Pilates Pictures...Or... Pilates Attempt Pictures

I told you all yesterday that I was going to try Pilates last night - and I did. I had my wife take pictures of my attempt at Pilates and it turned out to be a lot of fun to take pictures during some of the exercises. I'm not posting it -- but the egg roll was Hilarious! I hope you enjoy my attempt at Pilates. I like trying these new things -- What's next to try...hmmm? We'll see. No new news on the healing fracture; still fractured. Enjoy the pictures.

BMHW Challenge Giveaway Winner & another Pic

I am seriously motivated to keep on with bettering myself. I'm not sure what it is but something clicked and I want to try new things and to push forward even harder. I can picture my body taking shape physically and that is some of the motivation I know. I took some progress pictures, as I do every two weeks, and badly want to put them up here but will not until school is out. I have my shirt off in them and I'm not sure how many of my kids read this blog and the thought of me with my shirt off is not something I want them thinking about while at school.

I will however give you another pic that I found on my computer as a Before picture. I'm going to be changing the "My Pictures" page up soon so that it is more organized and cleaner.

Now to the important stuff. The winner for the Blogger-Made Home Workout Challenge is...

Congratulations Gokey! If you are Gokey and want to receive your prize - be sure to return the email that I send you. I know that you have another name and I will look back to get it - but Gokey works for now.

Ankle News:

The ankle seems to be doing just fine. It is still bruised and fat, but I do have a little more mobility in it. It is actually the fibula bone that is fractured. I continue to walk on it daily with the boot and the boot has been so supportive. I've been wearing the pedometer that last few days; yesterday and today's distances have been 2 + miles. I'm happy about that. It's holding up well I do believe.

Workout:

Yesterday I tried Yoga for the first time and someone told me not too. They did tell me to try Pilates. My wife does Pilates every so often and so I thought that I would give that a try tonight. It will be interesting to see how that works out. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.


Now that I am picking up some miles --- that 200 mile giveaway is right around the corner. There are some good prizes that will be given away - be sure to stick around to find out.


What do you do when you hit a wall with workouts and/or weight loss?

Little by little, inch by inch & YOGA attempt #1

Aside from teaching my normal middle school classes, I also teach computer typing classes. A couple of my girls in the third grade asked if I wanted to hear a song that they had learned and I, of course, said yes. I really liked the message that the song had.

Little by little, inch by inch
by the yard - it's hard, by the inch - what a cinch
never stare up the stairs, just step up the steps
little by little, inch by inch

Obviously - little by little is about the way that I am moving - slowly, but the message is a lot cooler than that. I keep thinking about what I am not able to do right now (running, basketball, simple normal walking, etc), but when I focus on what I can't do it takes away from the things I can do. I like the line, "never stare up the stairs, just step up the steps". There was more to the song but those simple lines opened my eyes to what I was missing. I think I was kind of in a funk yesterday but that line brought me right out.

I had a really good workout today and I tried something new, but I will get to the new thing later.

Workout

My workout started with me shooting 100 free throws. I made 70 out of those 100. I had decided that any of the free throws that I missed I would have to do a push-up for each miss in return. That means that I missed 30 free throws; I did 30 push-ups. I did twenty of them in a row and the remaining ten as a second set. I really think I could have made more than 70, but I got rushed off the court -- some people wanted to know if they could play full-court and I told them I was almost done. I rushed the last 5 shots...missed 4 of them. Darn kids.

Free throws: 70/100
Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 12
Mid Press: 2 sets of 10
Butterfly press: 2 sets of 10
Lat Pulldowns: 2 sets of 10
Low Row: 2 sets of 10
Push-ups: 30
Jump-Rope:2 sets of 20 sec. fast (one leg)
Leg raises: 2 sets of 30 second holds
Tricep Dips: 2 sets of 8

Walking Today: 2.33 miles...(So happy for the boot rather than crutches)

Food

My wife was craving Chinese tonight -- she never wants Chinese so I thought that I could find something that was halfway healthy. We checked out the menu for a good 5-10 minutes and I decided on the chicken and broccoli w/rice. I also got crab rangoon (sp?), one of my personal fav things.

I didn't think about it being covered in a sauce but that's okay. I ate the chicken and broccoli and little of the rice (not a huge fan of rice) and then ate too many of the crab rangoon. I don't stray from my food intake normally at all, I did for the crab rangoon. I do not eat the outer edges, just the inside goodness. It was a good meal and now I move on from the crab rangoon excess.

My First Yoga Attempt

I told my wife that she could not go into the spare room because I didn't want anyone to see me struggling to get into the downward dog position, especially with my ankle the way it is. I found an 8 minute yoga session on a free podcast on my iPod and set out to do it. I knew that there would be some poses that I could not do so I just tried to adjust the best that I could to them.

My first attempt at Yoga = failed attempt.

I was not good at it. I was trying to watch the video and focus my breathing while figuring out what the warrior pose was while trying not to put much weight on my ankle in the boot. This yoga session was targeted for weight loss and I really think that it would work, if I could do all of it.

