Last night, we went back to the J after nap time so I could do the 6PM workout.  This year, we’ve had more variety in the workouts… pool, cycling, gym, etc.  I missed the first gym workout, so I was glad that I could attend last night.

There were about 40 people in attendance.  4 of the JCC personal trainers put us through our workout.

We had a basic cardio warm up with walking, shuffles, and other movements down the gym court and back.  After that warm up, we did a series of 1 minute exercises.  We did things like push ups, step ups, oblique twists, knee lifts, partner rows, and a few others that currently escape me.  The trainers incorporated bands, body weight, and the BOSU into the workouts.  We ended with a nice stretching period.

The trainers did a pretty good job of mixing it up and keeping us moving.  My only complaint is that we were crowded for the warm up.  They had us line up in two lines and do our movements down the court.  We really needed to be in 3 or even 4 lines to have enough space between us.

All in all, it was a good workout.  I’m glad I made the effort to attend.  It’s so much easier this year since the workouts are all at 6PM and Kid Kare is open until 7:30PM.  It allows me go and take the kids with me.

The next Biggest Loser workout is next Thursday in the pool.

 

On Fridays, we go to the J on the late side.  On Fridays, Teacher Debbie comes to Kid Kare at 11:15AM for a half hour.  She has stories, songs and games for the kids.  All of the kids at the J love her.  So, in order to follow Kid Kare’s 2 hour rule, we try to arrive right at 9:45AM.  Recently, Kid Kare stopped allowing snacks due to allergy and kosher issues.  We used to bring a snack, especially on Friday, since by almost noon, my kids are starving.  So, when I picked them up at 11:45AM, both Nick and Sally were super hungry.

We left Kid Kare, made our way upstairs to the lobby, and sat on a bench separated from the Subway by a low wall.  I brought raisins for the kids. I’ve been putting them in a little plastic bowl with a lid.  Nick was almost done when he turned around to look into the Subway restaurant to check out the happenings. Then he dropped a raisin.

It’s not out of the ordinary to drop a raisin.  We take care to pick them up and throw them in the trash. This was different.  He dropped the raisin from his hand onto the Subway side, just like a kid dropping a raisin into a neighboring booth at a restaurant.

Nick wanted to find and throw away the raisin.  I told him not to worry about it, but he persisted. The table where the raisin dropped was occupied by a gentleman working on his computer. Nick wanted me to come with him. We walked around to the opening for Subway, and told the man that we were looking for a raisin that Nick dropped because he wanted to throw it away.  The guy was super nice and moved his computer bag from the floor to a chair so Nick could look around.  We couldn’t find it and Nick started to cry. Then it went beyond crying into the start of a full-blown tantrum, all over a lost raisin.

With some help from the computer guy, I convinced Nick to leave for the car. He kept crying and was really, really upset.  He screamed and carried on. At one point, Teacher Debbie passed us and could not believe that sweet, happy Nick was so upset.  I told her about the dropped raisin, and that Nick wanted to throw it in the trash but couldn’t find it.  She said that melted her heart.

For a minute, Nick was happy and calmed down, but as soon as he thought again about the raisin, he started bawling again.  I remembered that I had a raisin in my coat pocket. I’m sure it’s from when one of the kids dropped a raisin the other day.  Sometimes, I pick them up on our way out, and they don’t make it into the trash can right away.

I hid the raisin in my hand and reached down to Nick’s shoe. I put it carefully on his shoe near the Velcro as if it was stuck.

“Nick, look, there’s the raisin.  It must have fallen out of your hand onto your shoe!”

He liked that at first, and then said, “But Mommy, my raisin couldn’t have fallen on my shoe because it fell out of my hand onto the other side of the wall.”

I said, “Well, maybe the raisin fell from the man’s computer bag when he moved it and landed on your shoe.”

“Yeah, Mommy, that’s what happened.  I’m happy now.”

And so was I.

Note: I’m not advocating being untruthful to your kids, but sometimes, it’s worth a story or two to calm a tantrum.

 Posted by at 2:24 PM  Tagged with:
 

On Wednesday, we had our 3rd Biggest Loser workout at the J.  We had about 35 people show up for spin class.  It was really set up well for the new folks.  I’d guess by looking around that this was the first spin class ever for at least 25 of the participants.

Richard taught the class.  He wasn’t prepped ahead of time for the audience and was so excited to have a full class of students.  He waited until 6PM and after some introductions, he took a few minutes to explain to everyone how to set up their bike.  Set up is pretty important or you can compromise your knees and have a bad experience.  For some of us who were already set up, we just started spinning during that time.  By 6:15PM or so, there was music and actual class going on.

Richard is very narrative.  He loves to paint a picture and tell stories.  This was my second class with him.  In the first class, many months ago, he took us to the Lake Placid Olympics and we went ski jumping.  He paints a vivid enough picture that you can remember it much later.

In Wednesday’s class, he went through several basic moves and then we ended with a 5K race,  He’s really good at having you visualize the competition.

