking a two month forced break.


















On my off days, which are Tuesday and Thursday I intend on doing my workout DVD which is a pilates DVD entitled Pilates Beginning Mat Workout. I bought this DVD about four or five years ago before I really got serious about losing weight and getting fit. I bought this DVD because it has the entire routine on the floor, so I don't have to worry about my balance during the exercises. The trainer in the video, Ana Caban does, the routine the traditional way while her assistant does the routine in a modified format. During this video I try to do the traditional version but on occasion I have to do the modified version. My legs are not as flexible and they won't straighten out totally. While she has her legs straight in the air, I place mine in a tabletop position (90° angle).

This is turning into a long entry so I will end this for now. I will have more things to say soon. New Year's Eve goals, and things like that are to come.

When you have an injury how do you compensate for it? Do you find alternate ways of getting exercise in or do you just take a complete break and do no exercise at all?