21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 1

"OK" I told myself, "today will be a new day".

Had a great quiet time this morning in James 1:2-7. "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing..." All of you fit-mongers understand that the inability to train is a huge source of frustration (dare I say depression). I am determined to believe what I know - and that is that this is a time for me to learn and to iron out some wrinkles.

I nearly completed the Echo painting that my mom had asked for to put in they're new house in the Philippines. Those tiny flowers take forever! The only reason I was unable to complete it, was my sister skyped me, then my dad google-videoed me, then my mom called me through magic jack so I would go to my computer and do a web chat...3 hours later...time for baked salmon with a hint of lemon dressed with Buerre Sauce Bechamel for the Lukester.

WORKOUT
Iso abs 100S/10secondR
Iso squats 8S/30secondR no rest between reps

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Power Protein Shake (Banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: 1/4 cup Cottage cheese and 4 strawberries Forfeited, was still way too full from Meal
Meal 3: Onion Soup / soupe a l'oignon
Meal 4: Avocado; whole grain bread with peanut butter NOTE: this is not well balanced, I recommend replacing the PB (fats) with a boiled egg (protein)
Meal 5: 1/3 C Yogurt with 1 heaping Tbs pulverized almonds and 1/2 apple, sliced
Meal 6: Fish soup and cabbage


I am dressed for the day! Not shlubby, as would depict a bum who is depressed about not getting to run. ^_^

Workin on it,
Faith


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 20

A Little Piece of "Real"

I miss running. I've been taking one day at a time - and taking each thing of the day one at a time. Breakfast, then pack Luke's lunch, then work, then lunch, then....etc. But nearly every day I get hit with the overwhelming despair...I can't use my legs.

It's gorgeous outside! Since we live on the 3rd floor, I can't even leave our apartment to go sit by the pool or even hit the fitness center or coffee station. If only the elevator was not such a great distance I might be able to make it if I took it slow.

I am trying my utmost best to keep a great attitude and usually am successful. That is, until I realize I had it in a compartment-ed box that falls down on top of me.

By the end of week 2 I really thought I had kicked this psychological frustration, but it keeps coming back. Running was just such a huge part of my day. Now I have hours of dead time. GET OVER IT, FAITH!!!

I NEED to get out of this rut!!

I am making a list of 25 things that I will do for the next 21 days, maybe the deadline will keep me from the debilitating moping. I refuse to be victimized by an injury!

1. Finish Echo painting for mom
2. Start creepy-circus painting
3. Tune and learn one solo piece on the cello
4. Put London scrapbook together for Mother's day gift (hmm...need to get a scrapbook and lignon free tape)
   
5. Make a list of supplies for brother's graduation table
6. Contact church youth to make sure on schedule for Youth Sunday
   
7. Brainstorm how to finish the "green" painting for Phil. house
8. Sort pictures for wedding album project
9. Work towards pull-up goal of...10... (that's reasonable right? in 21 days?)
10. Write a letter to each missionary we are supporting
11. Our taxes & come up with a new system to track expenses so that 2011 taxes will be cake
12. [Daily] Study Psalm 63
    
13. Make real crepes
    
14. Write an email to my mom in her native tongue [Ilonggo]
    
15. Go through closet for items we don't wear --send to the Philippines
16. Build something out of wood
17. Make paper
    
18. [Daily] Learn and use one vocab word that I have never used before
19. Make new pillow cases (ours are on the fritz)
20. Not be shlubby even though I'm just at home
21. Plant an herb garden
22. Learn a tango piece on the piano
23. Read "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken (been trying to get to it since last fall)
    
24. [Daily] Isometric exercise
    
25. [Body allowing] Grill out!
    

To my readers...I am committed to end the moping sob story and instead finding a way to be active and healthy no matter how long it will take to recover from this injury.

