Lu's Workout Journal

[fitoverforty]

Hey Lu! Where are ya? Just cause you are leaving for Aruba soon, doesn't mean you get to slack off on your workouts!!
Just kidding I hope you are feeling better! Take care of yourself girl!!!

[ldematto]

Hi Guys!

At the airport leaving soon. Lots going on! Installed new gym yesterday, I am so excited!!! Talk to you later, I will be working out every morning (great gym at the hotel) and will report in if I can.

Keep up the good work!

[ldematto]

Hi Guys! I've been at the gym every day since I've been here, normal schedule of weight training and cardio. A little different due to different stuff and back has been killing me! Defintely need to go to the doctor when I return. But I'll be ok and will report back in next week!

[fitoverforty]

how 'bout a little more relaxing and a little less working I'm not sure...but I think that reclining in a beach lounger with a fruity drink and a good book is pretty good therapy for a sore back.
Take care of urself girl! Have fun! Rest up and save your workouts for when you get home...remember you have all that new home gym equipment to try out!

[ldematto]

I'm back!! I visited the gym everyday cept 2, mostly cardio as the weight section wasn't great. Used the Lat Pulldown Machine - did rows and other various DB moves, but the DB's were weird - can't explain, BUT I'm back and aside from getting on new Treadmill today - I will begin home program on Monday minus any BB movements as the plates have not arrived yet. The good and bad news is I gained 5 lbs...it could've been 10 lbs!! It's very hard to eat clean on vacation but I did best - a few cocktails didn't help either, but even that was done in moderation.

I've got lots to do so will read all your posts and get back into daily reporting - workouts AND food (I need to do that!) no later than Monday!

I missed you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fitoverforty]

Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!! so glad you are back!!! missed ya girl! I hope you had a great time and got some much needed rest! You did good, don't worry about the 5lbs., you'll have that off in no time.
Yey!!!! Lu's back - all is right again in the Shapefit universe!

[ldematto]

Nice to be back !!

Since Saturday I have not worked with any weights, but did use the treadmill. back is still bothering me. While in Aruba back finally felt ok so I did some weight training (1/2 of what I was use to) and the next day the pain was back Today had another deep tissue massage but plan to make an appointment with a doctor to take a look see. Can't be fooling around with the back

I am so excited about new gym (I posted pictures on Facebook and will do so here as soon as I shrink them)! The first couple of days (Sat & Sun) I did a pre-set interval program at level 5 - the higest interval was 6 mph, but wasn't terribly challenging - the intervals were longer though....today I created a custom program, 2 minutes WU,4 intervals, [email protected] mph for 1 minute, then 1.5 minutes at 3.5 mph, 3 @ 6 mph for 45 secs, then 1.5 minutes at 3.5 mph, 5 minutes at 2 mph and 20 minutes at 3.7 mph. The intervals didn't push me to limit, but I think a good place to start. Depending on back and when I get into see a doctor will determine when I get back to weights in earnest. HOWEVER, Swanso or anyone else too can probably advise what I should be doing at a minimum in the meantime (it would be most appreciated as well)

FOOD is really where I need to focus for the next couple of weeks while recouperating. Since I've been home I've done really well. Breakfast has been Weetabix (2 bisquits) & melon,snacks: 4 oz yogurt (45 cal) and almonds, or 4 oz low fat Cottage cheese (90cal) and almonds, salad with chicken tomatoes/cukes - dinners (chicken and spinach, 1 night with 1/2 sweet potato, the other with just a little pasta in sauce)
Tonihgt I'll be making Beef Tenderloin with a few boiled red potatoes and asparagus. I haven't had any protein powder since I've been home - used it in Aruba on Weetabix and after weight training I had a shake.

As it turns out I've lost 3 of those nasty 5 lbs I gained so I'm VERY happy! I'm hoping to switch some things up becasue I've been on a plateau for too damn long! I want to reach 160~!

Ok - I'm off to read and find out what ya'll been up to! I know you've been working hard!!

Enjoy!

[Nokie173]

Welcome back woman!!! Yeah... hope your back is ok... SEE A DOCTOR!!

Where the heck can I get this.....Weetabix??

[ldematto]

Where the heck can I get this.....Weetabix??

