My 6 am Training

Lately, I have had to play "juggle my personal and professional life" around so I can get the workout in game.
It has been a hassle at best.  So, lately, my only open hour of the day has been 6 am.  At first I thought this was going to be a real detriment to my mental health.  After all, most people should be hitting snooze at this hour.  Instead, I have found these moment enlightening and a real jump start to my day of crazy stresses and infinite jests (that is a book title, I think). 

There is something about swinging a 16kg kettle bell over my head at 6 in the morning.  It brings some clarity.  I mean, I could kill something with that thing:  especially myself.  I guess it is nice that at 6 I don't have enough time yet in my day to think of anything else but the training itself.  I am not misguided by the other thoughts that distract me like:  what is for dinner, what am I going to say to such-in-such at work today, did I leave my car lights on? 

There is just me and my fitness.  I like that.  I have been a bit lazy in my running over the past several weeks.  I think I need to re-engage and I think the mornings is the time to do it.  I am going to give it a go.  I will let you know how I turn out.

Association Football = Soccer = Win

Sweetheart and I are die hard football fans...  Sorry, let me clarify:  we are soccer fans.  Association football is the world's most popular sport, except in the United States, and I am never going to understand that.  It is so much more fast paced and full of strategy, compared with other sports.  The players are incredible athletes:  fast, agile, aggressive..  just awesome. (yes, I like American football as well, just not as much)

So why do I talk about this here:  fitness.  Soccer is fun and easy to play.
"According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football.  While football has the highest global television audience in sport, its simple rules and minimal equipment requirements at amateur level, have no doubt aided its growth in terms of participation." (link)

So do Americans play?  Yup.
This is one of the few sports where a pick up game is more readily available and organized than any other sport.  So, I did a little digging.  Within 10 miles of my house, there are 9 separate soccer clubs that offer amateur league play for all ages.  So, Sweetheart's birthday is coming up, I am signing him up for Soccer lessons.  It will be a fun way for him to play and get ready to start into a league. It is also a way to get in that exercise without being the same ol' stuff. (Shh, don't tell him)

We Ain't Restin' Today

Today was a day of cross-training and strength training with Trainer Debbie.  She dutifully kicked my tail with strength intervals and high-intensity movements for 45 minutes.  I am sore in places ladies should not be sore without better reasons, and well.... Thanks Deb.  My sweetheart thanks you too...

Sometimes, I think that it hurts all the more after having a day of resting.  My body natually wants to go to hibernation mode.  It thinks, hey, she ain't movin'.  Time to chill... Forever.  Sorry, not today.  Not EVER again.

This brings me to the next thing I have been pondering lately.  NOT EVER AGAIN.  I don't want to be where I was EVER AGAIN.  There is no going back.  I am mentally, physically, spiritually a different person.  I want more.  I feel more.  I care more.  It is fan-flippin-tastic.  It is a high from the Missa drug.  There is no prescription.  It is just me and my thoughts and my needs for things to be better.

I hope your day is filled with better.... and more.

Days of Rest

Yesterday was a day of rest in my Marathon Training Program.  Rest.  Does this mean I sleep all day?  Does this mean I watch TV and eat ice cream?  Up to this point, I have had a general goal to do some sort of movement everyday, even if it was just 5 minutes.  So, now, I have Saturdays and Mondays to chill. 

I have been invited to do some stretching on these days, which is nice.  I think I have turned part feline, as every morning, I wake up an arch and twist and scurry like a cat for at least 15 minutes before I can really leave the bed. 

So, now it is Tuesday morning, the day after rest, and I am really pooped...  and for what?  I almost feel like I am hibernating.  My face is puffy.  It wants me to go back into slumber.  I hit snooze, which is incredibly unlike me. I am usually a get-up-and-go kinda gal.  Oh well.  Time for work.   I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Holy Half Marathon Batman!

OK..  So I am doing it...  no, not IT, I am going to train for a half-marathon.  Where are your dirty brains?  (Exactly where yours is, Missa)

I think I can do it.  I am aiming for the OBX half, which is in 18 weeks.  I am going to follow HalHigdon.com and do his NOVICE program.  Except, I am going to do my long runs on Sundays and I am going to use my 2 personal training session per week as my strength and cross train.  I think it is doable.  Anyone want to join me?

