This is a great thread. I needed to read this!

If you have lower back problems, the best thing you can for yourself is to develop your core -- your middle. That means ab work, as well as back work.

I've been having awful sporadic pains in my lower back, shooting down one or both legs. It comes and goes. Sciatic nerve, I expect. I like to be active - gardening (including heavy yard work on our wooded acres), horsebackriding, walking - but I pay the price now in subsequent days of sharp pains in my lower back, legs and rear end when I straighten up after bending over (like when I pick up a pet food dish off the floor). This is the first year I've ever experienced anything like this, and I think horrified thoughts of my friend who had a lumbar back operation to replace his ruptured intervertebral disk. I know I should lose weight - and I am thinking about Cortislim because the weight is mostly in my tummy, and VERY hard to lose. But I would much rather lose it naturally, through exercise, if possible. These weight loss suppliments scare me - seems like after a few years some dire consequence is always discovered (like with Fen-fen and steroids).

I look forward to those instructions Lani was going to post about abs and lower back exercises. I like to use an elliptical trainer, and we have a bowflex. I need to get back into the habit, but I obviously need to do something to support my lower back so that I can continue to be active. Having this pain after I do anything strenuous is disconcerting because it could tend to make me more sedentary... not a good thing!

update everyone.....

me? :( I have been doing decently on the exercising, however not on the watching what I eat so basically I am just counteracting my food consumption. I am trying really hard on the training for the 1/2 marathon but not making much headway.

Any inspiration would be great.

I look forward to those instructions Lani was going to post about abs and lower back exercises.I just sent email to my trainer to see if I can get her permission to post the info here. :)

I have been doing decently on the exercising, however not on the watching what I eat so basically I am just counteracting my food consumption. I am trying really hard on the training for the 1/2 marathon but not making much headway.Don't get too down on yourself, hershey! Look at it this way -- imagine if you were eating a lot but not exercising. You would be gaining weight! That you are holding steady even though you aren't really being careful about your food consumption means that your exercise is really helping.

What sort of exercising are you doing these days?

Now that we're heading well into spring, hopefully the weather is nice enough that you will enjoy being outdoors. On weekends, you can consider going hiking or just taking really long walks (grab sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, sling a water bottle, and head outdoors! Try routes you don't normally try! Find new little parks and gardens right in your neighborhood! Take a camera, and take pictures of interesting stuff!)

Here's one good article (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/likness28.htm) about ab and core training.

Any inspiration would be great.Right after I read your post, I got my regular email newsletter from Saucony (the shoe company). In it, it talked about the upcoming Boston Marathon, and its "Saucony 26," a group of 26 very special people who Saucony was sponsoring in their quest to run this most elite of marathons.

The Boston Marathon normally requires a very fast qualifying time (you run another marathon that is officially timed, and if your time is fast enough, you become eligible to go into a lottery for a slot for Boston), but if you are a local Boston resident, there are ways to get a spot. Many local running clubs are given spots, as are some charities, so even those who aren't very fast can still join in this extraordinary and exciting event.

The Saucony 26 look like they were selected by Saucony because they each had a very touching story. You can read about each one at Saucony26.com (http://www.saucony26.com). There are some really tear-welling stories in there, including a guy who runs it for his quadriplegic (now grown) son, and a woman who was severely burned in a fire as a child, and who can run now only because her father refused to let the doctors amutate her legs.

Each of us has a story, hersh. And none of us have an excuse. It's just one day at a time, one step at a time, one meal at a time, one bite at a time.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I change up between 30/elliptical then light weights or 10/elliptical-weights-10/bicycle-weights-1/3 to 1/2 mile of running. My job keeps interferring since I workout during lunch (gym is in my building).

I am trying to extend the running, hopefully in the morning starting next week. We shall see.

The 1/2 Ironman California race just came and went a couple of weeks ago, so now I'm really solely focused on running instead of triathlon for the WDW Marathon next year. This SHOULD include core strength (abs/back) and weightlifting. I need to find a regular time to hit the weights.

