Hello dear friends. This week started some of the appointments for my son. He had a pre-op physical and consultation with the chemo Dr. Eek! :eek: Scary stuff.
Next week M-W we have many appointments at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. About a 4 hour drive for me.
Then next Thurs after we get back, he has a port put in for the chemo which will probably start the week after that. So much!!! One good thing is my brother is flying in from VA to spend a couple days with us. The support will be wonderful.

Workouts..only missed yesterday.
Mon: Cathe Live 124 Vertical Loading. I really love her Vertical loading workouts! Heck anything Cathe does is ok by me.
PowerYoga Bryan Kest From 16 to 66. All around good flow that wasn't killer.

Tues: Cathe Live 181 Jabs and Kicks. I get a "kick" out of this one. So fun!!
Gaia Yoga, David Magone Total Body Tuneup. One of my all time favs! Includes a lovely Yoga Nidra at the end.

Wed: Chisel Agility + Total Body + Abs. I love Autumn and I really can't figure why I didn't click with this set before. Good cardio moves and strength with good raise in HR.
Gaia Yoga Bernie Clark Yin Side of Letting Go. Ahhhhhh

Thurs: Nothing except meditation in the morning. I NEVER miss that.

Today: Hammer Power + Hammer Conditioning + Abs. Holy crap these are the hardest ones out of the set! Pretty heavy lifting but also some compound stuff.

I think I'll do Rudy's YW365 Coiled Warrior this afternoon.

Quick hi and bye! Will keep you all posted. Don't give up on your workouts!! They keep us going!

Dear Fitchicks,
I'm about to leave for the trail but wanted to let you know I'll be praying for you guys at the top of the mountain.

No screen time this weekend but know that I will be hoping you guys are taking good care of yourselves..whether it's resting, doing mobility or kicking it.

Have a great weekend!!:heart:

Happy Hump Day, FitChicks!

Linda - Anxiously awaiting your report -- I hope everything went as planned and that you had a great time.

Kate - Sending up prayers for you and your son, and wisdom for his doctors and healthcare providers as well. And safe travels to and from appointments. I'm glad your brother will be visiting to lend support.

Hi Jules & Kim!

Workouts:

Saturday - 3-mile walk with friends
Sunday - TURD. The whole day got knocked sideways by delays to DH's flight out to Miami. It was supposed to leave at 2:00, but a big storm hit around Noon and we were already in town (30 miles from home) so we ended up waiting it out as the flight got delayed over and over - I dropped him at the airport at 3:30, and after several more delays the flight was cancelled at 6:30 so I had to go pick him up. I had him back at the airport at 5:15 AM for a 6:45 AM flight Monday.
Monday - #MBF Day 5, Total Body
Tuesday - #MBF Day 6, Power Ignite
Wednesday - Turbo Fire Fire 30

Everyone hang in there!

Hi Fellow FitChicks!

My folks left this morning and I am exhausted. My mother is quite a handful these days. She talked pretty much nonstop for a week - my introverted soul is drained. :eek: Her world viewpoints and mine are very different and it was hard to bite my tongue. I did manage to get in some exercise on most days.

I am scheduled to get an endoscopy and colonoscopy next Friday. It will be a relief to finally know if there is anything serious going on. (Hopefully just IBS.)

Linda: Congrats on completing your big hike!

Malinda: Sorry for the airport nightmare. :mad:

Kate: I hope all goes smoothly at your son's appointments. My dad was treated for cancer at the Mayo and has been cancer-free now for several years. The doctors there are the best.

Kim: Sending you healing vibes!

Jules, I’m sorry you’re having belly issues. They’re no fun. :( You will be relieved after the procedures, and as you said, hopefully just IBS. I always find the waiting for answers is the worst part. And I have so much empathy for you having to deal with your mom for that long with your differing opinions. I’m sure it’s different with a relative, but I find dealing with situations like that to be completely exhausting too. It takes a lot of mental energy. Good for you for getting through it tactfully.

Kate, I hope things are going well for you. :heart:

Linda I loved reading about your hike in the Watulan thread. Thanks for sharing the experience with us. :)

Malinda, no wonder you missed your workout on the day of your husband’s flight. Wow, what craziness! I guess that’s sometimes par for the course with traveling.

I have been having hip pain and went to my PCP on Monday. He diagnosed a pinched nerve in my back. I’m medicated so the bad pain is gone but I still have trouble walking or standing. I will be starting therapy next week. I’m hoping this will be a minor speed bump and I can resume normal activity soon. I’m learning that I am an inpatient patient. It’s a good lesson to not take good health for granted. I have been very lucky to have not had any serious injuries before but one never knows when that will change.

Take care everyone.

Hey Gals! I downloaded Cathe's Boss Bands & Loops workouts this morning! Unfortunately, my bands won't be here until late Monday. I am soooo tempted to try out the Total Body one today with bands I already own. Report to follow.....

Kim: Yikes on the pinched nerve! :( I hope the therapy helps your pain go away quickly. Do you have any ideas as to what caused it?

My Cathe package and bands arrived today! Jules bummer you have the downloads but not the bands. It’s so hard to be patient!