Recovery Day 19: Diet, Isos, Dedication

Recovering from a broken tailbone is taking way longer than I had anticipated. I've broken enough bones and torn enough tendons and ligaments to know how long it takes to recover, but for some reason I still had it in my head that I'd be fine in a couple weeks. I was just told that it will probably be until mid summer before I am back to normal. I love the ability to focus entirely on a good schedule of eating though. I have also had time to try new recipes that I usually only have time for on the weekends.

Iso-squats that I did yesterday felt good, but the tailbone [tissue/muscle/ligaments area] is achy today. It's amazing how much you use your tailbone!

Logged 10S/12,16,14,12,14,16,18,12,10,10R seated shoulder press
100S/10secondR iso-abs

My goal today: consume 60 oz H2O.
Reached! by 5:30pm

Meal 1: Strawberry Vanilla Oatmeal Protein Shake
Meal 2: 2 oz Ground turkey and whole wheat pesto pasta with pine nuts and red wine vinegar
Meal 3: Bowl of steak pepper-pot soup
Meal 4: Lo Carb Monster energy drink; Yogurt with almonds and 1/2 apple, cubed
Meal 5: Bowl of steak pepper-pot soup (why waste leftovers? ^_^)
Meal 6: 4 oz Salmon and steamed broccoli

Hope everyone is eating healthy and staying dedicated to your 2010 goals no matter what!

Pina Colada Power Smoothie

1/2 cup frozen organic pineapple
1/4 cup shredded all natural coconut (no added sugar)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 scoop vanilla protein

Orange-Julius Oatmeal Smoothie

1/2 C oats
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C milk
1 Navel orange
1 packet Truvia (or your choice of sweetener, not sugar)
5 ice cubes
*optional, add 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein
*optional, add 2-3 large strawberries or other fruits

Recovery Day 18: I Spit On "Take It Easy"

I woke up feeling strong. I creeped out of bed and as soon as my feet hit the ground I was reminded that I am not healed yet. Boo.

Funny, but inconvenient: Somehow my coccyx pillow sprung a leek and therefore will not stay inflated. Alright then...today will be lots of standing or sitting on my hip. :D

Yesterday I only had time for 100 reps of abdominal isos, but today I will make time for legs and, if I can find a comfortable way to stand or sit, I will attempt shoulders.

My mom is the strongest woman I have ever met. (She is in the Philippines right now) She does not say "I'm so sorry that you're in pain", she says "I'm so sorry that you're in pain, just be sure to stay productive - use your hands to get things done. Paint or get organized." haha I LOVE YOU MOM. and yes, I will do [and am doing] just that.

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19:00 Finished my protein shake just in time before the 07:00pm cut off
20:00 Logged 8 sets of 30 sec iso-squats; 100 sets of 10 sec iso-abs (those are hard to keep accurate count! had to bust out the pen and paper ^_^)

Starting to hurt a bit. I think the squats were a little much today. Ibuprofen and I'll assess in the morning. Come on broken tailbone...you can take this.

Recovery Day 17: It's 7:00 Already?!

When you make a rule for yourself to help reach a goal, it is vital that you stick to it. That is why I am so against making a lot of rules like "no carbs" or "no gluten". Rules that facilitate a healthy lifestyle are what you should aim for, not trendy or short-term rules.

I recently [re]started the "no eating past 7:00" rule. Your metabolism is not constant and as it nears the end of the day, it begins to slow down (WAAAAAY before you even think about sleep). When I was weight training for growth, it was important to just eat good and at regular intervals. However, without the ability to workout (other than minor isometrics) I have to sing to a different tune.

It's rough. I get the munchies around 10:00 (my 3 hour mark) and it is torture! I must say...I am a glutton for punishment.

Dinner tonight was leaner than usual...on accident...I snacked on an avocado and orange-oats smoothie and then before I knew it, it was 8:00! ack! I missed dinner!....If I were training, I would eat anyway, but my body does not need it, so........torture tonight and lots of water.