I have settled into a regular running schedule, which should keep me motivated for a while. Hopefully, this will also motivate others:

Mondays: 4-miles after work, easy.
Tuesdays: Track workout with Triathlon Club
Wednesdays: Off (swim/weights?)
Thursdays: Trail run with guys at work (they're really fast)
Fridays: Off
Saturdays: Long, slow run
Sundays: Off (bike/weights?)

Those of you training for the 1/2 Marathon should have absolutely no problems when it comes around in January, as long as you stay consistent. Don't take too much time off at any one given time. At the same time, if you're feeling sick or sore, your body is telling you to rest. One week of really light exercise might do the trick.

Try entering a 5K or 10K road race to see how it feels. Good luck all!

My job keeps interferring since I workout during lunch (gym is in my building).

I am trying to extend the running, hopefully in the morning starting next week. We shall see.Ahhhh! I am in a similar situation -- we have a corporate fitness center in my building. In fact, if a hole opened up under my desk, I would probably drop down four floors and land on the Precor elliptical! hee hee

Lunch was really tough for me, because our cafeteria stops serving food at 1:30. I had to cut out real early so I could still work out, and not miss lunch. I finally gave up that plan, and now go into work early so I can work out. It took a week or so to get used to it, but now I love it, and it's just the normal routine for me now. I also find that the gym is not as crowded in the early morning as it is at lunch for me. Maybe that'll be the same for you, too.

One great advantage to working out before work: You're done with your exercise for the day! No excuses to not work out! You're all done!

Mondays: 4-miles after work, easy.
Tuesdays: Track workout with Triathlon Club
Wednesdays: Off (swim/weights?)
Thursdays: Trail run with guys at work (they're really fast)
Fridays: Off
Saturdays: Long, slow run
Sundays: Off (bike/weights?)Trail running has such an allure for me, but I really suck in it. I have trouble coordinating between keeping my eye out on the trail (and avoiding spraining ankles) and keeping even a moderate pace. Too much work! :oldyellowgrin:

I'm not training for anything specific right now, so I'm keeping my miles down and combining my cardio with the elliptical. Generally, my schedule looks like this:

Mondays: Mornings: 30 min. elliptical, 3 mile treadmill run (medium pace). Afternoons: 60 minutes Power Sculpt class (weight lifting and ab work)
Tuesdays: [optional 15-minute elliptical warm-up] 5-mile run, usually slow to medium pace
Wednesdays: Mornings: 30 min. elliptical, 3 mile treadmill run (medium pace). Afternoons: 60 minutes Power Sculpt class (weight lifting and ab work)
Thursdays: [optional 15-minute elliptical warm-up] 5-mile run, usually slow to medium pace
Fridays: [optional 15-minute elliptical warm-up] 3-5 miles, speed varies from medium to speedwork. 30 minutes weight lifting, 15 minutes abs.
I've been taking weekends off, but once I start training for a half I'll start adding a longer run day on Sat or Sun. Otherwise, periodically I'll go to the gym on one of the weekend days for a light jog, or go hiking. I rarely run more than 20 miles a week when I'm not training, though.

Last night I reconfirmed my hatred for running. I ran 3 miles at a very slow pace (I was trying to stay with and encourage my slower and very tired running partner). Even at that slow pace I had a mild asthma problem (not an attack, just really uncomfortable tightness). I've always had some kind of exercise enduced asthma, but it's only induced from running. I can hike, bike, swim, etc. with no trouble at all. But go running and bam, tight chest, uncomfortable breathing, coughing fits.

I just read some more great advise on another forum about reducing back pain by strengthening your core muscles. Here's the thread. (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=1038&highlight=Core+Stability) If you're suffering from back pain, or want to prevent any future back injuries, be sure to read this and give those excercises a try.

I just signed up for a program through work, called 0-5-10-25. The numbers are 0 for tobacco free, 5 fruits and veggies a day, 10,000 steps or 30 min. exercise every day, and a BMI of 25 or less. We track our progress on a website and see which group does the best. We'll see how it goes. At least it's getting warm enough to start doing stuff outside again without having to wear several layers.

