With patience and determination I am back to running! I know I have complained along the way about having to incorporate aerobic activity in to my life. I have moaned, whined, and complained about the sweating and exercise to everyone that has crossed my path. When I injured my knee ligament, I started to worry about my small dense LDL particles and how I would be able to turn them into the fluffy buoyant particles. After all the only reason I have endured the dislikes of exercise is because of my health.
I listened to the doctor and gave myself the week off of running while wearing the leg brace. During the week I felt like I was missing something. Even though I didn't like running in the beginning, the benefits I have gained have made it all worth while. I have lost over 10 pounds and dropped a pant size. In September I will have my blood work taken to see if it is going in the right direction.
Finally, I am back to running. I am to start of slowly and work my way up. Today I am up to 1.5 miles and without any pain. When I am done running I place the brace back on just to keep the ligament strong. I will return back to the doctors on Friday the 19th for a leg check up.
I realize now how much exercise is important in everyone's life. Even though we hate it the benefits out way the dislikes. We have the choice to keep ourselves in good health. We make the decisions on what we eat and if we exercise. There is no reason for any of us to be overweight or out of shape. The only one we can blame is ourselves. Hey, I was the first one to say I don't have time, I don't like to sweat, I am too tired, etc.... etc..... But the reality is, you can make yourself sick by the choices you make and you can make yourself healthy by the choices you make. Why should we wait until the doctor tells you that you are a candidate to have a heart attack or a stroke, when we could correct it by watching what we eat and adding 30 minutes of aerobic activity 4 times a week? We truly create our own destiny! Just think about it.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
A Month of Ups and Downs!
This month I was able to accomplish reaching 3 mile marker and then the 4 mile marker! Hooray for me. I still do not enjoy the sweating and the running but the 9 pound weight loss and the drop in pants size I do enjoy! I have logged over 60 miles since the purchase of my nike plus sneakers! Now that makes me feel great!
Now, for the downs of the month :(. I strained my medial collateral ligament in my right knee. I did this on Sunday August 1st , while running at camp. I ran 3 miles on Monday at home with my dear husband but my knee hurt during and after the run that I decided I better rest a few days before running again. I took Tuesday and Wednesday off from running but my knee did not feel any better. Friday morning I hopped on the treadmill and raised the incline to 10 and did a really fast walk for 30 minutes. I had to hang on for the entire 30 minutes because I could feel the soreness in my knee when I let go. I figured I had enough and called the doctor! There was no way I wanted to injure my right knee to the point of not being able to run again.
I was able to get into the doctors office on Friday morning and what a relief to find that I had only sprained/strained my ligament in my knee and did not tear it or dislocate my knee cap. I was told to wear a brace for a week, while walking, to prevent my knee from moving side to side. Apparently this is the motion that caused the bruised ligament. I did find out that running on a crown road or stepping on a stone can cause this same sideways motion and that I am to avoid. I can walk for a week with the brace, this will help prevent the sideways motion and then after that I can start running but only slowly at first. I am only to start with a half a mile and work up from there.
Even though I complained about running and sweating in the beginning, I feel sad now that I cannot do it. I know this is just a temporary setback, but the health benefits I have gained have been awesome and I do not want that to go away. I feel better than ever and I am really proud that I could get this far.
Keep watching cause I am coming back!!!!
Now, for the downs of the month :(. I strained my medial collateral ligament in my right knee. I did this on Sunday August 1st , while running at camp. I ran 3 miles on Monday at home with my dear husband but my knee hurt during and after the run that I decided I better rest a few days before running again. I took Tuesday and Wednesday off from running but my knee did not feel any better. Friday morning I hopped on the treadmill and raised the incline to 10 and did a really fast walk for 30 minutes. I had to hang on for the entire 30 minutes because I could feel the soreness in my knee when I let go. I figured I had enough and called the doctor! There was no way I wanted to injure my right knee to the point of not being able to run again.
I was able to get into the doctors office on Friday morning and what a relief to find that I had only sprained/strained my ligament in my knee and did not tear it or dislocate my knee cap. I was told to wear a brace for a week, while walking, to prevent my knee from moving side to side. Apparently this is the motion that caused the bruised ligament. I did find out that running on a crown road or stepping on a stone can cause this same sideways motion and that I am to avoid. I can walk for a week with the brace, this will help prevent the sideways motion and then after that I can start running but only slowly at first. I am only to start with a half a mile and work up from there.
Even though I complained about running and sweating in the beginning, I feel sad now that I cannot do it. I know this is just a temporary setback, but the health benefits I have gained have been awesome and I do not want that to go away. I feel better than ever and I am really proud that I could get this far.
Keep watching cause I am coming back!!!!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
One Month Marker!!!!! I Made It!
It hasn't been one month of no whining or crying, but, it has been one month of sweating and tears! I have complained at almost every run. But, I have still tied my Nike+ sneakers and headed out on the road, or down to the treadmill. Today was my one month anniversary and today was the first day I was able to hit the road for a run and run the entire way without walking! It felt great to be able to accomplish this task! At 44+ years, I was able to start exercising, even with a bad knee and extra weight. I was able to turn my life long dislike for exercise into a life saving mission. What an accomplishment!
I hope I am able to inspire someone that feels the same way I do about exercise. I hope this blog will help you realize that exercise isn't easy and it sure isn't fun for a lot of us out there, but, it is a necessity. In order to maintain optimum health, diet, and exercise, one is in a constant struggle. If it was easy, then everyone would be at the perfect weight and optimum health. There would be no obese people and no one with cholesterol issues.
Since I purchased my Nike+ sneakers, one June 22, I have completed 16 workouts, for a total of 28.17 miles. It has taken me 6:00:43 seconds to complete this task. I have averaged a 12min 48 sec mile and burned a total of 3199 calories. 5 days of that time I was away at a horse show and did not have the time to even squeeze in a run, even though I brought all my gear with me. All the above was completed in a 21 day time period! That totally amazes me! I actually squeezed 16 workouts into 21 days and burned three days or more worth of calories doing it!
I will keep plugging away trying to turn those dense LDL particles into the fluffy non threatening LDL. All in hopes of saving my life and preventing me from falling into the statistics of people with the potential risk of having a stroke and heart attack. It isn't about my weight or looks anymore; it goes much deeper than that. It is about living a long and healthy life. The only one that can do this for me is me :) I have the choice to make my life exactly what I want my life to be. I also have the choice to live that life the way I want to and for me it is all about being healthy and living a long healthy life! I want to be there for my family and enjoy every precious moment that I can.
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