I got a good workout and was impressed with all of the beginners.  I hope all of them felt like they accomplished something.  For me, a SPIN class was really hard to walk into the first time.  Once I got the hang of setting up my bike, I was hooked.  Currently, I try to spin at least once a week.

Later in the month, there’s a Yoga session.  I’ve never done yoga and I’m hoping that the class is beginner friendly.

 

Thursday is our double J day.  We go in the morning so I can workout and shower.  Today, I had planned the water aerobics class.  We go back after nap time so Nick can take his weekly swim lesson.

We were leaving this morning and we were barely on time.  Sometimes I do too many dishes before I start coats, boots, mittens, socks, etc.  I got everyone in the car and Nick wanted me to go in for his bird.  Since I was not in the car yet and had to make another trip anyway, I picked up his stuffed yellow bird and brought it out to him.  After I got in the car and buckled my seat belt, Nick decided that he wanted me to go in and get his car.  I told him no.  Sally was playing with her boat that she had left in the car yesterday.  Nick didn’t even think of his car until he saw her playing with the boat.

He started to cry and scream.  He wanted me to go in.  I just started to drive.  I told him that he needed to be more responsible for what he wanted to bring and that he already had his bird.  He screamed that he wanted me to turn around and go back for his car.  His screaming and crying continued during the entire 12 minute trip to the JCC.

I got Sally out of the car and then went to get Nick out of the car.  He got out and then opened the door to get back in three times before walking toward the lobby.  I told him that if I had to miss my swim class that he was going to miss his swim class.  I’m not sure if he is old enough to understand that, but I need to try to teach him.

Finally, we made it to the doors and he was still crying and screaming.  One of the workers walked in and said he was glad that it wasn’t just his kid.  I know that everyone has tantrums, but it does get old.

Finally, Nick’s playroom friend came in with her mom and Nick wanted to walk with her.  That ended up working in my favor.  I may have also bribed him a little by letting him open his snack.  He was still upset a little when he got to the playroom, but it worked out ok.  I was just on time for class.

After a rather noisy quiet time, Nick made it to his swim lesson.  He remembered to take his car into the car and all was well with the world.

I’m hoping for a smoother workout tomorrow!

 Posted by at 6:37 PM  Tagged with:
 

For the past couple of weeks, Nick has been taking swim lessons at the JCC.  We’ve been going “after nap time” on Thursdays.  It works well because Sally can go to Kid Kare and I can focus on Nick.

I used to take Nick swimming when he was just a few months old.  He always liked the water.  During the summer, he enjoys splash parks.  This was his first formal swim lesson.

He’s always so excited to get to the pool.

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It’s his favorite part of Thursday.

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He’s in a class with several of his friends from the playroom at the JCC and that makes it nice for him.  There’s usually 6 or 7 kids and two instructors.

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There are some group skills as well as individual attention throughout the 30 minute lesson.

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After his shower, he’s always hungry for a snack.

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And he loves putting his swim trunks into the spin dryer.  The trunks aren’t 100% dry after a cycle in this machine, but most of the moisture is gone and it’s much nicer to pack for home.

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He has one more lesson in this session and then we’ll probably sign him up for more since he loves it so much.

 

I’ll spare you the photos, but my knee/calf/leg still looks like it ran into a train.  I’m glad to say that the swelling is going down.  My biggest challenge now is a large hematoma on the front of the knee.  It’s making it hard to use stairs and bend without discomfort.  Except for that, the whole injury is a ton better than 8 days ago when the injury occurred.

Unfortunately, I’m pretty good an knee rehabilitation.  This is my 3rd significant injury.

The hardest part is my workout schedule.  I was finally back to solid long workouts just 2 weeks before this fall.  Now, I am starting over – again.

This week, I did go to the JCC on Monday or Tuesday since I had 3 extra kids while my friend had her baby.  It was probably good for me to take a rest.  On Wednesday, I did 30 minutes on a stationary bike.  It was slow and all about range of motion.  I kept the bike going just fast enough that the TV didn’t think I stopped.  It was about 40 RPM and didn’t make me sweat.  That being said, it felt good to stretch out my leg.

On Thursday, I went to the water aerobics class.  I wore a floatation belt to keep me from too much impact and only did 1/2 the class.  The water felt great, but I didn’t want to overdo it.

Today, I did another 30 minutes on the bike.  I don’t really think I over did it, but I’ve been crabby most of the day.  I think I just get frustrated with taking it easy.  It’s also hard to WANT to cook and clean when you have a bum knee.  With a fridge full of fresh vegetables, I want to use or preserve things before they go bad.

I’m encouraged that my knee will be better each day, but I’m also realistic in my thinking that it could take several weeks for the hematoma to absorb.  Meanwhile, I’m thankful that it’s not more serious and I’ll keep plugging along!

 

I was planning to post my weekly Fresh Fork CSA pick up today.  My computer network is not cooperating.  Hopefully, I can remedy the problem in the morning.

Instead, I’ll tell you about another injury.

