Exercising!
Acupuncture has done so well for me that I've taken a couple of weeks off from the treatments. It didn't make sense to go in and say "I'm a bit stiff, but it doesn't really hurt or anything." I decided that since I seem to be able to exercise now without hurting myself, my time would be better spent exercising rather than getting a treatment. And at the same time I'd be able to see if I do start hurting again anywhere.
It turns out that I'm now strong enough to ellipticate for up to half an hour at a time. This week I've done at least 15 minutes on the elliptical at least once every day, and usually twice a day. I'm ready to lose the weight I've put on over the past 8 months. When I lost 30 pounds in 2004, my strategy was 20 minutes of cardio (in that case a stationary bicycle) twice a day. That seems to be the only thing that works for me as a reliable weight loss method.
I'm also training for hiking up Colorado mountainsides: increasing the elliptical's incline, taking the stairs at work, doing squats. I follow each workout with at least 20 minutes of stretches.
It's so nice to be able to really work out again. I feel strong and agile once more. Still not as flexible as when I was doing yoga every day (seated twists still bother me), but nimble enough to feel myself again. (This whole time, while I felt stiff and ungainly, I've gotten complements from both Dr. K and some of the acupuncture students about how flexible I am. They don't know about my Cirque du Soleil daydreams.)
I have another acupuncture treatment scheduled for next Tuesday. I think I'll be ready for it by then.
It turns out that I'm now strong enough to ellipticate for up to half an hour at a time. This week I've done at least 15 minutes on the elliptical at least once every day, and usually twice a day. I'm ready to lose the weight I've put on over the past 8 months. When I lost 30 pounds in 2004, my strategy was 20 minutes of cardio (in that case a stationary bicycle) twice a day. That seems to be the only thing that works for me as a reliable weight loss method.
I'm also training for hiking up Colorado mountainsides: increasing the elliptical's incline, taking the stairs at work, doing squats. I follow each workout with at least 20 minutes of stretches.
It's so nice to be able to really work out again. I feel strong and agile once more. Still not as flexible as when I was doing yoga every day (seated twists still bother me), but nimble enough to feel myself again. (This whole time, while I felt stiff and ungainly, I've gotten complements from both Dr. K and some of the acupuncture students about how flexible I am. They don't know about my Cirque du Soleil daydreams.)
I have another acupuncture treatment scheduled for next Tuesday. I think I'll be ready for it by then.