after40workouts

Back in the Swing of Things

It’s really easy to get sick or experience the day-to-day expectations of life and get off track with your workout. We all go through it. I am so glad I have my blog audience to keep me honest. Because of you, I am inspired to get back on track sooner than I might have. I have to set an example!

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you will know that I recently suffered an on the-job-injury and had a fibroid procedure. As a result of these two events, I was forced to stop my Insanity routine for approx. three and a half weeks.

During my down time, I tried to stay on track with my eating plan. As time went on, I started to cheat a little bit here and there. Consequentially, I am currently 5 pounds over my last best weight.

Not to worry, it is time to get back into the swing of things. How do you do that, you might ask? Well, as far as I know, there is only one tried and true healthy way to loose weight and sustain the loss. The method includes a combination of Calorie restriction and Exercise that includes Cardio and Muscle resistance training.

To that end, I started back on my Insanity training. I decided to start at the beginning of the program skipping the first day of fitness test.  I don’t know how I got along without the heart monitor! On the first day, I noticed, my heart rate got up to approximately 180 beats per minute. I gave a good showing, but was definitely more tired than I was on the second day. On day two, my heart rate got to a max of 176. It showed definite improvement, but, still evidence that I have lost a little stamina during my downtime.

During my time off, I lost some muscle tone and stamina. As we age, we loose muscle tone at a faster rate if we don’t exercise. This is why, as a firefighter, I have always been afraid to not workout for an extended amount of time. People, who know me, know that even though I have gained some extra pounds over the years, I have always exercised regularly.

Of course, exercise alone is not enough to loose and/or maintain a healthy weight. Caloric restriction is necessary. The most effective weight loss programs combine calorie restriction and exercise.  Now, if you haven’t already, go get started!

Regards,

Sherri Banks

www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

Cow

Politics are involved in just about every aspect of our lives. Today’s medical researchers are inspired by one of three influences. These factors include monetary profit, personal experience and/or identification with a particular peer group.

Pharmaceutical companies patent and profit from the bulk of today’s medical research ( see Johann Hari: The Horrifying Hidden Story Behind Drug Company Profits). If a company can make more money treating long-term illness, why would this company fund research leading to a cure for said ailment? You can’t keep selling drugs to a person who has been healed. Put another way, pharmaceutical companies derive less profit from healthy people; therefore, it is not in their interest to find a cure. That would be counterproductive to the bottom-line. These Corporations greatest motivation is clearly their profit margin, which grows larger every year; see http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2007/industries/21/1.html.

It took Jonas Salk 7 years of consistent, applied research to develop the first viable Polio vaccine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Salk). In 1882, Louis Pasteur began studying the rabies virus. Five years later he was testing a vaccine on a young boy who had been bitten by an ill animal. It was a success! As with many researchers, he was spurred by his personal tragedies and experience. During his and Jonas Salk’s time, many researchers pursued their investigations because of an overwhelming concern for other human beings. Jonas Salk refused to patent his vaccine saying, “…It would be like patenting the sun”. He made it available to everyone. Dr. Salk proved that his motivation was truly altruistic by giving away his great discovery. Now, much of the research is spurred by huge organizations intent on generating profit. Is this profit-motivated strategy truly to our benefit? The reality is this approach has left many diseases, especially those that have a small population who are affected, without funding dollars. The potential for profit is small, so, these people are left to die without the hope of a cure or treatment in the near future.

As I mentioned earlier, personal experience also fuels some research. There are many examples of people who have gone against the “status quo” after being informed by their doctors there were no options. Take for instance, Augusto and Michaela Odone. Their son Lorenzo developed Adrenoleucodystrophy. At the time, Adrenoleucodystrophy was a rare fatal disease, which caused a progressive destruction of the brain in young boys. Lorenzo’s parents refused to accept this diagnosis and began to research his condition (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3907559.stm) and were instrumental in developing an oil to treat the problem. Lorenzo’s Oil has been responsible for saving the lives of many young men. Another example is the Crowley family story (http://www.crowleyfamily5.com/index.htm). Two of their children were diagnosed with a fatal form of Muscular Dystrophy, “Pompe’s Disease”.  Instead of giving up, John Crowley invested his efforts in raising over 100 million dollars to launch biotechnology companies to find a cure (see http://www.crowleyfamily5.com/index.htm ).

Until fairly recently in our history, women had not been allowed to participate in much medical exploration. Men have spearheaded most of these endeavors. It is human nature for people to follow pursuits closest to their heart. For instance, I donate money to several organizations. Children’s Hospital Sickle Cell Program, The Crohn’s and Colitis Organization, AMFAR and the Oakland Zoo. I have animals and have known people with Crohn’s disease, Aids and Sickle cell trait. I have personal interest in these organizations and the outcomes of their research. Because men constitute most of the medical profession population, is it possible that many of the researchers have not been able to empathize with women’s health issues?

