Consistency and Persistence

The whole key to getting into shape and losing weight is a thing my son used to say: "consistency and persistence."

21 Jul 2008 After my run today, I went to see Howard, the physical therapist. His experience spans fifteen years of physical therapy specifically for athletes including therapy administered to the Brigham Young University (BYU) Athletic Department as well as high school and in-home patients.
His whole goal is to get you back in the game asap. He is the first one I go see if I have an injury, before I see a medical doctor, I go see Dr. Howard. I went because of my painful knee and foot that have been bothering me off and on for two years. (a bit of history; after my Austria trip I came in with pain in my knee. He said it happened to people who rode on planes for many hours and gave me some exercises. He said I had injured a ligament, I believe and it would take months and maybe years to heal)
I reminded him of the injury from the Austria trip, and he remembered. He gave me so me follow-up exercises to continue to heal the knee pain. Then he said that when I walk, my feet or ankles pronate , and I need to get good running shoes. He advised me to go to a good running store and have them analyze my gait, then they would recommend the proper shoes. He said the foot pain is called peroneus brevis. You can click the link to see what wikipedia says. Because of pronating, it affects the muscles along the side of the leg, the knee, the thigh and calf.
He then gave me good exercises to help fix the pain which are working, and some good advice on my running program. He also advised me to do wall push ups, that I need to be working my upper body, and that would help to burn calories as I conditioned those muscles as well.
Hoping to get advice on not injuring myself, I asked about easing back into an exercise routine after not doing much for several years (at least not out on the road, I have been less than consistent on the treadmill, but actually getting out side: notsomuch)

He told me to get out e.v.e.r.y.d.a.y. There goes the "easing in" theory. So when I awake feeling sorry for myself, I need to just get up, stretch and get on the road. heh heh.
He also told me not to expect to see any results on the scale for 6 weeks. During this time my muscles will be built up, and reducing the fat, the scale won't show much change, but the fit of the clothes will definitely change. Which is so discouraging to me, since I want to see scale results e.v.e.r.y.d.a.y.

update: I have been going out every day, even though I feel miserable at first, and it really helps. I don't feel so bad after I get my body moving for awhile. In fact, I feel better.

The following is going to be a constantly updated log of my workouts. I am trying to eat more healthy, avoiding any highly processed foods, white flour, white sugar, etc. More water, more fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, meat sparingly. I make sure I drink a protein powder drink after my exercise supposedly to help revive cells and build muscle. If Sam or Heidi have some raw suggestions to substitute for the protein powder, I will gladly listen and try it out.
I use Google Earth to measure my distance. Such a cool tool~click tools, ruler, path.

So Here Goes:
21 Jul walk/run 3.61 miles (every other telephone post) to within 2 telephone posts of Lyman house 1 hr. about
22 Jul walk/run 3.75 miles to within 1 telephone post of Lyman 1 hour
23 Jul walk/run 2.25 miles track (1 mile there and back, then 1 1/4 around track) bought new shoes with corrective insoles ($170 YIKES) today in Salt Lake, so excited
24 Jul walk loop 3 miles 1 1/2 hours. feet and legs hurt with new shoes (so discouraging. I expected to be walking on air, or maybe clouds for that kind of money)
25 Jul rode bike 4.25 miles around circuitous route for 40 minutes. Discovered after living here for 22 years, that the reservoir is not far from here. Found the ditch road is very hard on my poor backside-very washboardy.
26 Jul 27 Jul took weekend off. Helped Sailor prep fence uprights with linseed oil, thinner and pigment.
28 Jul walk/ran 4.18 miles to one telephone post after the Lyman house in 1 hour. It is amazing how much I have improved my time in just one week. These shoes are still hurting my feet, but the running store returned my call and told me they will fix the problem and to come back before a month is up. I noticed heat in the balls of my feet and a bit of pain in the right knee.
29 Jul walk/ran 4 miles on the track. 1 hour. I changed the insoles in my shoes to see if that helped. I really don't know, now I feel knee pain in both knees. I ran the straight of the track and walked the curve. The track is boring, but a good thing when you think about maybe getting too tired way out in the country and still having to get back. But on the other hand, it keeps you going if you are in the country walking, you have no choice, and the track, you can wuss out, like I did today, I didn't do that extra lap because I was lazy. The lap was in keeping with improving every day, and since I did 4.18 yesterday. . .
30 Jul biked 4.32 miles, 45 minutes. I can hardly stand any more than this long, the seat just kills. I need some gloves or something to protect my palms from the rough grips as well. Worked up a sweat. I biked south and enjoyed the wonderful farmed land aroma. Grain in graineries, alfalfa blossoms in fields ready for the third cutting, and corn fields. It was just beautiful. It took me back to our farm in Colorado. Today D3's wife is having a baby. . .
31 Jul. No exercise. We went up to Salt Lake to help D1 and SIL1 move from their apartment to their newly purchased house. We got home at 3 a.m. and were too wiped out to do anything in the morning. It is really hot today, so I doubt I will get out, plus my legs are really hurting today. Maybe the bike ride wasn't such a great idea.
S3 called around 9 to tell me they had their little girl, Kollette Amore. She was 6 lbs 8 oz, 19 inches long. She has dark hair and dark eyes, he says her eyes look like his.
I worked on the wedding dress today and almost have it ready to try on the bride on the 2nd. I will start a new post in August to track my exercise. I don't intend on giving up, but I need to stretch this cramping in my thigh and knee. ouch. Tylenol time.
~a