Is this the right place to introduce myself? - JP Fitness Forums

graycyn · 03-05-2008, 09:02 PM

I didn't see any other likely looking possibilities, so I thought I'd post here.

My name is Cynthia, I live in eastern OR and I follow the Precision Nutrition style of eating and am trying to lose fat.

It's not been so easy at age 50 as it was some 8-9 years ago! Still, I took off over 30 pounds last year, regained 10 during a "lapse" of several months and am now nearing the point of having lost the 10 again. My goal is to get below 200 pounds this year.

I'm also hampered by a bad left shoulder and plantar fasciitis. So my primary workouts are pool workouts. A little swimming, water aerobics, water walking and jogging. I also own a Nordic Track and can use that a little. I'm thinking to add in trying a yoga DVD as the water workouts are wiping me out pretty good currently.

I mostly hang over at the PN forums, but thought it might be fun to register here and read and occasionally post.

MuscleMom23 · 03-05-2008, 09:16 PM

Hey Gracyn my bud! There is lot's of stuff to read here!

Lost Dog · 03-05-2008, 09:25 PM

Welcome. Good job on the losses, so far.

Are you doing any weight training?

graycyn · 03-05-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuscleMom23

Hey Gracyn my bud! There is lot's of stuff to read here!

Yeah, there is! I've been stopping over to read every so often, but never got around to registering until a week or so ago. I didn't realize you were here too, but cool beans!

I don't know if I'll be over all the time, it's hard enough to find time for the PN forums, LOL! But we'll see.

Cynthia

graycyn · 03-05-2008, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Welcome. Good job on the losses, so far.

Are you doing any weight training?

Thanks for the welcome!

Not currently. I was, but I was getting my bad left shoulder really, truly aggravated, so I stopped.

And my foot doctor has pretty well nixed most lower body stuff like squats, lunges, etc... I'm not even supposed to walk for more than 10 minutes and only on the flat. I have to level my Nordic Track and I can only use it for maybe 20 minutes. I've tried longer, but each time, I seem to end with more foot pain and setbacks.

I admit... I ignored the doctor on this for a bit last fall and was doing chair squats with dumbbells and HIIT on my NT... only to really aggravate the plantar fasciitis to the point I was not able to do much of anything for a while! So now I am trying to be good and patient and focus on my eating and getting some more weight off.

So now I'm doing water aerobics, and working the movements by really driving through the water. I'm not entirely sure my shoulder is happy with this either, it was killing me last night, but it doesn't seem to be doing my legs or feet any harm.

I'm also water walking/jogging. Both recommended by the foot doctor and I really work at it. To the point where I am feeling lactic acid burn and get a good dose of DOMs after. I swim a little... but can't go hard at that thanks to the shoulder.

I'm thinking to try and bring some more core work in. I can do kneeling planks... full planks are a big NO for my feet... found that out first time I tried it... I nearly screamed. My trouble is I think my body is not ready for much in the weight department and then I push and then I am hurt again. I don't have a lot of upper body strength.

Cynthia

Cynic · 03-06-2008, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graycyn

Not currently. I was, but I was getting my bad left shoulder really, truly aggravated, so I stopped.

And my foot doctor has pretty well nixed most lower body stuff like squats, lunges, etc... I'm not even supposed to walk for more than 10 minutes and only on the flat. I have to level my Nordic Track and I can only use it for maybe 20 minutes. I've tried longer, but each time, I seem to end with more foot pain and setbacks.

It may be just a xase of needing to get some of the weight off, right? Or do you have multiple joint issues?

Tom@foresight · 03-06-2008, 10:43 AM

Welcome to the group!

TOM

graycyn · 03-06-2008, 12:13 PM

Thanks Cynic and Tom!

Getting the weight off should help with my foot problems, at least both my regular doctor and foot doctor think so. However, the previous time I had plantar fasciitis, back around 1993, I weighed less than now. So I suspect I will have to remain careful about my feet for some time to come. Now the pain is in my arches... then it was in my heels and very, very bad.

As for joint issues, my ankles were problematic in childhood and I have suffered numerous sprains over the years, on into adulthood. The last I remember was a slight one a year or two ago when I tripped in the back yard.

My wrists are less flexible than they were, I had a repetitive stress injury to my right wrist, then developed it into my left wrist. Chronic tendinitis in my forearms for years after that... and I think that my left shoulder issues developed out of this.

Cartilage torn in my right knee in high school from a biking accident. This is starting to bother me more and more going up and down stairs now that I'm 50.