According to The Physician Workforce: Projections and Research into Current Issues Affecting Supply and Demand document put out by the US department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, as of 2004, women made up almost 25 percent of the physician workforce. This number represents an 8 percent increase over three decades. This report also projects, if the current trend continues; women will make up 50 percent of the physician workforce in another two decades. As more women become involved in research there will be a change in focus, however, research takes time and we are a long way off from equitable treatment in this regard. For the purposes of this article I have focused more on women’s issues, however, the same can be said for research in regards to diseases that are race specific for instance; why don’t we have a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia, a disease which affects mostly people of African decent (CDC – Sickle Cell Disease, Data and Statistics – NCBDDD)? The disparities in health care in America have become such a glaring problem the CDC has developed a web page at, CDC – Minority Health Home Page – populations – health equity – Minority Health, to inform the public and study the issue.

By questioning and evaluating, we can make more informed choices. On that note, all information in this article and the others on my blog, are my opinion. My opinion is the culmination of my experience and the research I have conducted, however, it is my view, life according to Sherri. You should question my opinion and any others you come across until you are comfortable with your assessment.

As you can see by the earlier discussion in this article, during my decision making process I asked a lot of questions. In addition to the previously mentioned concerns I also wondered; if castration is such a good thing for pain, why aren’t doctors doing this procedure to men on a more routine basis? Testicular torsion is an extremely painful condition that can recur, why aren’t men flocking to be castrated (see http://www.power-surge.com/educate/fibroids_broder.htm, under the heading Who gets Fibroids)? Why is so much emphasis placed on saving the testicles? Is it possible, for some reason other than a scientific one, the testicles are perceived as being of more value than the uterus and ovaries? Is it feasible to think that more importance has been placed on a man’s reproductive organs than a woman’s? Don’t be cattle led to the slaughter! Look into this for yourself and be an informed patient!

Regards,

Sherri

www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

Fruits and Veggies before juicing.

Part 3, Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Before I move on, let me reiterate, for some people the hysterectomy is a valid and necessary choice. There are many women who have benefitted and are completely happy with their decision. My concern is, many in the medical community have been operating without giving other choices when this invasive procedure is not necessary (check out Carla’s journey at http://uterinefibroids.com/h_home.htm and http://www.uterinefibroids.com/c_uae.htm). There are many examples of this kind of medicine in other fields as well. When I started dating my husband, he was having “dental issues”. His doctor recommended pulling 8 of his teeth, Ray was 40 at the time. I was horrified! This kind of dental care is not uncommon. Every time I have had anesthesia administered, I have been asked if I had dentures or a bridge before they began. I am 44 years old and currently have all of my teeth. I suggested my husband get a second opinion. My dentist, Dr. Paula Roemer (www.smilewalnutcreek.com) saved many of his teeth and put him on a comprehensive dental maintenance plan. Thank you Dr. Roemer!

On to the procedure, I am not going to “soft soap” this for you. There usually is a lot of pain involved in this procedure and I knew that going into it. I have been a weight lifter for years and I believe in the idiom, “no pain, no gain”. I felt the possible long- range benefits would be worth a little discomfort. I had done my research and felt prepared for this. I experienced a lot of pain, but, would do it all over again. I have no regrets. Let me tell you how this went.

An MRI was done before my consultation with my Modesto Kaiser Interventional Radiologist (IR). At the consultation I found out I had several fibroids located in my uterus. The ultrasound procedure had only identified two. As I said before, I had already done a lot of research and did not have questions about the procedure (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_HGrVTmUFM for the procedure, and http://www.sirweb.org/patients/uterine-fibroids/ for a written explanation and some statistics).  The IR told me I should be able to go back to work after a week. I asked him if I would be able to start my circuit training then. He said to take it slow. Hmm, I thought. I then asked him if after a week, I would be able to put on 80 lbs. of equipment and drag a 200 lb. person out of a burning building? He then said he would give me two weeks to recuperate. I don’t care how often I tell doctors I am a firefighter, they still can’t envision what I do and that I am not an office worker. If you are in a non-traditional physical job, you must paint a picture for your doctor otherwise you will be sent back to work to soon.

On the day of the procedure, I was sitting in the pre-op area waiting for the nurse to prep. me. She had to install a Foley catheter. OMG, I was not prepared for that! The only thing worse than having a Foley catheter installed is having anatomy that is just different enough to have 4 nurses try and miss your urethra! By the time they get it in, you are ecstatic. I felt so bad for my nurses. Being an EMT, I know that I feel bad if I cause a patient discomfort for any reason. I had compassion for them whereas I believe a normal patient would have been upset. To their credit, they did not try to use the same catheter each time. They used a new sterile one. Consequentially, I did not get a bladder infection as a result of this procedure.

The Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) procedure went well, and the doctor even showed my husband and I the radiology pictures of my vein structure. Everything was normal. Some women have vein abnormalities that can complicate things (see http://www.fibroidsecondopinion.com/uterine-artery-embolization/ and check out What is Misembolization). In this respect my anatomy was normal. Yea!! I had a great prognosis.

There is an overnight stay at the hospital involved for this procedure if you are a Kaiser patient. I stayed at the new Kaiser facility in Modesto. Every room is private, has flat screen TVs. and a bathroom. Loved it! The pain was intense and I was on a Morphine drip, which allowed me to self-administer the drug every ten minutes. The drawback of using morphine for me was, I could not urinate. Being unable to urinate causes it’s own brand of pain and guess what, another Foley-Catheter. Yuk! With all the fluid they put into me and all the water I was drinking, I was happy to get relief. They had to call a nurse from the OB floor with 35 years experience. She immediately placed the cath. Not withstanding this, I had a wonderful experience at the hospital. The nurses were all very nice and helpful. The food was nothing to write home about, unfortunately. I did get sleep though, which I have never been able to do at a hospital.

