Bah…More Time Off

Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like I'll be taking this week off from the elliptical. Last week, I was feeling a weird muscle ache in my left foot. I thought it was because of the folded hand towel getting scrunched up beneath my foot, but I think it's more than that. I felt the same sort of muscle ache in my right foot back in July when I hurt my ankle. So rather than be stupid (which I have been in the past), I'm taking this week off. I think it will only be one week, as the pain isn't too bad. Not nearly as bad as my right ankle a few months ago.

Unfortunately, that means I'll the switching back to my tennis shoes when I exercise. That's unfortunate because I feel much more stable in my Vibram shoes. I will still wear my Vibram shoes the rest of the day. I am glad that I went slow as a test to my feet and shoes. I did do something earlier when I realized I wasn't going to exercise on the elliptical today. I got off the elliptical, took off my Vibram shoes, put on my tennis shoes, and got back on the elliptical. The ache in my left foot was a lot less, but it was still there. So that gives me a little bit of hope that it will be only one week until I can get back on. Here I was worried about my right ankle, and my left foot is the problem. My injuries seem to switch sides every time I get one.

I think I would rather deal with muscle knots in my lower legs (caused by my tennis shoes), than this weird foot thing. The foot thing could possibly turn into something worse, like plantar faciitis or something (which I think I had a few years ago).

I have thought more than once about changing cardio equipment. I always decide to stick with my elliptical because I want to be upright when I exercise. The only other piece of cardio equipment that I would feel comfortable using on my own (without anyone around) would be a stationary bike. Don't get me wrong, bicycling is great exercise, but I would really like to stay on my feet when I exercise. I keep thinking about it though. I want to stay away from treadmills since I have accidents on those. I've fallen more than a few times, and I do not want to use one when no one else is around in case I have a really nasty fall. I've never fallen off the elliptical before. I've had mine for two and half years (I think) and I've had no problems.

So I'm a bit bummed, but what can you do? You just have to keep rolling with punches. Hey that reminds me of a song that keeps me moving too. Here are the two stanzas that work for me (and yes, it’s a Bon Jovi song):

“I've been pushed around
Been knocked down
Lost a round or three
Life took a couple of things I loved
When I was too blind to see

But I’ll survive
I gave up on luck but I’m still getting by
Yeah I’m going to be alright
You can test my faith
But you can't take my pride
Thorn in my side, thorn in my side.”

I will continue my strength training the rest of the week, on Wednesday and Friday. And we'll see where I am at them. Obviously there's no mileage update or picture of the day, and I will not reach the 200 mile mark this week. I was so close too. Oh well. I'll get there eventually.

Have a great day, and I will see what I can come up with in terms of posts for this week.

Bah…More Time Off

Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like I'll be taking this week off from the elliptical. Last week, I was feeling a weird muscle ache in my left foot. I thought it was because of the folded hand towel getting scrunched up beneath my foot, but I think it's more than that. I felt the same sort of muscle ache in my right foot back in July when I hurt my ankle. So rather than be stupid (which I have been in the past), I'm taking this week off. I think it will only be one week, as the pain isn't too bad. Not nearly as bad as my right ankle a few months ago.

Unfortunately, that means I'll the switching back to my tennis shoes when I exercise. That's unfortunate because I feel much more stable in my Vibram shoes. I will still wear my Vibram shoes the rest of the day. I am glad that I went slow as a test to my feet and shoes. I did do something earlier when I realized I wasn't going to exercise on the elliptical today. I got off the elliptical, took off my Vibram shoes, put on my tennis shoes, and got back on the elliptical. The ache in my left foot was a lot less, but it was still there. So that gives me a little bit of hope that it will be only one week until I can get back on. Here I was worried about my right ankle, and my left foot is the problem. My injuries seem to switch sides every time I get one.

I think I would rather deal with muscle knots in my lower legs (caused by my tennis shoes), than this weird foot thing. The foot thing could possibly turn into something worse, like plantar faciitis or something (which I think I had a few years ago).

I have thought more than once about changing cardio equipment. I always decide to stick with my elliptical because I want to be upright when I exercise. The only other piece of cardio equipment that I would feel comfortable using on my own (without anyone around) would be a stationary bike. Don't get me wrong, bicycling is great exercise, but I would really like to stay on my feet when I exercise. I keep thinking about it though. I want to stay away from treadmills since I have accidents on those. I've fallen more than a few times, and I do not want to use one when no one else is around in case I have a really nasty fall. I've never fallen off the elliptical before. I've had mine for two and half years (I think) and I've had no problems.

