Oxygen and Fresh Air

I ran three miles three days ago, and my knee is still doing bad things.  Lots of popping and things relocating, some tension in my hamstring to go along, it all feels like my body is telling me, no matter what you have to prove, I will fail you if you fail me.  And I am tortured by the thought of not pushing through it, but I know it is like playing Russian Roulette with my body.  Permanent damage to such a vital part of my body would have me back in heart attack range in no time.  It is one of those situations where I cannot afford to not listen to my body, despite my mind acting like a spoiled child.  So I have to come to terms with the fact that walking it at as fast a pace I can maintain, is going to have to be my go-to option.  On the surface, I'm OK with that.  The rest will fall into place.  I don't have another option.  When I think of living every day with bad knees, especially knowing it was somewhat preventable, I can't do that.  Part of the reason I wanted to lose the fat is so that I could be fit enough to keep up with my kids.  People with bad knees are generally not very active. 
Anyway, I am feeling like I need some fresh air in my diet and fitness world.  My diet has been similar for so long, with only one or two changes every few weeks, I am getting bored with the food and my exercise has been all over the board, no consistency.  So I am devising a plan to help freshen things up.  I am making a binder to help keep me more organized.  I will record everything I put in my mouth and any workouts.  My binder will also include recipes, strength training routines and inspirational photos from my favorite fitness mag, Oxygen.  I want to stick to something positive for a month before deciding whether or not to A. ask my husband to look at my diet for weak spots or B. see the nutritionist here at work.  If I can stick to something good for a month, I think I can figure out where to go from there.  If not, maybe I need help figuring things out.  I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on what to do, I just need to commit to myself again, and make it a priority. 
Today I began the task of going through some old issues of Oxygen to gather the aforementioned goodies for my binder, and it got me back in the groove of thinking about my fitness level vs my fitness goals.  I came across an ad for a book called Think and Grow Thin by Charles D'Agelo.  I had never heard of him before, so I went online to research who he was and why Oxygen would have his ad in their mag.  All of the reviews on Amazon were glowingly positive and people have lost a lot of weight following his program.  I would love to hear if any of my readers have any experience with this plan?  I am inately skeptical, and didn't buy the book, even though it's affordable enough, but it got me thinking about diet success.  Everyone gets fired up at the beginnning of a program, it is a new adventure peppered with so much hope and vision, I nearly bound out of bed with joy when I am beginning a new plan.  The question I am trying to answer is, can I get that same feeling from starting the same thing over, or does it only come from starting a new plan?  The reason my current plan isn't working for me is because I don't adhere to it.  Half the effort should lead to half the results.  And I guess in a way that's true, I haven't passed the point of irrevokable damage, once I stay commited for a week or two, the inches usually start coming off again, I am effectively maintaining at an overweight place, instead of returning to obesity.  But that's not good enough for me.  My dream was to have a wild physique.  Well, wild in comparison to what I've always looked like.  I definitely improved on the physique I started with, but it's not wild by any stretch of the imagination.  So it's time to fire myself up again about what is posible, and bring back that driving feeling of hope that has made me successful in the past.  Maybe a new book or workout is part of the trick to get my mind back in the game, I won't rule it out.  But in the end, what is most useful is the same trick I've had hiding up my sleeve for a year and a half now, belief that I can do it, that I am a force to be reckoned with, and that if I keep throwing my noodle against the wall, eventually it is going to stick. (Yummm, noodles!)
Here's to a hope-building-Tuesday. 

Comments

  1. Have you seen a doctor about your knee? Mine starts hurting if I try to run more than three miles but I usually run on roads so the impact doesn't do my joints a lot of good. Maybe you need to run on a softer surface like grass.

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    1. I would probably pursue it if I had a long-term goal of keeping running in my regimen. My knees are just telling me I am too old, and have spent too many years being heavy to handle all that impact. I've come to terms with it. I'll let you run on my behalf, friend. :)

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  2. Like I always do, I shall recommend yoga. Is there a yoga studio near you, particularly one offering vinyasa flow? Popping joints (which I originally read as "pooping") can't be any fun!!

    Pearl

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    1. Whew! I am really glad my joints are popping and not pooping! I think I am going to finally take your advice. My body does feel old and stiff and crabby. Here I thought it was just this blasted midwestern weather!

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