The next day I was released. From what I have read (and was told), the pain is most intense the day of the procedure. Many women are able to get around after a couple days. Two days later, at 2 am, I was in the Modesto Kaiser Emergency room because my pain got worse and the vicodin wasn’t touching it. In fact, the pain meds. they gave me at the emergency room weren’t helping much either. After I had been there for a while, I noticed a rhythm to my pain and could better identify it. I was having severe intermittent uterine cramping with back pain very similar to contractions (labor pain). The pain medications were not treating the problem; they were only making me woozy. At this point they were considering re-admitting me to the hospital.

Before I proceed, I want you to know, Kaiser has an emergency room and hospital in my city approx. 10 minutes away from where I live. I told my husband to take me to Modesto. I had a feeling they might admit me. When I was at the Modesto facility on the night of my UFE procedure, the nurses told me the hospital in my town could not guarantee a private room. OMG! I told him I could suffer the pain a few minutes more to get to Modesto and a foo-foo room. I am glad I did that since they were considering admission. I have a strong constitution and tend to be able to think through my pain.

By about 7am the next morning, the nurses went through a shift change. When my new nurse (who reminded me a lot of Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, in a good non-drug addicted way) realized the pain medication wasn’t working, she made a recommendation. She felt the pain medication was not treating the root cause of my pain and that inflammation of my uterus was the problem. She suggested Toradol (http://www.medscape.com/druginfo/monograph?cid=med&drugid=57955&drugname=Toradol+IM&monotype=monograph&secid=8) for the inflammation. She got a script from the on-duty emergency room GYN and administered it. The pain soon subsided. I owe “Nurse Jackie” some Krispy Kreme Donuts!

If I had only known! Toradol is a very strong analgesic that you can only get with a prescription for short-term use. The nurse told me that it can eat a hole in you if overused. Need I say more. The doctor sent me home with a script for Toradol and 800mil of Ibuprofen. I opted to take the Ibuprofen unless I needed more. It worked! My pain level was significantly reduced and I stayed in bed, in a position of comfort for five days post procedure. This position of comfort was either in the fetal position or with my legs elevated. This helped with the pelvic pressure I was also feeling with the cramping. I did nothing for seven days and relaxed (see http://www.ehow.com/how_5014028_recover-uterine-fibroid-embolization-procedure.html for the best recovery recommendation I have seen for post UFE). This was very difficult for me. It was my Netflix and I for five days.

On the seventh day, I got on the treadmill. I am glad I have a heart rate monitor to chart my progress. I could tell by my numbers that I was not where I left off. As the doctor said, I needed to work back up to my normal level of exercise routine. My heart rate was higher than normal for the level of difficulty on the treadmill. This was understandable considering the lack of exercise for the previous six days and the amount of narcotics that was still in my system working its way out.

And on a narcotics note, let me just say, I don’t believe the side affects are worth the discomfort narcotics can bring. Without totally grossing you out, let me just say my bodily functions are like clock work. Eating oatmeal every morning and drinking my carrot juice concoction helps a lot with that. Morphine caused me to be unable to urinate, while vicodin caused me to be  unable to have a bowel movement. Once those substances were out of my system, all was right with the world again; euphoria! Believe me when I say, post-40, it’s the little things we take for granted that count.

It takes time to recover, but, my prognosis is good. I am doing everything I can to increase the odds of a good recovery. Healthy food, exercise within reason and allowing myself the time I need for recuperation. I believe that there is reason to think this was a good choice, however the “jury is still out”. UFE treatment has been done for approximately 20 years now. There are currently no long-term studies as to its effectiveness. I would be remiss if I did not share with you one of my favorite website’s current opinion of UFE at http://www.uterinearteryembolization.com/. This information is put out by www.hersfoundation.org. Even with this information and the possible negative outcomes, the odds of death as a result of UFE have been reported at 1 in 6000, whereas, the incidence of death as a result of a hysterectomy has been reported at 2 in 6000. Take a look at “How Effective and Safe is UFE” at http://www.fibroidsecondopinion.com/uterine-artery-embolization/. I am very optimistic and will keep you all informed. I plan to start Insanity on Monday! Wish me luck!

Regards,

Sherri

www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

Part 2, The Choice

First of all, I must make you all aware; I believe my doctor is very good at what she does. She listens, is personable and thorough. She was not my regular gynecologist when I went to visit her for this problem. I changed her to my regular GYN today. I am very satisfied with her service and I trust her. I still believe, as I do with all things, that a person should be informed and not abdicate their personal responsibility for what can possibly be life-altering decisions. It is also my responsibility as a patient to make the doctor aware of any problems or sensitivities I may have. I left my appointment and went home to start some research.