So I'm a bit bummed, but what can you do? You just have to keep rolling with punches. Hey that reminds me of a song that keeps me moving too. Here are the two stanzas that work for me (and yes, it’s a Bon Jovi song):

“I've been pushed around
Been knocked down
Lost a round or three
Life took a couple of things I loved
When I was too blind to see

But I’ll survive
I gave up on luck but I’m still getting by
Yeah I’m going to be alright
You can test my faith
But you can't take my pride
Thorn in my side, thorn in my side.”

I will continue my strength training the rest of the week, on Wednesday and Friday. And we'll see where I am at them. Obviously there's no mileage update or picture of the day, and I will not reach the 200 mile mark this week. I was so close too. Oh well. I'll get there eventually.

Have a great day, and I will see what I can come up with in terms of posts for this week.

Monday Weigh In

Monday is my set weigh in day. I was not expecting to see any kind of movement on the scale this morning, especially a downward movement. But that's what I got. A nice little surprise. I'm now one pound away from the high end of my maintenance range again. I'd like to lose about six more pounds to get into the middle of my range, but I'm quite happy.

Had a nice short workout this morning. I did my floor routine of abs, arms and legs. I skipped the standing arm and standing leg routine as I wanted to stay off my foot. Felt strange not to do half of my workout. But I did the other half.

As for my foot...it's not improving like I thought it was. My husband and I went over for a quick run to Target. As soon as I stepped outside, I knew it was not where I thought it was in terms of getting better. Sort of felt like something was jabbing me in the lower toe joint. I did notice when I focused on putting my weight on the outer part of my foot, it felt better. But if I lost concentration...ouch. Not unbearable pain, but it did hurt. I'd say out a 1 to 10 pain scale it was around a 6 at most.

So it looks like I'll be sans cardio workout for a while longer. I know, I know, you're all saying go get it looked at by a doctor. What they'll tell me is "stay off it" and "take some Advil or Aleve" just like they told me when I was having pain in my knees about eight years ago. So, I'm staying off my foot and will start taking Aleve. I'm not going to spend a bunch of money for a doctor to tell me what I already know. I know my body better than anyone, right? Right. If I went to the doctor for every ache and pain I had, I'd be in there every other week. And of course if I was unable to put any weight on my foot at all I would go in. I'm not that silly.

So, yes a nice surprise on the scale this morning. Shocked me actually because I ate over my calorie range most days last week. Must be doing something right.

When you have an ache or pain, do go in to the doctor every time, or do you self diagnose and treat yourself?

Monday Weigh In

Monday is my set weigh in day. I was not expecting to see any kind of movement on the scale this morning, especially a downward movement. But that's what I got. A nice little surprise. I'm now one pound away from the high end of my maintenance range again. I'd like to lose about six more pounds to get into the middle of my range, but I'm quite happy.

Had a nice short workout this morning. I did my floor routine of abs, arms and legs. I skipped the standing arm and standing leg routine as I wanted to stay off my foot. Felt strange not to do half of my workout. But I did the other half.

As for my foot...it's not improving like I thought it was. My husband and I went over for a quick run to Target. As soon as I stepped outside, I knew it was not where I thought it was in terms of getting better. Sort of felt like something was jabbing me in the lower toe joint. I did notice when I focused on putting my weight on the outer part of my foot, it felt better. But if I lost concentration...ouch. Not unbearable pain, but it did hurt. I'd say out a 1 to 10 pain scale it was around a 6 at most.

So it looks like I'll be sans cardio workout for a while longer. I know, I know, you're all saying go get it looked at by a doctor. What they'll tell me is "stay off it" and "take some Advil or Aleve" just like they told me when I was having pain in my knees about eight years ago. So, I'm staying off my foot and will start taking Aleve. I'm not going to spend a bunch of money for a doctor to tell me what I already know. I know my body better than anyone, right? Right. If I went to the doctor for every ache and pain I had, I'd be in there every other week. And of course if I was unable to put any weight on my foot at all I would go in. I'm not that silly.

So, yes a nice surprise on the scale this morning. Shocked me actually because I ate over my calorie range most days last week. Must be doing something right.

When you have an ache or pain, do go in to the doctor every time, or do you self diagnose and treat yourself?