Why I Love to Exercise

I am thrilled to be writing my first blog for Healthworks, and I want to begin by addressing the issue that always comes up when I find myself in a discussion about health and fitness: yes, I do love to exercise and …. no, I am not crazy for loving it.  I actually enjoy going to the gym.  But I always have, and here’s why.

It’s nearly impossible for me to set foot in a gym without thinking of my mom.  She always made working out look like a great time.  From the time I was a little girl, sitting on the living room floor with my blocks and puzzles, Mom would be jogging, jumping, and twisting in her leotard and headband.  I wanted to have a pair of gray KangaROO sneakers (with the little zippers on the sides!) and to do jumping jacks and leg kicks just like her.

 When I was a teenager, she took me to the YWCA where she taught aerobics, when it was called “aerobics,” and step class in a studio with carpeted floors and pastel walls.  She would bop around the room, yelling over the Pointer Sisters on her mixed tape, and I would try my best to keep up. From the very beginning, working out seemed like a kind of dance party or an excuse for friends to play great music, wear their hair in ponytails, and just boogie to forget about everything else for a little while.  Of course, there are days when I would rather sit on my couch than hike all the way to the gym, but most of the time I look forward to the gym because I know there will be a group of amazing women there with sneakers on and their hair in ponytails, ready to de-stress with fun moves and maybe a few pushups.

I know I’m lucky because working out has always been a good experience for me.  I thank my mom for that.  She made it fun.  And it makes me wonder, can you remember how much fun it was just to hop up and down as a kid?  Or dance with friends? Or just change out of “grown- up” clothes into comfy sneakers and sweats?  It feels great.

 - Sarah

Workout Buddies

One of my strategies for going to the gym lately has been to find a workout buddy. Recently, I went to Fitness Flashback with my friend, J., and we had a lot of fun dancing to 90s pop songs. This week, another friend, E. and I went to Zumba together – it was great! First of all, I can’t say enough how much I love love love Zumba. But part of what was so fun about going this week was that I had a friend with me. I accidentally stepped on her toe (I am just that coordinated), and we shared a laugh and a high five in the middle of class.

My first ever workout buddy...she inspired me to lose almost 60 pounds.

Sometimes going to workout with a friend gives me a little extra push – in Zumba, I definitely added a little bounce to my step, and kept me going for the entirety of the class. I knew that E. was right there, and that she was pushing herself, too, so I had to just keep going! Over the summer, my friend A. and I used to go to spinning classes together (sadly, she’s since moved away), and that was really helpful to me, and forced me to think about my form and endurance – she’s so athletic and has been spinning for years. In fact, she’s the one who got me to try spinning in the first place.

I think that at sometimes, going by myself is enough of a challenge – especially when I’m feeling really motivated to compete against myself, and really push myself to go the hardest I can. Sometimes, though, I get tired, and think that I’ll just relax for this song, and take it easy. That’s why I like having a friend in the room. You won’t catch me dozing in front of J., E., or A.! I always benefit from a little extra competition, whether its real or imagined.

Do you have a gym buddy? What’s your system?

- Hannah

Coping with Injuries

Running and I have a complicated and intertwined relationship. In my post-college days, I came to focus on running as a source of stability in my life. It was my solitary pursuit, my attempt at self-definition, and it made me feel solid, self-confident in a very physical way. Sure, there were days when I hated it, but setting new distance goals made me feel accomplished, and soon I was totally obsessed to the point that I was overdoing it, running 7+ miles a day and increasing my speed without a cross-training regime.

Almost exactly a year ago, running and I had to “take a break” as I incurred a pretty severe stress fracture in my pubic bone. When I began to gradually feel the aches and pains, I ignored them, attributing them to self-diagnosed ITB problems (the proud mark of a “real runner,” I thought), and later, when the pain became debilitating, to a pulled groin. I guess the ones you love the most can also hurt you the most!

The unfortunate aspect of my injury was that it was fairly uncommon, and so I was left wholly underprepared for the emotional side effects. However, in dealing with the five months away from running, I slowly formed my own stress-fracture coping manual to help myself mentally, emotionally, and physically heal while being separated from an activity that had come to define me. While breaking your pubic bone is pretty unusual, this is advice that I would give to anybody with a stress fracture, including the more common metatarsal stress fractures.