I am lucky to have an inquisitive mind. I’m one of those nerdy people who will sit in front of a Hollywood documentary (such as The Bounty, Ali, La Bamba, Creation, etc) with a computer on my lap so I can verify facts. I was watching Grey’s anatomy one night and had to pull out the computer. They portrayed a woman who was pregnant with twins and she had two uteruses (yes it’s possible check it out at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29446416/ns/health-pregnancy/). Over the years I have spoken with family members and friends who have had fibroids. I possess several medical books in my library and had researched the hysterectomy procedure before. One of my early conclusions was that like tonsillectomies, episiotomies and caesarian sections, the hysterectomy is a procedure that had been over used without medical necessity.

The other thing that I am convinced of is many times people wait until a condition is advanced before they get treatment. Women in particular (I admit this is a generalization) have a tendency to be so consumed with the care giving of others they don’t take good care of themselves. It is common that a fibroid does not get diagnosed until it is quite large. I am an anxious person and very in tune with my body. This awareness has increased because I am eating right and exercising. When I cheat and have pizza, for instance, I feel the difference these days. I knew when I went to the doctor that something wasn’t right. My diagnosis came at a time when my fibroids were relatively small compared to some of the stories I have heard. This gave me more leeway in my decision process. I had not been living with pain for a long time.

You may feel the word I used in the first installment of this series, mutilation is a strong sentiment. According to dictionary.com, to mutilate is 1. to injure, disfigure, or make imperfect by removing or irreparably damaging parts, 2. to deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or other essential part. Wouldn’t removing my uterus be the removal of a vital body part? If I am perfect as I am, shouldn’t I give strong consideration to preserving my current condition?

Many women have been told they don’t really need their uterus after childbirth. This just didn’t make sense to me. I have faith God designed things a certain way for a reason. If the uterus is unnecessary after childbirth, wouldn’t it drop off after you were done with it just as baby teeth do? Scientists used to swear the Earth was flat, they also alleged that the sun and stars revolved around it because the Earth was thought to be the center of the universe. I believe that some things are not known and some scientists diminish the importance of things they do not understand instead of admitting they don’t have the answer.

I have a holistic view of life. Some might think this is an esoteric outlook on things, but I think all things are connected. Humans, animals, plants, etc. are interrelated. We all affect each other. The body can be compared to a planet; all of the organs have an important position and influence on the whole. Removing a body part can have far ranging implications.

The body has two types of muscles. There are voluntary, such as your biceps, deltoids, etc. Voluntary muscles (voluntary muscle – Dictionary definition of voluntary muscle | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary) are muscles you can activate by your thought process. We have direct control over these muscles. The uterus is an involuntary muscle. Being the imaginative person that I am (my husband says I think to much) I also like to picture my reproductive parts as a separate entity. In my mind it was a little person with a mind of it’s own crying out for help (I watch the SCIFY channel a lot too)! Clearly my uterus was screaming, “Help me, help me!! Please save me!”

On a more serious note there is a growing amount of science that points to the necessity of having a uterus as a woman ages. For many women, the uterus has contractions during orgasm. This can be a vital part of a woman’s sexual experience. The uterus is connected to the cervix and the vaginal canal and they share the blood supply. Removing the uterus commonly lessons the blood supply to these body parts and others in the reproductive system, affecting a woman’s ability to be aroused. A more detailed explanation can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daaTH9S8L74.

Many times when a hysterectomy is performed the doctor also performs a full Oophorectomy. Oophorectomy, also known as female castration (Female castration – definition of Female castration in the Medical dictionary – by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia..), can cause a host of side affects which include changes in sex drive, personality changes, early onset dementia, hot flashes, insomnia, Osteoporosis, etc. (see http://www.livestrong.com/article/38881-oophorectomy-side-effects/ also see Adverse Effects Data Page, statistics, complications, aftereffects, sex, joint pain, weight gain, fatigue, hersfoundation.org).

Lets talk about castration. I believe it is easier for men to understand this if I put it into perspective. Male castration is the removal of the testicles. The side affects can be a loss of sex drive, personality change, breast development, Osteoporosis, etc. (see the long term male castration affects study at http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/84/12/4324). Hmm, sound familiar? Why are women steered towards castration at the first sign of pain, while everything is done to save a man’s testicles? Would a man readily submit to castration? Why should I?

When a husband and wife come together during intercourse there is a spiritual connection. It is beautiful and links them in a way that is profound. All of a sudden that toilette seat he left up for the tenth time, the dish he forgot to wash, the half cleaned counter tops just don’t seem so important. All is right in the world as a feeling of euphoria fills your being (Euphoria – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Many men find pleasure in pleasing their mate. Imagine not being able to stimulate your wife because she has limited feeling due to the mutilation she has endured. How would that affect your relationship? How important is a woman’s uterus and ovaries? I believe they are extremely important and worth fighting for!

It was clear that this decision would not only affect me, but my husband as well! This was a choice that I could not make lightly. A mutilation is still a mutilation if it is voluntary. The only reason I could see submitting to a voluntary disfigurement would be for a severe cause that could not be resolved in other ways such as cancer.  It would have to be a “worst case scenario”. It is for this reason, and the others I have illuminated, I chose to try the Uterine Fibroid Embolization procedure.

To be continued…

Part 1, The Diagnosis

Some of you may have noticed, that I have not been updating my blog of late.  I recently suffered an on the job injury. I have recuperated from that injury, however, that is not the subject of this writing. In September, I was diagnosed with fibroid tumors.

