<p>I’m also a picky label reader which means I’ve quit buying most pre-made foods, except crackers and ice cream, some deli stuff like hummus, cream cheese, etc. I haven’t lost weight, but I think I’m doing my body a favor. I saw an ad on TV last night that claimed that a glass of Mott apple juice was the equivalent of 2 fruit servings. Huh? If that’s how they’re counting servings, I’m way over my quota! The only thing apple juice provides is sugar, as far as I can see. I wonder how much the fruit juice industry had to lobby whoever (FDA?) to be allowed to claim that?</p>
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<p>About 23 - 24 years ago, DH and I bought free weights for our home. One of the things we purchased was a lat machine or pulldown machine. I love it. I can feel such a difference when I use it regularly. I feel like it stretches out my spine and works against gravity. I use it by sitting in a chair, with my back to the weights, and (no surprise) pull down. Releasing it slowly feels so good. When I get busy or bored, there are times when I abandoned the weights, but then I return and when I do I wonder why I ever stopped.</p>
<p>Gosh…what a morning!Couldn’t fall asleep until midnight, H woke me up going in to work at 4:00 AM! (problems there) and then I fell back asleep! Woke up late to meet my work out buddy, rushed around and the garage door wouldn’t open because the spring is broken! Grabbed keys to D2’s car in the third stall and made it to gym 20 minutes late. Worked like a fool and got 25 miles in while sweating like a pig in the humid and hot bike area. Trying to get someone to fix garage door now! grrr…at least that frustration fueled my workout! ;)</p>
<p>I am a fan of this thread but never anytime to post. </p>
<p>I feel I should jump in and comment on the shoulder post. I had a very frozen shoulder about two years ago. The symptoms were similar to what mousegray has described. It took pretty intensive physical therapy to get over it. I went to a few PTs that I feel just did not give me enough attention - just handed me a sheet of the standard exercises. Then I went to one that very individual in her treatment. She included massage and very intensive manipulation and stretching. My shoulder responded quickly but the whole process took time -probably about 6 months of PT twice a week- and I was completely cured. I’ve started yoga and have kept doing the band exercises she gave me in the hopes of preventing a recurrence.</p>
<p>journey- You confirmed my opinion that the right PT can fix just about anything short of a fracture. It is SO hard to find the ones good at the manipulation and pressure stuff, though.</p>
<p>I hate to complain, since I am RUNNING and actually have a 12 day streak. HOWEVER, my 6 mile run felt like 20 this morning. It was so hot and humid (even at 6am) and then there are the hills… I had to stop to rest at 3, 4.1, 5 and 5.5 for a moment. It’s amazing to me how much running conditioning I lost despite everything else I did. I am about 2 pounds over my “competitive” weight, which isn’t too bad for not being in marathon training. I just don’t want it to creep up. May was a bad month.</p>
<p>MOWC…you have such a strong work ethic I know you will regain your conditioning shape as soon as possible. I admire your strong mental attitude. You really inspire me to keep going! </p>
<p>idad…hoping you feel better. I need to hear about your ipod workouts as they push me to work harder, too.</p>
<p>Thanks to all who posted the tips re the numb toes. I had more numbness today so kept wiggling and moving so they didn’t get worse. Have to be more careful though as my foot went flying off the pedal when I tried to readjust. Who knew exercising isn’t an instictive thing for me?!?! 
