I had another chiropractic appointment this evening. My last one was a month ago, and my next one won't be until mid-June, so we are really spreading them out now. I am still utterly amazed at how much better both my shoulder and my hip feel. It's like a miracle. I can even sleep on my right side again!
The chiropractic appointments had helped my hip a lot, but it was still bothering me. It always felt so stiff, especially after exercising. The doctor had recommended pilates (which was why I took that free class), and I was using Johanna's DVD once or twice a week before the Ohio trip. After we got back, however, I really ramped up my whole exercising routine. Someone on the Well-Trained Mind board had posted that to lose post-partum weight, she had to start exercising an hour a day. I had been averaging 30 minutes 5 times a week, and I just didn't think I could swing 60 minutes, but I started averaging 50 minutes on the treadmill almost every day. I also added pilates pretty much every afternoon, instead of just 1-2 times a week. I don't think the pounds or inches are just flying off, unfortunately (although I can't tell for sure because our scale broke last week and I haven't yet replaced it, LOL), but I have really been able to tell a difference in my hip. It is so much less stiff and painful!
I have 3 DVDs that I am primarily using right now. The one from Johanna has 5 segments of 10 minutes each, and I do that one when I am pressed for time. Usually I do the abs segment and the hips and thighs segment. I have a pilates for dummies DVD from the library, which I recommend if you have never done pilates before. It is just like that class I went to, where the lady tells you very specifically what to do and what not to do for each position. Then I have this pilates/yoga blend DVD also from the library that is more of a workout and is almost 45 minutes long--I do that one when I haven't been able to walk as long in the morning. I think the yoga stretching moves on there have been particularily effective in stretching out my hip muscles.
As I am sure you can imagine, with this regimen I have no free time, and I am becoming backlogged on things like laundry, so I simply can not foresee this being a long-term routine! I'm trying to do it until we leave on our big trip in mid-May. Maybe it will help me firm up a bit before the weddings, and the whole hip thing has been a most pleasant surprise. I really can't overstate how much better I feel that I did in January! Then I felt like such a crooked, achy, old woman, and now I feel like a totally different person!
2 comments:
I had a really bad hip problem after Caden was born(Nov) and nothing I did made it better. I couldn't sit normally without pain, and couldn't walk without a limp. I couldn't even get back into my workout routine because I was so uncomfortable. Then, in Jan Chris and I went to NY and while there we got deep tissue massages. The guy that did mine noticed the hip problem right away and spent nearly the entire hour on my hip. I can't tell you how much better it felt. After the massage he told me he was a Yoga instructor and showed me 2 stretches to do whenever my hip started to feel like that again. Yoga really works. I can't believe that I didn't think of that in all the times we have talked about your hip. I am glad to hear things are getting better.
Can't wait to see you and get all caught up tomorrow.
Go you! Way to exercise! I've been getting back into the swing of running, and I cannot believe I did a 1/2 marathon in December. I feel so out of shape now!! Maybe I should get into the yoga/pilates thing. Hmmm.
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