I've been feeling a little sad this week and one way I know to lift my spirits is to set goals. I came up with a professional/career goal (well reaffirmed). I had already sort of set a weight loss goal (lose 100 lbs), but that will depend how I feel once I get further out. A clothing goal to get into a size 8 (the smallest I remember being was a 12 my sophomore year in high school, then pretty much a 14-16-18). Now I've been trying to come up with a fitness goal.

I think this morning I came up with a perfect one for me. I'm going to try to become a Jazzercise instructor. I spoke to my instructor after class this morning and I really think it's a good fit for me. I've always liked dance and aerobics and after I get a little more weight off, I know I'll be able to do all routines full out without having difficulty speaking. I also like this idea because it will help me stay active in something for life. I don't know if I'll teach that often, but even just subbing would help me keep fit and together. So now that I've written it down, I'm committed to work towards it. Hopefully I'll be ready to try out this winter or spring.

So does anyone else have a fitness goal? Any hopeful marathon runners out there?

I've had fitness goals for a while. Here are some I've completed:

Run a 5k

Complete a triathlon

Move up from Sprint to Olympic distance in triathlon

Run a Half-marathon

My uncompleted fitness goals are:

Podium at the Sprint distance

Complete a Half-Ironman (will do that in two weeks)

Do a Century Ride (I've done a metric century - 100k, but I want to do 100 miles too)

Complete an Ironman (next year?)

Qualify for Kona (Ironman World Championships) (Probably take a few years)

I've had this secret triathlon dream ever since I saw Kona on tv in the 80s. It looked like so much fun but I never imagined I'd have the ability to do it. It's like a dream come true once I was able to successfully run.

My fitness goals are fairly common, and for me, doable. I wish to...

• Run a 5k at the end of next summer at a race held in Flint, MI, called the Crim
  
• Do a one week Outward Bound hike into the wilderness
  
• Do an overnight snowshoe/winter camp out
  
• Once again have firm arms and solid legs.
  

That's all. But even that will take a lot of work.

Think about it: none of these fitness dreams would be possible without a lot of hard work and sweat, none of which would have been possible without the sleeve. Go for it!~

"Twenty years from now you'll regret things you did not do, not regret those you did." Mark Twain

Oh my. . . this is not good news. . . I've been treadmilling now EVERY day for 4-5 months at 3.2 mph for 30 minutes and then stationary bicyle on random hills at level 9 for 15 minutes . . . I have contracted plantar facititis. . . it is very very painful! Podiatrist put me on a medrol pack for 7 days, took the pain away until all the steriods were done then the pain came back double. . . it is sooooo painful. . . doctor thinks it's because of the treadmill. . . surgery is OUT of the question and definately not an option. . . I've taken the steriods already. . . I wear good shoes (new balance for walking) and change them out about every 6 months or so, I take Ibuprofen 800 mg x 4 times per day (yes I have a cast iron stomach!) and I ice my foot. . . does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to get rid of this horrible pain! Any suggestions will help. . . hope that once I have my surgery it'll help too!

Gee, that sounds so painful. Don't know what else to do but rest it awhile. How about some swimming exercises. Do you have access to a pool that you could take some classes? The water feels so good and the body is so light to move, although you can do some serious exercises in the water classes. Dont's push it for now.

thinoneday, do you wear a brace at night to keep your foot at a 90 degree angle(like if you were standing up)? My doctor has recommended that for me when mine acted up.

Bill

Thinoneday,

I am so sorry you're going through this. I wish I had some advice for the pain management, but I can't think of anything. My suggestion would be to go plop your bottom at the doctor's office and/or a physical therapist's place and kindly request a brainstorming session for things to try. They might not get it right (like with the steroids), but they should have some more knowledge of other things to try that are not related to a surgery.

I do agree that after wls surgery and you start losing weight, there's a big possibility you will begin to hurt less. I didn't realize how much stress I was putting on my knees when I first started walking (must have gotten use to the knee pain) until I now feel nothing involving pain on my walks.

Good luck with finding answers/solutions. I will be thinking about you.

When I had that in both feet, my ortho gave me a sheet with all types of stretching exercises on them and I had to do them 3x a day for 4 weeks - he also gave me cortisone shots in both feet (2 different times - and yes, hurt like hell) between the shots and the stretching, it went away and has never returned. If I can find the sheet, I'll scan it and PM it to you.

I'd either see an Ortho or ask your doctor to send you to PT.

I agree, thinoneday, I think weight loss is very likely to help a lot.

My goals were more fitness than weight based all the way through and I think it helped. I simply worked my way up running distances - 4kms, 5kms, 7.5kms, 10kms, I did a 15.2 kms race and then a half marathon.

I am really sorry you have such pain. I only want to mention that my surgeon told me that I can not take Ibuprofen ever again since being sleeved. Have you checked this with your surgeon. Ibuprofen 800 mg x 4 times per day is an awful lot and you may be risky.

Gee, that sounds so painful. Don't know what else to do but rest it awhile. How about some swimming exercises. Do you have access to a pool that you could take some classes? The Water feels so good and the body is so light to move, although you can do some serious exercises in the water classes. Dont's push it for now.