• Get Proper Nutrition: My eating habits pre-stress fracture (PSF) had been erratic at best. I skipped meals at times at times or, on the other end of the spectrum, justified my fatty nutrition-deficient meals and drinks with my day’s calorie burn. Faced with the realization that my body actually could become vulnerable and needed a defense of strength and fortification, I forced myself to eat regularly, and upped my nutrition intake. I now incorporate much more dark leafy vegetables into my diet for the calcium benefits and make sure to eat yogurt and drink milk on a regular basis.
• Take Supplements: As with my PSF eating habits, my vitamin intake habits were inconsistent. I thought at age 27 I did not need to be bothered with taking pills every day. Sure, if it crossed my mind, I would pop a calcium pill, but I was not at all regimented about this. I remedied this by finding calcium supplements that are actually delicious. Adora Disks are some of my favorites. Chocolate AND calcium? Yes please! When I don’t want to spring for the expensive bag of Adora chocolates, I often buy a box of the Viactive calcium chews when they’re on sale.
• Be Prepared for Your Body to Change: It does NOT necessarily follow that an injury will yield a weight gain. In fact, I knew runners in college who actually lost weight post-season when they weren’t running as often. However, weight gain was a reality for my situation. Given my history of skinny-preoccupations, this was at times led to an almost unbearable sense of frustration. Ironically, I mourned my muscular man-ish calves and thighs the most! They were symbols of my running identity. Remind yourself that muscle can be rebuilt, and you need the proper healing time to even think about weight loss again.
• Adjust Your Fitness Regime: I was lucky enough to have an amazing sports-specific orthopedist who was also a runner and had had a stress fracture. He understood my compulsion for activity and gave me a suggested list of activities. A stress fracture does not necessarily put you on the sidelines. Key word: cross-train. Changed my life. His general rule for me was: if it hurts, DO NOT DO IT. Pretty simple. In the beginning of my pubic bone fracture, this limited me to biking and the elliptical. Swimming actually hurt my hip when I kicked, but can be very useful low-impact activity. Physical therapy armed me with a series of (hard!) muscle-building activities that invigorate my interest in weight and core training. *** This comes with the caveat that every person and injury is different. Make sure to clear any physical activity with your doctor.
• Be Good to Yourself: Gone were my days of walking 4 miles home after work, gone were my days of getting up at 5:30 to get in an 8 mile run before work. And you know what? I had way more time for myself. I focused on other extracurricular interests such as reading and writing, and just healing in general.
• Talk to Other Athletes: My friends, although sympathetic, did not quite grasp the severity of my emotional response. While I did get the, “Oh sh*t! You broke your hip!?!” response of incredulity, most of my friends did not understand the depths of my depression at mourning the loss of running in my life. Then, I talked to a close friend who had had her share of running injuries and who offered the pity and maternal coddling that, indulgent as it sounds, really helped me. I felt justified in my emotional breakdowns, and yet strengthened in knowing I had a support system of people who cared about my well-being. And that it would get better.

The bottom line with stress fractures, and injuries in general, is that they do get better. But, you have to be proactive in allowing your body to do its work in the amazing natural process of healing. I was able to take the positive out of my experiences: I developed an absolute love for spinning during my second stress fracture this year, and I became more aware of cross-training in general. My eating habits improved, and I am developing a new relationship with my body. We’re on pretty good speaking terms these days. And running? I know that running will come back to my life; however, we may have a really good relationship as “just friends.”

- Joanna

Role Models

I have been seeing a “diabetes doctor” ever since last October when I received my “pre-diabetic” diagnosis. He checks my food records, asks about my exercise for the week and gives me advice and encouragement.

So far, he’s been very pleased with my progress and last week he called me a “role model.”  I said, “I’m actually a role model for myself.” That interchange made me think a lot about the concept of role models. Can we actually emulate someone else’s positive experience? Is it helpful to see that others have succeeded at challenges we find daunting? I’m not sure.  Having been overweight for my whole life, by this point I have read scores of stories of people who have lost enormous amounts of weight. While I often admired them for their persistence, their experiences did not spur me to do the same.

There were several reasons for this resistance. That person wasn’t me. They weren’t living my life. They didn’t have my problems. Most importantly, they had found something in themselves that I apparently lacked—mental toughness—determination—commitment—resolution—call it what you will. I was born without it. I was congenitally incapable of sticking to a diet and/or exercise routine.

Then I was told I was pre-diabetic.  Horrified at the possible consequences (blindness, amputations etc.), I realized that this was it. It was now or never. No more excuses. This diagnosis worked like magic. All of a sudden, I was as determined, as resolute, as committed as anyone I had ever read about.  I am certain that I will reach my goal. There is no other choice.  I know I can do it because I am doing it. I am, in fact, my own role model.  I am so grateful for that diagnosis. Without it, I would still be a 256 pound couch potato. Instead, I am now a 218 pound woman who actually enjoys moving. Even more importantly—I have found the quality that I admired in all those others.

