Here I am. Again.
I’m about 6 weeks into an incredibly lame [and potentially imaginary] foot injury. Just after the major gym fail from my last post a vague, nagging pain starting aching in my right foot. Even pool running and swimming had my foot elevated on a bag of frozen peas. Exactly. The same. As last time. Only this time my x-ray looked clean, my MRI showed no break, and my doctor declared it a serious bone contusion. A bruise? For real?
At that point I had already been rocking the walking boot for two weeks and was feeling more than a little immobile and frustrated. I rationalized: I can deal with pain if its a bruise! I wore heels and booties for a week with no difference in the pain, but stayed out of the gym. Declaring myself cured, at the end of week three I popped in a cardio DVD and went to town, dancing around my living room like a fool and with a big smile on my face, as suggested by Ms. Tracy Anderson.* Two days later my foot was so swollen and tender I couldn’t wiggle my toes. No bueno.
I’ve been in sneakers from morning til night ever since. Yes, even in the office. I look like a mall walker.
Surely you know the side effects of 30-mile a week runs, spin classes, and laps in the pool coming to a crashing halt: My 12 flex-pounds of the past decade reapplied themselves to my chest, belly, chin, and hips.
So, for the past two weeks I’ve been roughly following the Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis Dynamic Eating Plan.* I refuse to be a slave to it and set my goal to following the plan more than 70% of the time, eating healthfully during the other off meals. The weeks alternate between nutrient-boost and body reset, with nutrient-boost being almost straight fruit and vegetables, usually pureed or juiced, and body reset relying pretty heavily on healthy-proteins like turkey, beans, tofu, and eggs. I’m pretty sure I haven’t eaten any dairy, added sugar, or caffeine since October 13. Miraculously, I’m hardly ever hungry, don’t feel like I’m missing out, and [not even lying,] the recipes are bomb-dot-com.
Drum roll, please… six pounds down, without the workouts that made my footsie hurt.
What’s really interesting about this for me is that I (perhaps with blinders on) have always really considered myself a healthy eater. Then I remembered that I bailed on Weight Watchers last summer because it was hard. I’ve been of the mindset that surely I don’t need to cut back on junk food and wine when I’m putting in daily workouts and weekend long runs. But then, healthy probably isn’t defined by a bowl of potato chips before sitting down to grilled salmon and green beans either.
So, what now?
I took a photo of myself in my lulu tights and sports bra the morning on October 13. It’s terrifying, but also a wonderful reminder of how we can kid ourselves when we put blinders on to our health and our needs. I’m back in the gym this week, albeit gently, with swimming, yoga, and pilates workouts. Last night I did a plank time trial (as suggested by Tina over at Carrots N Cake) and clocked 2:00, with a goal of working up to five core-trembling minutes in one shot.
Has anyone else done Metamorphosis? Talk to me about the challenges and your results.
*Hey, it was on sale and I’m a sucker for more or less anything Gwenyth endorses.