Getting To The Core Of The Problem

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Coco

After being fired by my chiropractor and getting a referral from a doctor, I finally had my first physical therapy appointment last week. After 60 minutes of bending, reaching, pushing and resisting, being pushed, being pulled, being pressed and being palpitated, the physical therapist diagnosed me with a misaligned pelvis. She tugged on my right leg to adjust me, reassessed me, and sent me across the room to work with a trainer.

The trainer explained that the first order of business is to strengthen my core. Between all my crunches and #plankaday efforts, I thought I had a strong core, but I clearly have not been working all of my core muscles. Apparently, my transverse abdominus and multifidus and erector spinae need help. I also need to strengthen my glutes, which comes as no surprise given my piriformis issues.

One eye-opening exercise he had me do involved lying on a partially inflated blood pressure cuff and trying to move one leg at a time while holding the pressure needle steady. Not only was it interesting to see how hard that was, it also was interesting to see how having that visual feedback really helped me figure out what I needed to do and do it.My daily homework includes easy range of motion exercises like cat/cow and more difficult gluteus medius exercises like side leg raises with an 8 second hold and prone heel squeeze/glute lifts, also with an 8 second hold.

All this focus on my core has made me realize that I have horrible posture at work. I slouch. I lean. I sit askew. Hopefully I will develop better habits as I practice contracting all these core muscles.

I agreed to refrain from running for a short time so we can see if the adjustment and exercises keep me in alignment and pain-free. Since my chiropractor “fired” me because she felt that I should not need to be adjusted as often as I was, this plan makes sense to me, as hard as it is to be sidelined when we are having such gorgeous weather. (Morning temps in the 50’s–my perfect running weather!) Since I don’t have any races on the calendar until October, this is a good time to take the time I need to fully recover.

Have you ever had physical therapy?

What is your perfect running weather?

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Reflections On Father’s Day

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Coco

Last year was my first Father’s Day after my Dad passed away. I was feeling a bit sad, but I had happy things to distract me. This year I am not feeling the absence of my Dad very strongly, although taking the time to write these reflections on Father’s Day may change that.

Instead, my focus is on my husband, and what a wonder father he has been to our children.


Now that my son has graduated from high school and we are coming to grips with the reality of our soon-to-be empty nest, I hope my husband takes some time to reflect on what a great father he has been to both of our children. He was an enthusiastic, involved Dad from before they were born and continues to go the extra mile to show them how much he cares for them.

I also am reflecting on the Love of our Heavenly Father. Last week I worked hard to turn my worries into prayers, and my prayers were answered with my son’s successful surgery. Matthew 7: 9-12 provides another reminder of the generosity of Our Father, Who art in heaven, and a call to similar generosity in our relationships with others (a/k/a The Golden Rule).

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Happy Father’s Day!

Were any of your prayers answered last week?

Posted in Life, My Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Three Things Thursday (The Plain Chobani Edition)

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Coco

Lately I’ve been craving carbs for breakfast, but I know I do better when I start my day with protein. I’ve discovered that I can have my carbs and my protein too if I use plain Chobani yogurt as a topping.

(Kashi 7 Grain waffle, Chobani, strawberries)

(Banana bread, Chobani)

(Toast, Chobani, my Mom’s homemade strawberry jam)

What else should I try?

Posted in Food | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Wordless Wednesday (The Graduation Edition)

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Coco

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Posted in Life | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Cleaning Out My Pantry (The Graduation Edition)

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Coco

This weekend I noticed those tell-tale signs that the mouse had been back in the pantry again. I traced the damage to a large bag of M&Ms I had bought for holiday baking but forgotten at the back of the top shelf.


(What does it tell you when the mouse doesn’t eat the “candy coating”?
I don’t think I can eat M&Ms again!)

I took everything out of the pantry, checked packages for signs of infiltration, wiped down boxes and cans with Clorox wipes, and thoroughly cleaned the shelves. As I put things away, I tossed things we don’t eat anymore (Craisins anyone?) and put our snack foods into plastic tubs for added protection.  (The mouse has a thing for chocolate, and has ruined several dark chocolate Lindt bars!)

I also did some pantry cleaning of a different type. I tossed the snacks I bought for my daughter when she was home a few weeks ago. Now that she’s back at college for summer school, I seem to be the only one tempted by the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I also made sure that my son took all of the Cheez-Its to the beach.

(I don’t need to be home alone with these all week.)

I got rid of the tub of peanut-butter filled pretzels that my husband got at BJ’s, since that’s another item I seem to be “enjoying” more than anyone else.

My son will only be gone for a few days this week, but when he goes off to college in August I won’t have any “reason” to stock so many cookies, chips, and snack foods. I’m sure my husband will want a few things to nibble on, but I am looking forward to having less junk food in my house.

Do you keep junk food in the house for your husband or kids?

What junk food item do you crave most yourself?

Posted in Fitness | 5 Comments