...and a BMI of 25 or less.
I hate BMI statistics. According to what's "normal" I'm "overweight" (26.5). Pffff...

I just got finished reading over that core muscles exercise tutorial thread that Bill posted, and added it to my Favorites in it's own special folder about back pain. Thank you SO much, Bill. I will try the exercises early in the day tomorrow! That is a really comprehensive and helpful thread.

Also... I was just lent a book: "Healing Back Pain - the Mind-Body Connection" by John E. Sarno, MD, and I found the description of my back pain to be right on the mark. TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome) is described. Apparently, our brains can subconsciously sublimate our emotions by unconsciously substituting muscle spasms (aaarrrgggh!). It seems that "putting it out of your mind" just sends it somewhere else. After openly expressing the uncomfortable emotions, the back, shoulder, or chest pain is often relieved.

So I'm going to do both things - learn those exercises to strengthen my core muscles, do them regularly, and do more of the healthy, tension reducing exercise I've been needing to do more often... and also read this book to learn what feelings I could uncover and deal with in order to alleviate emotional tension. My back felt better right after I read the description in the book, and thought about what might be causing the buried tension. It's a wake-up-call, either way, and needs to be dealt with.

We traditional 2D Animators have really been kicked in the teeth lately, and without my familiar career outlet for financial security and its emotional ego gratification, I know I've been dealing with some serious tension, for sure. :(

We had to leave Southern Calif after the animation layoffs because we could not afford to remain there on only my husband's income. I just spent some time reading that thread here on MP about the cost of living in Calif. But we are fortunate that my husband's livlihood is not in Animation, too. I know some couples who BOTH worked in traditional animation, and they are in a terrifying situation now... with teenagers about to graduate from HS who want to attend college... not to mention EAT. Readers are liking my book and some revenue is increasingly coming in from that, but it doesn't compare to the Animator's salary I made at Warner Bros in the mid to late 1990's. All gone now.... poof!!! Me and all my old friends out of work... and we had to sell our house in Glendale Calif and move to a state where we could afford to live on one salary. I saw a news story a couple of months ago where a Disney Animator who worked in Orlando said how much he would miss seeing the other artists everyday, I really empathized. It was all so much fun all those years - the creative, funny, entertaining people I got to work with all week. There were frustrations, sure... and studio politics, as always... but the artists always turned to each other in humor and comraderie. I miss seeing them all so much. ::::::sigh::::::
When I allowed myself to think about all that, and then have myself a good cry yesterday, my back pain actually cleared up. I tend to allow myself to laugh as much as possible... but sometimes, it just helps to cry, too.

Heidi -- I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Definitely keep your chin up (and your back straight!) **hugs**

Join me for the President's Challenge, everyone!

Whether you signed up for the WDW marathon or are just lacing up your shoes to walk around the block, join me for a great program you can sign with for free, called the President's Challenge! You can learn all about it at PresidentsChallenge.org (http://www.presidentschallenge.org). Once you sign up online, you log your exercise (of any type) and keep track.

The President's Challenge is for everyone:

Are you active less than 30 minutes a day 5 days a week? You can sign up for the Active Lifestyle Program. Do an activity for 30 minutes at least five days a week for 6 out of 8 weeks, and get your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award! Once you do, you can continue with the program, or move onto the Presidential Champions Program.

The Presidential Champions Program is for folks who are already active and are ready for a bigger challenge. Once you've exercised 20,000 worth of points, you earn a Bronze Award! You can get a medal, pins, patches, etc. at that point. And you can continue, and work towards your Silver and Gold Awards. As an example, 30 minutes of moderate exercise might earn you 300 points.

If you already work out more than an hour a day at least 5 days a week, you can choose the Advanced Performance Presidential Champions program, and compete with others who are as active as you.

