I Am Still Alive

This ridiculously sad looking fella could not be more accurate on how I have been feeling over the last month.  Let me first say I cannot believe it has been a month since I have blogged.  How sad is that?!  I am really disappointed that I let it go that long.

The last month has been insanely challenging.  Unfortunately, the road immediately ahead does not seem to be much brighter…

My older daughter (just turned eight on Tuesday) was tentatively diagnosed with absence epilepsy.  We are scheduled to be admitted to Children’s Hospital on the 10th for a 5-day observation (video EEG).  So, we will be released on the 15th (hopefully).  They have decided that they are putting her Depakote regardless of what the testing shows in the hospital.  This medication has serious (as in life-threatening) liver implications, so I am a nervous wreck just about the medication itself.  Challenge #1.

I visited my sports med doctor on the 14th of September…just as a follow up.  However, I mentioned how much my left knee has been hurting again (despite the OrthoVisc injections done in late May)…and that my right knee had started to bother me.  Challenge #2: I was officially diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right knee, too.  I also learned that my left knee apparently needs to be replaced.  It took me at least a week to even digest that information, honestly.  They are not going to replace it right away (I am 30 years old), so they will be giving me another round of the OrthoVisc (in both knees this time) when I am due in November.  I have no idea how much time I have until they will/must replace this knee, but it makes me extremely anxious.

To add insult to injury…they have placed me back on extreme restriction.  That means no lunging, squatting, jumping, or running.  Even the spin bike kills my left knee right now.  I am barely able to get on the Neil for even 15 minutes.  That, of course, has made cardio nearly impossible. Challenge #3.

To follow all that whining and complaining, though…I have not gained weight.  I also have not lost any.  I still go to the gym four or five days a week.  Some days I do not break a sweat, though.  I am there.  I am working.  But, I feel like I am not really accomplishing anything.  However, I came across a post on Facebook from Shonnie.  It was a picture that said, “the only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.”  That *really* made me think about how I have not given up.  Despite all the complications and distractions, I have never stopped going to the gym.  That counts for something, right?

Shonnie helped to renew my spirit today, and she did not even mean to.  Go figure.  Inspiration comes from the most random of places…especially when you are not expecting it.

No obstacle is too great when you have the right attitude…and the right people certainly make it easier.  Thanks, Shonnie!

-Erica

Another Anatomy Lesson?

I have learned quite a bit of anatomy over the last 18 months.  Some I am learning from reading through my texts in preparation for my personal training certification.  That is the stuff I enjoy learning.

However, other stuff (like this lesson in particular) is coming from various injuries.  Yes, another injury for me.  Sigh.

Last March I learned all about the tendons in the dorsal aspect of the foot.  I damaged the achilles, the peroneals, and the plantar fascia in one fell swoop.  Earlier this year I learned about the rotator cuff in my left shoulder and all about patellofemoral arthritis syndrome (which later resulted in a diagnosis of osteoarthritis).  Now I am learning about the tibialis posterior.

I woke up yesterday morning to find that my foot/ankle was really sore to just the slightest touch.  It was fine when I went to bed Sunday night, I should mention.  I could barely put my shoes on (in fact, I ended up wearing different shoes because my normal shoes hurt too bad).  I went to Urgent Care and found that the whole inside of my foot (and all the way down into the arch) was severly swollen.  Ugh.

They just did x-rays and informed me it was not broken.  I pretty much knew I probably did not break my foot in my sleep, though.  Seriously.  So, I paid a visit to my physical therapist.  Guess what, exactly where my pain and swelling is runs a tendon.  The tibialis posterior.

The two of us were talking and I happened to mention running on the treadmill Saturday.  The more we were talking about it, the more certain she became that that is how I aggravated the tendon.  See, I am not sure I have mentioned it here before, but I am *deathly* afraid of the treadmill.  I. HATE. IT.  So, Saturday when I was on the treadmill…running…I was panicky.  Actually, at one point I almost had to stop running simply because I was crying so hard I could not breathe.  I know.  Crazy.  How Denise deals with me, I will never know.

