Yes you CAN!!

susan p · 09-17-19, 12:34 PM

You CAN come back after a hiatus due to injury, age, circumstance, or any combination of the three!

Since moving across the country, breaking my ankle, having ongoing heart issues, working 60 hours a week, etc., I reached a point where my fitness level was ABYSMAL and my balance was SHOT. I have tried to maintain a base level of fitness but have mostly failed for the last 4 years (my last semester of nursing school, fall 2015, is when I fell off the wagon; I have tried to restart SO MANY TIMES since then. . . )

In the last 4 1/2 months, since I got a new 8-5 job and re-embarked on a regimented routine, I have regained a LOT of fitness. Yesterday I did Cathe's Pyramid lower boy (the old one from the Intensity Series), the pyramid up premix, and did ALL the leg presses on a 14" step! I have had neither the balance, the strength, nor the range of motion to do that in 2 1/2 years.

Cardio-wise I am low-intermediate and probably always will be; it is too dangerous for me to do HIIT and very advanced workouts. I do old Cathe step workouts on a 4" platform OK, though. And I'm getting back into Cathe's strength workouts.

It has been since May of 14 that I have tried to do much Cathe at all. . . and I will probably never do her recent, speed-demon workouts. (I tried the new Pyramid Pump and liked it; but it feels dangerously fast to me, so I pause her, get myself positioned and braced, then do the exercise, lather-rinse-repeat, making a 40m workout into a 50m workout, but that's OK!)

I really wondered if I would ever be able to build my way back. It has been a slow process for sure. . . Jenny Ford and Leslie Sansone have been my best friends. But Cathe? I thought those days were over.

Apparently they are not.

gladgirl · 09-17-19, 12:42 PM

How wonderful and inspirational!
I am still coming back...but enjoying and not rushing the process.

SpiritYogi · 09-17-19, 12:43 PM

Good for you, Susan! Sounds like you've had a lot of setbacks to overcome but you persevered and came back strong. Kudos to you!!

tytbody · 09-17-19, 12:49 PM

thank you for saying this. I have fallen so much or is it many times, I was starting to believe exercise wasn't for me.

It does help to know, we can get up and just start pressing play again.

Dorothy J · 09-17-19, 03:02 PM

Thanks for sharing this, Susan! Congratulations on your tenacity & your success! Yay you!

We all need to "come back" to fitness at some time or other in our lives for whatever reason. Good to keep your story in mind.

adawn · 09-17-19, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan p

In the last 4 1/2 months, since I got a new 8-5 job and re-embarked on a regimented routine, I have regained a LOT of fitness. Yesterday I did Cathe's Pyramid lower boy (the old one from the Intensity Series), the pyramid up premix, and did ALL the leg presses on a 14" step! I have had neither the balance, the strength, nor the range of motion to do that in 2 1/2 years.

You are such an inspiration!

Congrats! One of my goals is to again be able to do all those leg presses on PLB.

YetAnotherDeb · 09-17-19, 04:16 PM

Good for you, Susan! You are an inspiration. I need to get back on track myself and knowing there is hope makes a world of difference.
_____
YADeb

susan p · 09-17-19, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gladgirl

How wonderful and inspirational!
I am still coming back...but enjoying and not rushing the process.

I think this is really key! You can't push so hard that you make yourself miserable. Slow and steady wins the race.

Funny thing is, I made progress about the time I accepted that maybe it would be OK to just do moderate workouts and I set my bar pretty low.

I think that a low bar allowed me to be CONSISTENT, and consistency built real results.

I'm all about setting a low bar now! Because a low bar is a doable thing, and the doing of it gets the ball rolling; then the rolling of the ball gets accumulating results; and accumulating results increase enthusiasm; and increased enthusiasm means you keep going!

On edit, and I can't tell you how much having a ROUTINE has been key. From my last semester of nursing school on, it has been so, so hard to maintain a routine. I'm not sure I really love my job that I have right now. . . but the ROUTINENESS of 8-5 has revolutionized my life.

cherimac · 09-17-19, 06:45 PM

Congratulations, Susan!

Donatella · 09-17-19, 06:57 PM

Hi Susan, I've been a long-time lurker until recently, but have enjoyed reading your posts over the years. I admire your strength and perserverance, and wish you all the best!

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09-17-19, 12:34 PM
susan p VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Kansas City	Yes you CAN!! You CAN come back after a hiatus due to injury, age, circumstance, or any combination of the three! Since moving across the country, breaking my ankle, having ongoing heart issues, working 60 hours a week, etc., I reached a point where my fitness level was ABYSMAL and my balance was SHOT. I have tried to maintain a base level of fitness but have mostly failed for the last 4 years (my last semester of nursing school, fall 2015, is when I fell off the wagon; I have tried to restart SO MANY TIMES since then. . . ) In the last 4 1/2 months, since I got a new 8-5 job and re-embarked on a regimented routine, I have regained a LOT of fitness. Yesterday I did Cathe's Pyramid lower boy (the old one from the Intensity Series), the pyramid up premix, and did ALL the leg presses on a 14" step! I have had neither the balance, the strength, nor the range of motion to do that in 2 1/2 years. Cardio-wise I am low-intermediate and probably always will be; it is too dangerous for me to do HIIT and very advanced workouts. I do old Cathe step workouts on a 4" platform OK, though. And I'm getting back into Cathe's strength workouts. It has been since May of 14 that I have tried to do much Cathe at all. . . and I will probably never do her recent, speed-demon workouts. (I tried the new Pyramid Pump and liked it; but it feels dangerously fast to me, so I pause her, get myself positioned and braced, then do the exercise, lather-rinse-repeat, making a 40m workout into a 50m workout, but that's OK!) I really wondered if I would ever be able to build my way back. It has been a slow process for sure. . . Jenny Ford and Leslie Sansone have been my best friends. But Cathe? I thought those days were over. Apparently they are not.

09-17-19, 12:42 PM
gladgirl Join Date: Oct 2006	How wonderful and inspirational! I am still coming back...but enjoying and not rushing the process.

09-17-19, 12:43 PM
SpiritYogi Join Date: May 2002 Location: Spiritual Bliss	Good for you, Susan! Sounds like you've had a lot of setbacks to overcome but you persevered and came back strong. Kudos to you!!

09-17-19, 12:49 PM
tytbody VF Supporter Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: MA	very much needed thank you for saying this. I have fallen so much or is it many times, I was starting to believe exercise wasn't for me. It does help to know, we can get up and just start pressing play again. __________________ ~~~Cheryl Completed a 10 day Pilates Challenge 2019 Completed Pilates 7 day Challenge 2019 Live Life Simply -Simply Love Life

09-17-19, 03:02 PM
Dorothy J VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Florida	Thanks for sharing this, Susan! Congratulations on your tenacity & your success! Yay you! We all need to "come back" to fitness at some time or other in our lives for whatever reason. Good to keep your story in mind. __________________ - Dorothy "You want to go into life feeling great, feeling strong, and as you get older, feeling even stronger!" Gin Miller

09-17-19, 04:16 PM
YetAnotherDeb Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eastern Oklahoma	Good for you, Susan! You are an inspiration. I need to get back on track myself and knowing there is hope makes a world of difference. _____ YADeb

09-17-19, 06:45 PM
cherimac Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Georgia	Congratulations, Susan! __________________ Cheri

09-17-19, 06:57 PM
Donatella VF Supporter Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA	Hi Susan, I've been a long-time lurker until recently, but have enjoyed reading your posts over the years. I admire your strength and perserverance, and wish you all the best!