Lu's Workout Journal

Post your workout journals so others can review your training and follow your progress!

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ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

At least now I know I'm not crazy! I need to check back into journal for dates, but it was quite awhile ago I woke up one morning and legs hurt to the point I found it hard to walk up the stairs to gym, much less exercise. I know I didn't completely stop at that point but journal entires no longer resembled someone who was seriously working out.

Well, after many doctors visits, me demanding more and more blood work (trying to eliminate lymes disease etc) going from doctor to doctor telling them knees, legs, were in pain, finding I had arthritis in knees.......and all the time progressively getting worse, alternately thinking (but refusing to believe)just maybe this was just art of the aging process' I called primary physician and told her I HAD to come in again, that it was to the point I was worried I'd wake up one morning and not be able to stand/walk. I was tired of being told take some ibuprofen and do a little walking. IT WASN'T WORKING!!

I had a Lumbar spinal MRI last Friday and at least now i know why I have been in such pain. First I have a transitional vertebra (extra one), but I'm not sure yet how that relates. Anyway I have significant degenerative disc disease but even more significant degenerative arthritis in the posterior facets at L-3' L-4 and L-4' L -5, moderate narrowing of the central spinal canal at L-3-L4' and minor narrowing at L-4-L5. Disc bulging, small annular tear,and small central disc hernia tion at L-5-S-1 (S-1 being what they call transitional vertebra.


I haven't talked with doctor yet, they rarely get back to you on a timely basis. I expect to be referred to a specialist.

So, that's why I haven't been around :( Maybe they can get me healthy again,with or without surgery....that's hope!!!!
Take care, I miss friends here! You've all been so supportive. I wish you all the best and keep on rocking!!! Now I need to go back in time so I can accurately Inform the specialist of the timing of all changes, I'm so glad to have journal otherwise I'd have only a general idea.

Have a great day!
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fitoverforty
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by fitoverforty »

Wow Lu! So glad you finally got a diagnosis and now can begin to find out the best way to treat it.

Take care, remember even if you don't post often, you are thought of often and are missed. :D

Hang in there and please keep us updated! Sending TONS of positive thoughts and prayers your way. :mrgreen:
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Boss Man
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Boss Man »

There are certain things that might be of use to you.

1. Chondroitin

2. A product by CNP called Joint Formula, which I think they still make.

There may be other things you could use, like Bromelain as well for mild pain relief.

I really hope this gets sorted and hopefully without the need for some full on surgery and I am sure that everyone here who knows you and reads this will be fighting in your corner as am I.

If it sometimes gets too much and you don't want to dump on people around you, please do message me for a discreet one to one if you need it and whatever happens, you are and always have been a really appreciated part of the community and we think a lot of you, because you're like some sort of grand old matriarch, but so young with it if that doesn't sound patronising, and you're just a really heart-warming Lady and a pleasure to communicate with and I know right now this must feel like a big weight to deal with and that would be wholly understandable, but I am sure that must be a way through this and if you keep believing and stay as strong as possible I am sure you'll do it and you do it with our strength and anything else we can do for you.

GOOD LUCK Lu and keep on believing and for everything you have managed to acheive in recent years, I am really proud of you :).
ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

A big thank you to Lynn and Boss man! I know you guys have always been in corner :)

I'm taking a product called "Joint Juice", which has Chondroitin in it and I take 400 mg of liquid filled (for faster absorbtion) ibuprofen twice a day, more if needed. The pain in left leg interferes with sleep, there doesn't seem to be much that helps. It's so hard to describe how it feels, a throbbing, stiffness, when crouching down an explosion behind knee....a burning weak sensation in ankles.....I feel like I weigh 10 tons and need to lay down ( of course I only weight 1 ton!;) )

Doc never called today. I'm anxious to take whatever the next step is, hopefully treatment plan, surgery if absolutely necessary.

Boss Man - I thank you for your offer for private conversation. You have always been so supportive and helpful in so many ways with all of us. If things get real tough, I'll reach out in a PM - all the good stuff I'll post right here! :) Are you familiar with what I described above? If you have any insight please feel free to send them to me privately. Thank you!
musculArgirl2
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by musculArgirl2 »

Good luck Lu! Hope you are able to get some relief and start feeling better! Glad you finally found the cause though, that's a start! Take care and do let us know how you are doing. :)
ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

Good Morning! I know I've communicated a bit in PM, not really wanting to post until I had something positive to report. Well, today is that day!