I asked my doctor what caused it. I told him my exercise routine wasn’t anything new or crazy. He said it can just be part of getting old, it can just happen. I remember a co-worker who tore her meniscus getting into the bathtub. That always amazed me that she was not doing anything weird or exertional and she needed knee surgery.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I was too impatient to wait and I did Boss Bands Total Body yesterday! I used Cathe's medium strength Fit Tower band and her heavy blue TPE band. Since the Boss Bands are loops I had to get a little creative in places, but overall the bands I had worked well. I did sub in dumbbells for some of the bicep and forearm curls.

I really like the background featuring beautiful mountains, a lake and a cottage. The gals look great as usual and everyone seems relaxed and happy. The music is good - I recognize some of it from past workouts.

Total Body feels like a solid intermediate level workout to me. It might feel tougher when I get the actual Boss Bands - will see next week. I burned about 300 calories. I was already familiar with most of the moves and will probably do TB in the future when I want a no dread workout that hits a little bit of everything. The stretch with the band is a condensed version of Stretch Max.

Hi FitChicks!

DH returned from his business trip yesterday, and I am so happy to have him home! I got very lonely over those 8 days!

Kim - I am so sorry you are having issues with your hip, and I hope you find PT to be helpful. I have a bulging disc that irritates my femoral nerve quite often. I was in tremendous pain at the end of 2019 and start of 2020 that led me to get a series of epidural steroid injections in early 2020. I also went to PT, and was prescribed an anti-inflammatory, a muscle relaxer, and a medication for nerve pain. Slowly but surely the pain resolved and I was able to get back to my usual life, and wean myself off of the medications. The switch to working from home also helped - the 45+ minute each way commute had really been beating me down. I still have to take the anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxers every so often, but the nerve pain is rare and nothing like it was at the beginning. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!! Oh, and icing my back after working out really does help with the hip pain! And Adriene has a short Low Back and Hip practice that was about the only workout I could do for a few weeks, and it was very healing for my body and mind. She became my best friend, and Happy Baby pose was definitely my happy place (still is!).

Jules - I’m glad you made it through having all of your company. Your mom sounds a bit like my step-daughter. She believes everyone has the right to her opinion, and it is exhausting to be around her. Her father and I try hard to be kind and supportive, but it is very difficult and definitely a one-way street. I am already dreading the holidays for just that reason.

Linda - I am so glad you enjoyed your hike, and the photo you posted on Watulans is absolutely breathtaking! Yay you!

Kate - You and your family continue to be on my mind.

Workouts:

Thurs - MBF Day 8 Lower Body
Fri - 5.0 mile walk/jog
Sat - Pull-ups/push-ups/back extensions + abs
Sun - MBF Day 9 Core Circuit
Mon - Pull-ups/push-ups/swings
Tues - MBF Day 10 Upper Body

I hope y'all enjoy your new Cathe's! I know bands are a great way to add in some different muscle work, but I really don't like them at all. The fabric ones are intriguing, though. I'll look forward to more reviews!

Take care everyone!:)

Malinda thank you for sharing your experience with your back pain. I’m so happy you got back to normal. You do some really hard workouts now so that gives me hope that I can resume normal activity eventually. Yikes, even with the epidural injections you’re back to doing a lot. That’s so great. I’m in my first week of PT so it’s really early in the process. I keep telling myself I’m getting a little better each day; trying to stay positive. My pain isn’t debilitating so I hope I can overcome it soon. Thanks again, it helps to hear other people’s experiences.

Jules how’s the belly issues?

Shout out to Kate and Linda, love you guys! :heart:

I got my Cathe Loops and Bands last night - squeeeee! They are awesome! Today I did Loops, Glutes & Core. I enjoyed it but not as much as Total Body b/c I don't like doing hydrant-type stuff even tho it's good for me. ;) Overall it was a good bun burner and I really liked the core and stretch segments. I burned 330 calories. I followed up with Paul Katami's 4X4 foam rolling segment. OUCH! I guess my muscles are tighter than I thought. :eek:

Malinda: Thanks for sharing your PT story. It is inspiring how much you are capable of after all that you have been through.:love:

Kim: My belly is doing better now that all the guests are gone, LOL. I have had symptoms of IBS for several years now, but have also had a few instances of bloody D. I had to go to the emergency room twice. The last big flare-up happened in May but appointments to see a gastroenterologist were 2-3 months out. Finally got in a couple of weeks ago and should have some answers soon.

Hi Linda and Kate!

Malinda and Kim I have two bulging discs in my mid/low back. The doctor said it was the result of my scoliosis and probably repetitive actions. I did not have as strong a core back then and I knew it wasn't great but it really went out after a day of vacuuming a church. Malinda you're such an inspiration!!

Kim My back took a really long time to heal for me and was painful. I am a SLOW healer. For years, I couldn't sit on anything hard or for very long and road trips were just torture. I don't know if the back affected my hip but I began to have a hip issue. I refused the steroid shots and other procedures she recommended. (Long story but I was convinced it wasn't what I should do.) I did go through PT and take muscle relaxers and antiinflammatory meds. PT was frustrating and I had to run through a couple of them before I settled with one that actually gave me exercises I could do that helped me. So don't settle until you get one that really works with you and your needs. Ultimately, I stopped the PT because I grew dissatisfied with how limited I was progressing. I used the exercises they showed me and did research on what else I could do to help me. I weaned off those meds and only rarely need to take ibuprofen. I haven't taken any months. This is why I love working my core so much...it helps me do things like sit on bleachers, and go on road trips and hike mountains, lol! Bottom line, be the manager of your health care so you can get better :heart:

Jules I liked both of the Cathe workouts but loved the glutes one best! I'm going to try Travel fit with the bands to compare. I hope you get some answers with your belly. Our gut is SO important.