It costs NOTHING to sign up. If there are a few folks interested here, I can even set up a MousePlanet group so we can all be recognized as a group! Yay!

Feel free to track your progress here. :)

Thanks, Lani, for your kind words and your inspiring health-giving information. I am so glad I found this thread. Thanks again to Bill, too. ((((hugs))))) back to you.

Reposted from the Team MousePlanet (get fit!) thread (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?p=384238) so it doesn't get buried

Join me for the President's Challenge, everyone!

Whether you signed up for the WDW marathon or are just lacing up your shoes to walk around the block, join me for a great program you can sign with for free, called the President's Challenge! You can learn all about it at PresidentsChallenge.org (http://www.presidentschallenge.org). Once you sign up online, you log your exercise (of any type) and keep track.

The President's Challenge is for everyone:

Are you active less than 30 minutes a day 5 days a week? You can sign up for the Active Lifestyle Program. Do an activity for 30 minutes at least five days a week for 6 out of 8 weeks, and get your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award! Once you do, you can continue with the program, or move onto the Presidential Champions Program.

The Presidential Champions Program is for folks who are already active and are ready for a bigger challenge. Once you've exercised 20,000 worth of points, you earn a Bronze Award! You can get a medal, pins, patches, etc. at that point. And you can continue, and work towards your Silver and Gold Awards. As an example, 30 minutes of moderate exercise might earn you 300 points.

If you already work out more than an hour a day at least 5 days a week, you can choose the Advanced Performance Presidential Champions program, and compete with others who are as active as you.

It costs NOTHING to sign up. If there are a few folks interested here, I can even set up a MousePlanet group so we can all be recognized as a group! Yay!

What's GREAT is that you don't have to be a marathoner or champion sprinter. If you just wanna go out and walk around the block, that's fine!

Feel free to track your progress here. I'll be putting my points in my sig file. :)

I've set up a group for us, appropriately named "Team MousePlanet" ! Yay!

When you sign up, you can also add a group to belong to. Add either "Team MousePlanet" or ID number 11337. You'll be able to see how everyone's doing. How cool is that? Yay!

Lani - I just signed up, you have to have both the name and the ID Number to sign up under Team Mouseplanet. Maybe it will keep me motivated!

Hi hersheythecat! Yay, you signed up! Except I see that you misunderstood the Member ID number when you signed up for the group. It should be YOUR name, not "Team MousePlanet." I should have been clear. My bad.

Let me get that straightened out for you so you're all set. Thanks!

I already joined the President's Challenge. I stopped drinking. ;)

===========================================
INVITATION TO JOIN YOUR GROUP
===========================================

YOU'RE INVITED TO JOIN THE PRESIDENT'S CHALLENGE!

Lani Teshima has started a group to take the President's Challenge together: Team MousePlanet
And you're invited to be part of it!

WHAT IS IT?
The President's Challenge is a series of programs designed to help improve anyone's activity level. Joining a group is a great way to make staying active easy.

To learn more about the President's Challenge, go to:
http://www.PresidentsChallenge.org

WHY JOIN?
Staying active with others can be a lot of fun. They'll help keep you motivated - even when you don't really feel like it. Groups are a great way to meet new people. There are even programs for people at different activity levels: the Active Lifestyle program aimed at beginners, and the Presidential Champions program for those who are already active.

Signing up for a group is simple. And there's no limit to how any you can belong to. You can join or leave at any time. All you have to do is register. It's quick, and there's no cost just to participate!

--------------------------------------------

HOW TO JOIN:

1) Go to http://www.PresidentsChallenge.org/login/register_individual.aspx

2) Fill out the registration form.

* Be sure to include the following info during registration *

Group ID Number: 11337
Group Member ID/Name: For easiest reference in this group, use your MousePad name here [it does not have to be your main username.]

3) After registering, start logging your activities. As you log activities you'll be able to track your progress toward winning a President's Challenge Award or Medal.

Good luck!

Hmmm, can I use my PE activities? Sounds kinda fun to do this, plus I do the work anyway...