A little background: knees started bothering me, stopped working out - ate for comfort, got fat! Legs hurt all be time, no strength in legs, could hardly walk...disc issues and spinal stenosis. Had 3 lumbar shots, then nerve root blocks...all helped some, but I was still not functioning where I wanted and needed to! I cancelled next steps meeting with the docs at the pain clinic because deep down I knew next step HAD to be to lose at least 50 lbs!

Today, I'm happy to report I am we'll on way! I've lost 32 pounds since 2/11, 18 more to go to get to original goal of 50, but frankly I would really like to get to 150 (but will be happy at 160, we'll see!) I've lost 8 inches in waist! NOW I have a waist again!

knees still bother me (arthritis) but leg problems are almost non-existent! I am almost back to old bouncy self, one who is full of energy and moves too fast! After almost 2 years of being somewhat immobile, I am ecstatic !! Today, I put on workout clothes....feeling ready to go! Not sure what I will do yet, but think doing an upper body routine is in order. Loss of weight gave me a little extra jiggly in arms, not much though, so I should be back in shape quickly. Even at 60, I think body remembers the thin fit person I always was until 40's - although I never worked at it before, it was just in genes!

Thank you, shapefit friends for always being there for me. Boss Man, you are a true gem!

Lu
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fitoverforty
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by fitoverforty »

ldematto wrote:Today, I'm happy to report I am we'll on way! I've lost 32 pounds since 2/11, 18 more to go to get to original goal of 50, but frankly I would really like to get to 150 (but will be happy at 160, we'll see!) I've lost 8 inches in waist! NOW I have a waist again!
That is awesome Lu!!! :D :D So happy for you. I think of you often, and have wondered how you have been doing.
ldematto wrote: I am almost back to old bouncy self
ldematto wrote:so I should be back in shape quickly. Even at 60, I think body remembers the thin fit person I always was until 40's - although I never worked at it before, it was just in genes!
You are still the person inside you always were. Sometimes things happen, or our bodies put some roadblocks in our way - but eventually we find a way around them, and we pull ourselves out of whatever has been holding us back or down. Yes, you will get back to your "old bouncy self" - it's who you are, and it is what makes you such a fantastic person, a fighter who never gives up!
So good to hear from you - keep up all the good work and keep posting your progress, it is so encouraging to me and I'm sure many others. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Go Lu!!!!!!!!!!!!

new journal is in Diet Journal section called "Trying to eat unprocessed in a processed world". Stop by and say "hi"! :mrgreen:
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Boss Man
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Boss Man »

Yes, you have definitely had your problems and been through the wars so to speak, but you're over the other side now and you're well on your way to where you were before and possibly further still.

I think supplementation for the knees has been discussed in the past, so I won't rake over old coals, unless you want to reassess options yourself that is.

You should be really proud of yourself Lu for persevering and not giving up inspite of all you've been through and I think that it's pretty amazing and your progress with recurrent issues is superb and you deserve credit for that, because you DESERVE to be in as good a condition as is realistic and you ARE worth it.

I'm sending you a BIG PAT ON THE BACK and letting you know I'm really proud of you misses and that uncondtional support, empathy, understanding and strength are with you as always.

Keep on pushing, keep on believing, chin up, be strong and no worries okay. It's great to see you back and you are a superb example of never giving up and never settling for ordinary or mediocre, or believing life is giving you only what you deserve, because that's not true and you DO deserve more, because you have shown in your time enough human value, to justify more physical, mental and emotional happiness and it's your right to persue it and to try and get it if you want it.

I'm happy for you and i'm smiling inside right now and I hope you achieve what you want to achieve and get the happiness from it you're deserving of.

WELL DONE on what you've done so far coming from difficult circumstances and don't let up on yourself. Be positive, be as tough as you need to be and push yourself as much as you need to, because it WILL be worth it in the end I'm sure of that :).

You're always a terrific part of this site and it's great to have you back :).
ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

Thank you!!! Yes, I will start posting some, but limited at the moment, budget hearings are throughout the month of May so I'll be busy with that plus having to weed and mulch all our garden areas, and of course working 4 days a week with Seniors Helping Seniors...phew!!! Retirement can be VERY tiring! :)

Boss Man - I am taking 2 Glucosamine/Chondroitin tablets every day, am down to 800 Ibprofen (was at 1600 +) and I take 2 Multi Vit, Vit D, B-12, C, Potassium and Calcium/Magnesium.