So, my PT says it was not so much the act of running itself that aggravated the tendon.  It was more so that I was running so tense and (most likely) awkwardly.  As nervous as I was, there is a good chance my gait was off.  Running like that could easily make a tendon (or two) angry and inflammed.  That is precisely what happened.

That means lots of ice, elevation, and rest for this foot.  No running of any kind until it has calmed down, and probably no running on the treadmill for a *very long* time.

On another note, though, I just *have* to share this with you all:

198.6

Yup, all of that “extra” weight is already gone.  This is my lowest weight to date, too.  So, maybe it was water…or something else.  Considering that means I have dropped 5.8 pounds in 3 days, I am willing to bet it was not truly fat.  Thank goodness for small miracles.

Oh, one more thing…while you are here, you should enter the giveaway I posted on Sunday.

How is your week starting out?  Are you feeling optimistic about the week?

-Erica

Weigh Day (week forty-three)

Holy moly, folks!  This weekend slipped right away from me without any kind of warning!  This, of course, is the late edition of weigh day.  Sorry about that!

I have big news from the previous week:

I was discharged from physical therapy!  They measured my knee cap for progress and…it does not track incorrectly anymore!  They were astonished.  Really.  One girl measured me…and then measured again.  Stood there staring at me…measured again.  Said, “Okay.  I must be doing something wrong here.  How did you measure her before?”  Cue the other gal (who originally measured me) to come over and measure me.  Both girls measured exactly the same way.  Both girls stood staring at me, confused, after measuring me.  Just about eight weeks ago that knee cap was moving laterally (horizontally) more than half an inch when I flexed my quad.  And now nothing.  It stayed completely put (which, of course, is what we want)…they were not expecting that.  This is *huge* for me, although I am still not cleared for running and jumping.  I have to get that clearance from the doc on Friday (which I doubt will happen because the knee is still killing me from the damage that was already sustained and the arthritis).

Here is how the rest of the week looked:

Sunday – relaxation day

Monday – dinner with my bestie in the whole wide world, Leslie

Tuesday – 30 mins of spin

Wednesday – legs and arms (party day at the gym – sorry no pics!) (12,153 steps)

Thursday – 1.5 hours of bootcamp with Denise (12,984)

Friday – physical therapy; 15 mins of spin; 20 mins of stairs with Chris (21,103 steps)

Saturday – 1.5 hour bootcamp with Denise; gardening (13,279)

Sunday – relaxation day (11,565)

The celebration Wednesday went well, and I was so glad it was quicker than I had imagined.  I doubt I have ever had reason to mention it here, but I am horribly socially awkward when a room full of people are staring at me.  It is so bad, in fact, that the situation becomes painful for the crowd as well as myself.  People can usually pick up the tension in my pale face and sweaty upper lip…yeah, I am not even good at hiding that fear/awkwardness.  Thank goodness I was not required to speak…and thank goodness all the people who said they were coming did not show up (only about half made it).  Denise was cracking up because she has never seen that side of me, and it thoroughly confused her.  She teased me a little both Thursday and Saturday when I seen her at bootcamp.  🙂

As for weigh in…things are still moving in the direction I want:

213.0

That is one pound down from last week.  Not going to lie…wish it were more…but I am not disappointed or anything.  How could I be knowing that brings me to a total of 102 pounds lost?!  Right?  That also means I am *so very* close to being under 200 pounds…and I cannot wait!

GOAL TRACKER:
3 weeks; 4 days
13.2 pounds
(I know this is unattainable at this point, but I am curious to see just how close I will get by June 1st.  So, I will keep this running until then.)

How was your week?  Was it everything you hoped it would be?  If not, how can you improve your upcoming week?