I did a four mile long run this morning.  Despite being hot out and covered in sweaty grossness... I feel pretty good!  I think the huge hoagie roll I picked away at last night got me nice and carbed up, making me feel happily fueled.  So, the plan is to feed and water myself, shower and then take my carcass to the beach to soak up the sunscreen and beach umbrella (note: Missa is the white-est woman in America.  I give Albino's a run for their money).

This was a great B-day weekend.  I rested, I ate, I played with children, I beached.  All in all, big wins.
AND.......  cross your fingers folks, but I think I may have good news on the career front.. more on that later.

OK.. Enjoy your Sunday!  Do something physical out there.  Maybe some IT.

Spinning Win and Food Fail

I did and completed, (focus on completed), my first SPIN class.  I have been secretly plotting to do it for a while.  I tried to do one a couple years ago, but I never had the stamina.  I always whinged through the ass pain as I could never get the seat right.  I always had a reason to quit.  I considered my previous attempt to be a real failure, source of embarrassment, and I just needed to overcome it.  Even if I got through the class just once, hated it, and never did it again, I needed to know that I could do it.  I needed to validate what I kind of already knew:  That I am stronger than I was before.

Well, I did it!  And....  I really enjoyed it.  The instructor was a bit intimidating:  she was like a walking muscle with lungs.  However, I liked the music (who wouldn't like climbing a hill to Led Zeppelin?), and I felt like I could set a pace for myself and not overdo it too soon.  It helped that I have been using a heart rate monitor for a while, and know what my levels are. 

This all being said, the true test is tomorrow morning, when I wake up and hopefully can move :-) 

Now onto my food fail.  Up to this point, I have made yummy, edible food.  Today, was NOT that day.  I have been reading about the use of chocolate as a spice in food.  There are lots of health benefits to chocolate, not to mention:  'everything tastes better with chocolate!'  WRONG..  Oh so wrong.  I added cocoa powder to my veggie and tomato concoction.  It was so bitter.  Ick.  I should have dumped it, but food-guilt me, cleared my plate, bite by nasty bite.  I'm a little mad at myself for feeling guilt about food waste:  what am I 8 years old!?!  So lame of me.
I haven't given up yet on chocolate in cooking, but I think I need a recovery break.  Complete Food Fail.

I haven't written much about the things I want to try.  I find it funny that I have had this spin goal for years, and never mentioned it.  I also have been dying for a while to try chocolate in my cooking, but didn't say a word.  What do they have in common:  fear of failure.  So, I am going to, in future posts, start listing some of the things I would like to try, and goals I would like to aspire.  Getting them out there makes them real and if I make it or break it, great.  At least by putting it out there, fear of failure doesn't prevent me from putting skin in the game.

Sports Injury Friday

Well, my life of an athlete is kickin' into high gear!  I am injured.  Boo!

I think my new sneakers have triggered a pain pattern of tightness from my ankle, through my calf, and shooting into the back of my knee.

Sweetheart rubbed it a bit, and that provided some relief.   But now that he stopped, I feel the tightness happening all over again.  It is like I have tight guitar strings on the back of my left leg.  If I move to much to the right or left, they might *Snap*.

I was super tired yesterday, so I didn't gym it.  I don't want to miss another day.  I need some fitness. Give me my fitness!!  AARRGH! 
I am going to give it a few hours and then we will just have to see.  Maybe swimming would take the edge off it?

My Sneaker Procurement Experience

I am new to this whole athlete thing.  I do not have all the gadgets and gear.  Most importantly, I did not have the right sneakers.  I have known this for a little while.  I have noticed that after my runs, by knees felt tight and sore.  My hips were out of whack.  I knew this had to be shoe related.  (It also could be because I have a big ass, but I am sticking to the shoes). 

So, yesterday, I went to a sneaker specialty store.  I thought the process would only take 20 minutes, so I drove over before my planned workout.  Boy, was I wrong.  90 minutes later, and close to $200 bucks, I walked out with moon boots, anti-microbial socks, and new insoles for my kicks.  Let's explain the process.

I walk in, and they first measure my feet.  Then, they have me stand on a computer scanner and they measured my arch and my gait.  Apparently I have a better arch than I thought.  I always considered myself to have flat feet.  Apparently, I have a 'flexible arch'.  So you think I am finished, nope.