The good part is I don't have arthritis and none in my family. I just don't seem to have the best joints. I carry my weight more on my body... and not around my extremities.

Otherwise, I may be very overweight, but I have no blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes issues. My blood work is all normal. I do have an enlarged thyroid, but my doctor does not feel it is a problem yet.

It is what it is... I have to cope and lose weight. Even if I can't do some of the best exercises for that.

Cynthia

Mahler · 03-06-2008, 03:29 PM

Welcome. You have definitely come to the right place. Lose pounds. Gain friends.

diamondpete · 03-06-2008, 04:54 PM

Hi Cynthia

Welcome aboard! Good work on the weight loss so far! Keep it up.

Jean-Paul · 03-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Welcome to the forums Cynthia! Looks like you'll fit right in.

Cynic · 03-07-2008, 12:51 AM

Congratulations on what you've done for yourself so far.

Ok, I did a quick google on plantar fasciitis, because I have no idea what that is. I found this on Wiki and it seemed as good as any:

Quote:

Plantar fasciitis, formerly known as "policeman's heel," is a painful inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia of the foot or biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation of the foot.[1] The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps of the day. It is commonly associated with long periods of weight bearing. Obesity, weight gain, jobs that require a lot of walking on hard surfaces, shoes with little or no arch support, and inactivity are also associated with the condition. This condition often results in a heel spur on the calcaneus, in which case it is the underlying condition, and not the spur itself, which produces the pain.[1]

Ok, so what has been treatment so far? What shoes do you wear?

graycyn · 03-07-2008, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynic

Congratulations on what you've done for yourself so far.

Thanks!

Quote:

Ok, so what has been treatment so far? What shoes do you wear?

The first week, he wrapped the arch in tape. But we haven't done that since. I also had to go on Aleve... a strong prescription the first week. Now I just take a non-prescription 200mg pill 3X a day. With food.

I have a Nike Women's Walker shoe, which he examined and we put different inserts in that give more support. I also brought him my slippers, which we added a lesser support to, as he said they already had pretty decent support. I am not supposed to go barefoot other than in the shower or the locker room. That's a pain in summer, but I have been good about it.

We are thinking to try a splint next. There was a boondoggle on insurance on that one. For me, the pain is primarily in my arches this time. The previous time I had it, it was excruciating heel pain. I ice frequently, using a frozen water bottle that I roll under my foot with some pressure. That helps the inflammation and also stretches the fascia.

I do think things have been getting a bit better lately. But it's kind of an up and down thing. Some days good, other days not so.

Hard pool workout today. One hour water aerobics... average heart rate 125 (a little higher than my norm) and I kept things in the mid-130s during the cardio portion. Then I swam for a quarter mile after, slowly. Then walked/jogged for a half mile with my quads burning.

Cynthia

Mon · 03-07-2008, 07:24 PM

Welcome to the board. What does PN stand for by the way?

Cynic · 03-07-2008, 07:35 PM

PN = Precision Nutrition

graycyn · 03-08-2008, 11:36 AM

Thanks for fielding that!

If anyone is not familiar with Precision Nutrition by John Berardi... it's basically a modified carb plan. 5-6 meals a day, most carbs from veggies/fruits, starchy carbs after workouts. I really like it, though it took me a year or so to really get my compliance up to par. That's still a battle, but it's becoming easier.

Cynthia

maxattack · 03-08-2008, 12:13 PM

hey graycyn, just wanted to say hi from another fairly new member. I follow PN as well, and really like it. I've done it since last July and have pretty good luck with it.

graycyn · 03-08-2008, 04:38 PM

Cool! I got my start with PN last January... but the binder arrived and then I promptly got really sick for like a month and a half. I'd just started getting back into my workouts and feeling good when I developed the plantar fasciitis.

Let's just say I struggled for a while with the PN eating. Then, I tried last years PN challenge, and got compliant, but was doing things the foot doctor had said no to, got my feet bad again and backslid entirely off PN and exercise for three months.

But I'm rolling again on the compliance.

Nordic Track HIIT session this morning... big crock pot of stuffed cabbage soup (low-carb) just started for dinner (Hubby is on midnight shifts and will eat around 10PM), I'm about to eat another meal, and then I've got to ice my feet. HIIT is not ideal for my feet. It wasn't what I'd planned to do on the NT today... but somehow, it happened anyway, LOL!

I am a little weird, 'cause I kind of like HIIT. Way less boring than just steady state cardio. The trick is not falling off the NT. Hubby proclaimed that I had a "nice rosy glow". I looked in the mirror, more like my face was beet red...

Cynthia