-Erica

Weigh Day (week forty)

I do not know that I will ever get used to just how fast time goes.  This week has been exciting and frustrating all rolled into one.  Probably more frustrating than anything, though, if I am being totally honest.

As you all know, my doc did not have great news regarding my left knee.  However, the news got worse as I went to see the sports med docs Friday.  They gave me a cortisone shot (OUCH!!!) and want me back in therapy for the knee…and in therapy for my right hip, too!  The deal with the hip is strange.  When I started therapy for my left knee weeks ago they were showing me stretches and told me it would be wise to do them on both legs (because it is likely both are equally tight).  So, I did.  The problem?  Somehow I strained my adductor and impinged a (something) in my capsule.  This equals discomfort and pain when doing certain exercises (like squats and lunges, to name a couple).

He also gave me a brace for my knee and followed that up with: “There is not a lot of documentation that this kind of brace is really going to mean improvement for your condition.  However, try wearing it and see if it makes a difference for you.  If it does, wear it.  If it doesn’t, don’t.”  Fun, right?  So, here is an extremely uncomfortable neoprene brace that you practically have to lube up and shove your leg into…but it probably will not help.  Perfect.  I wore the stupid thing to bootcamp yesterday morning and will not be wearing it today.  I will wear it again tomorrow, and not the next.  Hopefully I will learn quickly if I feel any relief from it…and then decide if it is worth *all* the trouble to get it on and off.  Sigh.

So, aside from all that nonsense…here is what my week looked like:

Sunday – lazy day (didn’t write my steps down – shame on me!)

Monday – physical therapy (10,068)

Tuesday – back, shoulders, abs; 5 mins on the stairs with Chris; 22:30 mins on Neil with Chris (23,622)

Wednesday – 10 mins on the stairs with Chris; 35 mins with Denise (13,388)

Thursday – light legs and abs with Denise (17,349)

Friday – lights arms and back (11,090)

Saturday – 1.5 hours of bootcamp with Denise (10,052)

One truly exciting part of the week is that I have officially starting studying for my personal training certification exam.  I must admit I am really stoked about doing this…and a whole ton of nerves over the whole thing, too.  I suppose that is to be expected, though, right?

So, as for weigh in…

218.0

Ever so slowly creeping toward the 100-pound mark…and getting *so* very close!!!  That leaves me exactly THREE pounds away…and only 18.2 away from ONEderland!!!!  Words cannot describe how *that* day is going to feel – really!  I cannot remember the last time I saw *ANYTHING* on the scale that started with a ONE (I do know it was *never* as an adult, though…ever)!

GOAL TRACKER:
6 weeks; 5 days
18.2 pounds

-Erica

More On The Knee

So, at this point I have been in physical therapy for five weeks.  The first three weeks I was not allowed to jump, run, lunge, squat…pretty much any really good leg move.  I was miserable, but my knee was feeling *much* better.

The fourth week I was cleared to start lunging and squatting again.  That went just fine – still no pain in the knee.  Last Friday they added jumping into my routine.  That, unfortunately, is where things went wrong.

Friday was alright (I did two or three jumping exercises), but Monday they added even more jumping maneuvers.  Uck.  My knee hurt *so* bad Monday evening I could not even workout.  I could not walk up my stairs leading with my left leg either.  So, I looked like a toddler taking one step at a time always leading with my right leg.  Awful.

I just left my doctor’s office and the news did not get any better.  Since my knee cap is still not tracking correctly, and I still have pain with use of the knee, he is referring me to sports medicine docs.  That, in itself, is fine.  The problem is he decided to restrict me…again.  No running or jogging, and absolutely no jumping!  He really is not on board with me continuing with lunging and squatting, but I told him (which is completely true) that those moves do not irritate my knee.  So, extremely hesitantly he told me that “some light lunging and squatting could be okay” but that I should watch it and definitely not add weight to it.