Then, they have me run on a treadmill, barefoot.  They take a video of each of my feet, while I run.  It shows in slow-mo, that I roll my ankles, where they should be straight.  In the end, they recommend a mobility stabilizing shoe.  Now, this sounded OK, except all the options in this category are weird looking.  They all have extra thick bottoms, are generally flat, and kinda ugly.  However, I am really hoping that my knees feel better, so I am up for the challenge.  So, this is what I bought:

I am hoping I didn't get taken for a ride.  However, I do like this RoadRunner Sports.  I can try them for up to 60 days.  If I hate them, I can return them covered in mud.  I appreciate that.  The bad news is I missed my workout to buy these shoes.  It just took too long and I could not squeeze it all in.  So today is the day that I get my test drive on my gear.  Wish me luck!

The Reckoning and New Trainers

Today was the Reckoning.  Did Missa gain 60 lbs while on vacation?  Did she plump like a blueberry?
NOOOO!  She didn't!  Actually, I feel really good, relaxed and healthy.  I did have a minor gain .4 lbs, but I am PMS'ing, so I really think it is a wash.  Most importantly, I feel great that I was able to enjoy myself and not over-indulge all by myself.  I didn't bring a scrap of HMR food with me.  I just used my mind to make good choices. I can't tell you what a win that is.  I have been on vacations before where a 15lb gain was par for the course.

In celebration, I am going to post a picture of me and my Sweetheart.  (OK girls, don't swoon.)  He said it was OK to reveal his true self on this blog, and well, him in his hat (which he adores) and tie-dyed bathing trunks is as close to his true self in a photo as you can get!  He would like to point out that the cap is a Trilby and not a Fedora. (this might give you further insight).  Oh, and I am comfortable in a bathing suit! Win! (Where the hell did that come from?)  I got it at Target (pronounced Tar-gzhay).  It comes with straps and looks great with or without them.

So now for something completely different:  Trainers.  Also known as sneakers, athletic shoes, etc.  I need a pair and now that I run, I need to have a really good pair.  At the moment, my Adidas are doing me justice, but they are getting a bit thin at the treads.  So, I am going to go to a store today called RoadRunner Sports.  Here, they can test your arch and make a real recommendation on what I should be using.  Any suggestions on brands or this footwear procurement experience is totally appreciated.

To this end, I also decided to change something else on my dailymile account.  When I started, I classified myself as a Walker.  Well, now, I do more fitness training and running.  So, my new title:  ATHLETE.  With this comes a new goal:  to kick ass.  Seriously.  I want to be fit not to be thin, but to do things that others can't.  I am tired of being limited.  I want to make some noise.

I hope this Monday is the start of a strong week. Cheers!

Late Night Exercise

I have started to see a trend on my Sunday nights:  the Late Night Fitness Routine.   At about 10:30, while sitting on my duff, watching TV, or blogging, or eating a snack, or shooting the breeze, I seem to remember that weigh-in is the next day.  I remember that I was not 100% on my eating.  I did not drink all the H2O that I probably should have done.  I begin the Panic-Whine cycle.

The Panic-Whine is a combination of the 'oh sh*t, I need to get off my a$$ and move!' and the 'but I am so tiiiirrrreeeed.  Whaaaa!'  They kind of come out of my mouth at once in the form of a very heavy sigh. *sigh*  However, this is the last chance to get the burn before Mr. Scale makes his judgement.

Then, I putter about, thinking about what exercise clothes to wear.  Then, I think about what my fitness routine should be.  Should I run?  Should I do a DVD?  Should I do some fitness moves that Trainer Debbie has taught me?  By the time I am dressed, have heart rate monitor attached, shoes tied, and IPod tunes selected, it is closer to 11:15 at night.  

So, after 45 minutes of prep, I got in a 35 minute workout.  I did some wood chop hell.  I ran two miles.  I probably could have kept going, but it was late.  Work beckoned in the am.  However, I liked the workout.  It was a great temperature to run.  I got a good stretch in before bed. 

I am wondering now if this should be the trend for my Sundays or if I should insert my fitness earlier.  What do you guys think?

On the Wagon

I kicked my own tush at the gym last night, despite it being 'family night' at the gym.  Apparently family night means hip-hop DJ's blaring tunes with the occasional 'awwww yeah, this is mah jaam!' inserted wherever necessary.  It also means dudes flexing their muscles for chicks, and chicks roaming the gym, dressed with their hair done, makeup, jewelry...  well, you get the picture.

