Cathe Fans Part 5

Hi Ladies, I forgot to hit en enter on post last night! DUH!!! Sorry for the long post.
Thursday night was STS #30 shoulders, biceps, triceps and PT, Wednesday I did spinning again since I got home late from the ortho's appointment. It turns out I have a nerve and not a bone issue. I have a condition called Morton's neuroma
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mortons-neuroma/basics/definition/con-20026482
Morton's neuroma involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to your toes. This can cause a sharp, burning pain in the ball of your foot. Your toes also may sting, burn or feel numb.

My doctor could feel the neuroma. I can't feel it but sometimes I feel something move much the same way that my bicep was moving when my shoulder was really bad.
I have to go back for an MRI and my choices would be a corticosteroid injection (NNOOOO!) surgery, change my sneakers.
Turns out that the biggest clue about my symptoms I gave the doctor's NP was the fact that one day I felt it was the 4th toe but that today I thought it was the third toe. As soon as I said he knew it was Morton's Neuroma. I was just reading more about it and this is something that could happen to people with foot deformities such as flat feet and bunions. I have both. Now the doctor didn't say stop exercising at all but the Mayo clinic suggests taking a break from activities such as jogging, aerobic exercise or dancing. Anything subject to high impact.
The big clue I got as to what could be the cause of this neuroma was when the nurse said this happens when people walk on the outer part of the foot. I have been feeling I was walking like that but I knew it was because of the Saucony's I got for the plantar fasciitis issue. The arch on the outer sole is built up so high that it was shifting my weight to the outer part of the foot on the small toe side. I could feel that and didn't feel right. It became obvious pretty recently maybe even last week that my shoes where placing me in that position. Turns out my orthotics on top of these Saucony's were too much. Thankfully I still had my pre-plantar fasciitis sneakers and I'm going to be wearing those. I can totally feel my placement being centered now. Can you stand it? I can't win! I tried to fix one problem just to cause another one.
So I'll be shopping for new sneakers this weekend. I really like the old ones I have but with the new orthotics they are a little small.
I need to have an MRI so I'm hoping I will get a call with an appointment. This MRI is done one day a week. Once I have an MRI date I will also get an appointment to go see the doctor.
If I have to have surgery I'd be out of commission for 6 weeks. I was told I could ride a bike but I don't see how if I can't wear my shoes. I'll be able to do upper body, abs that sort of thing. We're not there yet though. I hope the change of shoes will help.
I got a call this morning with my appointments for the MRI and the foot surgeon for 12/17.
I really don't know how much cardio work I can do because my foot does hurt. Now I know that the jumping I did on the trampoline was the last thing I did that left the pain there. That was the Plyo legs workout. Too much jumping I guess

Laurie, glad you were able to get your yoga workout in and that you had a nice weekend. Good job on the Chest/Back workout! I wasn't recognizing any of your workouts as part of the rotation that is why I thought you weren't doing it anymore.

Laurel, great workout and WTG on the higher weights! Killer combo today lady!
I really can't catch a break. I never thought my flat feet would cause so many problems.
It's about time you did some shopping lady! Good for you! I'm so excited for you! Are you going back to the house this weekend to check out the kitchen cabinets? If I were you I would be there tomorrow to check them out! LOL

Tami, so good of your DH to make you dinner the other night! Great workouts!
Have a wonderful time with your husband and friends! What a great deal to get more vacation and holidays with your new job!
I'm hoping the foot will get better with these other sneakers. I do my jumping on the trampoline but I wonder if that is not a good idea given that I have a nerve issue. I don't want to aggravate it. I don't want to have to give up my workouts so I have to give my feet a break.

Good night Ladies!
Thelma

Hi Ladies! Today I started with High Reps just to 'shock' my body back into our endurance phase. It felt good. For cardio, I started with X10 Cardio Blast and then did the Intervals and Circuits workout from Cathe's Greatest Hits DVD. A strange thing is happening right now, and I don't know what is causing it. But my standard cardio is beginning to feel a little less than challenging. I don't know if that is from the increased strengh or if it is from the cardio we have been doing. But, anymore, starting with those X10 workouts is one way I can ensure my heart rate stays up for my workout. Weird.....because I have only felt this way when I have been through an Insanity rotation. But I can think of worse problems to have!