Yesterday, while going into the JCC, Sally and I started to jog.  She likes to run to the door once we hit the sidewalk.  I’m not sure if Nick wondered in front of us or if Sally and I tripped over each other.  I can tell you that my left knee to the brunt of the fall as I tried not to fall on top of Sally.  She was crying and covered in mud, but she looked ok.  My knee was killing me.

We made out way into the J and sat on a bench to regroup.  I took the kids to the playroom and cleaned up Sally.  This involved putting Nick’s spare shorts on her since he pants were muddy and soaked.  It looks ridiculous, but works in a pinch.

I went to the desk and got an ice pack for my knee that was starting to swell.  By the time I did a very short workout and shower, I knew that I needed to get it checked out.

I called Stephen and he met us at the library so he could take the kids while I figured out my doctor strategy.  Do I try for a same day ortho appointment, do I go to the ER, urgent care or regular doctor?  I ended up with a same day appointment with internal medicine.

She ordered an x-ray.  It was negative.  I was glad nothing was broken or fractured.  She prescribed crutches, NSAIDS, ice, compression and elevation.

I headed to an ortho appointment today.  He checked to make sure my MCL and ACL were intact and told me that I have a “big boo boo”.  Basically, my knee is swelled up so much that I can barely bend it and nature needs to take its course.

I can do anything that is tolerable.  I’m glad that it wasn’t more serious, but it is still very painful.

Hopefully, I can have a weekend ahead with lots of rest and recuperation and be back in the swing of things next week.

 

I thought today would be a good day to track the workout progress to date for the week.

The Plan (in black) – Actual (in Green)

Monday – spin

I went to Beth’s spinning class.  This was my second class since my knee injury.  It feels so great to be back!

Tuesday – try out the new higher intensity water aerobics class

This class is new and Sharan is the instructor.  It was an awesome class.  I actually felt like it was challenging.  This is something that I’d like to figure out how to fit into my workout schedule on a regular basis.  It’s a pay class, but seems worth every penny.  I think I will become a regular.

Wednesday – cardio warm up (45 minutes on the elliptical), then weights

We got to the J a bit later than I planned.  I warmed up with 17 min on the elliptical.  I rocked the intensity and strides per minute.

  • Chest press (2 sets with 12 pound dumbbells)
  • Fly (2 sets with 10 pound dumbbells)
  • Shoulder press (2 sets with 5 pound dumbbells)
  • Biceps (2 sets with 12 pound dumbbells)
  • Triceps (1 set of 60, 50, 40, 30, then 20 pounds)
  • Leg curl
  • Leg extension
  • Lunges (1 set of 10 on each side)
  • Push ups (using bench or Smith bar)
  • Plank (tried 3 times, didn’t have a way to time myself)
  • Abs machine (it was busy every time I walked by)
  • Abs floor exercises (did variety of exercises)

I feel very good about this workout.  I didn’t get to all of the exercises due to time constraints (and I forgot my exact list).  I worked hard and felt like I pushed myself.  It’s good to be on track.

We’re started to make some vacation plans for next summer and I am hoping to really get in shape between now and then.  It’s great to have some extra motivation going into the holiday season.

 Posted by at 9:37 PM  Tagged with:
 

It’s been a while since I posted about workouts.  It’s odd since we’ve been to the J often lately.  I’ve been busy writing about CSAs and picking, but I’ve managed to get some solid workouts in also.

I’ve opted to stop working out with a trainer for the time being.  I love working out with Chelsea and I have 2 sessions left, but our schedules weren’t meshing.  Also, my outside of the gym schedule is out of control.

So, I contacted my friend Shayna and asked her if she wanted to work out together.  She’s a member of the J also and has been MIA lately between having 3 kids home for the summer and a broken foot.  The kids are in school and her foot is better (not 100%).  She was excited for the extra motivation of meeting someone for working out.  I was also excited to have a workout partner.  I am pretty good at working out on my own, but I feel like I get a much better, longer, stronger workout when I have a trainer or a partner.

For September, we are just getting into the groove.  She’s still recuperating and getting in the habit of working out again and I’m going to be out of town for almost 2 weeks during the month.

We plan to be well organized and in the groove at the beginning of October.  We’ll be making up our own routines based in knowledge we’ve learned from trainers, books and the internet.  I know it will be GREAT!

 

I had 2 items on the agenda today.  They included a workout and peach canning.

First up was the workout.  The kids and I headed to the J.  I rode the E Spinner for 15 minutes and worked on triceps.  Then, I foundChaya for and chatted 30 minutes while I did the elliptical.  I ended with some misc. weights for biceps and shoulders.

I feel good about the workout, but I need to write out my workout plan ahead of time.  I feel like I need to push myself more when I have solo workouts.  I was happy with my cardio today.

Next was peaches!  I’ve canned 14 quarts of peaches today.  I still have a few peaches left, but they aren’t quite ripe (soft) enough yet.  I’m also in the process of trying to make peach honey.  More on my canning successes soon!

Next up: Botanical Gardens with friends tomorrow.