What is one exercise or routine that you have tried and just failed at in the beginning?

Ankle Pics & Measurements

Today started out to be a pretty good day. It was not bad at any time but I kind of declined in the pep category as the day progressed. School went just fine and the kids have helped me out so that I don't have to hobble around everywhere (even though I do make the occasional trips just to get some extra steps in). I've kept a pretty good attitude concerning my ankle and this obstacle but tonight it kind of hit a low. I was just bummed. On Wednesdays, I usually go and play basketball but obviously was not able too. Just so you know, I love playing basketball. With that said - it was a little hard to not get to go play basketball but I made it. I did something that proved to be equally as tiring fun - taxes. It wasn't actually that bad this year.

Ankle News: Bruising has begun

I took a couple pics of the ankle as it continues to heal. There is some bruising that is taking place now and today I felt a little pain with it. The pain came only after I woke up from a nap. I was not as careful with it when I was sleeping.

I also took a picture to show the comparison between my two ankles.

Measurements

I have never taken measurements and I kind of wish that I had when I was at my biggest. Little did I know that I would want them later on down the road. I had my wife do the measurements for me; these are not all of the measurements but all that I really cared to do.

Right Arm: 15 inches (this was with arm in flex position but not flexed)
Left Arm: 14 3/4 inches (arm in flex position but not flexed)
Chest: 45 inches (measurement taken over the nipples and evenly back)
Waist: 41 inches (measurement taken over the belly button and evenly back)

To be honest, I don't know what is good and don't have any importance set on these measurements except that I was bored and decided to take them.

Thanks to all of you for all of your support! You guys have been awesome!

I will be doing my BMHW Challenge Giveaway drawing tomorrow. I'm sorry I didn't get that done on Monday but it will be up tomorrow, Thursday.

I will be having a 200 mile giveaway probably next week; as soon as I hit 200 miles for the year. I was hoping to have that this week but I'll get it next week.


How do you keep yourself accountable?

More Comparison Pics & Busted Ankle Workout

So, today I wanted to post up some of my progress pictures over my journey. The picture in the blue shirt was taken as a school picture my first year of teaching (Oct or Nov 08), the second picture in teh red was taken this school year (Oct or Nov 09), and the pic in the white was taken tonight (March 23, '10).

I try not to be vain and that is not why I am posting these but as a constant reminder of how uncomfortable I look as a bigger person. It is no wonder that I got out of breath so fast. The thing that really gets me is that I thought that I felt Good then! I didn't push myself other than basketball twice a week - and at that I was dog tired after a couple pick up games. I enjoy seeing the progress and hope that you all can be inspired by a small success over here at 1010in2010. I will try not to post any more comparison pics b/c I do not want this to annoy anyone with pics of myself.

On to other news; my ankle is still the same.

I know that is not new news but there are some things that are weird about it. I don't feel any pain with it - if I do, it isn't much. I thought fractures and such were suppose to be painful. I have not had to take any pain pills except for the night it happened and this morning I had a headache, which I associate with the "no movement" sleeping I have to do to protect the ankle.

More news: Busted Ankle Workout

I took advantage of the community center that we have here in our town. The gym is free for community members to use. I have used it before but wanted to make it known that we don't need the gym to get workouts in - especially for us cheapskates. It is not much but it does serve its purpose. Since I have an obstacle in my way; I'm changing my routine up to get past the obstacle. I want to come back from this stronger and harder in every other area so that I don't miss a beat. All of my full body workouts were done one-legged (push-ups and free throws).

• 3 sets of 10 push-ups (one set explosive, one set round-the-clock, one set normal)
• 3 sets of 20 grabs rope climber crunches (10 grabs per side)
• 3 sets of 8 Mid-press Rows
• 3 sets of 10 butterfly press (name?)
• 3 sets of 8 Mid-Press (upright bench)
• 2 sets 10 shoulder press
• 50 Made Free Throws (lots of walking to get missed shots...well, hobbling)
• 1.04 miles walking. (I've capped it off there today, I was at .84 miles after work but I forgot the pedometer when I went to the gym - I did quite a bit of walking at the gym.)

What do you consider as your Greatest Success?

The Broken Ankle Results are IN.

If you have not been to my blog before, my goal is to run/jog/walk (recorded only during workouts) 1,010 miles in the year of 2010. Everything was going really well until last night. I was playing basketball as I do twice a week and went up for a rebound ---what goes up must come down. I landed on two different feet of two different people and my foot just started rolling around trying to find the safety of the floor. I felt something roll around inside, or over my ankle (tendon maybe), as I landed and then a POP! Well, that pop was...

...a chip fracture of a bone. It is on the Fibula bone on the inside lower part of my ankle. It looked rather long to me but the doctor said that the location of the fracture is pretty good. She said that it would heal pretty well and then proceeded to put my foot in a walking boot. I'm not sure of the technical name for the shoe -- but it goes up to a couple inches below my knee and helps me walk (so no more crutches).

I look really awkward walking now and will have to wear this thing for a couple weeks.