For those of you who have already had a hysterectomy, I would hope that my article does not open fresh wounds (no pun intended). Having a hysterectomy is a serious decision and very necessary in some cases.  If you are currently considering your options, I hope my experience can help you. Be warned, the following article will be very personal. For men, please continue to read if you are married or have a woman whom you love in your life (significant other, friend, mother, sister, etc.). I feel it important to share some of the things I have learned. I get so much information from others in the internet-community and I believe in giving back.

A couple months ago, I noticed extreme pain in the lower left quadrant of my abdomen. Coupled with the fact that I had been having increasingly heavier periods and other symptoms, I realized it was time to go see the doctor. I was thinking that it was possible I might be premenopausal.  However, there were other things that could be happening as well such as a cyst, fibroids, cancer, etc.  It is very important to note changes in a woman’s monthly cycle and to go to the doctor and get it checked out. It was my intuition that made me take this seriously, because of the pain, I felt something was going on that needed to be addressed. While waiting for my doctor appointment, I conducted some online research. The following link http://womenshealth.about.com/od/abnormalbleeding/a/causemenorrhagi.htm, lists the top ten reasons for heavy bleeding during a woman’s period.

After a physical exam, my doctor recommended an endometrial biopsy (check out the possible reasons for having this test performed at http://www.medicinenet.com/endometrial_biopsy/article.htm). She wanted to see how thick my uterine lining was. It is common for a premenopausal woman to have thickening of the uterine lining accompanied by heavy bleeding. She also said she could order an ultrasound test of my uterus. I have always felt that pain is my friend. Pain is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong and this should not be ignored and covered up (pain meds.). I felt the ultrasound would be the best way to identify the cause of the pain I was feeling especially if it was the result of a cyst.

My doctor performed the endometrial biopsy right there in the office during that visit. It was during this procedure that I was reminded how sensitive my uterus is! I had not had time to research this procedure, so, I submitted when the doctor assured me that most women only have minor cramping as a result. It was extremely painful and I had difficulty remaining still for her to remove the specimen. I later learned, via the Internet, that many women are prescribed an anti-inflammatory 30 to 60 minutes before the procedure to lessen the cramping during this procedure.

A couple of weeks later I was meeting with my doctor to discuss options. The endometrial biopsy came back with normal results. The ultrasound test identified 2 fibroids. One was approximately 5cm. That is a little larger than a golf ball! The doctor then began to list my options. Hormone treatment, Uterine Fibroid Embolization and Hysterectomy (see other options at Uterine fibroids: Treatments and drugs – MayoClinic.com.).

Hormone therapy might shrink the fibroids. This shrinkage would only last as long as I continued to take the hormones and hormone therapy is recommended if you are close to menopause. My uterine lining was normal per the biopsy so there was no reason to conclude that I had started menopause or was even close to starting.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a procedure that requires an interventional radiologist. A catheter the size of spaghetti is threaded through the femoral artery and advanced to the veins supplying the fibroid. A material is injected into the veins cutting off the blood flow to the fibroid. The fibroid then dies due to the lack of nourishment and it begins to shrink in size (see a more detailed explanation at http://www.sirweb.org/patients/uterine-fibroids/ and there is an excellent animation of the procedure at YouTube – Uterine Fibroid Embolization Animation Video).

The other alternative mentioned was a hysterectomy. I immediately said, Oh no, we won’t be doing that. To which my doctor replied that many women were happy to have a hysterectomy done. I then told her I liked my uterus and was keeping it. It was amazing how calmly she mentioned the idea of hysterectomy as if it was an easy thing to consider. When she said many women were happy having the hysterectomy done I heard “Lots of women are happy having themselves mutilated”.

Really?

To be continued…

Sherri in the low plank position.

I am currently in my 5th month of the Insanity workout. I just started my third cycle. When I say injuries, I am referring to the callouses I am getting on my elbows from the low plank exercises. I wish I had known! Anyway, I am telling you, it is helpful to get some kind of elbow protection(try Amazon.com: elbow protection)! I have a couple of abrasions that bleed every time I do the low plank/high plank exercise because of the friction caused by maneuvering between the two positions. Also, most low plank exercises cause some kind of friction.

Elbow injury

Another problem I have encountered is what I refer to as a “butt abrasion”. You may be wondering how a person can get a butt abrasion. When I do the Cardio-ab DVD, many of the exercises are done in the C-sit position. I now know that it is important to make sure that I do these exercises on a mat. Originally I was doing them on a hard surface. The chaffing I have is a direct result of the loss of additional padding caused by my weight loss. I don’t have that fat layer to protect me anymore! Oh the pitfalls of loosing weight! It is helpful to have a firm pad with a little give for these exercises to help prevent chaffing. My husband does not seem to be having this problem. I think it is because he has a different body shape than I do. Talk to you all later!

Sherri,

www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

C sit-position

October 2010

There are several reasons why I think exercise at this time in my life is different and more enjoyable (younger people please take notes). Mainly it has to do with my state of mind. I have a better sense of who I am and where I want to go. I don’t have the kind of performance pressures I had in my youth. I don’t feel the need to compete or to satisfy another person’s  view of how I should be performing. I am at peace with who I am. To get here I had to go through many life experiences which have definitively shaped me.