Lingo10, welcome!! I highly recommend the LIS series. I don't have the cycle workout. And, as Tami pointed out, the step workout (Low Impact Challenge) is nearly impossible because of the choreography and poor cuing. But the other workouts are fantastic and there is little to no choreography in the other workouts making them easy to learn. But they aren't easy to do! I love the variety in this series, including a barre workout and two good yoga workouts. Please let us know if you have any specific questions in individual workouts!

Tami, I hope you enjoy your evening! That sounds like so much fun. I am sure after your DH being gone and your job, a little break will be perfect. Enjoy! LA is almost always sunny except for what they call 'June gloom' when it gets a little more dreary. When DH and I moved there, it was in June. And all the news people were complaining about the weather. Of course we had gone there from Alaska. And we just laughed!

Thelma, yikes on the diagnosis. A good friend of mine had Morton's Neuroma. She never had surgery (nor cortisone), but, as with plantar fasciitis, it took a long time to heal. Hopefully an MRI will give you a better idea of what you can do to get better quicker. Hang in there! We will be back at the house tomorrow to check those cabinets! Can't wait. And we have a closing date--December 19! Let's hope that stays firm.

Laurie, it has been forever since I have been to a wedding! How fun!! And how nice to have a new dress. Regarding the gift, gift cards always work in my opinion. I would recommend keeping it a reasonable amount, of course. Maybe something from a restaurant or something like that? Just a thought. And it would take a total removal of my bones for me to bend like the people in Eoin's workout! It is really amazing what some people can do with their bodies.

Enjoy the weekend!

Laurel

Hi Ladies, I hope you had a nice weekend. I had a restful weekend which I needed badly. My foot seems to be a little better. Ice helps a lot. Today was my day in the kitchen and standing for a long time didn't help. I had to sit down to do some of the prep work. My feet are feeling fragile. This is so disappointing!
I did Great Glutes on Friday and I loved it. The only thing I couldn't do were lunges. I tried one and OMG! My foot hurt. So I did other things like ab crunches and some of the barre moves I learned from Cathe. My hamstrings were feeling the workout on Saturday. Since I was on a lazy mode on Saturday I almost took the day off but I had to do my PT exercises and forced myself to do that mini workout. Today was spinning as always.

Laurie, I hope you enjoyed Plyo legs. It is a fun workout. How exciting about buying a dress and going to a wedding as the boss' wife! I would try to find out where the couple is registered at for wedding gifts. Otherwise; I have no idea what to give them other than $.
The new format for this website is not very user friendly. I prefered the old format because is didn't matter if you had to reply to posts on two pages. The thing allowed you to see the previous page.
Dang on the foot thing is right. Finding cardio work will be a challenge. I'll have to stick to very low impact moves and will have to modify, modify, modify.

Lingo10 welcome to the our group! You'll love the LIS workouts. We all love everything Cathe pretty much.

Laurel, Awesome workouts as always! I bet your body has finally adjusted to your regular cardio. X10 will definitely get your heart rate up. How about the Tabatacise workout? You're going to love Cathe's new Hiit workouts!
I'm glad your friend didn't need surgery or cortisone shots for her Morton's Neuroma issue. I have the feeling this thing will take longer than the plantar fasciitis. At least with the PF I was able to do something to make it better. With this neuroma thing all I can do is rest and ice. The ice has given me some relief. Last week I couldn't stand my favorite Birkinstock sandals and now I'm OK with them.
Did you love the kitchen cabinets? OMG! you'll be closing on the house in one month! Now THAT is exciting! I'm so happy for you!

Thelma

Hi Ladies! Busy weekend around here as we continue trying to make plans for the new house. It is coming along nicely despite the fact the painter seems to have disappeared. Looks like they are going to have to hire a new one. But the builder is pressing on, and we have kitchen cabinets! Very exciting. I am getting very anxious now.

Saturday was my day off working out. Yesterday I managed to squeeze in STS Disc 7/Chest, Shoulders and Biceps. I followed it with Hard Strikes. Today was X10 Hi/Lo followed by Intensity with the Bootcamp section. And then because I didn't do it yesterday, I did STS No Equipment Abs.

lingo, I hope you enjoy the new workouts!!