Does this knee really not understand that I have goals to accomplish?!  I do not have time for this…seriously.  I hate being limited, and I hate feeling held back.  That, unfortunately, is something I have to deal with because the alternative is me damaging my knee so bad that I will require surgery.  Of course, I do not want that.

So, for now I am to avoid running, jogging, and jumping like the plague.  My doc even said it could take *months* for this to heal.  *MONTHS* – like I have that kind of time.  He added (with a lighthearted smile and chuckle) that he wants me to make it to my goal, but with the ability to walk when I get there.  🙂

-Erica

An Update On This Knee

This knee…is a serious pain in my…knee.  My first physical therapy appointment was yesterday afternoon.  I honestly expected to get a “that’s not that bad” or a “that’ll be easily fixed.”  Let me tell you, that is *not* what was said – ever.

It turns out that my knee is worse than I imagined.  When she marked the edge of my knee cap and then asked me to flex my quad (still lying flat and not bending my leg at all) the shock on her face said it all.  She then marked the edge of knee cap with my quad flexed.  The result?  My knee cap deviates to the left *more* than half an inch when I flex my quad.  I do not even have to bend the stupid leg to dislocate the knee cap – just flex.  My outer quad is *that* much strong than my inner quad.  Go figure.

The other bit of bad news is that my right knee does the same thing…I’m just not symptomatic on that side – yet.  So, all the exercises/stretches I will be doing for my left knee, I will be repeating for my right knee.  Hopefully this will prevent me from doing as much damage to my right knee as I have my left (and, of course, hopefully that prevents the right knee from ever hurting this way).

When the physical therapist checked the strength on all four sections of my quad, it was surprising.  My leg is very strong in three directions, and weak like a child in one (which, of course, is the inner quad).  This imbalance is what is causing my malfunction.  Additionally, my quad muscles and hip flexors are extremely tight, which compounds the problem.  I stretch every day (usually multiple times even), but evidently I am not stretching efficiently enough to properly lengthen/loosen my muscles.  So, they showed me ways to properly stretch…and, who knew a stretch could hurt so bad?!  When she started to stretch the front of my thigh, I almost shot off the table and said an abundance of sailor words!  Sheesh.

In light of this information, I am seriously debating whether continuing with Zumba is a good idea.  I love it, and I seriously want to go back.  However, all that bouncing around and squatting/lunging is strictly forbidden for the sake of not grinding any more of my joint away.  Decisions, decisions.

Looks like this will be a challenging road to travel…and this certainly means more alterations to my workout routines.  I *must* be very aware of how I move my legs and when I flex my quad.  Should be interesting.  Thank goodness I have Denise – she always knows what to do!  🙂

-Erica

Serious Fun {with a Hefty Dose of Pain}

Last night I ventured into new territory and attended a Zumba class held at Fitworks.  Denise has been telling me for months to get into those classes.  I have to admit I always find myself stopping to observe everyone in the classroom dancing, laughing, and having a great time.  I absolutely love to dance (who doesn’t, though?), so I thought it would be a natural love affair.

Denise and I discussed Zumba again since my knee malfunction came to pass.  I expressed concern that I would not be able to do all the moves (jumping/bouncing and the like).  Of course she said, “Then modify those moves, chica!”  After much deliberation, I decided she was right (yes, of course she was right) and I ventured in.

Here is the “problem” with me…I do not do “half-assed” things.  If I am going to do something, I am going to *DO* it.  So, when the moves turned into bouncing, squatting, lunging, and all the other stuff I am “forbidden” from doing…I was doing them anyway.  Maybe not jumping as high or lunging as deep, but there I was moved by the music and in the mindset that nothing could stop me.  I had an absolute *blast* and loved every single {painful} minute of it.

