Day 1000

CROSSFIT.

Seems so strange that ONE THOUSAND days ago, I began this journey. I was heavy, out of shape, limping...it was bad. I felt like if I stuck with it, I'd lose the weight, get into better shape, and hoped the knee would get better so I wouldn't have a limp. I was wrong...on ONE aspect anyway :)

I did stick with it and I have lost off the 'extra' weight and I not only got into better shape, I got into AMAZING shape!! The part I was wrong about...the knee. It didn't get better, so I had surgery. THEN the knee got better, I continued my workouts...then I hurt the other knee. So here we go...

Starting, almost, all over again. I can tell that I am not as bad as when I originially started...I am sore after workouts, but NOTHING like 1000 days ago!! I can only hope the added weight will fade faster then the first time and I won't be here saying I finally got back into shape in 750+ days! Todays workout...

Warmup:
Joint Mobility
then...
25 double Unders (for those of you like me, I did 75 regular jump ropes)
10 Squats
x3

WOD (for time):
21-15-9
Box Jumps (I did step ups)
Power Snatch (I did 45lbs)
Hand release push ups

My time wasn't good, 10:13, but I can only get better! I brought Tony with me today and there were three others there...Dave doesn't know me well and offered me to sit out the rest of the workout. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

FINISHER:

Like a relay team of the five of us...max distance sled push in 5 minutes. Our team got 1100 yards.

Day 995

CROSSFIT.

So today was my first day back to 'normal' workouts. I had tried Crossfit prior to my surgery and really fell in love with it! I had been keeping in touch with the owner at Crossfit Loomis and the moment I was released, sent him an email!! Today was the first day it worked out for both of us...only 8 days since my full release from knee surgery!

Todays workout (or in "crossfit language," WOD) was called "Jeremy."

Warmup:
Joint Mobility
then...
20 Kettle bell swings
100 meter run (I did 100 meters on the row machine)
10 Pull ups
x3

WODD, "Jeremy":
21-15-9
Over Head Squats (OHS)
Burpees

For those of you that haven't done Crossfit before, it works like this...

They set the time, sometimes is going backwards and you do as much as you can until the timer goes off...sometimes you have to complete the workout for time. "Jeremy" was a complete for time workout. It consists of 21 OHS's, 21 burpees...then 15 OHS's, 15 burpees...then finally, 9 OHS's, 9 burpees. Then you are done.

After "Jeremy", we each grabbed a 25lb plate in EACH had, walked 200 meters. You are done. Head home!!

Crossfit Lingo

AMRAP: As Many Rounds/Reps as Possible
BS: Back Squat
BW: Body Weight
CF: CrossFit
CFWU: CrossFit Warm-up
CLN: Clean
C&J: Clean and Jerk
DL: Deadlift
EMOM: Every Minute, On the Minute
FS: Front Squat
HC: Hang Clean
HSPU: Head Stand Push Up - Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
HSC: Hang Squat Clean - Start with bar "at the hang," about knee height. Initiate pull. As the bar rises drop into a full squat and catch the bar in the racked position. From there, rise to a standing position
KB: Kettlebell
KTE: Knees To Elbows (K2E)
MU: Muscle Ups - Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
OHS: Over Head Squat - Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above the head and in line or slightly behind the ears
PC: Power Clean
PR: Personal Record
PP: Push Press
PJ: Push Jerk
PSN: Power Snatch
PU: Pull Ups
SC: Squat Clean
SDHP: Sumo Deadlift High Pull
SN: Snatch
SQ: Sqaut
TTB: Toes to Bar (T2B) - Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat
WOD: Workout of the Day
#: Symbol for pounds or lbs

OTHER TERMS:
The "Heroes" - A Hero workout is a tribute workout in honor of a fallen CrossFitter (either Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, Firefighter, Police officer) that died in the line of duty. They are tough and among the most difficult of WOD's. There are sadly too many of them.
Paleo and Zone - Types of diet and nutrition protocol commonly found in the CF lifestyle

Day 988

I DID IT!!! Three months early, at my six month check up, I was finally cleared and released for full activity!! I was given boundaries, but unfortunately because of the state of my knees, they are boundaries that I will have to live by for forever.

As I have mentioned before, this was my 4th knee surgery. Two on the left, two on the right. My left leg had this reconstruction when I was a young 15-year-old girl. I thought for sure that after having so many bone spurs, torn meniscus, etc, that my left knee would be by far my worst of the two. I was sadly mistaken.

My knee surgeon wants to see me a MINIMUM of once a year from now on due to the 'dent' that was in the base of my femur in my right knee. He is confident that the arthritis will get significantly worse as time goes on...especially if I do not live within my newly administered boundaries. So, here they are...

*No more running for exercise, only for sport. Which will already be broken...I like to do all that I can for breast cancer awareness and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In Roseville, there is a small 5K so I'm signing up!!

*No more walking long distances. Awesome. Now THAT should be easy. Or not.

*No deep squats.

*No more deep lunges...unless I am extremely careful on my technique, which I am.

*He asked that I not play soccer, but he and I both know...riiiggghhhhtttt.

And I'm off!!! Back to my workouts baby!!!! I'll be easing back into them, of course...but I can wait!!!

Day 986

Ugh! I am so nervous! Tomorrow is my six month knee appointment...and I am PRAYING that the surgeon releases me!! It could be 3-6 months early, but Dr. Coward never gave me any indication that it isn't going to happen tomorrow. I am so nervous...I haven't been able to sleep...

If tomorrow goes as planned, I hope to be in a WHOLE different place mentally!!! Not to mention...the food and exercise will be back on track!!!

Day 979

So I am feeling pretty low. I worked a solid 18 months to lose the weight, and a solid 6-8 months to tone my body...only to have this full reconstruction, and then some, on this knee and become immobile.

Here I am, 5.75 months out of surgery, hoping for a full release next week (a whopping 3-6 months early) and it is forcing me to face the facts: I'm back to being a tank. Let me elaborate.

I was about a size 20, 224lbs, right after I had Hailee. I worked my ass off to get to 159lbs and a size 8 with 17.1% body fat. I was able to maintain that until this surgery. So, am I a tank in the grand scheme of things? No. But from what I worked my ass off (literally), yes. And its a hard pill to swollow.

I told myself that at the first of the month, I would start introducing parts of my old workouts into my physical therapy. I can't spend my life at the gym, but I still need to do my rehab, so I am added all that I can. Yesterday, I added back and bicep exercises, 6 seperate exercises to be percise, in addition to all leg exercises.

The stationary bike is now my enemy. Yes, it can do wonderful things for me, both for my leg and my body, however, I have been doing the bike since I blew the knee out the first week of December...and I am OVER it. In replacement, I have been making the family go on nightly bike rides. It isn't probably as good, considering I have a beach cruiser without any gears and it isn't tough, but its getting the rehab part done and that is what matters at this point.

Running has been amazing but I am still unable to do it that often. I can't stay on the treadmill that long for obvious reasons. And I refuse to spend time on the track at the high schools since the kids are all practicing football. That is all I need, a bunch of young kids, athletes, who don't know me and what I've been through, to judge me or make fun because I am only allowed to run a short time, then walk, then run, etc.