So I'm recovering slowly from my calf tweak. (World's slowest healer!) I have been doing anything I could that didn't involve jumping or raising in my calf. Cathe's new workouts worked great. I have also been doing Qi gong and some yoga that is low intensity.

Later today, the plan is to try Travel fit.

Hugs to Kate!

Keep your hustle, Fitchicks! Even while recovering...keep hustling :music:

Hey girls!!! So sorry to be missing for so long. The Mayo was quite the experience. All the appointments and procedures went well for Justin. The first batch was 3 days worth then back in a few days for another day. Good news is, the cancer has not spread anywhere yet. Wednesday is the first day of chemo but that will be done in his hometown (which is still 1 hour drive each way for me). Four hour drive each way to Mayo but at least it's a nice rural highway.

The 4 days we were at Mayo I did a LOT of walking. HUGE campus and of course all the appointments were spread out. People even masking outside on the streets, just to be safe. No formal workouts until I got home and way too much eating. I have put on 6 lbs. Not good but I'll get back to my usual fasting. I feel better when I do eat so much.

Workouts...last week I did both my new Cathe Boss Bands workouts. I am pleased and these will be great travel workouts.
I LOVE the bands and loops..they don't slip. I will be using the heavier bands the 2nd time I do the workouts, but I stayed with Cathe's bands on almost all the first time. That orange one is just too light for me but great for warmups.
Threw in some cardio and Cathe Strong & Sweaty Ramped Up Upper Body Ext Mix 3 to round out the week.

This week I'm going back to Hammer & Chisel as I'd like to get through all those twice. Today I did Chisel Balance + ISO Strength. Leg killers but I still feel like I have been sitting a lot.

Hugs to all!!!

Hey Gals! Life has been crazy busy the past couple of weeks! With school starting tomorrow I hope to get back into a groove again soon. I went to the staff training yesterday and it was odd, to say the least. Despite Covid cases being very high here and a test positivity rate of over 20%, most of the school boards have decided to make masks optional. The subject of Covid did not even come up once in our meetings yesterday. :confused: We won't be doing cohorts this year - all the grades will be interacting with each other at lunch, recess, etc. I guess we are all just pretending Covid doesn't exist now. Our principal sent out an email to parents last night saying that the entire staff can't wait to welcome back students wearing their SMILES this year. I plan to mask up if I am around obviously sick students or if I feel like I am coming down with something. Last year was the 1st year ever that I did not catch any viruses at school and most of my coworkers didn't either, so I feel the masks do make a difference. My own kids are vaccinated which puts my mind at ease a little bit.

I had my upper endoscopy and colonoscopy on Friday. That clinic is like an assembly line! I had a lot of inflammation in my esophagus and stomach. The doctor removed one small polyp in my colon and I have moderate diverticulosis. He took some biopsies and I am waiting on the results. In the meantime, he prescribed me a proton pump inhibitor and told me to never take NSAIDS again *forever*. I am also supposed to take Metamucil daily. My follow-up appointment isn't until mid-October but I should have test results back some time next week.

Also celebrated my husband's b-day over the weekend and my son's b-day is coming up soon.

I have been fitting in workouts here and there, but not every day. I did a BodyPump the other day and have DOMS since I haven't been super consistent. I am going to go on Fit Men Cook for inspiration and do some meal planning. My gastroenterologist hasn't given me any diet advice yet.

Kate: Glad to hear your son will be receiving his treatments soon and that the cancer has not spread. That has to be a HUGE relief! My parents stayed in a patient suite at the Mayo for a couple of months when my dad was being treated. My mom said there were lots of great restaurants but my dad had a feeding tube so they didn't eat much. I am sure you mostly gained water weight. Have fun with Sagi!

Linda: I hope your calf is doing better!

Waves to everyone!

Kate it's so good to hear from you! I'm glad you had some good news with Justin. Sending prayers and hugs to you. :heart:

Jules you really have been busy! I think a lot of places are just pretending that Covid doesn't exist anymore. I don't know what to make of that. I am also very confused by the issue of masking. I have heard experts say they don't help, yet I have heard from teachers, etc. like you that they have not gotten the usual illnesses of years past presumably because of wearing masks. In any event, I hope you and your kids have a GREAT school year. Wow about no NSAIDS forever!! I knew they were hard on your stomach, which stinks, because I find them very effective. My husband isn't supposed to take them either because of medication he takes for cardiac stents.

Linda thanks for the advice about physical therapy. I'm sorry you had such a long road of recovery. I'm in second week of therapy and I believe I'm starting to turn the corner. The pain in my leg is not as bad and I am hopeful that it will continue to get better. I am still extremely limited in what I do though. I pretty much go to work and sit all day, come home, get something together for dinner and then sit or lay down. I'm thankful that I can sit without discomfort and I sleep well.

Hi to Malinda!

Have a great week, everyone! :music:

Hello friends!!

So far so good with Day 1 of chemo yesterday. Justin says so far he feels just fine. They sent him home with a 48 hour drip pump but he gets that taken off tomorrow. SOOOO involved and no messing around from the nurses or doctors. Very pleasant although we were there for nearly 6 hours this first time. Going forward it will be more like 4 with less patient education.

