JANUARY 2016 Monthly Challenge
Options
Replies
-
Joell, actually walking irritates the sciatica... The longer I walk, the worse it hurts. I don't know why, but this has been my experience... and one of my biggest challenges. But the strengthening exercises I have been doing, and yoga poses, are giving me some improvement so I am hoping to be able to increase my walking soon. Swim class felt pretty good this a.m. Oh yes, my acupuncturist has begun adding electrical stimulation to the needles and we'll see if that helps.
0 -
If I could not walk I don't know how I could control my weight. I used to run and dance and do aerobics- now I have a bad knee. Steps are difficult. So I walk outside, on my treadmill - but my foot is acting up0
-
Well, I have begun to get my act back together and I would say 5 of 7 days I have hit my goals. HOWEVER I am really frustrated because I have not been able to exercise as intensively as I need to, since I have been babying my back. I think that has to come to an end, because I gained .2 lbs for the week.
I am going back to more cardio and I will continue to do the back exercises. They have helped but I think this is going to take a while. Grrrr...
Sharon, so sorry to hear that your brother-in-law's situation remains precarious.
@mkramarz - the hypnosis program I use, I got through an online course in Daily Om. It's not my favorite, but it's better than nothing.
I hear you! If I could not walk I would be in trouble- I am only 5'0 - that plus my age gives me 1280 maintainence calories! If I didn't walk I would barley eat! My knee is bad and my foot is swelling but I walk through the pain. I am not sure that is a good thing but what is the alternative? The pool here is closed till Memorial Day0 -
Maybe a bit late, but my challenge for January and throughout 2016 is to shed my bad habits and embrace the new ones, mostly as it relates to food. Specifically, I will log in every day, exercise every day and consume fewer than 1,200 net calories, with a goal of consuming less than half of the carbs I am allocated. You all are so inspiring! Marla0
-
Joell, actually walking irritates the sciatica... The longer I walk, the worse it hurts. I don't know why, but this has been my experience... and one of my biggest challenges. But the strengthening exercises I have been doing, and yoga poses, are giving me some improvement so I am hoping to be able to increase my walking soon. Swim class felt pretty good this a.m. Oh yes, my acupuncturist has begun adding electrical stimulation to the needles and we'll see if that helps.
Kathy, sciatica can be so painful. My husband gets it from time to time. He takes short walks and does yoga to stretch everything out properly. I hope would think swimming would be good and it is a great way to burn some calories.
I have friends who swear by acupuncture, hope that treatment helps.0 -
I frequently think about the apologies I owe my home health patients because you just don't know what its like until you are there! My worst sin was saying, well you have your nights and days turned around, just stay up all day when you want sleep and readjust your schedule! Yea right! How much easier said that done! Now I am at that age where I have to work through all the aches and pains and new and old problems! But we keep on keeping on don't we! It's good to have a place were we all understand that!
0 -
I have been following through with my support plan and it is working. At LONG last I have an actual release of weight to report for the week: 3.6 pounds. That in spite of the fact that I was traveling two days and didn't meet my exercise goal for the week as a result. It seems like it just all came off "whoosh" ... Which happens from time to time. Very weird, but I'll take it.
Sciatica is getting much better because of those exercises!0 -
I have been consuming the needed iodine. I can't know who successful I have been in altering my TSH number til I get retested towards the end of Feb. but I think the results should show up.
This month has been about tweaking micro nutrients for me. I have also been trying to be more accurate in measuring, there always seems to be room for improvement in that area.
I hope everyone else is making progress, the month will soon be over. I will be posting the Feb. challenge soon, I am going to be traveling a bit and want to make sure everything is up and ready for you.0 -
I'm working on reducing stress, because that's a binge trigger, which I succumbed to this weekend. Today we got to play tennis! Yay! The physical therapy exercises have so much improved my foot and ankle, and I feel confident with my balance. Double Yay!
0 -
Sharon, that's great that you have experienced recovery enough to get back on the court!
0 -
Sharon, so glad you got your game back with PT.0
-
I recently had a lot of back pain and I was also blaming it on my sciatica, but I hadn't been doing my stretches and working out while I was sick over the holidays. When I returned to the gym and started stretching, I was fine when I stretched my lower back, but, I felt like going through the roof from pain in my lower back when I did the hamstring exercises. I then remembered my massage therapist a while back mentioning when I asked her to concentrate on the muscles in my lower back that she thought my discomfort was actually tight hamstrings. She worked on those equally and it felt great.
I asked my dil who is a physical therapist and she said that tight hamstrings and hip flexors are one of the most common causes of lower back pain. They connect, so if the hamstrings are tight, they pull on the lower back muscles. I doubled up on my hamstring and hip flexors stretches after that. After a week or so, still some back discomfort, but not while I'm stretching and it has gotten a lot, lot better. Something to keep in mind when your lower back starts to ache. It might be a combination of both. Might also be why your yoga helps some, Kathy.
Let's face it, all joint and spine problems improve when surrounding muscles are strong and stretched.0 -
@grandmothercharlie - Thanks for those observations! Yes, just today I was using the stretch machine at the gym and really felt my hamstrings and hip flexors were benefiting from it. I do think they are involved.
The yoga pose that feels the best when the sciatica is bad is King Pigeon. It just feels great and gives me immediate relief. But all those other muscles are included in the round of exercises I do. It is much better, thanks! (The best improvement is that I can walk for 20 - 25 minutes again without pain.) But to keep it at bay I think I have to keep this routine going.0 -
Wow, how did this month go so fast! I have been busy, but feeling well. I have fallen on and off with journaling and that is never good! On the other hand, I have been faithful with the exercise and eating healthy so I have maintained a bit more than my 3 lb goal and will journal this weekend so that I will hopefully maintain it! No weekend plans and dh is working so I do not even plan to leave the house this weekend! I have been running all week and want some days to just paint!0
-
I am pleased with the results of the January challenge - met most of my goals about 85% of the time... I am weakest on finding time to do meditation and hypnosis.
I have released 6.4 pounds of the weight I had re-gained. This represents the time period just from the 10th of January on, when I got back on the wagon. So NOT BAD at all! I'll take it.
Patting myself on the back - how many calories does that burn?
Janet, that is exactly what I am doing this weekend - leaving the house as little as possible and getting stuff done. (Since I cannot paint, I am doing mostly bookkeeping.)
See you all in the February challenge! ~ Kathy
0 -
Looking forward to February. :-)0
-
I closed out having made my weight loss goal so I am happy!0