After weeding garden yesterday I regressed a bit, so hubby is doing the heavy lifting, hopefully I can spread mulch. I'll check in next week.

Have a great day!
Lu
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Boss Man
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Boss Man »

Glucosamine in recent years has been proven to be very inneffective towards things like osteoarthritis, so if it's a combined supplement with the chondroitin I'd consider getting a chondroitin on its own.

As for multi-vits, you could also do the tests I listed in a sticky, just to make sure there's no fillers in them, if you haven't already.

Hyaluronic acid is a componnent of skin and cartilage, so perhaps consier that instead of glucosamine and maybe look into products like MSM and cartazyne as well :).
ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

Good Morning World!!! Today is a great day, made another milestone in battle! Just to put some numbers in what's been happening with weight for the past few months, I started at 218 February 11, 2013, this morning I weighed 179!!!! 39 lbs!!!! I also have lost 17.25 inches overall! Well on way! When I weighed in yesterday at Weight No Longer where I am doing the Ideal Protein Diet all stats have improved tremendously! I am NO LONGER OBESE!!!! Yeah!!! Also, viseral fat is well in the healthy range, body fat percentage, body water (hydration) and BMI are no longer in the red zone, but yellow on way to green and an overall HEALTHY rating! I'm currently identified as Overfat, but I have to admit I'm almost back to old self. I've decided to wait till I hit at least 170 before I resume exercise program, initially I was planning to wait until I finally hit 160 - we'll see. I don't want to do anything that will inhibit weight loss and if I begin to exercise it will require that I take in more than 1000 calories a day, that's for sure! Don't worry, I know 1000 calories are less than recommended levels, but I'm taking supplements, 1/2 teas of sea salt a day etc. to keep me in good health. This program is not a high protein diet, but an "Ideal" protein diet that purposely starves you of carbs and sugars so your body has no choice but to burn fat for energy. I get 20-30 g of carbs per day from veggies. One thing I've learned about on this diet is Walden Farms products!! OMG, salad dressings, pancake syrup, Chocolate sauce and dip, fruit dips, ketchup etc. all calorie free! They truly make it so much easier to stay on his low calorie diet. When I eat a pancake made with one of the food packages (crispy cereal, crushed) with 1/3 cup egg whites, 1/4 teas of baking powder and vanilla ext. Mix it all together and cook in pan sprayed with PAM. Add Walden Farms Syrup and it does not feel like I am on a diet, it's yummy!

Have a great day and thanks for listening!
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Boss Man
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Boss Man »

Well to be honest as you deserve that, I personally wouldn't look favourably on a diet that espouses low calories and sugary ketchup and sugary and fatty chocolate sauce, promoted by a company that manufacturers supplements, to make up for some of what you can't get in your diet.

However you don't seem to be getting any reported side effects, nor does there seem to be any other issues going on, which is positive, so this is not me judging you, just giving own thoughts on it :).

I will support your choice 100%, because I feel this is the right thing to do, even though you don't need support.

I admit, I knew little about it until I saw their wesbite and did have one or two niggles.

1. They tell you to contact their nearest centre for nutritional information. I find this poor. Many sites would tell you in full on the site and on one or two sites before now, I've seen downloadable PDF versions of such information.

Calling the nearest centre, if that was the best way, costs you money and there's no guarantees how long you'll be on the line, whether you'll get the answers you want and how much the call(s), will cost you.

This looks vaguely clandestine or at least showing a lack of transparency and always makes me suspicious, when companies promote "round the houses" style knowledge release tactics, not straight ahead style tactics, where it's right where you want it, on website product pages, or seperate pages on the site.

Many companies disclose on websites quite openly and willingly, so why does this company choose not to?

I then found a centre location page asking you for post code, name, email and phone number along with country, province / state.

The last ones, relating to province / state and country fine, but why the other stuff and there's no disclaimers to say the phone number, email and post code would not be used for marketing, or passed on to third parties to market to you either, which would concern me as a potential user.

They may have such privacy policies, but it means more phone calls or time spent emailing a company to ascertain this, a company who might just choose to ignore emails, shunt you from pillar to post on the phone, or hang up. This could be avoided with a simple webpage, telling you any personal information given would not be misused in any way.