Tomorrow is my weigh in day. Hope I won’t be disappointed.</p>
<p>^^^^MOWC, I think heat and humidity should count as a handicap of sorts. If you run 6 miles in heat and high humidity, then your 6 miles should count as 8, 8 counts as 10, etc.</p>
<p>In my little 5K, I passed a fair amount of young guys who were having a hard time. I think some of the young people thought they could just go run a 5K in heat and high humidity without preparing for it, perhaps even after staying out late and partying. I guess in their case, they got “chicked” AND “geezered” when I passed them, lol.</p>
<p>^^ Love it! Chicked and geezered! You are right-young people think they can blast off at full speed in a 5K no matter what the weather. Most of the people you see at a race who really crash and burn are young (and male, I might add).</p>
<p>MofWC - It is frustrating how quickly we lose our cardio fitness and how muscles specific exercise is. </p>
<p>I really believe that if you are patient (why do I suspect that may be a tough concept??), your fitness will sort of jump back to what you were accustomed to. I realize that is not scientific - but that is what happened to me when I broke my leg a couple of years ago and then last year with the hamstring. I went from feeling like I would never recover - to suddenly being where I had been before. </p>
<p>Once again - I KNOW about the hamstring and you just don’t want to re-injure. I woke up last night and had a mild pain where I had the old injury. I can tell you I will avoid any hills for a couple of days. </p>
<p>As to the weight - that will come as well, but that gets so much harder each year. I really keep track of what I eat and even with the same amount of exercise I am about 3 pounds over the weight I like to be for competing. Grrrr. </p>
<p>On the subject of PT’s - full disclaimer here - SIL was a colonel in army and now teaches PT in college so I am biased. In the army you see the PT before the ortho doc and frankly I think that makes the most sense. If you find a good PT who combines manipulation, massage, with supervised exercises they are worth their weight in gold.</p>
<p>Nah, I’ve missed a week, it looks like. I feel like I’ve turned the corner on this thing this morning, but we’ll see. First time I’ve really been knocked down by a cold/flu in over two years. The last time was the week I quit smoking, so I had all this plus nicotine withdrawal. This is a piece of cake.</p>
<p>The good news is that I’ve continued my steady weight loss because I just haven’t had much appetite. It’ll probably be good for me. I’ve been exercising five or six days a week for four months now. I wouldn’t be surprised if I bounce back strong with the workouts. I’ll probably go for a walk this weekend and pickup with the iPod nazi on Monday.</p>
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<p>What a brilliant, commensensical idea! I don’t think the docs will go for that though. They like holding all the power. I noticed that the PT’s are all referred to by their first names, but not the doctors!</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t either. Even competitive athletes take a self imposed week off a few times per year just to facilitate muscle recovery. Even though you’ve been sick, I bet you’ll pretty much take up where you left off, particularly if you are able to get in a walk or two this weekend.</p>
<p>Mousegray - good observation about calling the PT by the first name. When my father-in-law was hospitalized, it was funny watching my sister-in-law interact with physicians. She was accustomed to a different “ranking system.” She has her doctorate AND was a colonel, so while she was respectful to the docs, she clearly treated them in a more collegial fashion. Some docs loved her expertise, others not so much.</p>
<p>Our insurance plan now allows you to go to a PT without a prescription from an MD for 6 visits. This is a HUGE improvement. I went to my PT before I saw the orthopedist for this hamstring thing.</p>
<p>I wish I could find a good PT. Went for six week for my knee. Worse. Yoga helped (and my doc suggested it…imagine that!)</p>
<p>Went for a couple of visits for my elbow…and the PT put me in a splint to immobilize it. Billed me $300 bucks out of pocket. And it was worse after a week. I sent it back and told them I wouldn’t pay for it. </p>
<p>So I’m not inclined to try again…but I’m sure there are good ones out there.</p>
<p>^Why don’t you swim? If I have any pain in my body, I wait for summer to swim it off (I do not like to swim inside). They just started 6am swimming at my pool. What a way to start your day! Works better than coffee! So much energy for whole day! I have no idea why is it so different from other exercises (which I do when pool is closed). Swimming definitely produces some chemicals in a body that makes you feel good with lots of energy.</p>
<p>miami…really good suggestion but I’m a horrible swimmer. I had lessons when I was abut 8 and they let me wear nose plugs…lol. Not a good plan. So I can tread water and swim to save my life…that’s about it. I thought about lessons but I really don’t enjoy it much so why fight it?
I love biking and I do lots of walking and yoga. I’ll add weight lifting when my back and arm feel better.</p>
<p>I am as horrible if not worse. My D. laughs at me all the time. Why do I care if it makes me feel good? Why would you care, just try. Walking works for me off season, but I get very tired after it. I cannot do yoga at all because of vertigo and it seems that it is very easy to hurt yourself with yoga. I learned to swim in my late 30s by myself, just like rollerblading in my mid 40s. Both of them are favorites, but morning swimming is the best. I use fins and do 20 laps with kicking board. Alltogether I have increased my distance to 1.5 miles (108 laps - again D. laughs at this). 1 lap is a good start. But if you do not like it it is not going to work. Nobody can make me to go on bike (I can bike, but I am scared of it).</p>
<p>Well maybe I could do it with fins and a kicking board. I’m a bit scared of water and never got the breathing figured out for doing laps. </p>
<p>I REALLY enjoy yoga. Everything is so fast moving these days and I feel like I’m losing my attention span. Yoga calms me down. I do the meditative kind…and have a teacher that encourages everyone to go at their own pace. No pressure…no competition. Love it. Should have done it LONG ago to balance my Type A tendencies.</p>
<p>No workout today for me. I took today off as I was busy packing. I worked out the last 3 days and yesterday did a double… hopefully back at it again on Saturday…</p>