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When Patience = Progress
The body truly is an amazing machine. What’s even more amazing is how it can fix itself – when you give it time to heal!
It’s been about four weeks since my orthopedist kindly read me the riot act regarding my shoulder injury. Since then I’ve made some major adjustments to my workouts and my daily routine including:
- Cutting out all overhead exercises
- Modifying push-ups to the point of being more work for my triceps than any other muscle
- Avoiding wearing my purse on my left shoulder and reaching for items in my kitchen cabinets and vanity shelves with my right arm.
- Carefully executing all the reps and sets of the rehabilitative exercises prescribed by my doctor
- Taking my anti-inflammatories at the same time every day as prescribed
The result? On this Motivation Monday, I can happily report I have minimal discomfort when I wash my hair or if I accidentally roll over to my left side when I’m in bed. While I still feel twinges of pain doing some of my rehab work, the dumbbell scaption reps are virtually pain-free. The bottom line is I’m healing and I know if I remain patient and “baby” my shoulder for just a little longer, I’ll be back in full form!
I consider this progress report a concrete reminder for myself and anyone else who has a tendency to sometimes push a little too hard in about the importance of listening to the body when it needs time to heal. Has it been mentally challenging and downright frustrating not to be able to keep up with the rest of my Physique57 classmates during full-form push-up sprints? Absolutely. Am I itching to sign up for PILOXING classes and master the moves so I resume my plans to start teaching my own classes sometime soon? You have no idea! However, when I feel the frustration building to a boil, I tell myself getting healthy now will only open the door to bigger and better fitness gains later.
So for now and probably the rest of the summer, I will continue to stabilize and strengthen my shoulder, modify my motion during my workouts and keep a sharp focus on eating healthy. One benefit about being extra caution at the gym? I’ve noticed my kale and quinoa intake is up and some of my cocktail consumption is down!
I close with a thank you to everyone who’s sent supportive messages here and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Unfortunately, injuries happen. The good news, at least for me, is that I seem to be getting smarter with age about how to handle them. Sometimes, a little patience is exactly what you need to get back on track with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous.
LauraLovesFitness Turns Three!
Wow! It feels like it was just yesterday I was writing about LauraLovesFitness hitting the two-year mark. Now here we are 365 days later – well, 368 to be exact – celebrating the last of the toddler years for my baby blog.
This marks the 311th post published since July 11th, 2011. Topics have ranged from the importance of flexibility training to the importance of taking care of our mental health while focusing on physical fitness. You’ve read about a wide variety of favorites including Tabata workouts; lo-cal cocktail recipes and must-haves for my fridge. You’ve listened to me chat with fitness powerhouses on Lifestyle Accountability, 2FitChx and Curtis Harwell Fitness Radio. You’ve learned about the ups and downs in my life as a corporate video producer. You’ve even shared my grief and sent supportive messages following some serious shake-ups including my dad’s heart surgery and the loss of several loved ones.
The topics vary from week to week, but I continue to write each and every post with the same purpose that inspired me to start this blog in the first place: to motivate people to take better care of themselves. Not everyone likes to exercise. Not everyone wants to choose celery sticks over cheesecake. However, if I’ve inspired just one person to find some sort of physical activity that makes him or her feel good; pack frozen grapes instead of chocolate covered ones for a family picnic or decide to unwind after a bad day at the gym instead of the bar, then I have plenty to celebrate on this special occasion.
Anyone who follows me on Facebook and Twitter knows I sometimes repeat my favorite quotes. In that vain, here are five posts from the past year that I deem worthy of a second read. (Of course, I’d love to hear if there are one or two on your list!)
Why I Can’t Wait to Start Teaching PILOXING®.
Physique57®: The Workout that Changed My Life
A Not-So-Typical Motivation Monday
Why Fitness Should Be All About You
If you haven’t connected with me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram yet, I hope you will soon. Consider it a birthday present! And stay tuned for exciting things to come in the months ahead. While I don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet, I can tell you if you live in New York, you’ll be seeing me on television soon.
