A Step Back

I was on a roll.  Seriously, I was doing fantastic.  I had a serious routine going at the gym: session with my trainer, followed by my workouts: legs, back (pull), chest (push), repeat my workouts.  I have been seeing significant gains with the amount of weight I am lifting.  The muscles in my arms and shoulders are more pronounced and my legs don't look skinny anymore.  I like it.

Messy hair, but I don't care!! I really like the way my arms look.

Thursday morning I woke up with some discomfort in my back.  Lower left side ached.  I took some ibuprofen and went about my day.  Did some errands after work and then went to the gym.  I was going to do legs and I always warm up and stretch first.  I could feel my back.  It did not feel right.  So I spent some extra time stretching and it still felt off.  Laid on my back and lifted my left leg and felt a sharp pain in my back.  I stopped what I was doing, stood up and said, "Ok, this is not good.  No weights today.  Let's try some cardio."  That lasted for less than two minutes.  Back to the locker room, grabbed my stuff and home I went.   Ice and ibuprofen.  Woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain.  More ice.  Called my chiropractor.  Saw him at 9:00 a.m.  His orders are no gym until after he sees me on Monday.  "You can walk and do light cardio, that's it."  That means four days off from the gym.  Not because I am sick.  Not because I am on vacation.  Because I have a pulled muscle in my back.  How can that happen?  I workout every day.  I stretch all the time.  Wednesday I wasn't even doing any back exercises.  I don't get it.

At the chiropractor.  Underneath that fake smile is a grimace of pain.

So, I get to take the weekend to step back and rest.  And I am going to make the most of the rest.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12

Ibuprofen, light stretching, ice, warm baths, repeat. We have three Christmas parties to go to and a trip to Worcester for my son's birthday.

I'm going to get some baking in too.

Making cheesecake for Mitch's birthday

It will be a good weekend.

In the past, something like this would turn into a week or two or three of me not exercising, eating whatever I want and eventually would throw me completely off track.  This time, I am accepting it for what it is and turning it around in my favor as much as possible.  Sounds crazy, to turn pain into favor, but that's exactly what I am doing.  This is a challenge to not derail my progress.  And I like challenges!  What do you do when you have a set back?  How much do you let it throw you off?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

Maria's favorite Christmas Carol

Cool Yule by Bette Midler
A fantastically happy and upbeat song.  Makes you want to get up and dance!

I've been baking... check out some of My Favorite Recipes:  Part One and Part Two.

Questions for you: 

(Answer in the comment section below.)

What do you do when you have a set back?  

How much do you let it throw you off?

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