Before

After

 

- Cheryl

 Who is your role model?

Mind Games

Another cold snap this week, brr! I’ve spent the past two weekends hibernating in my apartment on account of the cold weather. I still managed to make it to the gym a few times, but I’ve mostly been maintaining homebody status while waiting for the thaw.

To keep myself entertained indoors, I’ve taken up a few healthy hobbies: cleaning, and playing games. Why are these healthy? While cleaning burns calories (think sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc.) the effect of de-cluttering is also very mentally healthy. I find that it’s much easier to feel relaxed at home when the house is neat, and there aren’t miscellaneous piles tucked away in corners. I’ve taken to clearing my closets of old clothes that I don’t wear anymore (including my “skinny” pants – never a good idea to keep those around for too long), and selling good quality items to consignment stores, or giving away to Goodwill. Another new healthy indoor hobby is playing games. Not the high-tech video or computer games, but old fashioned games like mancala, dominoes, and poker, as well as brain exercisers like crossword puzzles. I love being able to be entertained at home without getting sucked into a mindless TV marathon. And learning new games, especially ones that involve strategy, help keep my mind in shape.

I love dominoes

- Jean

What indoor activities can you do to keep yourself stimulated and healthy during these winter months?

Heartbreaker

It feels so nice to be back in the groove of training. I honestly can’t believe how soon my Disney Princess Half Marathon is – it’s only a little more than a month away! It is really starting to feel like a reality. One of my friends even bought me a tiara for the occasion (I have run in costume before, but never with a tiara, so this is looking to be pretty exciting… and sparkly).

Last Sunday, my team and I gathered to run the Newton Hills. Just to set the tone, I should let you know that it was 14 degrees on Sunday morning, and for the first half hour of my run, I actually could not feel my toes. I think I need to invest in some warmer wick-away socks! Running in such cold weather is very challenging; normally, as your body moves your muscles warm up, but when it is so cold, it feels like all of your energy is going straight out to the atmosphere. It also makes you feel really stiff.

Cold weather aside, it was really exciting to run down Commonwealth Ave, and I very much got the sense that I was in the midst of a running community. There were so many runners out that morning, all training for the Boston Marathon on the actual course. Even though I’m not running in the Boston Marathon, it was still powerful to feel a part of something so big and connected with so many different people. I ran for 2 hours, up and up and up hill, and finally reached the peak of Heartbreak Hill before turning around. Heartbreak Hill isn’t actually that big of a hill, but it occurs at mile 20 of the Boston Marathon, just as many runners hit the dreaded wall. I honestly can’t imagine running up Heartbreak Hill after moving for 20 miles (which is a really far distance). I hit the hill at mile 4, and that was challenging enough!

- Hannah

My running team and I will be training in Newton this weekend – will I see you on the course?

One Small Step for Most Folks—One Giant Step for Me!

If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll know that cardio is not my favorite. But while I find the bike a bore, dislike the treadmill and consider the elliptical punishment, there is one machine that strikes even great fear into my heart—the Stepmill!

For the past three months, I have watched fellow exercisers struggle on this diabolical machine while I pedaled away nearby. I have also heard my daughter’s stories of the torture of stepping. I thought I was safe from this particular torment because my knees aren’t great. But last week Bonnie said, “Okay. It’s time to try the Stepmill.” I whined about my knees and she pointed out that I walked upstairs without a problem. I cried that the first step was too high! I was too short! It was too scary! She wasn’t buying any of it. “Two minutes,” she said. “Just two minutes.”

So I clambered up onto the dreaded machine and began “climbing.”  As anyone could have predicted, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined. Of course, I was on about level 2—but I was doing it—just like all of those other folks I had seen. I did my two minutes and hopped off—very proud of myself. One more challenge conquered!

The dreaded Stepmill...not so bad after all!

- Cheryl

Which cardio machine is your least favorite?

The Joy of Walking

When I moved to Boston last May, I decided to live in Beacon Hill mostly because my daughter lives here and I wanted to be close by, but also because I wanted to be a true city-dweller and live without a car. Walking would good for my health I knew,  and  if I had a car, it would be much more difficult to convince myself to walk. I walked more last summer than I had for years. But I still found the mile to the Pru something to be avoided on most days. (Many taxi drivers benefitted from my laziness.)

When I started at HW in November, I felt very virtuous on the first day I walked there from home. It took about 30 minutes and was actually enjoyable. Bonnie (my trainer) told me that walking outside was as good (or better) than the treadmill or the elliptical, as long as I walked at a good enough clip. In an effort to get me to the gym, she even told me that if I walked there and felt very resistant to more exercise, I should just forget it and go to the spa. This was great psychology.  It got me to HW on many days when I couldn’t bear the thought of cardio; however, I never completely skipped it.