What an EXCELLANT suggestion! Swimming, I don't know why i didn't think of that. . . I love swimming and water aerobics. . . I think I'll do that! Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for that idea! :thumbup:

Oh my. . . this is not good news. . . I've been treadmilling now EVERY day for 4-5 months at 3.2 mph for 30 minutes and then stationary bicyle on random hills at level 9 for 15 minutes . . . I have contracted plantar facititis. . . it is very very painful! Podiatrist put me on a medrol pack for 7 days, took the pain away until all the steriods were done then the pain came back double. . . it is sooooo painful. . . doctor thinks it's because of the treadmill. . . surgery is OUT of the question and definately not an option. . . I've taken the steriods already. . . I wear good shoes (new balance for walking) and change them out about every 6 months or so, I take Ibuprofen 800 mg x 4 times per day (yes I have a cast Iron stomach!) and I ice my foot. . . does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to get rid of this horrible pain! Any suggestions will help. . . hope that once I have my surgery it'll help too!

Check out these exercises:

Plantar Fasciitis Stretching Exercises

When I had it, I was told to do the towel stretch BEFORE getting out of bed in the morning, and as often as possible during the day...stop if it hurts, just pull to the point where it almost hurts. Gradually you will be able to stretch it more. I did it on the couch while watching TV too.

Do what ever your doctor recommeded.

I have that too and there are these boots that they make that keep your feet in a bent shape while you sleep. They really helped me a lot, but they are a pain to sleep in!

I am really sorry you have such pain. I only want to mention that my surgeon told me that I can not take Ibuprofen ever again since being sleeved. Have you checked this with your surgeon. Ibuprofen 800 mg x 4 times per day is an awful lot and you may be risky.

I take Ibuprofen 800 - not 4x a day or not even every day, but if I have pain in my knees (I'm pretty much bone-on-bone) I will take an Ibuprofen at bedtime to help me sleep - I have not had any side effects from it whatsoever.

I take Ibuprofen 800 - not 4x a day or not even every day, but if I have pain in my knees (I'm pretty much bone-on-bone) I will take an Ibuprofen at bedtime to help me sleep - I have not had any side effects from it whatsoever.

Vegas, can your doctor prescribe some Nu-naproxin for you? That is what I took for years before my knee replacemants, 375 mg morning and evening kept the inflammation (and consequently much of the pain) down to a manageable level. Ibuprofen helps mask the pain but the naproxin also manages what causes the pain, as one Dr. put it, so I opted for that. You have over the counter Aleve there which is not as strong but better than nothing (contains naproxin as well) Worth a try for the knee!

Cheeers,

Donna:001_cool:

Oh my. . . this is not good news. . . I've been treadmilling now EVERY day for 4-5 months at 3.2 mph for 30 minutes and then stationary bicyle on random hills at level 9 for 15 minutes . . . I have contracted plantar facititis. . . it is very very painful! Podiatrist put me on a medrol pack for 7 days, took the pain away until all the steriods were done then the pain came back double. . . it is sooooo painful. . . doctor thinks it's because of the treadmill. . . surgery is OUT of the question and definately not an option. . . I've taken the steriods already. . . I wear good shoes (new balance for walking) and change them out about every 6 months or so, I take Ibuprofen 800 mg x 4 times per day (yes I have a cast Iron stomach!) and I ice my foot. . . does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to get rid of this horrible pain! Any suggestions will help. . . hope that once I have my surgery it'll help too!

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THAT MUCH IBUPROPHEN, IT WILL WRECK YOUR INTESTINAL TRACK ! Even if you have a cast iron stomach, you don't have cast iron intestines. I took lots of ibruprophen, about 7 years ago, 4 pills at a time, for times a day for back and leg pain. I was on my feet all the time at work. I started bleeding rectally, and then the pain started in my colon. I was diognosted with ulcerative colitis, and I take meds every day for that. My internalist said they don't know what causes ulcerative colitis, and there is no cure, but ibuprophen certainly contrubuted to and severly aggravated my condition.

When under the care of a physician, the maximum dose of ibuprofen is 3.2 g daily. Otherwise, the maximum dose is 1.2 g daily. Individuals should not use ibuprofen for more than 10 days for the treatment of pain or more than 3 days for the treatment of a fever unless directed by a physician.

SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects from ibuprofen are rash, ringing in the ears, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation and heartburn. NSAIDs reduce the ability of blood to clot and therefore increase bleeding after an injury. Ibuprofen may cause ulceration of the stomach or intestine, and the ulcers may bleed. Sometimes, ulceration can occur without abdominal pain, and black, tarry stools, weakness, and dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension) due to bleeding may be the only signs of an ulcer. NSAIDs reduce the flow of blood to the kidneys and impair function of the kidneys. The impairment is most likely to occur in patients who already have impaired function of the kidney or congestive heart failure, and use of NSAIDs in these patients should be cautious. People who are allergic to other NSAIDs, including aspirin, should not use ibuprofen. Individuals with asthma are more likely to experience allergic reactions to ibuprofen and other NSAIDs. Fluid retention (edema), blood clots, heart attacks, hypertension and heart failure have also been associated with the use of NSAIDs.

Research the side effects of Ibprophen. Hope this will prevent this condition happening to you.

I really feel for you.:sad0:

Judy