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Wedding Stuff + Refine Resolution Learnings + Ellie Workout Clothes

There are three parts to this post.  Wedding Stuff + Refine Resolution Challenge Learnings + Ellie Workout Clothes. I’m sure you could have figured that out.

Since all I’ve been doing is my modified version of Refine a few days a week (and a nice long walk with pup this morning) I don’t really see much of a reason to share my weekly workouts.  This leads me to…

Part 1

I’m really stressed about my injury; with just three weeks until my wedding in a dress that is even more see-through now that the seamstress removed the lining (on purpose), I want to be able to work my hardest! Instead, I’m modifying and going easy so I don’t make my neck worse.

It will be fine, I’m just in crunch time and stressed. I don’t enjoy wedding planning so I haven’t been doing it. That means that now, with only three weeks to go, I have to DO ALL THE THINGS. I’m not exaggerating. When I tell people how much I have left to do they usually interrupt me and say, “You really haven’t done anything yet!”

Just to give you an idea of what I still need to do: Contact and make an appointment with a florist, select the menu for appetizers and buffet, hire an alcohol vendor and beer vendor and determine how much to buy, contact vendor who does chairs/napkin colors, tablecloths/etc, create and print programs, log on to the DJ website and fill out all the song info (including dislikes, any specific songs that should play at certain times, etc), purchase and put together all decorations, put together gift bags for hotel guests and one other project that I’ll share after the wedding. And that is just what I can think of right now off the top of my head. I know there is more.

Dori's wedding tweet

So, there’s that.  In addition to wedding and injury stress, I’m also dealing with work, signing a new lease and moving, and a few other things. It’s an exciting time in my life so I’m not too negative about anything for the most part. I just am really looking forward to the wedding being here already and then being done and then being on a beach in Bermuda where I will forgo all technology except my Kindle and daily check-ins on my pup.

Part 2

The Refine Resolution Challenge changed the way I exercise. When I moved to Jersey City, I continued taking Refine classes. It was easy, one short train ride to Union Square, 30 minutes door-to-door. When that studio closed after Hurricane Sandy I figured I was out of luck. I made the trek to the Upper West Side on weekends, either one or both days but no more. The Resolution Challenge, however, forced me to take class at least three times a week. That meant I needed to get to UWS either before or after work at least once a week.

Through this, I learned that the two-train trip wasn’t really THAT bad. I learned that I am happier and less stressed when I can take more Refine. I learned that the social aspect of Refine plays a large role in what makes it to special. I got my muscles and my shape back after losing them from my extended break. I learned that I feel most like myself when I’m taking Refine classes. I learned that a closer in distance workout, like CrossFit Jersey City, isn’t worth it if I don’t love it.  I learned that I love Refine so much it’s worth two trains that don’t even connect with each other. I learned that I don’t ever want to take an extended break from Refine again if I can help it. I learned that I feel more confident in all aspects of my life when I get to take my favorite class throughout the week. I learned that I can, in fact, have abs.

Photo of Dori's abs after Refine Resolution Challenge

I took this photo in March and have had countless internal debates about whether to post it. Stomach-baring on the internet is scary.

I also learned (well, I already knew, but this reinforced it) that Refine is my happy place. So much that I am having my bachelorette party there tomorrow! (There will be drinking after. I’m not THAT crazy).

And my fiance even completed the challenge! Remember when we were the Refine Challengers of the Week? I am so proud of Andy for taking so many classes. He doesn’t find them fun the way I do. He seems miserable the entire time. I did not even ask him to do this; Refine owner/genius Brynn did. Andy has improved so much from when he first started – he can do more pushups, improved his ability to do lunges and can even bang out a series of jumpbacks (much to his chagrin – he HATES those!).

Andy Gray finishes Refine Resolution Challenge

My next post will get more into the details of the challenge — the perks, the rewards. That program got me my wedding shoes! More on that soon.

Part 3

In other news, I owe you an update on Ellie workout clothes: As you might remember, I was a pvBody ambassador. The service used to send members a workout outfit each month. Then there was some controversy as they changed their business model and became Ellie. Instead of receiving an outfit from different brands, members now receive an outfit from their own dedicated brand. Members can also buy the clothes directly from their site. Membership is $49.95 a month which gets you a full outfit — top and pants — each month. You take a quiz with your personal preferences when you join to ensure you get the type of clothing you like! You save 20% of this price by signing up through me, and I get $10 for every new member.

Of course, the question is, why would you sign up to get clothes from a new brand?

I’ve had a couple months now to test out the clothes myself and I can assure you they are fantastic. They fit me better than most other brands, are flattering, functional and comfortable. I’m picky with tight pants that touch my skin because I get really itchy and I haven’t had any issue with two of three crops I’ve received from Ellie. That is impressive for someone who can’t even wear most brands’ regular leggings, or any stockings or tights at all.

The tops — particularly the gray tank top, called Truth or Dare Carbon — fit me far better than any of my Lululemon tops. It’s also more moisture-wicking and comfortable.  I’m wearing it tomorrow to the Refine Method portion of my bachelorette party!