Thelma, I am really sorry to hear about your feet. Good job getting some workout in this weekend. You are right about healing with this Morton's Neuroma. My friend was in a lot of pain from it to the point there were days she didn't even want to go for a walk. And, like you, she is a very fitness-oriented person so it was difficult for her. Hopefully you won't get to that point with your pain, though. But the good news is she is completely healed now, so it isn't forever. And I do love my cabinets! The granite counters should go in next week as should the wood floors. Can't wait for that!

Laurie, great job with the workouts!! Yowza that's a lot of workouts! I am glad I am not the only one experiencing this cardio benefit from this rotation!! For a few days I was wondering if I was just 'dogging it' (as Tony Horton would say). But I am trying hard, so that isn't the case. Guess I will enjoy it while it lasts! Glad you enjoyed the wedding. Like you, DH and I had a very small wedding and, instead, focused on the honeymoon. I can't imagine spending thousands and thousands on a ceremony/party that lasts a few hours to be honest. But you and I are not the norm it seems, especially these days.

Tami, hope you had a great weekend. Just a few more days!!

See you tomorrow.

Laurel

Hi Ladies! Sorry I missed you all on Friday! We left early to get checked into the very fancy hotel we were staying at, relaxed and enjoyed a little snack and glass of wine prior to getting ready for the event. It was super nice and a lot of fun. DH thoroughly enjoyed himself since he didn't t know anyone except our new friends. LOL with his job when he goes to events he always has to be socializing and talking business, so it was nice to just be us and enjoy the food, wine (for me) and he enjoyed the special beer from the 30 breweries there. We were home around 12:30 on Sat and later that afternoon I got in a workout, Athletic Training and a dog walk. BRRRRRRR it was cold. Yesterday was STS Chest/Back and was headed out to our Volleyball tourn. When I found out we had to forfeit

Morning Ladies,

This morning the temperature read 8 deg, and of course that didn't include the wind chill. So it was a really cold walk with the dog this morning. My workout yesterday was Jillian's Killer Buns and Thighs Level 1, since I don't have the glutes workout, I decided that I would throw in Jillian for a change of pace. It was fun.

Laurel, Great workouts! I'm surprised that I'm not tired with this rotation either, that is another thing that I have noticed. I'm hoping it is because I am eating enough, and of the right ratio. Hope they are able to find a painter quickly for you. You are right, small weddings are not the norm. We went to my co-workers wedding this year also, and I don't know how much they spent, but it was a lot more than I think they needed to. He talks about the debt that they need to pay off because of it.

Thelma, Getting something in is great, and you are making it work for you. I keep telling the girls that they should save their money for a down payment also. I watch that show Say Yes to the Dress, and am astounded at how much some of these girls spend on the dress. I know that neither of my dd's will be wearing my dress, it is just to 80's.

Tami, I'm sure that you had all great things to tell us, sorry that your ipad wasn't doing what you wanted it to do. Great work on the workouts, and the volleyball tourn. I miss volleyball something, but then I look at my knees and remember why I don't play anymore.

Have a great day!
Laurie

Hi Ladies! Today's workout was STS Disc 9/Legs followed by Pilates Abs. For cardio, I did Rhythmic Step. That was a nice one for today.

Thelma, I am really sorry about your foot. I hope you get some more answers on it soon. I can only imagine how frustrated you are right now. Good job trying to get a workout in despite everything. You amaze me!

Laurie, great job with Jillian's workout. I was looking at the temperatures in your part of the country. That's cold!! We are feeling this cold front a little more than the last one. Right now we are sitting at 50 degrees compared to yesterday's 85. Believe me.....I am NOT complaining because, except for Miami and Hawaii, we are about as warm as it gets in the US right now! Crazy. But I like it because it is cool enough to make chili for dinner.

Tami, so glad you enjoyed your weekend! It sounds like a wonderful time with your DH. I so completely understand what he was saying about it being more relaxing than 'work' events. We had so many events when DH was in the military, and most of the time, he had to be 'on' for them. Sometimes it is jut nice to sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice evening out. I am sorry to hear about your volleyball, though. And I also understand what you are saying about your workouts right now. I have had stages like that too where I am just managing to get by on the minimum. But look at I this way......you aren't going backwards! So you will be ready to start pushing forward again when you feel like it! I will be thinking about you tomorrow. No doubt it will be bittersweet.....but more sweet than bitter I hope!