Once the class was over and I started to walk out is when the pain truly set in.  I found myself half limping to my car and wishing I had not done quite as much as I did.  As soon as I walked in my door, I grabbed ice and a comforter and headed for the couch.  I used the comforter to prop up my left knee/leg and ever so gently laid the ice down over the whole section.  The throbbing became so intense for a bit I could not even concentrate on anything.  I sat and stared at my ice pack.  Once my ability to form thoughts came back I found myself thinking forward to next Thursday.  How am I going to prevent myself from irritating my knee this much when I *want* to move.  I *want* to dance.  But, considering the amount of pain I was in all night (including so much pain it woke me up a few times in the middle of the night), I do not want repeat that fiasco again.

So, I suppose I will talk with my doctor this week about getting a knee brace of some sort.  Maybe wearing support that prevents my knee cap from pivoting/dislocating would help me move better (and/or make it hurt less)?  Who knows.  All I do know is I loved Zumba, and I want to do it again…this time without the hefty dose of pain.

Do any of you wear any kind of brace during workouts?  If so, was it prescribed to you (such as a custom-fit brace) or did you purchase it at the store?  Do find it helps you significantly reduce discomfort or does it serve more as a reminder to take it easy on that joint?

-Erica

Weigh Day (week thirty-three)

This past week has been pretty interesting…in the best possible ways this time (thank goodness).

I found out my meniscus is definitely *not* torn (woo hoo!) and that all my tendons and ligaments are completely in tact (another woo hoo!).  So, what is up with this knee???  Severe patellofemoral arthritis syndrome.  What that means (for those of you who have no idea – which was me just earlier this week) is pretty much my entire knee joint is flared up and irritated giving me arthritis symptoms.  However, it is not true arthritis because I can correct it with the proper exercises and stretches (and rarely this requires surgical intervention).  This is “best case scenario” as far as all of the things that could have been wrong with my knee.  It means, though, that I am not allowed to run, jump, skip, hop, lunge, squat, or do leg presses until I correct this knee…which could take some time.  So, my “jump rope successfully” goal has to be put on hold…for now.

*How* I ended up with patellofemoral arthritis syndrome in the first place…
Well, my left side is a little wonky.  By “wonky” I mean my whole left leg does not “track” correctly.  I cannot do a proper leg lift with my left foot pointed forward (like I can with my right).  Because of this malalignment, I walk awkwardly.  Now, you would not notice it unless you were *really* looking at my left leg as I stroll…but my left foot turns out a little and causes my knee to bend sideways (slightly) instead of completely straight.  This, of course, causes my knee cap to temporarily dislocate every single time I bend my knee.  It has always been this way, but now that I am *WAY* more active than I have ever been in my whole life these symptoms have surfaced.  With all of the running, jumping, lunging, and squatting I have been doing, I have put significant pressure on my knee as the cap dislocates.  This, of course, causes inflammation in all the soft tissue behind the knee cap.  It is really fun stuff…really.

Anyway, moving on…  My shoulder is feeling much better this week.  Still a teeny bit of discomfort doing certain things, but overall *tons* better than before the cortizone shot the Dr. gave me.

Yesterday was my birthday…my 30th birthday.  It was a mellow day…much more mellow than I hoped for, but whatever.  No surprises.  No party.  No family (other than my mother, whom I see nearly every day).  Only one friend (my bestie, Leslie).  I even had to plan dinner for myself.  Go figure.  At any rate, I spent the dinner with my chicklets and came home for a movie…and slept late this morning.  All in all, I guess it could have been much worse.

This morning I was doing a little happy dance after stepping off the scale.  That nice little fella showed me 230.2 this morning!  Of course I am going to be happy with a 4.2 pound loss from last week, right?!  It might have something to do with that 6-mile run I did on the Neil Armstrong machine Friday night…which is okay to do even with my knee because it does not put the high impact pressure on my knee joints (just in case you were wondering).

With a loss like this, my “I’m going to be under 200 by June 1st” goal is looking great:

GOAL TRACKER:
13 weeks; 5 days
30.4 pounds

Was your week as good as mine?!

