Screaming Louder - Eating Right

Today was the first day of my new way of eating.  I was hungry today but it was only day one so I'm still finding the right combinations that work for me.  I was completely surprised by how delicious the healthy food was!  My breakfast was a fabulous combination of strawberries, Greek yogurt, organic oatmeal and pure natural maple syrup.  I mixed it all together and it was the type of breakfast where when you are done, you wish you weren't! 

Tonight we had another training session with Adrian (the owner of 180 Fitness and award winning personal trainer).  He is pretty darn amazing and SO supportive.  Without the support and understanding that Adrian provides, I'm not sure I'd be feeling the mental and physical changes so quickly.  I honestly don't think I could have possibly found a better program or trainer to get me through this.

The evening started out rough.  Adrian had us doing intervals of sprinting-walking-jogging.  On the first run I managed to jog most of the way to the end and then it became a walk.  We were to do 6 sets, I only managed 5 and walked the whole thing.  For me, even walking hurts so my walking became difficult and slow.  I felt totally defeated.

By the time we went inside to start the real workout my spirit felt broken.  Then we picked up our list of exercises.  I looked at it and my eyes began to water.  How could I possibly manage push-ups?!  My hands are still recovering from a flare (that the boxing last week caused) and my knees can't handle the pressure.  Adrian was looking in my direction as he reminded all 20 of us to push the negative thoughts out of our heads and to not let it get in our way.  We were to do 100 Push-ups, 100 Inverted Rows, 100 sitting squats, 100 sit-ups or crunches and we had only 30 minutes to complete all sets (in any order we chose).

I started with the crunches because I KNEW I could manage those.  I used to do 500 every day when I was fit!  As soon as I layed on my back, I discovered how swollen and tender my lower back was (RA also affects the back causing pain and damage to the spine) but I wasn't going to let that stop me.  I began my crunches and plowed through 40 of them.  Then I moved on to the push-ups which I moderated by standing up against the wall and I managed them easier than I expected.  That gave me the courage I needed to move on to the squats.  My knees were sore but Adrian came by and helped me position myself properly to put the least amount of pressure on them and gave me a modification (which I decided to ignore and did them the regular way)! 

Only one item left before repeating the sets...the inverted row.  As I stood there staring at the ropes, I looked back at Adrian and got the courage to speak up.  I told him there was no way my hands were going to be able handle that.  So instead of holding on to loops of rope in the ceiling, leaning back then pulling myself up, he came up with something that could work for me.  He used a tension band around a poll, I stepped far enough back while my arms were out-stretched to give extra tension and then began to pull my arms in.  That was much easier on my hands and worked the same muscles.  I completed the cycle two more times as 30 reps of everything.

I completed it all in under 20 minutes, one of the first to finish and ahead of many of the others!  I may have needed some modifications, but I blew my own expectations out of the water today.  Adrian came to me and reminded me to speak up, to let him know anytime my joints are bothering me so that he can make modifications because we "don't want to hurt" me.  It feels AMAZING to have someone who really understands my disease without the fear to push me and without pushing me to the point of damage.  He's the perfect balance.  As he explained, he knows tricks to beat anything the body throws at us.  If there is something that just won't work, he'll give me something else.  If that doesn't work, there's always another option.

As I sit here completely exhausted, I couldn't be more pleased.  Yes, my joints are sore and hot and a bit swollen.  But my muscles are what took the biggest beating today and it feels GREAT to have that "good hurt" again.  For the first time in 3 years, my muscles are screaming louder than my joints!

Goodnight and God bless.