This week.
Monday: Chisel Balance + ISO Strength. I do like these! With the right weights, definitely challenging.
Yoga: Udaya Rudy Mettia - Triplets. Nice moderate practice.

Tues: Cathe's Ripped with HiiT Low Impact HiiT (both). I wish there was a better mix with both the workouts but easy enough to just play them both. Fun cardio though!
More Udaya Yoga Calvin Corzine - Opening Hips. Ahhhh. Slow Hatha stretches.

Nothing yesterday.

Today I did new-to-me Doves Bodies Total Body #2! I might have had one of her AGES ago but don't remember. This one was totally non stop metabolic and it looked like they all used pretty light weights. I started with 10s but had to drop for some of the shoulder work. TONS of reps..I think 30 each set? Some cardio type moves, stretches and did work the total body pretty well. It wasn't killer but the floor work BURNED! Maybe a wee bit shoulder and leg heavy but I liked it.

HUGS! And stay well all! Jules!!!

HELLOOOO and TGIF!!

So far so good...two days after chemo for Justin and he's fine. I have no doubt that will change but grateful for every good day.

For those who got Cathe's Boss Bands workouts...what do you think? I have only done them once but next time I want to use heavier loops/bands and maybe even double up. But I like them both. And I love the loops/bands...they don't slip!

Today I decided to do another Dove's Bodies workout #3. These are kind of a nice surprise. Although not hard, I just can't use heavy weights for any of it due to her pace and millions of reps. ;)
#3 had a bit of Yoga, some toning (I used 5s and 10s), bit of moderate impact cardio. Pretty decent total body workout but no triceps in this. And the lower body work was not as tough as in #2 yesterday. Definitely different enough from #2. Both have good core work!!
These will be good easier day workouts too. Or when I want something metabolic because her pace is NON STOP! Not super fast, but no real breaks in between exercises. I like the stamina building. Pretty sure 10s will be the max I can use but I haven't done #4 yet.

Anyone have these? I only found a very few reviews but I like what I've tried so far.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

I survived the first week of school! :sun: My schedule is going to be pretty easy this year (unless it changes.) The hardest part of my day so far has been my lunch duty, LOL. I spend most of my time as a classroom aide in Pre-K, 1st, and 3rd grades.

My knee has been acting up again so I am just modifying as needed. Yesterday I did RWH Upper Body Circuit + 30 for 30 Yin. Today I did the Lower Body Circuit + Short & Sweet Yoga #1. I have also been taking the dog for her daily walk.

Kate: Nice to hear that Justin is feeling ok. Like you, I have done the Boss Bands workouts once each. I like the Total Body one a lot and will use it on a recovery day when I want to hit a little bit of everything. I am very impressed with the quality of the loops/bands. I see there is a thread on GD with links to other workouts on YouTube that use bands and I plan to check them out!

Have a great holiday weekend! :cool:

Kate that's great news on Justin! I love Cathe's band workouts and really enjoy her fabric bands and loops. I plan to use the bands/loops quite a bit! (In fact I already have used them with other workouts I own :) )

Jules hope you're able to find a way to baby that knee back to health. So hard to work around a knee.

Kim I was glad to see you're doing well with the PT. Thinking of you and hoping your recovery goes well :heart:

We had gorgeous weather today. After two days of foam rolling and rest, I went for a hike today. Four miles on a less rocky trail with some even stretches and it went well. No calf problems and had just a fabulous time. So relieved to feel fine :music:

Waves to Malinda!!

Have a great Saturday everyone!!

Howdy! I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. I worked out on Saturday and did Cathe's Maximum Intensity Cardio. Was feeling tired and lazy on Sunday and Monday and just walked the dog and did laundry.

Yesterday I decided to do a week of Cathe's CTX and started with Power Circuit (Back) + Travis Short & Sweet #2.

Today I did CTX Step & Intervals (Chest) + 30 for 30 Gentle Yoga.

I prepared some yummy food for my lunches this week: Tuscan veggie soup and chicken salad with apples and walnuts. I also made homemade frozen vanilla custard for dessert tonight but we haven't tried it yet. :p

What are you all up to?

Oh my goodness, I am so far behind on our check-in! It’s been a busy few weeks.

Jules - I’m glad your first week of school is behind you, and that it went well! I also hope your knee stops acting up. How was the vanilla custard? That sounds delicious -- actually, everything you said you made sounds delicious! What time is lunch??? :D

Linda - I’m glad you are back to hiking again and that your calf has improved. And going back to the bulging disc -- you mentioned your back went out after a day of vacuuming -- vacuuming irritates my back SO MUCH if I don’t switch off arms every so often - same thing with sweeping. And I’m weird, I love to do both. My Roomba is an awesome helper, though!

Kate - I’m so glad your son got through his first few days of chemo without incident. I hope that continues to be the case. I’ve never tried any Dove workouts.

Kim - How is that back/hip doing? I hope you are continuing to see improvement with PT.

I finished up my second round of #MBF and started #MBFA on Tuesday. I’m lifting a lot heavier this time around, and am really feeling it!

Our dishwasher is still broken -- we have tried three different repair people, and none of them have shown up. :mad: Our contractor is scheduled to do some work at our house over the next few weeks, so he is going to see if he can fix it. I know the appliance repair people are busy, but if they would at least call to let us know they won’t be here, it would be nice. I guess they don’t need our business!