I began “mothering” at an early age. My brother and I grew up in foster care. At the age of 4, being the oldest, I immediately found myself in a semi parenting role with my brother. I had my first child at the age of 15. This is all important to know because I have come to realize that I was groomed by my life experiences to take care of other people’s needs. This also translated into my relationships. For a long time, I did not feel that I had the right to have my needs fulfilled. I felt that this was a selfish wish and that it was my duty to put my children’s, my mate’s and what other people thought before my own desires.

It took a particularly brutal relationship, to make me re-evaluate how I related with the opposite sex. Once I got past that occurrence, I found a wonderful husband who is perfect for me. However, I still found the need to take care of people to be over powering. My last child finally left the “nest” recently. This move was anticipated and had been in the works for some time.

It has taken me a couple years to come to terms with what that means for me. Where do I go from here? What do I want? What is my identity outside of being a caretaker? What do I do with all my time now that I am no longer needed to chauffeur, teach and feed my children?

I have come to realize that it’s my time now. I have needs and I have the wisdom to identify what those are without feeling overly concerned about what others think. I am “Doing me” now. “Doing me” means, I exercise and think about my health because it is something I want. In my youth, I wanted to be attractive for a mate. Now, I do it for myself! Don’t get me wrong, I am not immune to the appreciative looks my husband gives me. The difference is, this is a personal experience for me and he doesn’t push me to do it. As I have said before, my husband  loves me large or small. I have my own standards for how I want to look.

Another great realization that has come with age is an understanding of my body. I know the difference between good pain and bad pain. I listen to what my body is telling me and am more careful about how much I weight lift. I know that, contrary to the old style of lifting, it is not how much weight you lift, it is the reps that are important. When I feel a twinge, I lower the weight or, If the pain is bad pain, I stop and ice the body part (check out this article Good Pain, Bad Pain). An unattended injury, can cause you to loose a lot of time. When you start back, you loose some of your gains. It is better to take a couple of days off than to be forced to take off a few months!

I am also cognizant of the importance of stretching. It took a partial calf tear for me to understand that! the partial tear, put me off work for three months. My calf had been tight for a month and there was no pain so I kept working out. I did not have a habit of stretching. One day, I made a sprinting motion and it just popped! The beauty of INSANITY is, Shaun T. incorporates stretching into all of his routines. Occasionally, when the weather changes, I feel a bit of a twinge and some tightness in my calf. For those times, I do some additional stretching of my calf before I start the DVD. Now, tightness before the workout means STRETCH first!

Patience and acceptance also come with age. I am willing to work out at a pace that is healthy for my body. The changes will come in time. I have the patience to believe that and to continue working toward my goals. INSANITY, makes it easier because the changes happen right away. My stronger areas began to show signs of development almost immediately. However, the weak body parts became readily apparent. My abs, the calf with the partial tear injury, my right shoulder, etc. have been a little slower. After four months of INSANITY I have seen measurable signs of strength increase in all of those weaker areas. I can almost do the whole Cardio-Abs DVD without stopping to rest. My left calf is almost as strong as the right because of the balancing exercises.  I wonder what a year of this exercise will do.

I am accepting of my short comings. They don’t go away by ignoring them. I realize I have to work on them and give those areas of my body time to catch up. This is the best strategy for my overall strength building approach. My proof is in the application of strength to tasks. Recently, my crew had to go do an exercise at the training division of our department. We had to drag a person using a harness. The person had on full SCBA and turnouts. This increases their weight approximately 40 lbs. I dragged this guy who was at least 6’2″ approximately 6 to 10 feet. We did not have to drag the person far, It was just an exercise in learning how to apply and use the harness. The amazing thing to me was how easy this task was. I could have run dragging him without to much effort. I am currently lifting less weight than I ever have. How is it that I am stronger? I believe it is because I have a much stronger core, my body fat is much lower, and because of the plyometrics involved in INSANITY, I have stronger legs. My body is much more efficient because more of my muscle groups are being trained through this program.

At 44, I believe that I am in the best condition I have ever been in! When I came into the fire service, 21 years ago, women were told to focus on upper body as our biggest weakness. Many of us began programs that were heavier in upper body strength exercises. I now believe a program which focuses on core development, an overall approach to all muscle groups and Cardio, is a more effective method (check out this link Cardio vs. Weights: The Battle Is Over – washingtonpost.com). INSANITY has all of that. I don’t do any of my other routines anymore. I get more out of INSANITY in half the time! It incorporates a warmup, strength building Yoga stretches and Extreme Strength building Cardio. What a combination in a short amount of time! It is by far the most efficient workout I have ever done in my 29 years of strength training.

If you are interested in trying INSANITY or any of the other Beachbody Programs check out my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab. If you go to this blog main page and look on the right hand side, there are links to many of the other exercise program introduction videos including P90X and Body Gospel. Beachbody has something for everybody even children! The bottom line is you don’t necessarily have to do Beachbody Programs, just DO SOMETHING! Check out my health links for the reasons why you need to do something. Talk to you all later!