My favorite pieces so far are Truth or Dare Carbon tank top and the Heartbreaker Capri, which are so comfortable.

I’ve also seen people at Refine in Ellie clothes (like Laura who writes a hilarious blog where she reviews fitness classes) and they always look great. I didn’t expect to love this brand, but they assured me beforehand that the clothes would be high quality and flattering, and they are right.

I’ve even gotten a Refine instructor ordering the Electric Love Capris!

Has anyone else been wearing Ellie? Has anyone attended a bachelorette party that included a workout? Has anyone waited until three weeks before their wedding to begin planning?

Workout Plan: Week of April 21, 2013 + Neck Injury

How’d you like my disappearing act?

I last shared my weekly workout schedule the week of March 31. At the time I was battling some upper back pain and taking it easy. I went on an easy 3-mile run on a gorgeous spring morning that Tuesday and as I sat at my desk later on, my neck blew up. The right side was incredibly swollen and it hurt and I freaked out. I made an appointment with a doctor for that same day because I needed to know what the hell was going on.

As it turns out, my neck is the cause of my back pain. It also was last year, which the doctor I went to totally missed. I remember her trying to figure out where on my back the pain was originating from, and she never even considered to check my neck. But that is exactly what it is.

All those right-side neck pains I get while running finally make sense. I used to dismiss them as just some random pain, but as it turns out I have stage 1 spinal degeneration. My diagnosis is a cervical strain and myofascial pain syndrome.

Stages of spinal degeneration
[Source]

What does that mean? Normally, your spine at your neck is slightly curved to support the weight of your head. My spine, however, is straight. Stage 1 is fixable, it’s when you get to stage 2 that you’ve got a permanent problem. I am in physical therapy three days a week and the pain has gotten much better.

After a two-week break from Refine, I went back last week. I’m taking it really easy. I can’t do any exercises with impact – it was that seemingly innocent 3-miler that caused my neck to blow up in the first place. I also keep the weights light and am very cognizant of my form because if my neck is straining at all, I feel it.

I also took off teaching for a week which meant canceling both my classes plus the three I was supposed to sub. Spinning is a terrible position for your neck as it turns out, so now that I am back at it I am trying to be careful and not strain. I’m trying to spend more time off the bike but it is very tough for me. I am not ready to take spin classes yet. I even had to miss the free Revolve RIP Ride that I hosted last week!

The best part of my rest was that I finally caught up on months worth of sleep. I had to take a muscle relaxer at night and I was able to sleep until normal human hours in the morning (ie, not 5 am). During the day I take a prescription strength anti-inflammatory.

dori larry sleep in bed far

The plus side of being injured and on drugs

This week at PT, I will ask when they think I might be able to run again. Now that the weather is starting to get nice I am itching to be outside. Also, with just over a month until my wedding, I’d REALLY like to get in quality workouts. I didn’t post for a couple of weeks because I was so down about not being about to exercise. I didn’t feel like myself. I enjoyed my couch time too much – I knew if I didn’t get back on my feet soon I was in danger of never getting back to it!

When I did get back to Refine, like I said I  took it easy – but my legs were so sore that I could barely walk for two days! Just from doing some squats and lunges with an 8kg kettlebell! I’m used to doing squats with 24kg and not being sore, so this was quite a shock. But not in a bad way, I’m happy that I can move again.

While I am doing much better than I was, I’m not near 100%. I’m still scared and concerned. I am getting another sports massage with my amazing massage therapist Danielle on Thursday because the knots (that’s the myofascial pain part of this) are out of control.

I sit with a lumbar support pillow at work now. I sleep with a special pillow that offers neck support and try to avoid sleeping on my right side (the bad side). I put a big magazine under my laptop so I am not looking quite as down at my computer (we use laptops at work – it’s on a riser but it’s not enough). I use a backpack when I have a lot to carry now.

Stress makes it worse, and I’ve been extremely stressed with work, wedding stuff and of course, not working out.

I also hope I can heal soon so I can start marathon training this summer.  I want to RUN! I’m signed up for a 10K in a couple weeks that runs directly in front of my apartment. I’ve been looking forward to it — and was planning to try and PR — but now running it at all doesn’t seem likely.

More importantly, I hope I can get back into top shape for my wedding. I’m overdue on my Refine Resolution Challenge recap – -partly because I took a photo of my new abs that the challenge gave me and now that they’re gone I feel sad and partly because I’ve been busy with wedding stuff and partly because I’ve been feeling lazy and unmotivated to do much of anything — because I am way too into my head about working out for my wedding.

At the same time, I feel silly for being so upset about this when Boston happened and people are suffering much worse than I am.

Enough rambling and whining. Here’s my workout plan for this week:

  • Sunday – Refine Method (1 hr)
  • Monday – Teach spin (55 min)
  • Tuesday – Rest
  • Wednesday – Refine Method (1 hr)
  • Thursday -  Refine Method (1 hr)
  • Friday – Rest
  • Saturday – Teach spin (50 min) and Refine Method (1 hr)

 Have you ever had a neck injury? How’d you get past it? How are your workouts going now that we are pretty far into 2013?

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