Today I'm celebrating 28 days of healing.
I'm also celebrating 28 days of hard work and reflecting back on how far I've come so far.
In coach land there is a principle called Progressive Overload - basically the idea is that you start where you are now and do a little bit more the next time, and so on.
Doing a little bit more each workout safely gives the body a reason to adapt and become stronger.
Doing too much too soon puts you at risk of injury and set backs.
Other than a few minor setbacks (always after days where I overdid it), I have been able to build up my daily steps consistently.
This week I am averaging 8500 daily steps, a few more weeks and I will be exactly where I want to be.
This week was the perfect combination of relaxation and hard work. For the relaxation part I got to hang at a cottage for a few days with my mom.
Big thanks to my new friend Jackie for sharing your magical place with us 💚. We ate, talked, laughed and rested. I had 2 of the best sleeps I've had in a while.
I am getting pretty close to being healed from surgery. 4 to 6 weeks was the estimate given for recovery. Last week my body was starting to get pretty stiff and sore - I think a result of not moving it as much as I usually do. This gave me the sign I needed to get moving, and I have now added cardio and strength training back into my routine!
My secondary goal right now (primary goal is still to heal from surgery) is to get back to running.
In order to make sure I'm doing this safely I've decided to work with a coach. Coach Hannah Sine's positive energy is infectious and there is no doubt she is the one I want to plan my running comeback with.
My body tells me it's not ready for running just yet, but that doesn't mean I can't train my heart and running muscles.
I'm choosing to focus on what I CAN do right now, not what I can't.
For cardio that means speed walking and hiking, which is proving to be enough to get my heart rate where it needs to be.
I'm not allowed to lift over 10 lbs yet, so for my strength work it's all about bodyweight training - which is hard enough right now. My legs were so sore after my first workout, and it felt amazing.
The combination of cardio and strength training will put me in a great place for when I am ready to run again.
On coach Hannah's recommendation I've also added meditation into my day. I'm starting with 5-10 minutes a day and using my favourite (free) meditation app Healthy Minds,
When working towards a running goal I have always found it helpful to have an event to work towards, so I have registered for one of my favourite races - the Island Lake Classic 5k on September 16th. Anyone out there want to train for a 5k with me?
Before I sign off I want to give a shout out in appreciation to all of the helpers in my life. The lawn cutters, dog walkers, wood stackers, weed pullers, food bringers, hiking pole lenders, card senders, flour bag carriers and caring check-in-ers. I am so so grateful for all of my friends and loved ones and I felt so supported over the last 28 days because of you.
Hardest part is done!
XO E
Next up in Path to Healing: 6 Weeks Post Op