In the Organic Section maybe? store was going to discontinue it until I asked them to keep it stocked. If you can't find any send me your address and I'll mail you a box so you can try it!

How are you doing Nokie? Missed you!

[Bonnie]

Glad u r back

[Boss Man]

Try doing something like Icing the affected area for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day. This could be achieved by using the icing pack as a lumbar /sacral support when sitting, like a sort of Ice cushion.

You can't really use compression very easily, or elevation with a Back.

Sleep in the Fetus position, in order to reduce stress and pulling on the Spine.

Unless the Back pain is really, really serious, and maybe coupled with severe inability to bend it, or really bad discolouring, you should be fine to train mildly with it.

Firstly, try a few Deadlifts with no weight, then progress to an unweighted Bar. If that gives you no pain, add as little as possible onto later reps, until you can find over the coming 2-3 sessions, a point where tolerance is. You might find a couple more lbs over the level will cause very slight pain on the first couple reps, then you'll know to take the couple of lbs off and stick to that.

Next session you do stuff like Deads, if you have gotten to the actually using a weighted Bar scenario, add the couple of lbs back on and repeat the cycle, until you find a new tolerance level.

Don't do stuff like Squats, unless you use DB's, and go light working up, just in case. I'd suggest half the normal weight, doing a couple of tester reps, each time, same with Lunges, and also benching. Benching could promote a bit of Spinal Lordosis, (lower Back inward curvature), so go low on the weight, as you could get residual impact channelled through to the Back from the reps, even if you keep Lower Back straight. Again this is about finding a possible tolerance level.

For Abs, if you can handle Planks, do those, if you can handle stuff like Roman Chairs, (bringing the knees parallell to Hip Flexors, whilst off the ground), do those as well.

Finding a weighted tolerance level, means you can do something, even if it's only 20% of normal weight, it's going to help stem atrophy. Don't however be tempted to go lighter then use more reps. Prescribed reps only as per usual.

If you can do Hip rotations before exercise to loosen up, do those. Hands on Hips, rotating the waist clockwise and anti-clockwise for reps, to loosen up some of the surrounding lower Back area.

Try a couple of reps either way to make sure it's okay first, and easy does it, no wild exaggerated / fast movements.

[swanso5]

do exercises that keep the wt close to you or that doesn't require anterior stabilisation

so do lunges with 1 db held up at your shoulders, cable stuff, bench stuff and plenty of floor based glute/core activation and itb/quad foam rolling

keep away from deads for now where the wt is out in front of you

[ldematto]

Thanks Boss Man and Swanso - I think the concensus is that it's ok to reduce weights to a point where there isn't pain, but to maintain exercises that won't cause further harm - Keep weights close to body with no forward (bending in front) motion (deads) Maybe without weights?. I will begin tomorrow adding BW exercises (floor stuff, leg raises ok? - Bridges, planks) and other exercises as recommended. It funny how you get nervous when you are hurting - I didn't want to shy away completely - too much progress to jsut throw away and have to start all over again. Thanks!

[PandorasVise]

I hope you enjoyed your vacation Lu.

~Patty

[ldematto]

Thanks Patty! I posted on your thread - Congrats!!!

Today:

Sprint 8 - Pre-Set program on Vision Fitness Treadmill

Level 6 or 7 - meaning 20 minutes, the highest interval (8 of them) at 5.8 mph, starting with 5.3 then 5.5 I believe the rest were 5.8 for 30 secs, however all intervals were at incline level 5. Recovery was at 3.7mph 0 incline for 1 1/2 minutes. Felt good - not as challenging as it coulv'e been - will defintely increase level next time, but love the program! I finally set the date in the machine so that I can track workouts....so cool!


Leg Raises 2 x 12
Supine Bridges 2 x 10 holding 5 secs
Combo Quadruped Circles/Glute Kickbacks 2 x 10 x 2
Prone Planks 2 holding 40 secs
Lunges 1 x 10 no weights, 1 10 with 15 lb DB's
Shoulder Press 15 lb DB's - 2 x 10
Bench Press 2 x 15 Bar Only (45 lbs?)

That's all for various reasons - one that I had to make some calls and go to probate - take care of "life" stuff!