Yoga

So a couple weeks ago I went to my first ever yoga class. I loved it! And since then I've been to two more.

I have been talking about going to yoga for years, and for some reason I never actually did it. After my ankle I knew that I was not strong enough to do it because I could barely stand on my right side, much less balance and hold a pose. After finally feeling better and getting stronger after my second surgery I decided it was time to try yoga finally!

I loved it! But it is really hard! I guess I thought it would be mostly stretching or something. And it's even harder than Pilates. But because I have been working out with my trainer I am actually getting stronger, so I was able to hold a lot of the poses. My main problem area to work on is flexibility. I am so tight! But I am hoping this will help stretch out some of my muscles as well.

My other worry is that I was told never to even walk around without shoes on after my surgery, so exercising and standing on my right foot without shoes on is worrisome. I walk around without supportive shoes on at my house all the time and don't have a problem. But actually balancing all of my weight on my right foot, barefoot, is another story. I am hoping this is not adding to my current knee pain. I also noticed my right ankle/foot has been more swollen recently and am worried this is a sign it does not like yoga. For now I have been icing and resting when I can. I hope I'm able to continue!

Amazingly, I can also do this (although don't look quite this good I imagine)! But is it hurting my ankle??

Progress (until last week)

I have been so excited about my fitness progress recently! I've continued working out at least weekly with my trainer and also added in cardio on days I don't work out with him. I started a "Couch to 5K" app so that  I could slowly build up to running again. It helps to do the intervals of walking and jogging. IT'S BEEN 20 MONTHS OF ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS!!! Getting back in shape HURTS, but finally in a good way! 

I might be high on endorphins, but I love working out again. I love the challenge of working with my trainer. He also quotes movies and tells me funny stories that make me laugh when I'm working out. I love my couch to 5k plan. I'm loving getting back in the gym! I'm planning to get in the pool soon too! Everything was going great until last week. Here's what (I think) happened...

The whole right side of my body has been out of alignment since I got injured in March 2011. I was put in a walking boot and that tends to throw you off, because your feet are two different heights. Things got worse after the first surgery. Of course one side of my body had to get stronger since it was being used, while the other side atrophied while recovering. I also began to sleep with my foot up on a stack of pillows to get it above my heart after surgery. It was so weird to get used to at first. And I had to sleep on my back to keep it up there at first, which I hated! Eventually I got used to it. I have literally been sleeping with my right foot elevated on at least 2-3 pillows since September 2011. Eventually I could sleep on my stomach or my side with my foot still elevated. This has really been rough on my right hip. So recently I've noticed that standing for a while, like while at a swim meet, my hips and back hurt SO bad. Like SO BAD!! Then last week my right knee started acting up. Thanks a lot right knee. I don't need this!

Last week I told my trainer Mike about my knee and he had me back off some leg exercises. My arms got an extra workout that day! After a LONG swim meet Friday night, I spent the rest of the weekend resting my knee/ankle/hip. It felt like it was ready to go. Today I headed back to the gym to do a couch to 5k cardio workout. I could feel how bad my knee was when I was first warming up and walking. When it came time to jog I could not take the pain. I had to get off the treadmill and tried to use the elliptical, thinking it would be easier on my knee. It was easier, but I still had pain. So I got off that too and went home. I'm so bummed.

Tomorrow I will be putting in a call to my physical therapist to see what I should do. And next week I see my ortho surgeon again - it's supposed to finally be my last appointment! I thought I would have good news for him, but now I'll need to see what I should do to get back in alignment and stop having this crazy knee pain!

PT now = Personal Trainer

I originally wrote this post in the beginning of December and never posted it officially... oops!

For Christmas my parents bought me sessions with a personal trainer. This is like the best gift EVER and I am so excited about it!!

I wanted to get back into working out safely. I'm an athlete - I know I'm out of shape and I've been on activity restrictions for almost 2 years now. I can push myself, but I like it when someone else helps push me. And I really wanted to make sure I didn't push myself too hard too soon, or do something wrong, and re-injure myself. A personal trainer is definitely an investment, so I was beyond excited that I got sessions as a Christmas gift.

I joined the gym my sister has been going to. It's awesome, and way less expensive than Freedom Center. When I signed up for personal training the guy was like, "Do you want a male or female trainer?" Of course I said, "Definitely male." "Oh, you want someone to push you? I have just the guy," was the response I got. Awesome. No seriously, I was way excited.

Last week I met Mike. And he is awesome. After an assessment day, we got to the real work on Thursday morning. Oh my gosh, I am out of shape!! I mean, I knew I was out of shape, but this was ridiculous! And Mike was like, "You did great today! This was great for a first day!" Oh Mike...

After my work out I felt awesome, but tired! I was SO tight. Apparently my muscles were so tight that they were pulling things out of place. When I got to New York that night I allowed my friend who is a chiropractor to adjust me for the first time. It was scary and it hurt a little, but I felt so much better. WOW!! Since then I've been trying to stay looser, because she's not around to fix me! :)

Tuesday it was back to work with Mike. It was a little easier this time! And he was very impressed that I remembered how to do things correctly. I woke up Wednesday morning with sore legs and a left arm that I couldn't straighten. (Yay!) Every now and then I get a tendinitis flare up in my bicep tendon, and that seems to be the problem right now. I had another session with Mike today, and luckily I was still able to do all of my exercises even with my bogus arm. He continues to push me and be simultaneously impressed that I'm improving. I don't see it, but I appreciate the positivity. Today he also brought me this heart rate monitor thing which was awesome. I would really like to invest in one if I had the money because it just keeps track of so many things for you and tells you where your heart rate is at. I was definitely able to keep mine up pretty high!

Onward!!