Updater...

So since I last posted and said my knees were hurt and I was going to swim and do the elliptical I have done that a total of zero times. I don't know what it is but running is the only thing that motivates me. So I've run a couple times and I'm starting to feel pretty optimistic about that. I got some KT tape as Kristi mentioned using on her foot and it is AWESOME. It totally alleviates the pain and unless I run downhill, I have no pain. Though my shoes make it really hard to run with a natural stride. More on that later...

But I'm still losing weight thanks to weight watchers. I decided last week that the online WW wasn't enough so I'm paying a little extra to be able to actually go to meetings. I want to talk to other women who are doing the same thing as me once a week and get motivation. And I want to know that some woman is going to weigh me once a week - that's pretty motivating.

So, I need new shoes because when I run with my shoes on I am constantly trying to have correct form but it's really hard to and yet barefoot my pain is almost gone. But I just know there's NO way I'm going to go running barefoot when it's 30 degrees outside. Which it's only weeks away from being. So, I went to a local running store and had them record my cadence with a camera while I jogged on a treadmill only to have them tell me I needed the shoes I already have. No thanks. Been there - doesn't work. So, I'm kind of stuck...any advice on that front?

Till next time...

JEAN STRETCHES

Today was a big day. A day I have been anticipating for quite some time. I got new jeans - a size smaller at that. And when these get too big I can actually start fitting into some of my normal sized pants - albeit my bigger ones - still, my NORMAL pants. And that also means that I got to throw out three pairs of "clown" pants. So, I am very pleased. And for the first time I am starting to feel slightly normal sized. When I went into the grocery store today instead of feeling like a chubby mom I just felt like a mom. And I haven't felt that way in nearly TWO YEARS!!!
The actual experience of buying them was actually pretty stressful. I tried to prepare myself in advance because if you buy the jeans that fit just right at the store then they'll be too big within a couple hours of wearing them, at least in my opinion. So I knew I'd need to buy jeans that are tighter than normal which takes a leap of faith - that eventually they'll fit just right. And it took me forever - and I think I even got a little sweaty in the decision making process. But alas - I chose correctly and they fit perfectly within a half hour of putting them on plus a little help from my jean stretches. I had to laugh recently when I read on a friend's blog about the necessity of jean stretching in her life right now too. I've added some pictures to illustrate my just out of the wash jean stretching routine.





JEAN STRETCHES






First, bend your knees and push back forcing your bum out behind you like you are about to sit down. This is the first stretch I do and since I've got a big bum - it's my most important stretch.



















Next, push one leg way out to the side and lean over towards that side. Then repeat with the other side.




















If your jeans are feeling a little tight through the knee and lower leg region, bend your knee and grab your foot with the corresponding arm and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with the opposite side.












And after completing these stretches your jeans still feel too tight repeat the stretches and then wear them for several days. And make a note next time to hang dry this pair.


p.s. Don't think I only have a little left to lose...I still have over 30 pounds to go so...it was just a good day but nowhere close to the destination.

In knee-d

So periodically I have mentioned that I have knee pain. Well, of late it has become really bad. Like where I do a sort of sad limp run in my workouts. Mike convinced me to take some time off but I hate it. Not because I'm some turbo runner but because I'm terrified of losing the little momentum I've got. But it hurts so bad I feel like I have no other choice for now.

During this little break from jogging I've been reading up on knee problems and trying to figure out exactly what is going on. And I think I've got "runner's knee"and I've realized this is something I've had for a long time. Like I thought it was normal that after you sit on the couch for a while, like while watching a movie, for your knees to get stiff and painful so that you can't stand up straight right away. And I thought it was normal for your knees to hurt when you keep them bent too long at night when you are sleeping. Or to hurt any time they are bending. And I realized I always walk down the stairs kind of sideways to avoid bending me knees too much. And I honestly don't know how long this has been going on. Maybe it started with that first pregnancy a while back and I just chalked it up as a pregnancy pain. I'm not really sure.

So here I am. I know I've got runner's knee but I don't know how to correct the problem. I don't think rest will solve the problem. I need to strengthen my legs so that the load on my knees isn't so great. AND I need to lose weight. I have no doubt that the added weight is a big contributor to the problem. And I need to stretch better so that my legs aren't pulling in strange directions during my runs because the muscles are tight. And hopefully after the break from jogging, which I am replacing with swimming and the elliptical, the pain will be gone - or at least minimal.

But how long am I supposed to break for? I was thinking maybe I could just take a couple really slow really short runs in the mean time as long as the pain is really low. I just don't know. Maybe I should go to the doctor? But I have a few fears with that. First that he will take a look at my chubby body and say, "Well, anyone your size is going to have a lot of problems with running so you can't anymore." OR that he'll say, "I'm not finding anything. You just must be a wimp." OR "You sure don't look like you run. You obviously just want to get out of having to." I don't know. We'll see.

Anyone else have this issue?

Before and during...

The other day I hit a big milestone for me. I have been trying to get down into the next ten pound bracket for like a month now and finally I did it. So I decided to go ahead and take another photo. Not an after photo but a during photo since I still have about 35 pounds to lose. Remember how I took this before photo a little over two months ago but it was so bad I wouldn't post it? Well, here it is. Since this time I haven't lost a ton of weight. About 10 pounds. So, here I am, wearing the same clothes and standing in the same place. The walls have been painted. Also, when I saw the picture I realized that my breasts are TOTALLY uneven. Oh well.