Even though I haven now gotten over my dread of cardio machines, they are still not my favorite. So a month ago a bought myself a pedometer and started walking in earnest. (I also bought long underwear, so I could walk when it was really cold). My pedometer is great. I have owned several that didn’t work well, but this is an Omron and it’s very reliable. One great feature is that in addition to recording the gross number of steps I take in a day, it breaks out the “aerobic” steps—these are the steps I take at a rate of more than 60 steps per hour.  It also gives me the number of minutes that I walked at that rate or faster, so I am able to count those minutes as legitimate exercise.

I am aiming for 10,000 steps a day, but most days I far exceed it.  The pedometer really has encouraged me to walk more and more. One remarkable Saturday a couple of weeks ago I hit 19,000!  Last week I walked from Beacon Hill to my department at BU (2.5 miles) in 70 minutes.  I’m very short (5 feet) with a very short stride, so I was really moving. I can’t wait until the weather gets nicer, so I’ll be likely to walk even more.

- Cheryl

 Do you incorporate walking outside into your exercise routine?

Marathon Training

I’ve been out of training mode for a few weeks; although I ran while I was traveling, it was hard to stay in official half marathon training mode. I was really nervous for last weekend’s long  run, because according to my calendar I had missed a month’s worth of real training! My calendar said that I was supposed to be up to an hour and a half, but the longest I had run while on vacation was 45 minutes.

On Sunday, I woke up early and started my pre-running rituals. I drank 2 bottles of water and ate toast and peanut butter, and then I put on some of my cold weather running gear. It ended up being really beautiful outside, so I didn’t even bother with a hat or gloves. The rest of my team was in the same boat I was in, and we decided that we would try for 1 hour or 1:15.

At first, I felt really lethargic. Running in the cold means it takes a little while longer for my muscles to warm up, especially since I don’t stretch first (stretching cold muscles = bad). But once I got going, I felt like I could run for a million years. After about 40 minutes, I finally hit my stride. I didn’t think about anything, I only noticed the sound of my sneakers hitting the pavement, as I put one foot in front of the other. I think this is what they call runners’ high; my mind felt blank and I just kept going.

Although I was nervous about running for such a long time, I ended up hitting 1:27 – pretty close to the original goal of 1:30! It was such an amazing feeling. I can’t help but be proud: my schedule should have been thrown off after missing so many practices, but I was able to push myself and really accomplish what I set out to do. Sometimes loving my body can be a challenge, and sometimes I feel frustrated about my weight and strength – but sometimes I do something that my mind can’t believe, and I just have to admit that my body is pretty amazing. My body can do some really amazing things. Sometimes, I realize just how amazing I am, and it makes all of this worthwhile.

- Hannah

My half-marathon team at our first race

Frustrations

Last week, I set a goal for myself (actually, I do this every week) to workout 5 times. I write the goal on the top of my planner, and every day that I do a workout, I reward myself with a sticker. A giant sticker at the top of the planner means that I completed my goal for the week. I keep track of the classes I go to, my individual runs, and the amount of time that I exercise for. It really helps me to keep track of my workouts and feel as if I’m completing something.

My reward system

For workout 4, I went to a class that I’ve never been to before – rather, I’ve been to the class, but with a different instructor. The second the class started, I felt extremely frustrated that I couldn’t really do any of the exercises; it was like everything was so complicated and advanced and fancy, and I felt so weak and defeated! I felt like I couldn’t even do the modifications the instructor offered! I stuck the class out, and was happy that I made it through, but ultimately felt kind of silly and, to be honest, fat and out of shape. I know how important it is to, in the words of Dorie from Finding Nemo, “just keep swimming,” but sometimes swimming feels painful.

I realized a few things from this experience. The first is that I can not run on empty – exercising four days in a row may just be too much for me. I can certainly push myself, and push hard, but my body needs proper rest and recovery in order for me to do the things I want to do. I have realized this before, but maybe I didn’t really learn my lesson. I think I felt so frustrated with the class because I was really tired and sore from previous workouts. Something a little less intense may have been alright, but this class was so hardcore that I didn’t feel good about it. Secondly, I’m realizing that not every kind of exercise is something that I’ll like. It’s great to try new things, but at the end of the day exercise has to be fun, something that I want to do, not something I have to force myself into. The instructor was really nice and helpful, but I think that it’s ok that I didn’t like the particular class; it just wasn’t for me.

The trick is to stop myself from feeling defeated. In those kinds of situations, you just have to dig in and do the best you can!

- Hannah