Weeks 28-30 Scorecard
It's been a couple of weeks since I did a scorecard, and I couldn't figure out what week number I'm on! Here's what's up.
For about six weeks, I've been battling the same 2-3 pounds -- I had a goal to lose 30 pounds before the trip on 7/19, and I couldn't get over 26. Back and forth, stuck in the low 170s on a plateau of my own making. So when Tuesday the 17th hit, I had no interest in reporting that once again I'd made no progress. I left for Haiti, and didn't worry about it.
Then for a week, I worked harder than I have in a very long time, ate Paleo when possible, and broke the plateau.
As of 7/31, I'm down 28.9 pounds, and I'm in the 160s for the first time in about 15 years! Woot!
____________________________________
If you've read any posts this week, you've seen the Haiti trip report. What I didn't talk about in either of those was the physical part of the trip. I had planned how to eat Paleo when I had no control of my food, and wanted to see how that worked.
This was our Sunday afternoon:
We're headed down here:
I really wished I'd worn my Garmin just to see the elevation change! The trail down wound back and forth, and was rocky. It's nerve-wracking to see a drop off on one side and have loose rocks under your feet. Of course, it's also embarrassing to be passed by Haitians walking up the mountain with a load of clothes on their heads, and realize that they never look at their feet.
We made it down the mountain fine, took a 2-minute rest in the shade, and set off to follow the river to the waterfall. The river isn't deep at this point, but the rocks are all different sizes, and choosing footing is important. I'm not sure why I was determined to keep my shoes out of the water -- it was cool and probably would have kept me from what happened next.
I'd just crossed the river and stepped up onto a grassy outcrop with my right foot. I grabbed a branch, brought my left leg up and over, and my right foot stayed right where it was. My knee popped SO loud -- my body had gone left, my foot had stayed right, and now I was in trouble. I could stand on it, but if I tried to push off or lead with that right leg, it would give out (and hurt).
I opted to stay put at the riverbed while the others continued to the waterfall. That seemed like the best option, given that it would just be that much further to come back. This was taken just after I tweaked the knee. Yes, I'm gritting my teeth.
The biggest question was how on earth I would get back up the mountain we'd just walked down? Turns out, up is much easier than down, other than the need to stop and breathe every 3 minutes. It was finally the chance to see the payoff from the runs -- my recovery time when we'd stop to rest was much faster than it would have been 6 months/30 pounds ago. One of the sweet men on the trip stayed behind me the entire way, with his hand on my back, just in case I put a foot wrong -- it would have been bad to have the leg go out from under me when I'm beside a drop off. But I made it up okay, and then had to investigate the damage.
Swollen, but not huge; painful, but not crippling. We had three more days of work before the return trip, and the biggest effect was that I couldn't bend it very well. No squatting to put morter on the house for me! I'd just sit on the ground with my leg stretched out, and work that way. By the time we got home, my left leg was crazy sore from compensating!
I went to my chiropractor when I got home, and she dealt with cartilage and gave me some stretches to do. The worst part is that I need to not run for at least 4 weeks. (She said 6, but I'm a fast-healer. Right.) I can do the elliptical and walk (not that I've gotten off my butt since I got home) but now that I've injured it, my risk of re-injury is greater. I've been stretching and massaging it, and there's been no more swelling.
All this means my workouts coming up will have to change until it's better. I am trying not to get out of the habit, and losing four pounds in a week is good encouragement. Sitting on my butt watching the Olympics? Not much calorie burn there, even though I do breathe really hard for the swimmers.
I'm glad to be back! What have you been up to for the last couple of weeks?
For about six weeks, I've been battling the same 2-3 pounds -- I had a goal to lose 30 pounds before the trip on 7/19, and I couldn't get over 26. Back and forth, stuck in the low 170s on a plateau of my own making. So when Tuesday the 17th hit, I had no interest in reporting that once again I'd made no progress. I left for Haiti, and didn't worry about it.
Then for a week, I worked harder than I have in a very long time, ate Paleo when possible, and broke the plateau.
As of 7/31, I'm down 28.9 pounds, and I'm in the 160s for the first time in about 15 years! Woot!
____________________________________
If you've read any posts this week, you've seen the Haiti trip report. What I didn't talk about in either of those was the physical part of the trip. I had planned how to eat Paleo when I had no control of my food, and wanted to see how that worked.
This was our Sunday afternoon:
We're headed down here:
 |
| The white part is a riverbed. We're headed down the left side of the river, going up to a waterfall that's around the curve of the mountain. |
We made it down the mountain fine, took a 2-minute rest in the shade, and set off to follow the river to the waterfall. The river isn't deep at this point, but the rocks are all different sizes, and choosing footing is important. I'm not sure why I was determined to keep my shoes out of the water -- it was cool and probably would have kept me from what happened next.
I'd just crossed the river and stepped up onto a grassy outcrop with my right foot. I grabbed a branch, brought my left leg up and over, and my right foot stayed right where it was. My knee popped SO loud -- my body had gone left, my foot had stayed right, and now I was in trouble. I could stand on it, but if I tried to push off or lead with that right leg, it would give out (and hurt).
I opted to stay put at the riverbed while the others continued to the waterfall. That seemed like the best option, given that it would just be that much further to come back. This was taken just after I tweaked the knee. Yes, I'm gritting my teeth.
The biggest question was how on earth I would get back up the mountain we'd just walked down? Turns out, up is much easier than down, other than the need to stop and breathe every 3 minutes. It was finally the chance to see the payoff from the runs -- my recovery time when we'd stop to rest was much faster than it would have been 6 months/30 pounds ago. One of the sweet men on the trip stayed behind me the entire way, with his hand on my back, just in case I put a foot wrong -- it would have been bad to have the leg go out from under me when I'm beside a drop off. But I made it up okay, and then had to investigate the damage.
Swollen, but not huge; painful, but not crippling. We had three more days of work before the return trip, and the biggest effect was that I couldn't bend it very well. No squatting to put morter on the house for me! I'd just sit on the ground with my leg stretched out, and work that way. By the time we got home, my left leg was crazy sore from compensating!
I went to my chiropractor when I got home, and she dealt with cartilage and gave me some stretches to do. The worst part is that I need to not run for at least 4 weeks. (She said 6, but I'm a fast-healer. Right.) I can do the elliptical and walk (not that I've gotten off my butt since I got home) but now that I've injured it, my risk of re-injury is greater. I've been stretching and massaging it, and there's been no more swelling.
All this means my workouts coming up will have to change until it's better. I am trying not to get out of the habit, and losing four pounds in a week is good encouragement. Sitting on my butt watching the Olympics? Not much calorie burn there, even though I do breathe really hard for the swimmers.
I'm glad to be back! What have you been up to for the last couple of weeks?
You are too funny...I breathe hard for the swimmers too!! I'm so glad you were able to continue on with your injury! And CONGRATS on the weight loss!! :)
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