Until tomorrow!

Laurel

Morning Ladies,

Yesterday was my rest day so of course no workout for me.

Tami, Sorry to hear that the volleyball tournament didn't happen, that is unfortunate, but nice that you could go for some coffee with your BFF. Great job on the getting in your STS workout. Glad to hear that you both had such a great mini vacation. Sounds like you both needed it. I'm off all of next week, have a lot to get done since we are hosting DH's family for Thanksgiving and then we leave the next day to be with my family. Have a great time at your going away party, did they give you an exit interview? They do that around here, and it is a great way to vent you frustration with the company. Not that it really does any good.

Laurel, Nice workouts, looks like you are pulling out some fun ones. It was a bit warmer today, but then it was snowing during rush hour. Let's just say that at one point my heart rate was going way to fast because of stupid people and braking. I'm so glad that I have brand new tires on my vehicle. I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with the cold weather anymore. It is funny how chili just goes so well with the cold weather. I always love making and eating it.

Thelma, WTG on the STS workout, it is nice that you where able to pinpoint where your problem was. Yep we have a 10yr old German Shepherd, and is a big furry love. She loves her morning walk, but they are getting slower and slower with her arthritis. This weather doesn't help her either, but for some reason the colder weather is something that she enjoys. Must be all the fur she carries around with her. DH and I paid for our wedding also, there is no way that my parents could pay for it.

Have a great day!
Laurie

Hello all,

I just completed STS Meso 1 ... those pushups never did become any easier!

You know, when I do not perform ball wall squats for a while and return, I'm ALWAYS shocked by how tough they are to hold for any length of time. And yet, that strength returns quickly. Is this how aging catches up to us? We just stop and lose the ability to perform that exercise, some of us persevere and regain and others just let it go. (I'm expecting company for the holidays ... and anticipating/dreading the earful I'm going to receive ... half of "you exercise too much" and half of "I cannot walk or do situps, why do you think that is?" ... from the same person.)

These chilly weeks have been a mix of running, lifting, Susan Chung, Jari Love, and Cathe. I ran 3 miles with the pups yesterday, as we are in a warming trend (1) although my 40 degree weather cannot hope to match Laurie's 8 degrees, (2) I'm still expecting a pair of running pants soon (cold calves, coooold calves). My diaphram is definitely sore from breathing through my nose.

I'm still babying my shoulder and converting raises and overhead presses to something less intense. Which may be why the pushups never seemed to improve!

I'll be doing endurance lifting with light weights for the week, prepping to tackle Meso 2 week 1 Thanksgiving week (probably my favorite Meso!) Good way to help all that food go down.


As to the new Ripped with Hiit, they changed the short video intro music a bit. I thought it was a problem recording the first time I heard it. From the shorts, I'm interested in Upper Body Circuit; Floor Plyo Hiit; LIHI Back, Biceps, and Shoulders; and one of the Low Impact. I cannot wait for the last couple video shorts to make it to the big screen. That will be the money decision maker.


Thelma, my fellow shoulder sufferer, now you are suffering similar to my husband! He has a ganglion cyst at the base of his 4th toe. Ouch. Foot issues bother me, so my fingers are crossed that your neuroma heals quickly. Good luck with your shoe hunt. (Perhaps with your shoulder and foot on the outs this is a great time for core, glutes/hams, and back strengthening!!!)


Kira

Hi Ladies,
I did STS Disc #9 Legs tonight. Great workout! I tried the Bulgarian lunges today but I didn't feel safe and I didn't want to hurt my knees. I definitely know that I have to work the quads nut just the hams. so I decided to do my Knee 101 exercises with ankle weights. Basically straight leg raises which Cathe actually includes in the bonus section. So I'm excited about having thought about the leg raises.
I was actually able to do the back lunges with the disc. Had to keep it a little shallow but not that much.
My toe was acting up today but not bad like the other day. Today I was actually feeling the pain in the area where the neuroma is located at when I went down stairs and sometimes when I walked.
My new Merrells came today but they have to go back. The reviewers were right in that their new redesign made the shoes narrow at the toe box. They have to go back. I'm not sure what I can buy now but decided to try Land's End hoping that their redesign work for me because their shoes have never worked for me. Cardio tomorrow.
It was really cold here this morning!