A friend from high school that I have stayed in touch with called last weekend to tell us that her husband died of COVID. She is a pharmacist and got vaccinated at the beginning of this year, but he refused. They both got COVID in mid-August; she recovered, he did not. I am so sad for her and their kids (21 year old son and 18 year old daughter - her birthday was just a few days after he died).

Challenging times in the world -- I’m so grateful for my health and ability to work out; it truly keeps me sane.

Keep on keepin’ on, Chicks!

Malinda your story of your friend's husband is just heartbreaking. It makes me so sad. Oh, and the repairman situation is deplorable. Truly unbelievable but you're not alone. It's that way in my area too. I'm glad you're seeing strength gains with your workouts. That's always so great!

Jules I agree with Malinda that your lunches sound very, very yummy. I hope you've settled into a school routine.

Kate, I'm sending well wishes to you and Justin. My sister had chemo several years ago for breast cancer. I know everyone is different and chemo is not the same "mixture" for all, but she felt well in the beginning and as the treatments went on, she felt worse. Fortunately, there are medicines to help these days. Sending you lots of hugs and love. :heart:

Linda I am going to be thinking of you a lot in the weeks to come when I hopefully start my core strengthening with therapy. As I know you know, one of the treatments for low back ailments is a strong core. I am seeing improvement in my pain, but I am really not doing anything much and doing NO EXERCISE at all. I saw my doctor yesterday and he wants me to keep moving - keep doing things and sort of "get out of my head" that I'm injured. I think I'm extremely focused on every little twinge and sensation I feel and he believes it's better mental health to try not to focus on that and just do things. I'm getting better for sure, so I'm happy about that.

I hope everyone has a great week. :sun:

Monday Madness! I was really enjoying my Cathe CTX rotation but when I got home from work on Friday I was exhausted and took a nap instead of working out. By Friday evening I had obvious cold symptoms - sore throat and sneezing. I caught it from my son. (He tested negative for Covid.) I was super tired on Saturday and started feeling better yesterday.

We have already had 7 positive Covid cases at our small school and hardly anyone is wearing a mask. Strep is also going around. There is a new anti-discrimination law in Montana that makes it so our school nurse can't ask who has been vaccinated. People can offer information but she can't ask. Most of my son's class was quarantined last week but he got to attend school since I told the nurse he has been vaccinated and he tested negative.

This morning I had to go pick my daughter up from high school b/c she had nausea and a headache. Got her tested and she was also negative, thank goodness. We are so lucky to have the rapid tests available to us.

I am hoping things get back to normal this week. It will be very busy as we are celebrating my son's b-day and my daughter has a lot of homecoming week activities. I plan to finish up my CTX rotation and then go right into 4 Day Split.

Malinda: I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's husband. :( I keep seeing news stories about sick people in the hospital begging for the vaccine. Sadly, for many of them it is too late.

Good luck with the dishwasher repair!

Kim: I hope you are improving every day.

Linda: I am very jealous of your hike. Yay on the calf feeing better!

Kate: I hope Justin is still feeling ok and that you are not feeling too stressed.

Quick catchup. I did lot of workouts last week except for Wed appointment.
It sounds like the cancer has spread...one test found cells in the stomach. So surgery is off the table. :( :(

Got Jari Love's Ripped & Jacked last week and did that last Thursday. Loved it!! And the guy who leads is great!

Monday: Hammer Total Body + Max Hammer Strength + Abs, I went so heavy! Used only my 25s, 30s, 35 and 45 kbell. Wicked good expecially doing all 3 workouts.
Yoga: Gaia David Magone Stretch & Surrender

Today I did Peak 10 Fit Body Challenge Sweat & Burn mix. I did my own mix by going back and adding on some of the rounds. Really good cardio!

Trying to keep my head up. Birthday on the 11th came and went although I spent most of the day with my kids and grandkids which was great!!!

Stay well all~

Kate - That is devastating news. :( I'm sending lots of hugs your way. It's good you have been spending quality time with family.

Happy belated birthday! :heart:

Kate Happy Birthday! I see you're still working out fiercely. Good for you! I'm so very sad about your news. I have no words. :-( Super hard hugs!!

Kim cheering you on !! I try to look at injuries as cues that my body is alerting me how to address something different it needs. Now as to the hesitation over twinges. That sounds all too familiar to me. I had to overcome a sense of fear in feeling the pain or reinjuring myself. Honestly, I worked my back/core very little in the first few months that followed outside of PT. Since I was afraid of doing it wrong and hurting when I wasn't being supervised, I picked only the gentlest exercises they gave me. I worked other body parts until I felt comfortable. So the mental aspect is a real thing and not to be disregarded so quickly. Sending you healing hugs!

Jules thanks for the well wishes and good for you taking cues from your body to rest. I hope you have found some good mobility drills to care for your knee. And I'm trying to take the opportunities to hike with my husband as they present themselves. I know we won't always be able to do this together.

Malinda yes, in vacuuming/mopping, the way I was bending would aggravate my back. One of my pilates books actually helped. I tense my core and exhale as I retract my arms. I also extend only to the reach of my arms (instead of curling and torquing my back to stretch out) in any direction. When I need to reach to the side I tense my obliques but still face forward. It looks awkward to others but seems to save my back. I also don't try to vacuum or mop the whole dang house in one session either. :p There's no stars anyone gives for that anyway :cool:

Went on another 4ish mile hike Sunday, 21 DF cardio on Monday and CS #1223 stretch your spine today. I'll be doing more BOHO yoga later.