Sherriab,

www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

September 2009 "Before" Side View

The beauty of “Insanity” is, you really don’t need any other equipment beyond a DVD player and a tv. I worked out for a month before I decided to purchase extra items (outside of supplements) to enhance my experience. As time went on, I realized that I wanted the best experience I could get. I wanted to be able to better measure my growth. The following list of tools are my top recommendations if you want to track and improve your performance.

September 2010 "After" Side Picture

1. Good Shoes – I have been weight lifting and running since I was 15 years old. When I was poor, I couldn’t afford good running shoes. When I got a good job, I still found myself skimping on my shoes. Always looking for a bargain, I couldn’t see paying more than $70 for a pair. Because my feet are large (size 11 in women’s), I also only bought mens’s running shoes. After several foot injuries (blisters), one of which put me off duty for a couple weeks, I decided I needed inserts for my shoes.

One day, I decided to treat myself to an expensive pair of shoes, just to see if there really was a difference. I went to Athletic Shoes – Basketball Shoes – Running Shoes – Casual Shoes | Eastbay, and bought the most expensive pair they had at the time. This was a pair of Nikes women’s running shoes. What a difference! I did not need inserts for this pair. They were perfect. I have not had a foot injury since! Buy a quality pair of exercise shoes made for the type of workout you plan to do.

Of course I am still into saving money, so, before I shop at Eastbay.com, I always google for coupon codes. Many times during the year they have 20% off codes. Once a year they have a 30% coupon for their regular customers. You can’t find this one by googling. You have to be signed up so they can send you an e-mail.

2. Heart Monitor - My husband has always been into monitoring his heart rate during his exercise. This is especially pertinent when you have a heart condition! I had never done so before and in the past did not see the need for this “foofoo” piece of equipment. On the Insanity videos Shaun T. is constantly recommending that you check your heart rate. After a month of Insanity, from my results, I figured Shaun T. had been right so far so I needed to get a heart rate monitor to get the most out of routine. I must have been missing out on something if Shaun was always referring to it.

I went to Costco and purchased a heart rate monitor with a strap attachment. I began exercising religiously with it. I found articles on the net explaining the use of heart monitors and how to figure out your max heart rate. Unlike a lot of exercise routines, Insanity has you routinely working out your heart at approximately 85 to 90% of your max heart rate.  It is important to understand these concepts and how they affect your outcomes if you want to get the most out of your workout. The heart rate monitor helps you to evaluate and determine your limits so you don’t over or under train. If you are interested in learning more about using a monitoring devise and the benefits, there is a good article at MarathonGuide.com – Heart Monitor Training. You can also purchase heart monitors through my Beachbody Product link, Beach Body Coaching Website.

3. Calorie Counter - I used to watch my daughter keep track of her calories and think that this was something a bit extreme. My husband bought me an ipod last year so I decided to download a calorie counter just in case. When I decided to start the INSANITY program, I started using this application. Tap and Track is now my best friend. I am able to keep track of the calories I consume each day as well as the ones I expend. There is a way to  input your starting weight and to calculate a calorie budget so I can loose a set amount each week.

There are many free sources for getting the caloric content of foods on the internet. You can keep a written food diary using these numbers. I like the convenience of my Tap and Track application on my ipod. The app. calculates a budget based on how much weight I want to loose a week. It has several calculations for the calories burned during different types of work/out. I can figure out how many calories I burn each day and add them to my daily calorie budget. I recently purchased a new Droid phone. There is also a free app. for calorie counting available for download on the Droid phone.

P90x Results and Recovery

4. Supplements – At the end of my first week of Insanity, I was wiped out! One of my “Insanity Buddies”, Doug, told me to get the P90X Results and Recovery drink. What a difference the Recovery drink made. I had more energy during and after the workout. There is one concern I have with the Results and Recovery drink at this time and that is the sugar content. I try not to drink anything that has a sugar content higher than 10 g. P90X Results and Recovery drink has 36g! I can’t recommend this for people who are trying to watch their sugar intake.

I also took BCAAs. This is an amino acid combination. P90X Results and Recovery drink has the amino acids glutamine and arginine. The BCAAs I take are Isoleucine, Valine and Leucine. I take it in pill form. I like the BCAA formula product put out by TwinLab. Amino acids assist with muscle recovery and fatigue. If you are interested in knowing the science behind how amino acids work check out the article at Amino Acid Mixture Improves Training Efficiency in Athletes — Ohtani et al. 136 (2): 538S — Journal of Nutrition.

I also replaced one meal a day with the Shakeology drink. I had been eating cottage cheese for lunch. The Shakeology drink has a much better nutritional value than cottage cheese. It is low calorie and has only 9g of sugar. You can get both P90X Results and Recovery Formula and Shakeology at my Beach body coaching website link.

Shakeology

5. A Large Mirror - One of the things I have learned from my weight lifting experience is how important proper form is when doing exercises. I try to do exercises in front of a mirror so I can straighten my body if necessary. It helps to visualize  the problem areas you are working on.  My weakest area is my abs. I like to workout in front of the mirror with a crop shirt on so I can see the part I am working on. The beauty of the Insanity DVDs is I can do this in private and no one else can see my fat jiggle. LOL!