Today my boss' boss called me in his office. We all dread going in there because it usually mean listening to his ideas for improvement and you come out of there with more work. He closed the door and he proceeded to congatulate me on the work that I been doing during the past year. I was brought into a dysfunctional team to help make it better. I didn't think I was having any effect on those people but some managers think I have. The managers are doing "round table" reviews where all managers in a given deparment get together and review people. I was told that everyone speaks highly of me including the guy who called me insensitive! He told me that he had never heard of anyone being spoken so highly of like people are doing with me. I couldn't believe my ears! He then went on to tell me that he had done something that is almost unheard of in the engineering department in our company and left me hanging there! He said I'd find out from my boss eventually. There is only one thing that I know is almost unheard of and that is a promotion. We are going to be getting our annual reviews next month so I'll have to live with the suspense until then. I'm not getting my hopes high but the fact that my work is being recognized in high places feels good.

Laurie, you should try Cosequin or Adequan for your dog's arthritis problem. Adequan did wonders for Tami's dog. As long as your dog enjoys her walks keep taking as long as she can do it. I think more and more couples pay for their wedding now in the US.
Let me tell you, I was glad I had read that article online about needing a wider toe box shoe in cases of Morton's Neuroma!

Laurel, great workouts today! I can't believe To The Max Extreme felt easy! That is totally amazing. Keep up the great work!!!!
I have thought about Yoga. At this point my shoulders would be able to handle it better but now I can't do things that put me on my toes. I have some Yoga DVD's I'll give them a try. that is so funny about your mom's cooking skills! We love turkey chili in our house too.

Hi Kira! Congrats on finishing STS Meso 1! Sorry you're still babying your shoulders but I 'm told it takes a while to get better. Modifying is good as well as using light weights. I'm still babyng my shoulder too. Thanks on the great wishes about my Neuroma. I've been adding more glutes/hams and defitily back.

Tami, great workouts and congratulations on your new beginning!!! Katy was tough last night! WOW! I'm so afraid of box jumps but that's only because I have to baby my feet and my knees. Great attitude about your going away party. You've earned it!
I could just imagine you smiling from ear-to-ear not being able to contain your happiness about leaving that job. I've been there before! LOL
I am trying to stay positive about continuing with the limited workouts. So far a most of the workouts on the rotation I've been able to do. Before it was staying away from the ones with too much shoulder work. NOw it's find something else to do instead of lunges. I have a solution for the lunges. I will do the ankle weights. I wrote a note on the rotation sheet I have about this Disc #9 having a section on ankle weights. I'll be using that for sure. I will give Yoga a try and maybe I'll learn to love it.

Good night ladies!

Thelma

ThelmaSW wrote: »

I have thought about Yoga. At this point my shoulders would be able to handle it better but now I can't do things that put me on my toes. I have some Yoga DVD's I'll give them a try.
...

I am trying to stay positive about continuing with the limited workouts.

...

I will give Yoga a try and maybe I'll learn to love it.

Thelma,

I understand your position thoroughly. I did not think I would ever get into yoga either. It was a gradual change (it also helped to find the intermediate/advanced poses).


If you want a yoga challenge, I recommend these DVDs:

Rodney Yee's "Advanced Yoga" (a lot of floor work, hip opening, and floor balancing challenges)

Shiva Rea's "Yoga Shakti" (she also has quite a bit of floor work: Transition, Backbends and More, Counterposes, and Inversions)

JJ Gormley's "Yoga for Every Body" (this will be more of a hunt and peck type DVD, as the movements are put into various workouts for you and you will need to preview them all to figure out what will work and what will not)


For YouTube assistance:

Shana Meyerson at http://yogathletica.com/ has some wonderful pose learning videos - check out her gallery.

Ali Kamenova at http://www.youtube.com/user/YogaIntervals19 has loaded a huge number of videos. I would stick with her ab videos until your Morton's Neuroma stops flaring.


