I am 26 days in to a "No Scale for a Month" challenge in the Half Size Me community that I've been a participating member of since last October. The point of the challenge is to help us focus solely on our habits without using the scale for validation. It's not easy, but it feels essential for me as I'm nearing my first goal weight range.
I refer to it as the first goal weight range because I am aiming to lose 70 lbs total, but the first stop along the way is 147 lbs. I am going to maintain between 147-152 for 6 months and then dive back into a deficit in order to take off the last 7 lbs and maintain between a weight range of 140-145 lbs for the duration. For the record, I absolutely rebel against dropping to my BMI on principle alone. I refuse and will enjoy flipping the bird to 135 the whole time I work the rest of my life to maintain between 140-145. But, that is a whole other journal entry.
There is one caveat of course - if I end up in a wheel chair as a result of the MS, I will work to get to the 130-135 weight range simply to make it a little less challenging for me and any future caretaker(s).
As it stands, according to my calipers I have dropped my body fat percentage from 33.9% to 24.6%. I am now between fair and good. Ideally, I want to get to about 18%. But, if I landed in 21% and stayed there it will be enough.
It was interesting today. I took two ibuprofen and 2 muscle relaxers before my strength training workout. I recently tore my rotator cuff, so there is now quite a few new different strength training exercises I've incorporated that are also essential physical therapy for helping my cuff to heal. As some of you may know, it takes a long time for a cuff to heal so part of physical therapy is building up the muscles around the cuff in the shoulder so that one is not relying on that cuff for shoulder movement and it allows the tear to heal.
To say the least, the last couple of weeks have been about pain management and I'm EXTREMELY careful when I strength train because, if I don't keep my form just right that left shoulder we'll let me know in an instant that I'm not positioning things in the right way. When I am doing it right, it feels good because all those muscles around that rotator cuff need to be stretched and worked. They get tense and locked while constantly contracting against the pain.
Anyhow, before this "No Scale" challenge I had started to veer away from taking any motrin before or after a workout because frankly it can cause some water retention and my weigh in day is Monday morning so I try not to ingest things that cause water retention (outside of strength training).
NOTE: I'm tasked by my MS neurologist to take the muscle relaxers before ANY of my exercises to help with the banding, spasticity, and muscle spasms in my legs. She's just recently won that battle, because for a long time I refused to do it. But, I've worked up enough tolerance to the baclofen so it's feasible and well, it helps. Actually, I don't know how the hell I would walk without them. LOL - not easily for sure!
However, now that we're not weighing this month I find myself grateful because I'm not sure how I might have gotten through the last 2 strength training sessions WITHOUT motrin! It seems such a silly thing, but I don't frankly want to worry about how much water I'm retaining right now, I just want my poor shoulder to continue healing and to do what I need to do to help it to heal.
It is healing by the way, albeit disconcerting to hear all those weird pops and cracks that come along with a tear. My massage therapist worked on it yesterday with her magical hands and put ice on it to boot. I promised her I was going to ice it after my routine, and now I realize I did not do that - have I ever mentioned short term memory is one of the hallmark symptoms of MS? They call it "cog fog".
Sometimes I think it should stand for "Memory Short" instead of Multiple Sclerosis :-)
I'm going to attempt to swim tomorrow. I'm completely eliminating the back stroke. But, I want to see if I can do the breast stroke or freestyle. And, if I can't do either then I'll just take the kick board and work on legs. I will likely take some motrin with my muscle relaxers before that as well.
It's all fun and games people until someone gets hurt lemme tell ya...*shakin' my head*
Still, I rely on these arms a great deal. When I'm using my walker, I can leverage my weight on both arms and give the right leg a break. When I get myself up off the ground in yoga, or lift myself off a chair I absolutely depend on the strength of these arms to counterbalance what my legs struggle to provide. Lets not even talk about taking off shirts or changing clothes. I am beyond thankful it's healing.
I also just recently purchased a fitbit versa. I'm liking it so far. It pretty much does everything the charge 2 did. I was looking for a fitness tracker that is water resistant so when it popped up as option, I was an easy sell. I also like that you can change the face of the watch. They have dozens of options. Not to mention it comes in peach and if y'all didn't know peach is my absolute favorite color in the whole universe.
Anyhow, If anyone has bothered to read this far, please feel free to put in BIG BOLD LETTERS -
"ICE YOUR SHOULDER TOMORROW" perhaps I'll remember ;-)