My Sweetheart and I went together, which I always love.  He is so funny.  He was rockin' out 'his' hip-hop moves on the gym floor.  I almost fell off the Elliptical.  He has no fear or feelings of embarrassment.  He will do anything.  I admire that bravery, especially since it usually involves me laughing.  We went long this time: 1 hour 25 minutes straight of Angry Elliptical and Cross-Training.  I am always sweaty at the end, but Sweetheart is drenched like someone poured water over him.  Kinda gross, but I am kinda jealous.  To me, sweat is the battle scar of gym wars.

So, one more day till my first 5k.  Pretty darn excited.  My mother has decided to come, which means I will be doing more walking than running, I suspect, but that is OK.  We are also going to see King Tut's exhibit afterwards, so it should be a good day.  Have a great Friday!!

Balance Fitness and Food?

I have questions for all of you.  I am stumped.

Now that I have a trainer, I am exercising more than ever.  I have done almost 2x's the amount of physical activity calories in the last couple of weeks than I did before.  I have not changed my eating plan at all, still the 1200-1600 calories per day.  So, one would think that I would be peeling off 2x's the amount of weight.  Not really happening that way.

What does that mean?  Isn't this thing supposed to be about math?  Am I breaking my own a$$ for no reason?  Maybe I should slow down my sweaty torment, especially if it isn't going to make much of a difference?  Now, don't get me wrong, I want to do my C25K.  I want to reach that goal, but I do want to see a difference in the numbers.  I will weigh in and do some measurements on Monday.  I hope I see some evidence.  This all being said, I should say that my clothes are definitely feeling better and I do feel fitter.  But how do you find the sweet spot?  Where is that balance coming from?

I'm Expecting!

Got you for a second. (No puppies for me right now.)  I am expecting to RUN my 1st 5K!

Hey go big or go home right? Well, I am scared and stoked. It is next Saturday. I will be on the tail end of week 4 of C25K, and it is a run/walk, so I totally am going for it. Prayers, and if you want, sponsorship donations are appreciated!! Just donate under my BIB 20672. You can also look on my sidebar for more details on the Revlon Run/Walk.

Cancer has definitely impacted my family. Both of my mother's parents died of cancer, my Sweetheart's grandfather lost his battle with cancer, my mother and I both have had pre-cancerous moles removed. So, I am invested to the cause, even if after 15 minutes I fall into a lump of mush.

If any of you are already doing this, then ROCK!  Let me know and I would love to see ya/meet ya/move with ya!

For the Running Pro's out there, any advice? 

To Yoga or Not to Yoga, That is the Question

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I had yet another kick-butt session with Trainer Debbie.  She totally kicked my brain in.  I find that she is a bit of a fib job though.  She tells me at least 10 times that the set I am working on is going to be the last set.  I finish, then she has me doing something else.  I told her that I am starting to see the asterisks after her words, and the 10 pages of disclaimers that are sure to follow.  However, I did do all she wanted me to do.  She pushed me.  I got there.

I also took something called a VO2 Max (Maximum Oxygen Consumption) test.  This is a test that measures that amount of oxygen my body can use while I am at my maximum effort.  Basically, you march on the treadmill till you can't take it and have to stop.  The machine measures your oxygen, heartrate and breath.  I did not love the machine, as it was a big face mask.  I kind of felt like I couldn't breathe normally.  I think maybe I was just feeling a bit closterphobic.  Anyway, I scored in the low-fair category of fitness. I am not surprised.  I have a long way to go.  What I like about the test is it can tell me more accurately how many calories I burn on average when I hit certain heartrates.  That is super cool.  Has anyone ever taken this test?

This morning, I woke up early.  I got caught up on a lot of your blogs and just enjoyed the crispness of the morning.  The temperature has dropped about 10 degrees today and I think it is going to rain a bit. 

Sidenote:  I am in love with frozen berry mixes in my oatmeal this morning.  I just nuke those puppies and they get all warm and super yummy.  I just lay a cup of them in my oatmeal and it is just so good.  Can you tell I am eating breakfast?

So, here is the question:  should I add some yoga into my fitness?  Does yoga count as a good workout, or is it just recovery?  There is a class this morning at a local studio, and I am toying with going.  Is it like a day off? I have done yoga before and it definitely can get your heart moving, but it isn't the same as a huffing and puffing at the gym.  What do you think?  How do you rate yoga in your fitness routine?

