Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Ouch! That Hurt!





Two weeks ago I did a killer Deadlift workout and got really sore. The DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) were really bad and inhibited me all week. That weekend, I tried foam rolling my back to loosen things up, as I had to go out of town on business the next day. Well, wouldn’t you know, I become one of the only people to make things worse by trying to make them better. After rolling out my back for bit I decided to roll onto my side and hit my lats. What followed was excruciating pain and one really bad business trip.

I popped some cartilage between my ribs. This left me unable to walk at all Sunday night and making my way through the airport like a 90 year old on Monday. I could not take a deep breath or twist my torso. You can imagine the fun of flying and renting a car. But I made it and got back to see the doctor. The solution......Time and rest.

Waiting out an injury is one of the hardest things an active person can do. I so wanted to just pick back up with my routine. I missed working out with my husband and all my gym friends. I could feel my entire body turning back into the soft goo it used to be before I started lifting. I practically had a panic attack just thinking about losing my progress. I really missed just being able to get up off the couch without pain. But, sometimes there is no magic cure or pill you can take to get better.

I went to the gym and just did little things. If there was any pain, I stopped. I trained around the worst of my injury. The main thing was to keep moving. Our bodies are not made to just be still. You can actually heal better if you are not immobile. This is a great article by Eric Cressey, who is one of the best trainers around, on why you should keep moving. When Did Just Rest Become a Viable Recommendation?

The money line is this: “When a healthcare practitioner says it [it meaning complete rest], it's because he/she either a) doesn't have the time, intelligence, or network to be able to set you up for a situation where you can benefit from exercise or b) doesn't think you have enough self control to approach exercise in a fashion that doesn't make it more harm than good.

So don’t let an injury keep you on the couch or use it as an excuse to just sit around. There is always a way to work around the injury. Blood flow to the injury can actually help it heal. So do the best you can and keep moving!  You will be glad you did.
 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Get off the Scale

One of the main things I struggle with while trying to get healthy and strong is the obsession in this country with the number on the scale. Everyone asks what you weigh, not how much you can Deadlift. We are taught from childhood, as women, to watch that number and place all our self worth in that number. Never is it valued how far you can run or how high you can jump. In fact, unlike men, those things are seen as a detriment to us.

Everyday I would get on the scale in fear of what that number would be. If it was a bit lower, I was on cloud nine. If it was a bit higher, I was upset and depressed the rest of the day. That scale controlled my outlook every single day! How sad is that; and how many others are the same way?

Then I started training with heavy weights and reading about weight training. You hear all the time how muscle weighs more than fat. It’s not really true. One pound is one pound. But what is true that 1lb of muscle takes up less space than 1lb of fat. This picture saved my sanity. Look at it closely.




Yes, it is a bit gross but this means you can weigh the same thing and be significantly smaller in size. So, the number on the scale may not tell you the truth.  There are several really good blogs with articles on the scale obsession. A few are Rachel Cosgrove HERE and and Nia Shanks wrote this one HERE. Both are great reads on the subject. Even famous trainers struggle with this issue. We have all been brainwashed.

Basically, I learned that as I build muscle over time my weight may go up. BUT, that does not mean I have gotten bigger. To keep track of it, I now measure myself in inches. instead of getting on the scale. If my belly has not gotten bigger, I know I’m doing OK. And if it gets a bit smaller I’m doing great.  I write it down so I can remember what it was and track changes over time. There is also a device called the Zero Scale that just tells you plus or minus and how many pounds from your starting point. You never see the actual number. Personally, I would just worry over the plus or minus like I did the numbers, but someone might like it.

Another option is to get a good Body Fat test done. The scale ones are not very accurate but they may be able to tell you changes over time. The gold standard is a DEXA scan or the Bod Pod. Both are worth in if you can find one in your area.

You have to be realistic as well. You are not going to build muscle in a week or two. It takes a few months to grow muscle. But, as it does, you will get more compact and firm. Isn’t that what we want?

In closing, don’t let a number control your life. Start to judge yourself on fitness goals you reach and how your clothes fit.  It’s not easy because we have been conditioned to the number but it will make you much happier in the long run.