Many Well Wednesday Wishes to each of you. :heart:

Kate - I am so sorry to hear that. I’m sending more hugs and good thoughts your way. I’m glad you were able to spend your birthday with your kids & grandkids!

Kim - I’m glad you’re pain has improved. Linda is giving you some awesome insights. I did and still do a ton of core work to heal and maintain - especially side planks and dead bugs.

Jules - That is crazy that the school nurse cannot ask about vaccination status -- how very frustrating that must be. I would just hate to be in any sort of health care vocation right now. It’s good that your son and daughter tested negative, but there are SO MANY things going around right now. Bless you for working in education.

Linda - What? No stars for vacuuming & mopping? Well, crap. :p Good advice for vacuuming strategies!

The dishwasher is finally fixed! Our kitchen faucet also came loose and started falling apart, so our contractor installed a new one. He’s going to be busy around our house for a few months. He is installing a ventless heater in our living room, and building a covered deck on the back of our house. Assuming he can get materials…

Workouts:

Fri - Core de Force MMA Power
Sat - #MBFA Day 4 - Core Circuit
Sun - #MBFA Day 5 - Full Body
Mon - #MBFA Day 6 Power Ignite
Tues - Homemade core circuit

I’m feeling a little puny this morning so I’m not sure what I’m going to do today.

Take care, everyone. Sending lots of healing vibes to the FitChicks & their families.

Thank you dear friends for your kind words. We will get through this one way or another. Must just stay strong for my boys. Justin is still doing well with the chemo but just getting started.

Finished up the week with a lot of fun (to me). LOL

Wed I did H&C Chisel Agility + Total Body. I think maybe my favorite 2 Chisels.
Yoga: Gaia, David Magone Advanced King Pigeon. Ahhhh...can't get into the full pose but everything else felt amazing.

Yesterday I pulled out an OLDIE!! Tae Bo Live Advanced #8. I have not done any TB for YEARS!! I used to do them all the time and that's what got me hooked on kickboxing.
What fun and lots of sweat. And feeling my butt. This one is mostly all cardio so perfect. I also found all the Live Advanced workouts on YouTube (my copies are shakey) so I may add these in from time to time.
Yoga: PowerYoga Dan Do You Yin. Wow...just what I needed to slow down.

Today I did Dove's Bodies #4. Weeee. This one uses a high step and the usual light weights or bodyweight. I used mostly 10s and one 15 for some tricep work. I really like these. Total change of pace for me. Big time metabolic! I have 2,3,4 and really do like them all. A great way to shake things up and I am feeling it now!

Happy Friday....stay well and BIG HUGS back to you all! :sun: :heart:

Hello friends! My energy level is still not quite up to par, but I have been pushing through this week. We celebrated my son's b-day yesterday and are going to the homecoming game tonight. My daughter is in the marching band. Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut - yay! My daughter is helping out with the homecoming dance since she is on student council. My husband, son and I might catch a movie. I want to see Free Guy or The Legend of the Ten Rings.

Mon: CTX Leaner Legs + Flexibility & Beyond Short & Sweet
Tues: CTX Kickbox (Biceps + Core)
Wed: CTX: 10/10/10 (Triceps)
Thur: 4 Day Split Higher Intensity Step (Chest & Back)
Fri: 4 Day Split Kickbox (Legs + Core)

Kate: As always you have a great mix of workouts going. Have you done any of the new Les Mills workouts filmed outdoors? I want to try them next.

Kim: How are you feeling?

Malinda: Glad you have your dishwasher back in business!

Linda: i know that yoga helps my knee but I have had trouble fitting it in lately. I need to make it a priority. Hope you get in a good hike this weekend. :)

Hi Ladies! Can't believe it's already Wednesday!

I tried out the new BodyPump and BodyCombat that were filmed in the mountains of New Zealand. The scenery was incredible! I sure hope they film more of these outdoor releases. Sometimes the moves were not quite in sync with the music, but that is understandable. The choreography was pretty basic in both and the music went well with the moves.

Today I did Ultimate Yogi Flexibility and I am about to take the dog for a walk.

We have no new Covid cases at school so far this week! (knock on wood)

Kate: Did you happen to catch the Vikings game on Sunday? So cursed when it comes down to kicking winning field goals. :mad:

Malinda gonna echo Jules sentiment of happiness like a dishwasher that's working. Can't take things like that for granted!

Kate you're amazing. Please keep us posted.

Jules are you trying to go through the Cathe's chronologically? Did you see a movie? I loved reading no new cases and normal activities like homecoming dances :D

Kim hope all things in your recovery are going well.

I seem to need to dial it back a bit. At least with exercise, I get to be the boss of me. :cool: Here are my workouts so far.
Friday CS# 1224 upper pain relief
Sunday CS#1030 Stress release
Monday CS#1225 Balance
Tuesday kettlebell core workout; 21 DF dirty 30
Wednesday Boho yogalates Day #9

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Kate - Tae Bo Live! That IS an oldie! I might have to try to find one on YouTube sometime. A friend let me borrow some way back when I first started doing videos, and I remember they were pretty fun. I hope you and your family are all hanging in there.