I took today off from working out but have been thinking of some ways that I can reach my goal. Here are some of my ideas:

• I will continue to do home workouts (I can still do squats being that I do not have to move my feet; push-ups will have to be one legged; I will make this work)

• I am thinking about putting my pedometer on during the day as my foot will continue to be healing so that I do not get way far behind on my goal. What do you guys think about this - is that cheating??

• I will eat the same way that I have been. I have noticed though today that I have been hungry and have craved foods outside of my approving. I did not give in to the Pizza Hut or the Taco Bell that I craved.
  

This is where I am at. I don't like this position but I have to deal and make the best of this.

I will take any and all suggestions to help me continue going strong on this journey.

BMHW challenge - day 7 & a broken ankle

Okay - I do not know if it is broken but it is not good. I was playing basketball as I normally do on Sunday nights and I was fighting for a rebound. I'm not tall but I have found myself jumping higher than I use too. I think it is about as high as it was in high school --- which I am pretty stoked about. I landed on two different feet with my one feet. My ankle/foot kind of just skipped over both feet and then the ground. Rolled it around two or three times I'd say. Everyone else stopped - not b/c I yelled out in pain but b/c they heard....the pop. I'm not really sure what the pop was but it didn't sound good and it ended my night of ball. It is so swollen right now - but elevated and is being iced.

My first thoughts were: (1) hospital or not? (2) my insurance sucks (3) I get to use my aflac for the first time - aflaaaac! (4) how can I still reach my goal. That was one of my mom's comments too, she was truly concerned though - that question came later. My wife put it into perspective for me though,

"It is a lesson and you need to learn from it so other people can learn with you".

What has ever gotten in the way of a goal that you tried to reach and what did you do about it?

BMHW Challenge - D6 & Hectic-icity

I know that hecticicity is not a word, but I have lived by that made-up word today. Today has just come up busy for me. I typically work in the office on Saturday afternoon/evenings so that was normal but for some reason I ran out of time to do everything that I wanted to do today. To be honest - I don't feel that I even did much today but just know that it is 12:00am and I have yet to do my workout. I will not be getting cardio in tonight which will make the second time this month that I will go without cardio. I think I'm addicted to cardio work, but this home workout strength training and toning has been good for me.

I listened to the KU vs. UNI game and it was a great game. I, and this may upset some of my readers, was going for the underdogs. Here in Missouri, there are just not a lot of KU fans. In Kansas City there are quite a few (Kansas City is also a part of Kansas as well as Missouri) but other than that - not a whole lot... I don't think. I'm always game for a Huge Upset!

Here was Saturday's workout for the Blogger-Made Home Workout Challenge.

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Saturday

Formula for max heart rate: (208 – (.7 * age))
Formula for target heart rate: 50% - 70% of Max heart rate (MHR *.5 or .7)

- Stretch -
30 Minutes Cardio: This can take place any time throughout the day and should consist of an intensity level that can promote and create weight loss. I do my cardio immediately before my workout – the workout becomes much harder for me. Do your best to complete the entire workout. If you have no trouble completing the workout, consider upping the level that you are working at.

Exercise 1 – Pike Shoulder Press (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPU9rvvBfdw)
• Level 1 = 3 sets of 8 reps (1 rep equals one press)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 10 reps (1 rep equals one press)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 12 reps (1 rep equals one press)

Exercise 2 – Push Plank (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N82tfTrmo3g)
• Level 1 = 2 sets of 20 seconds (one set equals one 20 sec hold)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 20 seconds (one set equals one 20 sec hold)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 30 seconds (one set equals one 30 sec hold)

Exercise 3 – Side Lunge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH-GXaIB8qA)
• Level 1 = 3 sets of 8 lunges per leg (one rep equals 1 lunge)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 12 lunges per leg (one rep equals 1 lunge)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 15 lunges per leg (one rep equals 1 lunge)

Exercises 4 – Modified Situps (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HPfXutjB1s)
• Level 1 = 2 sets of 8 reps. (1 rep equals one situp)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 8 reps. (1 rep equals one situp)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 12 reps. (1 rep equals one situp)

Exercise 5 –Pushups (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km1v-jbeNsw)
• Level 1 = 2 sets of 10 (one rep equals 1 pushup)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 8 (one rep equals 1 pushup)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 10 (one rep equals 1 pushup)

Exercise 6 – Standing Lunges (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq2pr69H1sU)
• Level 1 = 3 sets of 5 per leg (one rep equals one lunge)
• Level 2 = 3 sets of 8 per leg (one rep equals one lunge)
• Level 3 = 3 sets of 10 per leg (one rep equals one lunge)

Exercise 7 – Wall Sits (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDjKeOCgisw)
• Level 1 = hold sit for 20 seconds. 2 sets (one set equals 20 sec. hold)
• Level 2 = hold sit for 30 seconds. 3 sets (one set equals 30 sec. hold)
• Level 3 = hold sit for 40 seconds. 3 sets (one set equals 40 sec. hold)

- Stretch -

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At what point did you realize that you wanted to change?