-Erica

Weigh Day (week thirty-two)

Yes, this post is a day late…sorry about that.  My Internet connection has been acting up (I have already had a few “go rounds” with Cincinnati Bell, who is extremely unhelpful), so I could not seem to get this posted yesterday.  Ick.

Anyway…last week was really something.  Negativity flowed to me in (seemingly) every direction.  I hate weeks like that.  A long-time friend of mine passed away over last weekend, and his funeral was Thursday night.  He was only 36 and leaves behind a wife and four small children.  It was heart-breaking – truly.  So, my mind was not completely focused throughout the week – making it hard to compensate for my knee and shoulder.

Monday means physical therapy and little time for a “full” workout.  Tuesday there was no time for the gym.  Wednesday seemed to look better as I began working out with Denise…until my mother showed up and needed me to leave immediately with her.  That meant all of five minutes with Denise and only 12 minutes on the Neil Armstrong machine for warm up.  Thursday was the funeral, but I snuck in about 45 minutes at the gym before.  That was a decent workout, I suppose.  Friday brought a visit with my doctor…

He suspects I have tendonitis in my left rotator cuff (received a cortizone shot) and a torn meniscus in my left knee.  I have an MRI scheduled tomorrow afternoon to see for sure what is going on with this knee.  In the meantime, of course, I was told, “No running, jumping, hopping, or skipping…nothing with high impact on that knee.”  As if that was not bad enough (for someone determined to jump rope successfully…), I was also instructed to “take it easy on the shoulder – no lifting heavy weights or raising it above your head…for at least a few days.”

So, after physical therapy on Friday, I was at a loss as far as working out.  Luckily, I ran into one of the other trainers who said he would help me (since he had absolutely nothing to do anyway).  I ended up working out, with Dorsey’s help, for about 30 minutes.  Although I must admit, after I got home I felt like I barely did anything.  Sigh.

Sunday is my “Denise Day” – and I always look forward to them!  However, some how I was scheduled for noon instead of my normal noon-thirty.  That, of course, means I showed up for my appointment late and Denise had other clients.  Boo!  Just one more thing that felt like it was not going my way.  I worked out anyway…again, though, feeling like I was not doing very much.  Despite the knee, I hopped on the Neil Armstrong machine and did just over two miles.  It felt *great* to sweat…it felt less than great to limp off the machine and down the stairs, though.

Right now I am in this “everything stinks” funk, which will not last long.  Once I process the information thoroughly (meaning that I have to know what is up with this knee) and develop a plan, I will be fine.  Regardless of the outcome, though, I will continue going to the gym…surgery or not.  I trust my trainer completely…and the rest of the staff at Fitworks…to help me continue to work toward my weight loss goals – even if we have to work around a few complications.  Thank goodness for a great support system, right?!

So, about weighing in…

Yesterday I weighed in at 234.4.  That is 1.8 pounds down from last week.  This is pretty exciting because it brings me to a total of 80.6 pounds lost!!!  Excellent!

This week should be another interesting week with creative workouts.  I meet with Denise tonight (thank goodness she had an available time), so I am bound to feel better after that!

GOAL TRACKER:
14 weeks; 4 days
34.6 pounds

-Erica

Random Observations

Here is a collection (in no specific order) containing random observations I have made recently:

1. I cannot jump rope to save my life.  Something so simple.  Something every child can do with ease.  It is hilariously wrong to see me even attempt it.  You may (or may not) have noticed I added “Jump Rope (successfully)” to my list of goals.  I will practice.  I will jump rope (successfully).  I will.  Can you jump rope (successfully)?  If so, do you jump with both feet together or do you “skip” with one foot at a time (like a little girl skipping down the street while jumping rope…to help with the visual)?

2. I must see my doctor about my left shoulder.  I have mentioned it here a couple times.  The stupid thing is still bothering me (it has been about five or six weeks, I believe).  Yeah me.  Not.