Jules - You are one busy FitChick! I hope your GI issues are getting better. My favorite Combat workout on LMOD was one that they filmed in several different setting outdoors - the scenery was breathtaking.

Linda - Do you find that the CS workouts help with your back? I’ve never tried them.

Kim - I hope you are continuing to see improvement with your back/hip/leg.

Workouts for the past week:

Wed - DH’s edited Low Impact Steady State workout - a mish-mash of one by BurpeeGirl, and one by Caroline Girvan
Thurs - #MBFA Day 8 Lower Body Burn
Fri - Breathless Body with DH
Sat - #MBFA Day 9 Core Circuit
Sun - #MBFA Day 10 Upper Body Burn
Mon - Core de Force MMA Shred
Tues - Off
Wed - #MBFA Day 11 Core Circuit
Thurs - Breathless Body with DH

DH is having oral surgery tomorrow so we squeezed in an extra BB today so we could hit our twice-monthly goal. We had to miss all of August so we are having to play catch-up for the year. And can y’all believe we only have three more months of 2021????

Malinda you amaze me with your dedication to exercise with your husband. So inspiring and motivating! I hope his oral surgery goes well. My husband is beginning some dental work in the next couple of weeks. He is getting an implant for a tooth that was pulled but he needs to have a bone graft first, then the implant. It will take a fair bit of time to get all the steps completed. He was hoping to be able to have two implants done (the teeth that were pulled are next to each other) - luckily not visible, but he has too much bone loss to be able to do both of them. (not sure why - he's only 63 and healthy).

Oh, and last night I had a dream that I finally bit the bullet and had pink streaks put in my hair. It made me think of you, haha.

Jules those workouts in the mountains of New Zealand sound so pretty! I always think of Lord of the Rings when I think of New Zealand. My step sister traveled there right at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and was almost stuck there but was able to get back into the country by the skin of her teeth. :eek: Unfortunately, she had to cut her long vacation short and really didn't get to do very much of what she had planned. Bummer.

Linda I hope you're ok since you mentioned you had to scale back your workouts. I posted in the other thread that I was able to walk for 20 minutes at lunch yesterday without any ill effects. Today I was coming back from the printer and had to sort of run back to my office to grab my phone. Wow, what a difference in just that little bit of impact on my weak leg. It didn't hurt, but it sure didn't feel good. :( I'm still making good progress though.

Kate sending you fierce, positive vibes. Love you! :heart:

Kim, that is exactly what DH is having done today. He's had a previous implant, but it was a lower tooth. This one is an upper and the surgeon has to do a sinus lift as well.

I had a sinus lift and implant several years ago. I had to go through it twice, because the first bone graft/post failed. The surgeon was stunned and said that a very, very low percentage fail. He of course re-did it all at no cost to me (other than time and pain). I believe he is a good surgeon, and that it was just a fluke. I've had absolutely no problem with the implant, I forget I even have it. He is DH's surgeon as well.

DH and I are so lucky that we share a commitment to exercise and health. I appreciate your kind words about it.

Go for that pink streak! I'm going back in next month for more -- I haven't decided what colors this time.

Y'all have an awesome Friday!

Malinda what is a sinus lift? I have never heard of that.

Made it back!! I am kind of slacking. Not on workouts, just on checking in. Last week I felt really uninspired to do much of anything but work and exercise. Thank goodness I have my workouts and yoga!!!!!!!!!!

Jules: I have tried some of the new LMOD workouts that are filmed outside. New Zealand is at the top of my bucket list of places to visit with Australia a close 2nd. Really good stuff!
Vikings? No comment..although they did finally win this last sunday.

Malinda: Here is a link to my playlist on YouTube of all the Tae Bo workouts.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...vyZZivTBF2uJ__
If that doesn't work try this:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKI...j2Rb-G7RDmMjQg

Linda: Your hugs are great!! Virtual or not, all your well wishes are SO appreciated!

HUGS and LOVE to all!!

So last week:
I've been working thru Autumn Calabrese's 21 Day Fix and Fix Extreme. Last week I did my own rotation and paired two of the 30 minute Fix workouts and found I really liked them. Not killer hard but can always make it more challenging with heavier weights.
I paired Upper and Lower, the cardio workouts, etc. I found Barre Legs and Pilates Fix to be really good and I felt my inner thighs and quads more than usual.

Still fitting in Yoga in the afternoons. Just a mix of through all my streaming services.

This week 21 Day Fix Extreme.
Yesterday I did Upper Fix Ext + Lower Fix Ext + 10 Min core. All three were very good and definitely more challenging than the regular Fix. The 10 minute core add on was excellent! I really liked Autumn in 80 Day Obsession. Although not quite as fun as 80DO, still very good.

Today I did Plyo Fix Ext + Cardio Fix Extreme. Actually did Cardio fix first (good warmup??) and then the Plyo. Both cardio workouts use light to medium weights. I started using 5s but then just did the rest of the workouts with nothing. I think the weights just give it a little extra "oomph" but I just pushed the cardio factor. Both very good workout!

Autumn is really encouraging. I know some don't like her but I think she's cute. I think after this week I'm going to combine regular Fix with the Fix Xtreme workouts. That way I'll have tried each one twice. Except for the Yoga..I have not even viewed those yet.

Be well, stay safe and strong. Thankyou all for your kindness!