*image*abcnews.go.com*

New Trainer Debbie & My A$$ Hurts

Hello!  I hope you all got great weather like we did in the Northeast! It was fan-flipping-tastic outside for the second weekend in a row.  I am thrilled.  I took walks in parks and at the beach.  It was lovely.  The other reason I took walks is that I need to keep my hip to quad attachments warm, because OM-friggin'-G are they sore!!

I had my first training session with the woman who may not know it yet, but is in for it with me for the next 12 weeks.  Her name is Debbie.  Debbie and Ethel met and they seem to be at odds with one another.  I like that.  Ethel is kind of uppity at times and she needs to know her place.  Debbie seems to be funny, but also is really passionate about what she does.  I like that.  I am thinking positive things after meeting and working with her.  She made me sweat hard-core, but I felt like I accomplished something.  I went home on Friday feeling like I could take on the world.

*Note* The next paragraph involves a true story, but it take place in the bathroom.  If potties are too graphic for you, skip the next paragraph*

That is, until I woke up on Saturday.  Saturday, I rolled out of bed and felt pretty sore.  I made my way to the restroom, dropped my pants, and then realized that I could NOT lower myself onto the toilet.  My legs were shaking.  It hurt.  So, I gripped the sink, and slowly lowered myself down.  I was sweating, however mission accomplished!...  Or so I thought. 
So, here I am, on the can and I can't get up (insert LifeAlert joke here).  I sat there for a good 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get off.  Could I slide forward?  Could I just roll myself into a ball and fall to the floor?  Nope.  In the end, I needed to call in backup.  I had to ask my Sweetheart to get me off the commode.  The poor guy.  He is such a Gentleman.  He was taught that ladies don't fart, let alone use the bathroom, so this was hard to ask.  However, he came thru.  He got pulled me off the seat and got me moving again.  Later, after we finished laughing, he did in fact rub my ailing backside and hips like a champ.  I love that guy.

*you can keep reading now*

So, I had a healthy walk on Saturday to keep my body moving all that nasty lactic acid out, and continued with that prescription today as well.  Thank goodness for good weather!  My next training session is on Tuesday, so I should be recovered by then for the next round of abuse.  Like many things in my life, if it doesn't hurt, then it isn't working....
I hope you all had a great weekend, and may tomorrow start another strong week!

Road Warrior Preparation

Missa and Ethel are going on the road tomorrow for work. Knoxville, TN here we come! We will be there a week and will be surrounded by the Smokey Mountains. As well, we will be out of our element. We won't be in our bed. We won't be near our gym. Most importantly, we won't be near our junk-free kitchen. Instead, we must buy our meals a la carte, and in a rush, as we can't refrigerate them in our rooms.

As well, travelling for work is naturally stressful. When all there is to look forward to at the end of the day is a hotel room, it is natural to not stop working. So, what should have been an 8-hour day, can easily turn into 10, 12, 15 hour days. Make those days consecutive, and the stress levels skyrocket without you even blinking.

So, here are some tips for all of you Road Warriors (Keep in mind, even if you are travelling for pleasure, these can apply):

1. Develop a travel routine. Try to pack everything you need in a carry-on and avoid checking a bag. There is nothing more stressful than losing luggage. Once on the plane, change into your favorite slipper socks, bring an eye mask if you wish to snooze, and if you have them, wear some noise-cancelling headphones. They make the world of difference, even on short flights.

2. Get to the airport early and leisurely find a comfy spot to read a book, chill on the Internet, or listen to the i-pod.

3. If possible, do not set your first meetings at 7 or even 8 am. Give your body the opportunity to adjust to its surroundings. If you also travel to a different time zone, try to spend about 30 minutes outside. The sunlight will help your body adjust.

4. Set a start and end time for your day. Make sure you schedule some down time for yourself. This would include sitting in your hotel room to clear your head, going for a walk, or maybe taking advantage of the sauna or whirlpool in your hotel.

5. EXERCISE. Even before you travel, think of fitness strategies that do not involve equipment or going to sophisticated gyms. This could include bringing a DVD, going for a walk-run, or investigating what amenities are in the hotel's gym and working from there. Since I recognize that you might not be in control of your schedule, any exercise is good exercise. If you can only fit 20 minutes and not 60, great. It is still a win. Be honest to your co workers. If they schedule evening meetings, tell them that you need some time to get your workout in.