Of course, I’ve saved the best for last and that is a heartfelt thank you to my family, friends and all my readers. Whether you’re a lifelong bestie who signed up for a blog subscription on day one or part of the #fitfam I found in the social media world, I appreciate anyone who takes time out of a busy day to check in. Moving forward, I’d love to know which topics you’d like to read more about as well as the ones you’d prefer to see less frequently. Three years into the blogosphere, I realize more than ever how much of a team effort is involved to stay the course on this lifelong journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Sometimes We Need a Push…to Slow Down
Getting Some Perspective by the Sea
On this Motivation Monday, I’m not offering my typical boost to take things up a notch in your fitness routine. Instead, I’m offering the important reminder that sometimes you actually need to take a step back, or at least to the side.That’s the road I have to travel right now and I have no one to blame but myself. The bottom line is I’m paying the price for not following my own advice.
It’s been more than two years since I was sidelined by an injury. Unfortunately, the small discomfort that started during a set of push-ups around the time of my 40th birthday has turned into a minor tear affecting the function of my left shoulder. So I have no choice but to modify my activity or risk making things worse and possibly face surgery later. I’m kicking myself for not listening to my body in the spring, but I can’t go back now. However, I can follow my doctor’s advice and move forward carefully and intelligently. I may be down, but I’m nowhere near out.
The biggest disappointment in all this is that I can’t practice the PILOXING® choreography I so desperately want to master so I can begin teaching classes as soon as possible. A huge part of the boxing, Pilates and dance-inspired 60-minute workout features jabbing and punching. Those two moves can’t be a part of my fitness routine for the next four to six weeks. Instead, I will incorporate the shoulder-strengthening exercises prescribed by my doctor and focus on healing. So, my grand PILOXING® plans are now on hold.
Fortunately, after a few calming hours listening to the sounds of the sea at Jones Beach, I was able to put things in perspective. I stopped feeling sorry for myself and remembered delays aren’t deal breakers. I won’t let this setback break my spirit or stop me from pursuing my goals. I will continue to workout over the summer, and in the end, hopefully I’ll train a bit smarter than I did during the first half of the year.
We all know the best laid plans often go awry. Hopefully this post serves as a reminder that it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You simply have to accept the fact that sometimes you have to take a step back or to the side to move ahead. Embrace the new direction and focus on the fact that at some point, you’ll be back to full steam ahead in your mission to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Laura’s Newest Love: PILOXING®
A change of seasons is the perfect time to think about mixing up your health and fitness routine. On this first Motivation Monday of the summer of 2014, I can report I certainly kicked my favorite season with a bang!
Yesterday, I learned all about an incredible fitness program called PILOXING®. The concept, developed by Swedish dancer and celebrity trainer Viveca Jensen, combines Pilates, boxing and dance to create a super high-energy interval workout. At the end of the 60-minute master class that kicked off the eight-hour instructor training day, my heart was pounding, my clothes were drenched in sweat – and I was hooked.
What exactly did I love about this workout? Each jab or uppercut I threw wearing half-pound weighted gloves made me feel powerful. Every standing Pilates move made my muscles feel longer and my body seem more graceful. And every hip shake I belted out through the dance sections simply made me smile – and sweat even more. Add some killer tunes and a hands-on training day led by two PILOXING® powerhouses – Jordan Ballard and Amy Gilberg – and I ended up having the most energized Sunday I can remember in forever!
With Amy Gilberg, New York Master Trainer
Those of you who’ve been reading this blog for awhile may remember Amy’s name from some of my earliest posts. She’s not only the PILOXING® Master Trainer for New York, she’s one of my fabulous fitness friends who encouraged me to get certified in the industry back in 2011. Being a participant in her first certification workshop made the day extra special and extra fun!
I have some work ahead of me before I can teach my first class, but yesterday’s workshop gave me a solid foundation to get started. It also gave me some continuing education credits to use toward my AFAA recertification which is coming up quickly in September. If you’d like more information about my newest fitness addiction, you can check out the PILOXING® website. Remember, finding a workout that works for you is the key to sticking with your health and fitness routine. When you need to inject some fresh energy to that routine, trying out new group exercise dynamics can help. If you happen to find one that makes you feel like you can handle whatever life throws your way at the end of a workout, even better!
With Jordan Ballard, US Master Trainer
Whatever is on your agenda for the summer ahead, be sure to mix things up and let me know what new finds help keep you moving. Here’s to a great season filled with plenty of chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 