What's on your Thursday Menu, RNYers?

Adding to my list of things to put everything Bagel spice on. A little lox/smoked salmon on that would be nice too...

Good morning menu folks! It's another beautiful day here in MD. It was actually 48 this morning when I left the house even though it's supposed to get warm later in the day.

I had a somewhat disappointing time at the gym last night. I went in and started with 30 minutes on the bike that went well. Then I asked to speak to the person who I thought was a trainer about the weight room. She showed me the machines, but only was authorized to show me how to move the weights, not how to use them. She was also a little snotty about it. I understand that it "isn't in (her) job description", but I feel like I need more guidance and she wasn't able to give that. Oh well, I'll do what I know with my free weights at home until I can figure out more than that. It's just that I already pay for the use of the gym with my pool membership so it would make financial sense to use it.

In good news, I took a wonderful long walk yesterday and I plan to take another one today.

QOTD: I visit Starbucks at least once a week since that is where my weekly knitting group meets, but I haven't returned to drinking coffee since surgery. I love their Peach Tranquility tea and their Passion Fruit ice tea.

Breakfast: hard boiled egg, turkey sausage

Snack: Ice tea protein shake

Lunch: TJ's Balsamic chicken

Snack: TJ's chicken salad

Dinner: Mahi mahi burger with zoodles

Exercise: Long walk at lunchtime; I'm supposed to have water aerobics tonight but I might have to miss.

So, my gym has pretty limited training on the equipment, too. I go to Planet Fitness, and it's cheap. The trainers don't really do anything with you, but on the machines there are pictures... just put the weights at the lowest setting at first, and sit down and do it. You'll be able to tell if that's enough weight if you get to 15 reps easily...

So, what I do (and I am by NO means any kind of expert, but my hubby is pretty knowledgeable and he told me what to do, so I just do this) is this... I do 15 reps and then stop. If you look around you'll see people just sitting on the machines, they are breaking in between reps usually (or texting their girlfriend)... then I go again after about a minute and I do 15 more... then break... then I'll do as many as I can until I just can't do anymore and I stop (that's usually less than 15 if the weight is heavy enough)...

They should have the machines broken down into categories (arms, legs, and then core exercise machines/places to do crunches/ sit ups/planks, etc)...

Do one category at a time... then do a different one the next day. You're supposed to always rest a day or so before you do that category again.

Just do it. I promise you, not everyone else knows exactly what they're doing either... but as long as you don't over do it - thus starting at the lowest weight setting - you'll be fine

***These are only my opinions, and I in no way claim to truly know what I'm doing, but I'm nosy, and I watch the women with good bodies, and they're doing what I'm doing pretty much, so I figure it's all good for now***

My real fear is hurting my internal incision and getting a hernia. I don't know, other than the arm machines, which ones to avoid to not hurt myself. Most of the machines seem to work your core somehow and I don't want to put too much stress on things. Any thoughts?

I was cleared for core machines six weeks after surgery. I never had a hernia.

I think six weeks is the standard 'green light'... obviously you don't want to start out lifting extreme weights... no one should, surgery or not.

Ask your doctor when you can start. And then just do it so you can stop worrying over it and stressing over it.

Unless you go to my centre. I'm still not cleared for everything. But I'm ignoring it.

My surgeon's fitness consultant said no core workouts for 6 months. That's why I'm so nervous. Also hearing stories on the boards about hernias has made me what may be overly careful.

I live in Ohio in Amish country. One day I was at the doctor's office and the patient before me was a little Amish lady.

My doctor told me that she had had a hysterectomy six weeks earlier. She was there for her after surgery check-up. He said he wished he could tell her that she needed more time to heal.

But he said her insides were completely healed by then and that the next day she would be back working on the farm, milking cows, and lifting heavy milk pails and equipment.

He wished he could in good conscious tell her to wait longer, but knew that she was as healed as she was gong to be.

Well then, stop looking at the machines and fretting over it. If your doc wants you to wait, then if that's what you agree with, then don't stress it.

Easy peasy.