Todd’s BodyBlog

I’ve been taking all of your advice (thanks for the supportive messages!) and have backed off heavy pressing movements or direct shoulder work due to this "twinge" in my left shoulder.  It is still surprisingly not healed after almost 10 days…I guess that comes with being 40?  Funny, I never seemed to notice slow healing before.  Sigh.  Enough of that.

Good thing I am in a weight loss stage as not having access to a good portion of my chest/shoulder exercises isn’t such a big deal.  I had been losing 2 pounds a week but no change in the last week.  Funny how my body does that, just seems to say "Whoa!  I ain’t losing no more."  So I continue to be patient, focus on good eating, getting my workouts in and keeping up with the cardio.  Eventually my body will give in…it always does.  The key for all of you out there with the same issue is not to react by dropping calories excessively or stressing out.  Just stay the course, make sure you aren’t cheating and make small changes.

I guess it happens from time to time, the dreaded injury.  I had warmed up with two light sets of 15 reps on Incline Dumbbell then got to my main set of 8 reps.  I did 8,8,15,15 reps at 70/25 lbs (?).  I was really working hard, no pain or discomfort.  Then I moved to flat bench to do another 8,8,15,15 and somewhere in there I noticed that my left shoulder felt "strained".  No sharp pain or anything sudden, just felt a bit…strained, that really is the best word.  Well, that was 10 days ago and my shoulder has been sore ever since.  One of those weird "deep" pains that you can’t quite put your finger on.  Yesterday it felt about 70% better and I was smart enough to do only a few sets at 15 reps (light weight).  in fact, I even quit working chest when the shoulder got sore on, once again, the flat bench.  Now it is as sore as ever a day later.  GRR!

Patience, I remind myself.  I guess I will take another 10 days off from direct chest/shoulder work and when I come back to it will stay with dumbbells as that didn’t seem to cause as much discomfort as barbell.  I’ve been around the block long enough to know that to push things only risks a more serious/long term injury but still, after all these years it is so frustrating to get an injury especially when recent progress has been so good.

Speaking of progress, I stayed the course even though my moderately low calorie and workout regime failed to produce any weight loss over a week and was handsomely rewarded with a drop of 3 pounds over 3 days.  It’s like the body finally gives up and says, Ok, here!  Here is your weight loss you jerk."  I am on track for no more than 2 pounds loss per week so all is coming along nicely but ohhhhh the waiting can drive you mad.  There simply is no fast way to lose weight properly.  So, enjoying each and every day as much as I can.  So far so good!