Where to start? This morning I managed to get ready for work in time to snuggle with the Pup. So that was a good start. The morning at work was blah. Headed into town early for an all hands meeting. Got a huge plaque thingy for a certification that doesn't mean anything. But, the in town meeting meant that I got home almost a full hour early!
I took Pepper for a short walk around the neighborhood. It was cool and windy, but no rain. Today I mostly just observed her. We were walking briskly so she didn't wander or weave around me. She mostly kept her head up and eyes forward (Cesar says this is the position for Walks). She doesn't tug on the leash much, but we need to work on her heel position. She's too far forward of me. I don't know who said it (probably Cesar) but "heel is not a leash length, it is a position." This is not something I can fix by shortening the leash. Time for research!
I also noticed that when we went off the paved road Pepper tugged a bit more than when we were on paved ground. She also dropped her nose a bit and strayed farther from my side. Pretty obvious why, now to figure out how to fix it. Another odd thing: she won't step on manhole covers. I wonder if she knows what it feels like and doesn't like it, or if she isn't sure of it and therefore avoids it. I haven't decided if this is a "problem" or not yet...
Now for my first experience with the personal trainer. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't a 6'-4" tall black guy! Which seems silly in retrospect. I asked for somebody who has experience dealing with injuries. This guy is their resident sports trainer, so he knows how to work with all sorts of injuries and limitations. I think he'll be good for me. I don't know if I like him though. How do I explain this without sounding like a whiny bitch?
He asked what I'm doing for exercise right now. I said "Nothing." That didn't seem to compute with him. So he asked how often I exercise. Again, I told him that I'm not currently exercising. I haven't been to the gym in two months. Since my foot started acting up again. I haven't been working out regularly since before my surgery. Finally I told him that I had been trying all the classes they offer. But then my foot started hurting and I got discouraged and gave up.
After detailing my various... maladies, I think I managed to impress upon him the pitiful state my body is in. He then proceeded to almost scold me for not coming to see him first. He told me I probably did more harm than good trying to work out and do classes on my own. How could I explain to this totally ripped dude, who probably never had an ounce of fat on his body in his life, why exactly it was hard for me to ask for help?
I have what can probably be described as a birth defect. My hip sockets were not formed when I was born. The doctors made a brace for me to keep my legs together until they formed in my still-soft infant bones. It took me a lot longer to learn how to walk than most kids. Even longer to run. We thought that was the end of it. But as I have grown and gotten older, and heavier, I have been having more and more issues with my legs crop up. Now can I say for sure they're all because of my hips? No. But it makes the most sense.
My hip aches when the weather turns. I blew my knee out when I was 12, and several times since. And now I have nerve damage (Morton's Neuroma) and bunions in both feet. I have never been very athletic except for cycling. Recently I learned that it is most likely the cause of my current worst problem, the neuromas.
In college I swam. Here there isn't a pool close enough to me for it to not take way longer than I have patience for to go for a swim. I've been told by physical therapists that running isn't a good idea for me. Beyond that I've always kind of done my own thing and tried to listen to my body.
People tend to freak out when I have to explain why I limp when a storm front comes in. Many people have told me "You're too young to ache like that!" or they try to do stuff for me so I don't have to walk myself. I HATE that! This is why I didn't want to ask for help exercising. I don't want pity, I don't want to be treated like a fragile child.
Anyway, done with my rant. So, without telling him all that, we finally got down to what matters: I have some special needs/restrictions and I'm looking to him to help me get going on a workout program I can actually maintain. I assume it will hurt less, and be better for me in the long run. Although I'm worried that my visible (to me) progress will be much slower. I need to focus my short term goals on smaller things. I can't get in the mind set that I'm gonna start shedding pounds and inches after my first workout. If I can make it through the first month, it'll be that much easier.
Tomorrow I have another date with Brian (my personal trainer). He will apparently measure every bit of me and how all my bits function. Sounds like fun, don't it? Friday morning he'll have my first workout ready. Then I head to the Career Fair. I don't know if I hope to get an offer, or not. It's hard not knowing if my job is safe. Do I try to get out while I maybe have a choice where I end up? Or do I try to stick it out and hope they let me stay 'til I'm ready to leave?
Ok, enough of the existential crisis. I have three appointments a week with Brian for the next four weeks. I can stick it out at least that long! I wonder if I'll end up loving him or hating him... Tomorrow I think I will do training. Because that's always fun. Oh and I need to find somewhere to put this huge plaque... Well I'd better go set the coffee pot if I'm going to have a chance to stay awake through HGET!
No comments:
Post a Comment