Hi FitChicks!

Kate - So good to see your post. I would never, ever suspect you of slacking on workouts. :) Thank you so much for the link to the Tae Bo playlist on Youtube! I am going to try one soon! I need to look at the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts; I love the Cardio Fix one from the regular 21 Day Fix. I like Autumn, too. I find there are very few instructors that I don’t like.

Kim - From what I understand, when there isn’t enough space to do the bone graft because the sinus cavity is in the way, they “lift” the sinus and put a stitch in, and then put in the bone graft material. It’s not terribly painful but it does cause your face to swell and there is some sinus pressure for a few days. DH’s face was also bruised for a few days -- he looked like I slugged him. ;) I hope your PT is going well.

Waves to Linda & Jules!

Workouts:

Fri - #MBFA Day 12 Full Body Burn
Sat - #MBFA Day 13 Power Ignite
Sun - Yoga with Adriene - Yoga Stretch
Mon - Turbo Jam Fat Blaster
Tues - #MBFA Day 15 Lower Body Burn
Wed - #MBFA Day 16 Core Circuit

My legs are so sore from yesterday’s workout! I don’t know what it is about these MBF/MBFA lower body workouts that really work my legs like nothing else. I don’t know that my legs look any different, but I am definitely lifting heavy (for me) and feeling it!

In today’s Core Circuit, she had us do forearm plank bird-dogs. Wow, they were really tough. I can’t believe I am almost finished with this rotation. I need to figure out what I’m going to do next.

Malinda I do think CS helps with my back. I'm always trying something new though. Lately, I even hang from a pull up bar. My husband has started doing that too and it helps him with the arthritis in his back. One thing about CS is that you shouldn't reach or stretch nearly as far as she demonstrates when you first start out. Go easier than she does. And you have to be willing to be ok with listening to her...she's like a well meaning busy body aunt :p. When I first tried her, I couldn't stand her. But somehow she grew in me. You can usually catch episodes on PBS. Oh and here's a few good ones on YouTube

Longer one
https://youtu.be/FbWgGgRLp94
Shorter one
https://youtu.be/XDEyxiwkioQ

How's your husband doing?

Kate I agree with what you thought about 21DF. And have mentioned my thoughts in the Watulan thread.

Kim I'm ok..thanks for asking. I think I just needed a low key week. My body tells me to slow my roll..haha. I can't run my engine at a high rev for a long time like these Fitchicks do :cool:

Jules I love outdoor settings in workouts. When I was doing the BOHO yoga, I wasn't sure whether it was the workout or being able to peek at the beach that made it so enjoyable.

I have a new fave combo...it's David Jack and Ingrid Romero! Today did MH60 50/10 Mayhem, EBE1 Booty and Core then back to MH60 for the long cooldown. Mh60 has great opportunities for kettlebells and mobility which is my favorite way to do strength. Very fun! I'll keep doing those together for this week.

You have just put hump day to bed...Friday is around the corner Fitchicks!!:music:

Where did the week go? I just watched the Bengals vs Jaguars - great game! I was rooting for the Jaguars since they were the underdogs but they couldn't quite pull off a win.

I started helping out in 7th grade math this week so I have been brushing up on my math skills. It has been over 30 years and I forgot a lot of the terminology, plus the new common core way of figuring out problems is different from the way I was taught back in ancient times. ;) It has been fun - kind of like doing crossword puzzles. :)

My workouts have been mostly a mish-mosh of Cathe and Travis... some faves.

Cardio Core Circuit (modified)
High Reps
Flex Train
Power Max
UY Detox
UY CrossTrain

I went for a walk today and then did my first spin session in a couple of months: Les Mills The Trip #20. I will see how my knee feels tomorrow.

I thought about signing up for Cathe's Virtual Halloween Road Trip but our school's Halloween Carnival takes place that Friday evening. Did any of you gals sign up?

Linda: Great job listening to what your body needs! I also need more rest days and mobility work of late. My body still responds well to high intensity, but I can't do it every day or I am tired and sore. I am not doing Cathe's workouts chronologically, but I have been revisiting several oldies.

Kim: It's great to hear that you are able to do some walking again! I :heart: The Lord of the Rings as well. I have probably read the the trilogy 3 or 4 times and The Hobbit a dozen times. Love the movies!:love:

Malinda: Wow! Your husband has been through a lot this year. I hope he has a quick recovery. I am glad your implant procedure was a success after the failure. It sounds like quite an ordeal. My daughter had her top two front teeth knocked out during a basketball game when she was 10. We rushed her to the dentist and had them re-inserted, but she will probably need implants when she is an adult. Not looking forward to that day!

Kate: I truly admire your dedication to your health, both physical and mental. I'm curious... Have you ever considered becoming a personal trainer or yoga instructor some day?

Hi Gals! We have been enjoying gorgeous fall weather here. I plan to take the dog for a walk after this. Today I did Tabatacise + 30 for 30 Yin - good stuff. Yesterday I did Boss Bands Total Body and on Friday I did Muscle Endurance. I had a lot of projects over the weekend so it was just functional fitness.


My son's teacher had a breakthrough case of Covid last week and now two more of my son's classmates have it. Fingers crossed we don't get it. I am going to have my son tested in the morning. He can still go to school since he is vaccinated as long as he tests negative. Masks are encouraged but almost nobody is wearing one.