{Flip Side} of Workouts

I've told you how great Fit Body Boot Camp is, but you should know the challenges, as well.

I have come to understand that the hard work of losing weight is consistent workouts and eating right. With this post I'd like to focus on the hard work of workouts; I'll save the eating right for another day.

Knee pain, back pain, arm pain, leg pain, ibuprofen, ice packs, and rest are all components of my hard work with Fit Body.

If you've never done a boot camp or any regular exercise, I just want you to know, there will be pain. And, again I'm going to say it: THERE WILL BE PAIN.

I don't have a magic time frame of WHEN the pain will stop (and maybe for some it never does), but the pain mostly goes away after a while...mmm, but then it comes back. OK, yes, it goes away again...but then it comes back, again. And you know what? You kind of like it when it does, as long as it doesn't stay too long. From my perspective pain seems to be a way for you to know that you are working your muscles, gaining new muscles, and getting you stronger.

Setting goals and focused workouts

I believe to accomplish a goal, you need to work hard and follow a system to see completion. Last January, I put on my goal list to lose 50 lbs. I've been writing this down for a few years in a row so it wasn't a new goal. What I failed to do those last few years was set down a clear process for myself to get there.

This year, while I had regular exercise in my weekly plan, I didn't really know what I was doing. A little bit of elliptical, a little bit of weight lifting, and all without instructions or a clear plan. I also did not track what I ate. 

That's where Fit Body came in the picture and gave me FOCUS. Workouts were 30 minutes in and done. Sometimes I would do two sessions, but that didn't happen until some of the pain had died down. Not that I was in pain during the workouts. The trainers, of course, told you that you should listen to your body and not continue if you were in pain. The pain I'm referring to was the pain that comes afterwards - the stiff muscles, the sore back, the knees that talked back when you go up and down stairs, etc.

I here to tell you, that the pain is worth it. Even when you go to bed every night (after a soak in the tub) with ice packs and ibuprofen. Oh, and you read that correctly, ice packs. As in more than one. 

So the lesson from me to you is simply this: don't be afraid of a little pain. 

What some others have had to say about pain:

“Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret!” – Unknown

“Fall down seven times, get up eight” -Chinese proverb

“Pain is only weakness leaving the body” – Unknown

“Strength is the product of struggle” – Unknown

“How am I to know what I can achieve if I quit? – Unknown

“Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you” – Ovid

“The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground” – Unknown 

“It’s about mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter” -Unknown

“There are only two options regarding commitment, you’re either in or your out. There’s no such thing as life in between.” – Unknown 

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4 

This post in no way prohibits or excludes me from complaining about said pain. 

more miles, more smiles

This summer is turning out to have a bit of travel in it for me!

I left Minneapolis a week ago Friday evening and stopped at a friend’s in Watertown which is roughly half-way to my parents. I spent Saturday morning visiting a couple of friends and then headed East again. I detoured through Lake Geneva and took a picture or two of the lake. I love it there! but I didn't want to waste too much time since I had made this a two-day trip... :(

The first part of last week I was able to help my mom prepare the house for 14 people before my Dad had pilonidal cyst surgery on Wednesday. I didn't realize my parent's house was so big until I had to clean it! I took care of dusting, vacuuming, bathrooms, ceiling fans, etc. We also went to the grocery store...hmm, fun!

On Wednesday, the surgery went well and Dad made it home to recover in only a few hours. He did really great the day of and day after surgery as he still had lots of pain meds in him, but he slowed way down each day after that. Of course, there was a lot of excitement around the house as my new niece, Lily, came for a visit the same day. Anna had picked up Jake, Meg & Lily from the airport in Indy and they drove up and met us at the house.

Funny story about the waiting room...

Mom had gone back to sit with Dad before his surgery. I waited in the waiting room and when Mom returned, I headed out to get us some lunch. When I came back we left some of our things (bag of snacks, water bottles, and a book) on a chair and went to a kitchenette area to eat our lunch. We ate and chatted but didn't get a chance to go back to the sitting area before a nurse came to get Mom because the surgery was over.

I went to wait in the sitting area until she came to get me. I didn't go sit by our things because a lady was sitting next to the seat with our things and I didn't need them. I had my phone and was checking email, facebook, etc. I looked up a few times and noticed the lady had gotten interested in my book. No harm, I thought.

I didn't think much of it until I heard rustling of a bag and looked up to see her rummaging through our things and unzipping the bag with our water! Ok, I guess I should move the stuff out of her way... I walked over and very sweetly said, "I can move this out of your way."

As I had approached her, she had put her finger in the book and moved her arm across the back of a chair. She said something about wondering what it was and maybe something else, I don't really remember because I was eyeing the book. She was acting like it was hers... "I guess, I need the book, too." I said...and finished in my head, since it's a library book.

She very hesitantly said, "It was just getting good." I didn't explain that it wasn't her book because just then Mom came to get me to go back to see Dad. I just smiled and walked away. Thankfully she was gone by the time I came back out to go get the car to take Dad home.

Anyway, back at the ranch...The rest of the family trickled in each day for the next two days: Jen's arrived late on Thursday and Jess & Luke arrived late on Friday. All 14 of us were together so we were able to get a family picture on Saturday morning (I’ll be sure to post it when I get a copy! I think Jake's editing it for us).

I had to leave Sunday to make the 9 hour drive back and the rest of the family trickled out throughout the rest of the day and also today…except for Lily and her parents—they get to stay until Wednesday.

Hopefully my dad will heal quickly and then be able to have surgery for his herniated disc. He’s been in a lot of pain from that since Easter. He describe the pain that goes down his legs like a “220 volt”.

My trip home was mostly uneventful. I did stop in Watertown for a couple of hours and catch up with the Kurschner sisters. Oh, and when I arrived back in Minneapolis there was lovely construction greeting me when I was only a few miles from home! I was detoured downtown with no further signs of assistance. Now, I do work downtown, but not in the area where I was diverted from the highway...so my trip lasted a little longer than planned.

It was good to be back and sleep in my own bed!