6. Eating and Drinking. While you are on an expense account and it seems like the world is your oyster in the food market, this is not the best option. Go to the local grocer any buy some healthy snacks: grab-and-go fruit, carrots, and edemame are my favs. In my case, I actually shipped a small box of healthy choices to the hotel in advance. If you are eating out, skip the appetizers and deserts. Get a main entree that isn't fried or drenched in butter and oil. Do not be afraid to tell the waiter what you want and need. Another option is to pick several healthy sides and combine them together to make a main course. Google your favorite restaurant chain and pick your meal in advance. As for drinks, I usually make a habit of having only one, maybe two glasses of wine at a work dinner. Primarily, I don't like to mix alcohol and work-life together, but also because it is empty calories.

Keeping Your Momentum-Learning To Be Patient

Sometimes, I ask of myself too much. I think too far ahead to the finish line, and not to where I am right now. When this happens, I am certainly headed for a fall. So, I read this interesting article about burnout, specifically geared around fitness and burning the candle at both ends too soon. It turns out that people need to give themselves time to process and learn this healthy lifestyle that we all are trying to achieve. Give a read and tell me your thoughts. I think it has some great strategies to success.

Workout Burnout? Avoid the Four Stages

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
-Confucius (Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC))

Happy Friday!

My New Toy- Daily Mile

I don't know if any of you have tried this, but I have recently fell in love with the daily mile.

I can map and track my walks, track my treadmill and angry elliptical... and it tracks how many burgers and donuts I burn. How flippin' cool?!? (and it is free)

So, You will see my donut meter on my page going forward, 'cause it's rad.
I just started yesterday, so I am not going to log all my previous miles since the demise of Ethel, but I like the idea of being able to track my fitness. I do track PA cals, but I think it will be good to show how far I have come. I need proof to remind me that I am really going somewhere, even if that somewhere is a loop around my block.

If you are also a dailymiler and want to join me, you can find me at losingethel@gmail.com (Missa)

I am weighing in tomorrow, but am not expecting much progress, thanks to my cold and my blah feeling. I will be happy if I just maintain.

Dutch Courage- (Sort Of)

Since I am not this brave, I will let Leslie Hall watch out for my body rolls for me.

'cause I'm already wearing tight pants, I just haven't activated them.'

Now, I am off to the gym-- for obvious reasons.

Workout Swap Anyone?

I never know what to do at the gym, so I am hoping if I share with you what my weight training routine is, we can do a swap to keep all of us challenged and entertained. I like to do programs where I do not need a ton of equipment. I travel for work, so I want to do something that I can probably accomplish in a hotel gym or even in my room. I have described the exercises in such a way that you can easily Google them and get more detail on how to do them. You can also ask one of the trainers at your gym. Since I am not a fitness pro, I would review. I had a trainer at the gym review my plan and make sure that my form was ok. eHow.com has been my pal.

I do the following for 3 sets of each, 12 reps per set. I will usually do the exercise with both arms at once, but feel free to do them one at a time. I have been doing this 2x’s a week for the last 2 weeks. It takes me about 25 minutes to get through 3 sets. I take breaks as needed in between sets.

1. Standing Bicep Curls with Dumbbells. I use an 8 lbs weight in each hand, but use something that puts some burn on for you. You should be struggling at the end of the 12 reps.
2. Standing Lateral Arm Raises with Dumbbells. I still use 2, 8lbs weights.
3. Standing Overhead Dumbbell Press. I use 2, 8lbs weights.
4. Lunges. I do 12 on each leg. I also do it in front of a mirror to make sure my knee doesn’t go over my toe.
5. Squats with assistance of an Exercise Ball. I have a bad back, so when I do squats, I have a tendency to over extend my lower back. By squatting while an exercise ball is against my back, it takes some of that pain away, but still allows me to get the exercise in. (Yes, you do this against a wall. No, I do not tape an exercise ball to my back).
6. Push-Ups. I am still doing the girly ones with my knees bent. But I will get there dang it!
7. Sit-Ups.
8. Reverse Sit-Ups. I do these by raising my legs and crossing my ankles. I have seen some people do it with a exercise ball.

I will look forward to seeing what all of you come back with! Happy exercising!