Best of Luck,
Kira

Hi Ladies ~ Well the party was very nice and I have to say that the amount of people that showed up to wish me well and say goodbye was overwhelming! WOW nearly everyone I work with was there. Probably around 70+ people!! Some people brought me gifts and some cards, it was very nice. One of our owners (the two that used to feel like family to me prior to the "merge") drank way too much so it was an awkward goodbye at the end of the eve and the other one left early to go to a basketball game. Strange but not surprising! I had one glass of wine + lots of ice water and made my way around the bar/restaurant to visit with as many people as I could. One staff person who wasn't able to make it came up to me at the end of the day and gave me one of those never ending hugs and cried. I was shocked, she's a little rough around the edges and then that came out.... She said I'm one of very few people she always looks forward to seeing and I am always kind and say good morning with a smile. It made me feel a little emotional but all and all I just felt excited about the support from so many and moving on! No sads about leaving .... AT ALL!! A good friend of mine who works the front desk was very emotional but I told her we would absolutely stay in touch and get together. People always say that but I think if you keep the contact going it's easy to remain friends. Of course "Mr. Manager" was not there. I was relieved and able to relax. So this am. I had a nice sleep in, woke up to our first snow, had my coffee, got in my X10 combo of Hi/Lo + Cardio and then met my BFF a for a celebratory lunch! Ran some errands, put together a flyer for DH and a fishing trip next year that someone bought, ran a couple errands and that was my day! I had to stop by DH's office with that flyer (my soon to be office) and everyone I saw was so excited for me to be there and welcome! Felt amazing. I also received my final checks in the mail today!! One for my vacation time (3.5 weeks) plus my 3 sick days! WooHoo! I now have some extra spending money for LA!

Thelma: I am SO happy for you and your awesome meeting with your boss! It sounds like they are beyond thrilled with your performance and I bet your review will also reflect that!! Congrats the suspense is awful I'm sure, but just the positive comments have to feel really good! Nice job with STS a Legs!

Laurie: Awesome work with STS! You're right, it's beyond strange about our lack of reviews, communication, etc. We didn't even have job descriptions or employee manual until about 8 yrs ago. Are you planning on going right into the new workouts after this or something else and then those?

Laurel: another fabulous combo today! Way to work ~ I am planning on legs tomorrow, really looking forward to it! I can relate to what you are saying as well to Kira! DH is always saying I should take more time off, but I feel worse when I do. As of late, as I shared the other day taking a day or two here and there so close together has felt like a longer break than what it really is. I think that and the combo of being exhausted did not do well for me. But I feel like I'm coming back now! I was also thinking today that my nutrition was also suffering. Not junk food but very little food - my body didn't have the fuel it was needing either. Travel Fit will be a must for next week along with some HiiT style workout in my sisters backyard. Maybe I could talk her into taking me to her work at UCLA and I could get on some of their equipment! That would be amazing!

P.S. Made it until 10 a.m. today and the first question came in from my old job!
I will pick and choose at this point and definitely not answer immediately, because I know there will be more.

Hope you ladies are having a nice evening ~ I'll talk to you tomorrow!
Tami

Morning Ladies,

X10 Hi-Lo and S90D Cardio Challenge where my choices for yesterday.

Laurel, Love the bootcamp/kickbox combo from 4Ds for sure. Glad to hear that the energy level is still going strong. I know that I feel it also. We are suppose to start warming up this weekend with temps in the 40's. I tell you waking up to single digits this morning was not fun, but at least the wind wasn't blowing like yesterday.

Tami, That really sounds like a nice party, and interesting the people that you didn't expect to be so emotional about your leaving. Your day off sounds like such fun, I will have to do the same for next week when I'm off. I know that I want to get a lot of thing prepped for Thursday. A lot of baking will be happening for sure. Kind of wanted to do something else for at least a couple of weeks. Just to shake things up a bit, and then to see what Cathe comes up with for a rotation. I have to believe that if she doesn't provide one in the set, that she will have a rotation for at least Jan. I bet your workout was a lot more fun when you knew you didn't have to get to work right afterwards.

Thelma, WTG on the workout. Hope you are able to find a shoe that will work for you, has to be hard to find the right one. Check out some of the on line yoga. I know that Jessica Smith has a really good one that I have done in the past. It was a combo of pilates and yoga. LOL on the promotion and more work, you have to wonder sometimes why that happens.

Have a great day!
Laurie

This was just posted on Cathe's site: Though it's still too early to say for sure it currently looks like we should have Ripped With HiiT in stock the week after the Thanksgiving holiday.