It's a Jillian thing. You wouldn't understand.

I once created a design that I meant to put on a shirt that says, “It’s a Jillian thing, you wouldn’t understand.” It's a play on the, "It's a fitness thing, you wouldn't understand," shirt, but since I do mostly Jillian Michaels' workouts, I traded the word Jillian for fitness. I never got around to making it, partly because if I were to make a fitness related shirt, there are a ton of other designs or words I’d like to put on it. Plus, nothing annoys me more than when someone says, “It's a math thing, you wouldn't understand” or “ it's a kitchen thing, you wouldn't understand.” Who's to say that I don't understand that?

In the last few weeks, that design has come to my mind a lot. I frequent a website Guru Gossiper, or GG. For those who don't know what GG is, it’s a forum where members discuss YouTube Gurus and their content. They have a Rave About A Guru subforum and they also have a Trash a Guru subforum. Maybe I’m a closeted mean girl, because I lurk in the Trash a Guru section. I read all the dirt on a guru that I used to be particularly fond of, but then started to not like for various reasons. I’m not going to say what guru, but I will say that there is a reason why I’m posting about it here.

I don’t keep up with this guru, but I do read their GG to keep up with what she's doing, and she’s apparently been really involved in going to the gym. This didn’t surprise me. I can remember years ago she posted a video about fitness with Natalie Jill, who also appeared in Ripped In 30 by Jillian Michaels. (I never actually realized because this video was made in 2012 and I only watched maybe a couple of times soon after it was uploaded, and I started doing Jillian videos in 2015.) “She is also obsessed with her body now, who the hell go to the gym with a broken foot?” Immediately I thought of myself. I've worked out with an injury. I thought a lot of people who've worked out with minor injuries. Look at Christmas Abbott - she broke her foot in the Big Brother house, had to have surgery, and still did workouts as soon as she was able. Search YouTube and you'll find all kinds of seated workouts for people who are injured or disabled. Who the hell goes to the gym or does workouts with a broken foot? Um...a lot of people? I casually mentioned that I have worked out with injuries, and explained that how if you are seeing results, an injury or an illness can be absolutely devastating to a fitness routine. “I guess it’s an American thing,” came the reply. Uh...no. It's not just me, it's almost everyone I know who is committed to a healthy lifestyle - and I’m in some great fitness groups that have women from all over the world. I can't even begin to count how many times I see people saying they’re sick and realizing they’re too sick to work out or asking if they should work out. Lots of members feel devastated over injuries - it’s a real thing. And it’s not an American thing. It’s a dedication thing.

I went back and forth with a couple members on this subject. One said rehabbing a broken foot is one thing, but working out with an injury is creating issues with your body. Again, I respectfully disagree for the most part. If you’re able to do it - do it! I brought up all low impact, seated workouts you can find on youtube, under the weather workouts, and so on. It’s there! So I’m clearly not the only one who thinks this! Then it was brought up about working out with the flu and how that can be life threatening and in general not kind to other gym members. I agree to that, too, but sources say that above the neck symptoms usually mean you’re okay to go to the gym. Trust your own judgment.

In the end, maybe I felt defensive because myself and so many others want to keep working out despite life, illness, and injury trying so damn hard to knock you down. This wasn’t a redeeming factor for this guru (I can’t support a person who lies, scams, and neglects their kids all while painting this facade of sunshine and rainbows for your YouTube content) but I certainly do get where she’s coming from IF she’s experiencing the same thing I am. Don’t take a giant shit on what brings others joy, unless, you know, what brings them joy is being detrimental to someone else’s joy. I have a feeling that they feel like I am defending the Guru, but that’s not it. I am defending myself and others like me. I felt a need to defend others who workout while injured, or others who are dedicated to themselves. They weren’t dissing the Guru, they were dissing the guru's actions as well as anyone who goes to the gym with an injury. As long as you have the okay, then that's okay. Just my feelings, of course.

With that said, my shirt design comes to mind again: “It’s a fitness thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

I'll show you a bump!

It's official. For a little while there, I had a bump! And boy did it get big, uncomfortable. I was ready to write it an eviction notice to get out of my body! ;) Not like a baby bump though. A large bump on my foot because for a while there, I was on the injured list. Or at least the take it easy and don't do anything too strenuous to re-injure yourself worse list. I'm still in that limbo although last night I worked out with little to no issues. But man, does it stink being injured! :/

A a few weeks ago I bought a treadmill. I had a really old one that I bought at a yard sale a really long time ago for $50. I was 14 when we bought it and I'm guessing the previous owners had already had it for four or five years, so when it started shorting out and dying after 20 or 30 minutes, I had mixed feelings. Bummed, of course, because on nights I don't feel like playing DDR, the treadmill was a great alternative and sometimes just what I needed to get a break from DDR. But then again, it had lasted forever and I had bought it for next to nothing. I really couldn't complain! So, I began searching, doing research on what I felt was best. I had it narrowed down to two treadmills and finally bought a Proform treadmill at Sears a few weeks ago. And I love that thing! DDR has actually taken a back seat while I break that baby in. (My workout playlist has ample DDR songs though!) I'm not the fastest or the best runner but being fairly new to running, I was pretty pleased to get four miles or so in an hour! I felt like that was a pretty decent pace.

And then...boom! I get my cardio in usually anywhere from 10pm-1am. So Wednesday, early early morning, I was running on the treadmill, and I noticed my foot was sore. I pushed through, finished up my hour, and then went on to bed. The next morning, I had a big lump on my foot and it was pretty sore. I took a night off cardio (still did Jillian; I've been doing Shred It With Weights on YouTube, which I will post a review up very soon!) and the next day, it was slightly sore but not too bad. So I thought, hm, why not get a run in? It's Thursday, early morning. About halfway through, my foot started hurting. Then horrible pain. Being the stubborn girl I am, I kept going. Big mistake. The next morning, I had a HUGE lump on my foot. My foot literally looked pregnant, which is how we described it. After a little while of hobbling around, trying to decide what to do, I finally decided it was best to go to the emergency room. I was worried I might have a stress fracture.

In the end, there were no obvious breaks and I couldn't get a definitive diagnosis,  but I was told it could be anything from a pulled muscle to tendonitis. I got a boot and some crutches, a prescription for ibuprofen with 800mg for the swelling and inflammation, and was told to stay off of it, take at least the weekend off running. It was HARD. I really enjoy running on the treadmill. I really enjoy DDR. I actually really love fitness in general! I also had to make sure my nutrition was on point and in my household, it's not easy AT ALL (my family is definitely a southern food lovin' family. Fried chicken, potatoes, the more grease the better whereas I'm trying really hard to eat healthy; 2/4 people I live with, including myself, are IMPOSSIBLE to bend with their unhealthy eating habits. It kind of divides the family. Not to mention, they adore fast food. Blaaaah). So, I searched for some fun recipes to help make things a bit easier and continued to do Shred It With Weights, only modifying some of the jumping to try and keep my foot from getting hurt worse.

Luckily it only lasted around a week. I started transitioning back on the treadmill, 30 minutes and just walking the first day, 30 minutes of Couch to 5k on week 3 as it's not a LOT of running but a good run/walk alternate, and then 50 minutes or so of run walk again. Last night I did a full hour and did the run/walk again, but more running than walking and little to no pain. Hopefully it'll last. I still have a slight knot on my foot but my hope is that it will continue to go down.

As mentioned above, I searched for some recipes. I found some that sound delicious, and some that I actually tried that were super scrumptious! I will definitely share soon!

Have you been injured? What did you do to balance it out? :)