Most websites helping to find a "nearest location" would have a country list, then a list of regions in a drop down menu search facility and provide the information from there, or just have a page with a full list of locations and addresses / phone numbers as well, depending on which is easier to do.

The other information is mandatory when it shouldn't be. I'd want to see a list of locations not have to have someone email, phone or mail something in the post to me about it, so I'd have to wait for the information to be in possession, rather than just use some simple website options and see it, as I might never receive any emails, calls or post from them, for whatever reason, which wouldn't be good, even if it was down to human error and not deliberate ignoring of the consumer.

Bearing in mind, that some computer based systems can ascertain an address simply from a postcode and maybe a number or first name, so I wouldn't want to give that information and being forced to, to me is wrong.

At least on a website, if the centre location information was displayed easily, then the only way I'd not be able to see it, was if the site unexpectedly went down.

2. They also claim there are 13 essential amino acids in Protein, when there are only 9.

Overall I find their site easy to use and the graphics are quite clever, but their levels of transparancy on food and drink content, is shocking and to me, substance should come over style every time and knowledge is more important than whether pictures rotate or not.

As for what you are doing, as I say, no aside to you inferred. I will support your decision and I really do wish you well with this.

I hope you find more of the progress you seek. You're a wonderful person Lu and you are still in there and have never given up on yourself so WELL DONE for that because I am proud of you :).
ldematto
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by ldematto »

Bossman-I wonder if you are looking at the right website. Are you looking at Ideal Protein or Walden Farms? The Pancake syrup has no calories, fat, carbs, gluten or sugars of any kind. Nor does the chocolate syrup...the ingredients are triple filtered purified water, maple flavor, natural flavors, sea salt, cellulose gum, sucralose, lactic acid and sodium benzoate to preserve freshness. The ketchup also has no calories, fat,carbs, gluten or sugars...water,tomato sage,apple cider,vinegar,white distiller vinegar,xanthan gum,natural favors, onion, garlic, red cabbage, coloring and sodium benzoate.....all their products are similar.

The center I go to has seminars where they explain everything, no pressure to join, but everything made sense to me. They take your blood pressure, weigh you identifying your body stats, take measurements...and you have a private coach every week.

I understand your concern, I was concerned too, but doctor actually recommended it. And it's working! No negative side effects, and I know it will only be for another month when I should reach goal and increase caloric intake to 1300 for 2 weeks, then 1500....not sure about the maintenance program as I haven't received all the info yet.

I appreciate your unwavering support even if you don't necessarily agree with methods.

I can't seen to find Chondroitin alone? I had heard Glucosamine wasn't what it was first reported to be but everything I found had both :( I'll have to check again.

Have a great weekend!
Lu
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Boss Man
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Boss Man »

I admit to jumping to conclusions about the sauce, which is therefore fault obviously, but the ideal protein system, yes I had the right website. The methodology is endorsed by a vietnamese guy if memory serves.

I appreciate a local centre told you everything, though beef with the website, was not having the nutritional information on their website and expecting you to contact them to find a local centre, by providing phone, email and post code information, that they never state will be handled responsibly.

beef also stems from the apparent need for such information, instead of adapting a search facility with more and specific options / criteria to help people find a location to go to.

Of course the main emphasis for everything I do here, is to try and assist people and support people towards a healthier happier future, so I will always have concerns now and then, but I'm glad we can express each others thoughts to one another amicably, because sometimes well meaning people will differ and it's at times like that, when a message board atmosphere really shows it's true colours, when people are expressing differing attitudes, because on some places, all you get are comments rubbishing things with no expressed alternative(s), or quantified stance, or you get bitchy points scoring, abusive responses, or sarcastic responses from know-it all's with some sort of lack of forethought.

I'm glad this site cultivates an atmosphere of agree to disagree style differing, so I appreciate your comments and no matter what support will always be here, even if sometimes I will have reservations about some peoples lifestyle choices.

You're a wonderful human being Lu, so THANK YOU for continuing to give to others and for sharing your experiences, because it all makes a difference and it's an ongoing education for you and for us as well :).
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Nokie173
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Re: Lu's Workout Journal

Post by Nokie173 »

Hey Lu.... How are you doing? I miss you!
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