I recently took my car to the shop to get the smog certificate. When the technician gave me my certificate he made a comment. He was shocked at how clean the smog report was for a car with over 200,000 miles on it. I told him I kept up my car regularly. I never put cheap gas in my car, only Chevron Plus unleaded. Every time my car is due for a servicing, I take it in to the dealer. I have my oil changed on time. I pay a little more to have it serviced by the dealer, but, I want my car to last so I go to the experts and follow their recommendations. I intend to get at least 300,000 good miles out of my car before I purchase a new one.

Over the years, I have watched many of my co-workers as they have been able to purchase new “toys”. Many times this new “toy” is a car. I have listened as they talk about how they only use this product or that product for their vehicle. They purchase upgraded tires and only use certain products to clean and wax their cars.
It never ceases to amaze me, how much time and money a person will spend to keep up their toys and how little they are willing to invest in their health. Well, I am here to tell you “if you put crap in you will get crap out”. Just as I never put anything but synthetic oil in my car, because that is what the car is designed for, my body works best if I fuel it with healthy foods. We need to put the same level of care into our bodies as we do our cars. Now, believe me, I know how easy it is to get “off track” for whatever reason. As you will see at the end, I was “off track” for a while. I also know that we can control our health by paying attention to what we eat. We can make things better!

Case in point, Every year my job has us take a physical. When I took my physical on June 11, 2010, I had been doing the Insanity program for about 3 1/2 weeks. I had already changed my eating habits. Imagine my surprise when my cholesterol count came back at 228! I became concerned and got on the internet and downloaded a list of cholesterol lowering foods to include in my diet. Included in that list of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods, were oatmeal, walnuts and green tea (also see link Foods that fight cholesterol – The Times of India).

.

I was now on a mission to refine my diet to control my cholesterol. The picture above  shows my typical breakfast now. Before the test, I was having a whole boiled egg daily. The boiled egg was convenient, however, it took my cholesterol level up. I stopped eating whole eggs and switched to oatmeal. On July 30, 2010 I had my doctor run a cholesterol test. It came back at 176!

Another part of my diet are foods that promote muscle recovery and growth. I take protein which assists muscle growth. I also take a regime of Amino Acids. The Amino acids assist with muscle recovery, soreness and growth (If you are interested in a more scientific explanation of  what amino acids can do for you check out the report at Amino Acid Mixture Improves Training Efficiency in Athletes — Ohtani et al. 136 (2): 538S — Journal of Nutrition). To make a long story short, I don’t feel wiped out after my workout! My first week of Insanity, I did not take an amino acid supplement. I was exhausted at the end of the week. I started taking a BCAA supplement the next week and noticed an improvement in how I felt post workout. I also take P90X Results and Recovery drink ( go to the link under Beachbody product links marked Beach body coaching website to purchase). The combination of BCAAs(leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and the Arginine and Glutamine found in the P990x Results and Recovery formula is powerful. As they say, “The proof is in the Pudding” check out my progress! Talk to you later!

Sherri, www.beachbodycoach.com/sherriab

September 2009 " Before" Front View

September 2010 "After" Front Picture

The guy with a waist.

When Sherri asked me,what motivates me to do this workout, I really needed a few minutes to think about it. At first the answer seemed obvious. I want to be healthy. Wanting to be healthy has always been a goal but somehow, that never took me to my current level of commitment to working out. I would take hour long walks around the park or on the treadmill and occasional bike rides but I was not seeing any improvement from that, in fact I was only slowing down my decline. So what changed?

1. Personal challenge

I am 53 years old. I am at a time in my life when I still have the potential to do whatever I want to do but each year that passes will make it less likely that I will. Some might call it midlife crisis. I think of it more as an adjustment period. I suppose you could take those feelings in a negetive direction and do something foolish. I choose to focus on finally getting serious about maximizing my health. I want to do everything that I can do to reduce or eliminate my reliance on medications (see these articles put out by the Mayo Clinic Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure – MayoClinic.com and Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms – MayoClinic.com) .

2. Fast results from “Insanity” workout

I started the workout in June. Within 2 weeks I was seeing and feeling changes in my body. I was more flexible, my “core” was getting tight and I had already shed several pounds! By the end of the first month, my belts were on the last notch and still not tight enough to hold up my pants which were now all too big for me. I continue to see very nice changes as the weeks go by.  I started In June wearing size 40 and  42 pants. I now fit comfortably into size 36. Most of my shirts are a large now. down from 2xl. How’s that for motivation? I must say, that is my biggest motivator (pardon my vanity lol) .

3. Retirement

I don’t know if this one is a motivator or just a mind trick but it helps keep me in the right frame of mind. I just retired in April of this year after 30 years on the job. Retirement is great but the  transition is not always as simple as people think. Most retirees spend the first few months trying to find a new focus. Many seek out jobs.Well I have found the perfect retirement job. I work from home, the hours are flexible and the benefits are outstanding. What is this new job? It is doing my insanity workout! Yes I look at it as my job now and so far I have a perfect attendance record. That’s all for now. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Ray

If you are interested in joining the “Insanity Club” or checking out some of the other Beach body products, check out the links under Beach body Products Links on my blog main page!

Sherri