So.....

[pandorablue]

I have started documenting my routine for getting fit. Yes, I am doing it here, and no, I have not made any of it public. Mostly because I am horribly ashamed at how much I have let myself go. Maybe, if it works and I start seeing some real results, stuff might become public. I might post some of the more oddly related things publicly, which brings us to this post:

I did a full hour of yoga today. My sessions used to run about an hour, sometimes two. They always left me feeling fantastic and in absolutely no pain. The session I did today was mostly focused on my back. While I want to veer toward flexibility and strength, my back is currently causing me the most problems. If I can get that under control, I will be so happy. When I finished the yoga today, I was pain free...

However, I discovered that the full hour of yoga is completely erased once I add any sort of aerobic activity to it. I think I will have to get my back and posture sorted out and then add the heavier stuff at a later time. That was how I did it before, but that was by accident, not because I had a plan of any kind.

It's only bugging me because I do lose some weight with yoga, but I know that isn't going to be enough. I guess that I will just have to be patient. I am not good at being patient, but I guess I have no choice. I'd rather have a pain free back and know that I can lose weight faster at a later time than be in constant pain while losing it now.

Comments

[slave-driver.livejournal.com]

People have been telling me for years that I should get into yoga, especially since my two herniated discs last year, but I never seem to get around to doing it.

You talk about losing weight faster at some point. Did you know it's not good to lose more than two pounds a week? If you lose it faster than that you're losing muscle mass, which is key to burning calories. Don't try to lose weight, try to lose inches. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you convert fat to muscle you might not see it reflected so much on the scale, but you should see a difference in your waistline and an overall reduction in bulk.

[pandora-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm not hoping to lose more than 1 or 2 a week, but yoga didn't take that much off for me when I did it before. I lost maybe 25 lbs over 2 years only doing yoga. I never really kept track of inches, but I am this time around. I know that a lot of it became muscle, since with yoga, you are basically using your body as it's own resistance.

I am so heavy that I have to lose weight. It isn't just vanity, I am actually obese now, and this really needs to be dealt with. My diet isn't bad. I generally eat healthy. Portion control has been an issue, but I have really started to keep that in line. I am not a calorie counter, but I try to make sure I am not eating crap.

You should really try yoga, as long as it won't make your back worse. It really improved a lot of my life. Bad knees run in my family (two aunts with four new knees and a dad that should have new ones) and my knees really stopped giving me issue. My back stopped giving me so much trouble. I also stopped getting headaches. I just let myself get out of it for years, and I really wish I hadn't.

[slave-driver.livejournal.com]

It makes sense that you didn't lose much weight from doing yoga. It may develop muscle, but it doesn't get your heart rate up. I'm sure you know this already, but aerobic exercise is the best way to lose weight. I used to work out a lot and I've read many books on the subject. There are all kinds of scientific ways to figure out where your heart rate should be, but the most useful one I found is to get your heart rate up to the point where it's a little difficult to carry on a conversation. Not hard, just a little difficult. Do you take walks? I think that's the best way to get started. No equipment and it doesn't cost anything, just make sure you walk fast enough to do some good. Another thing, it generally takes about 12 to 13 minutes of constant aerobic exercise before the body starts burning fat. Before that you're just burning sugar.

[doomfrog.livejournal.com]

maybe you could try doing aerobics before yoga.

[pandora-blue.livejournal.com]

That was what I had been thinking. I liked doing it the other way because I could use yoga as my stretch before doing aerobic activity.

Part of my problem is that I have horrible posture which means that I'm not keeping form well while exercising. I also think part of it is that the back pain really radiates from the epidural scar. I don't think they did it wrong, since everyone I know that has had an epidural complains about the pain for years after. I think it just is what it is :/

[sativadivinorum.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the awesome, foxy lady! ;D

I know it's damn near impossible to do, but try your best to ignore the rate of fat loss. It didn't get there overnight, it isn't coming off overnight. It sounds like you have it all figured out, so just stick with it and update as much as you can so we can all give you internet lovin'.

<3

[pandora-blue.livejournal.com]

I'm not as worried about rate of loss. I mean, I need to lose weight. That isn't debatable. I just think my current configuration doesn't work yet. Luckily, I don't think it will take long to get my back muscles stronger so that I can get everything else in place.

You are one of the few people that I considered allowing access to the stats and my routine, because I knew you would understand. I also knew that you would be absolutely horrified by the numbers. I know I am :(

[wyrdling.livejournal.com]

tai chi may also be really helpful... it's a bit more aerobic, but gentle, and does wonderful stuff for posture et cetera. or, at least, my instructor was really good for helping me move the way my body's structured to...

[elegantdreams.livejournal.com]

do you have room for an excercise bike? or do you have a real one? it is easuier on your knees and back and will still get your heart rate up, and help you gain more strength...also, you may want to consider that on days you do the hourlong yoga, that is such a conventrated mindful thing, your body is going to be depleted for the aerobic activity, ten minutes of stretch/yoga tops beforehand, and five after, you may try to do every other day, the long yoga session on one day, the heavier excercise the next, etc, try not to let them get more than three days apart though, and even a small bit every day is better than nothing, i have been doing some stretching and light weights on days that i do not go to the gym, and it is making a difference, working out os not as difficult when i go, lol.

[pandora-blue.livejournal.com]

I don't have room for an exercise bike and in fact having to get rid of the nordic track that I have no room for.

I only have 3 days a week that I can work out, so that limits my ability to do one or the other. Otherwise Little Human is here, and he does not let me do anything. Of course, if I could get my ass up and do either, I still might be in better shape than I am now.