3. My ankle seems to be improving rapidly.  I have actually taken my brace off, which is major.  Physical therapy is twice a week, so that is a bonus.  Additionally, I do think my new athletic shoes have helped tremendously.

4. I can feel hip bones, folks!  This was an incredible (and quite comical) day for me.  I cannot recall ever being able to feel hip bones in my life (I am sure I could as a child, but who remembers that?!).  In fact, I was so surprised when I felt “something hard” in my side I did not even realize that is what it was.  (That is the comical part)  I had to have my ex- feel “that mysterious hard thing” in my side to find out…it was my pelvic bone!  You should have seen the look on his face *that* day.

5. More injury…my left knee.  The grinding, popping, and clicking seems to be getting worse (not better as I hoped it would).  So, apparently, when I go see my doctor about my shoulder, we will be having a conversation about my knee, too.  Boo!

6. I have poor posture.  I have been overweight/obese/morbidly obese my entire adult life.  In that time frame I have learned/adapted to sitting with my back curled and shoulders slumped forward.  This did a couple things for me (at the time).  A) Hid my *huge* breasts and helped me feel like they were “less big.” B) Released pressure from my lower spine.  I have a herniated and slipped disc in my lumbosacral area.  So, curling my spine forward prevented those discs from being compressed from all the weight I was carrying.  The problem is now I have trouble keeping my back straight and shoulders back (especially when I am doing certain moves in the gym…like stiff leg barbell lifts…or rows…or many other things).  I must work on my posture, and on my upper back strength.

7. I find I am still pretty consumed by the thought of summer…and bathing suits.  Just thinking about it now I felt my heart kick it up a notch.  Anxiety, folks.  Really.  I would love to just “get it over with” and buy something now.  However, I know that would not be in my best interest because I *will* be losing more weight/inches before summer.  How in the world am I going to get through the rest of winter and spring without going crazy?!  Do you have bathing suit anxiety?

8. Emotional eating is something I still battle with…but I am winning.  To me this is a sure sign of food addiction.  Eating when you are not hungry.  Eating instead when you are _____ (fill in some sort of emotion).  I still find that when I get upset my mind instantly wanders to food.  The really exciting part (for me) is that I do *not* get the food.  Sure, my mind still goes there, but my body and mouth do not.  I find something else to do instead…some high knees (plyo), a hot bath with a book, play a game with my chicklets, etc.  Pretty much anything else to keep my hands (and my mind) busy without food.  It is a daily struggle.  Really.  Are you an emotional eater?  If so, what kinds of food do/did you find yourself reaching for?

9. I need more cardio in my life…and soon.  I have been really kicking it up on the weight-lifting front, but my cardio has waned.  The scale numbers have also slowed to a crawl, which tells me I need to change it up…more cardio!  I am still losing, but ever so slowly these days.  I truly believe that is related to the decline in amount of time I spend doing strictly cardio exercises.  What is your favorite way to get cardio in?

10. An update on my disconnect… I think this is improving.  Not as much as I would like, but I cannot complain about improvement of any kind.  When I look at myself in the full-length mirrors at the gym (obviously fully clothed), I am starting to notice changes in my body.  Thanks, Denise (she made me start working out in front of the mirrors in the first place)!  The only time I really still feel that “disconnect” is when I am naked.  I still have a hard time seeing those changes when nothing is between my eyes and my body (IE. clothes, mirror, etc.).  That will take some more time, I suppose.

11. A goal has been marked off…”Take a group class at the gym.”  Last night was, in fact, the second class I have taken at Fitworks.  They are offering free self defense classes every other Wednesday.  I know these are not “traditional” fitness classes, but at least I am there doing things with other people.  Hopefully this will build my confidence and encourage me to attend other classes (like Zumba or a power class).  Small steps.  Really small.  Do you take classes at your gym?  If so, what is your favorite class…and why?

-Erica