Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hi!
My name is Charlotte. I am a Family Medicine Resident, CrossFitter, and vegan triathlete. I adopted a vegetarian diet as a first year medical student, when I discovered the link between diet and exercise and health. Throughout the course of my graduate education, I gradually transitioned to a high raw vegan diet. It's been 3 years and I've never felt better!

While I don't have any interest in bodybuilding per se, I am enamored with the human form and in pursuit of my own best physical fitness. I love to train. Nearly 5 years ago, I signed up for my first marathon and subsequently fell in love with running. Sadly, 10 weeks prior to race day (and only 1 week before my wedding), I was sidelined with a femoral neck stress fracture and later learned I had osteopenia. After 6 long months, I began to return to running, but it took me until just a few months ago (nearly 4.5 years post injury) to return to full form. I started CrossFit at a local gym to help build my bone density through functional strength movement, found a coach, set a new PR for the 5K and the 1 mile, and signed up for another marathon to take care of unfinished business.

8 weeks into my marathon training, I had a glorious 8 mile run on a snowy trail under the light of the full moon. I returned home high on endorphins, only to develop that all too familiar pain in my opposite hip as the day went on. X-ray is negative for injury (as it often is in acute stress reactions) and MRI won't take place until next week. Until then, my sports doc is assuming the worst and has me strict non-weight bearing on a fancy new set of crutches. Marathon attempt #2 - failed.

I refuse to give up on the sport I love. And I refuse to allow this setback to hold me back for another 4 years. My goal for 2012 is to return to my pre-injury level of running through aggressive physical therapy, continued mobilization, strength through CrossFit, and a very carefully planned, conservative running plan. I'll get started just as soon as I have the MRI results, so that I know exactly what I'm dealing with. Given my history, I may not have a marathon in my future, but I can still run.

Charlotte
http://www.motion-is-life.org

After a week of non-weight bearing rest and recovery in the woods of Northern Michigan, I returned home for my MRI arthrogram last week. Great news - no stress fracture!!! I do however, have a labral tear. I was cleared to abandon the crutches (yay!) and set up to meet with a orthopedic hip specialist in 3 weeks time.

I've now been back on my feet for 2 days, with no pain other than a slight discomfort in the joint this morning. On Friday morning I was the pool, testing it out with 50m sprints. Yesterday I set up my tri bike on my indoor trainer for some pedaling drills and a few 1/4 mile repeats. No pain, and no pain.

I am dying to get back out and run, but given than I'm having some low level discomfort this morning, I'm going to play it safe and get started on my physical therapy program instead. Back when I damaged my right hip in 2007, I had a nagging pain that lasted for months - that turned out to be a labral tear. I was given the option of surgical repair vs a conservative approach of core and glute strengthening. I went for the aggressive PT and after a year or so (yup, it's a long road) the pain eventually went away. This time, I will exhaust my conservative options before I even begin to consider surgery.

So here's to kicking off 2012 on my way to a resolution for a strong(er) butt and core and pain-free hips! Happy New Year

Recovery day
Glutes are feeling sore after PT yesterday, in that hurts-so-good way. Clean-eating, all vegan, high raw. Foam roller. Back to a regular training schedule tomorrow!

Wow, Charlotte! You have been through a lot. And you are so positive given your physical setbacks. That's a great attitude to keep. I admire your tenacity and drive to continue to be the fittest and healthiest you can be. Keep up the great work!

Wow Charlotte I had no idea the uphill battle you were fighting. Keep at it!

_________________
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Thanks for the encouragement! Today's been a great day - a return to training and a new PR!
AM Workout
CROSSFIT
Strength: Clean & Jerk 1,1,1,1,1 (65,70,70,75,80-fail)
WOD: 15 min AMRAP: 3 Clean & Jerk (33), 6 burpee box step-ups (20"), 5 pull ups - 8 rounds +

I'm happy to report I'm running again less than 4 weeks off - had a great run through the WMU campus under the lights tonight with no pain!

Workout #1
CrossFit strength & conditioning WOD
30 min as 1 min on, 1 min off:
5 GI Janes
5 KB swings (0.75 pood)

Workout #2
Run
30 min HR zone 2

Sore shoulders and tight calves. So good to be back!

3 days of CrossFit after nearly 3 weeks off - I am so incredibly sore! Oh, how I've missed that feeling! Regardless, I'm really looking forward to a nice easy run with my dog tomorrow morning.

CROSSFIT
10 min AMRAP:
15 power snatch (35 lbs)
90 single-unders

3 rounds, 11 power snatch

I scaled from 30 double-unders - trying to go somewhat easy on my hip - and probably used a bit too much weight for me on the snatch. My upper body strength definitely could use a little work.

Easy 30 min run with my yellow lab Trek this morning. It's been quite some time since we ran together, and it felt great just to be out there sharing in the pleasure of an early morning run. Followed by a huge "Super Duper" smoothie using Vega Sport Protein (recipe from Kristen's Raw), it was a great start to the day!

1st long run this weekend - how appropriate that it was on the same snowy trail again under the light of the full moon. A little bit of intermittent pain, and some post-run discomfort that I've been babying this afternoon with Epsom salt soaks, ice, and some PT. I've been slacking on the PT this week, need to get better about it!

SATURDAY
1 hr Yoga for Triathletes

SUNDAY
1 hr trail run, HR zone 2
30 min PT
Foam roller

Before I got hurt, I was training CrossFit 4-5 days per week with 3 days running (1 easy, 1 speed, 1 long). I decided to change things up a bit going forward, with less CrossFit, more yoga, cross training, and smarter running. I'll train on a 14-day schedule that will look something like this:

1
MON. Run
TUES. CrossFit, optional swim
WED. CrossFit, Run
THURS. CrossFit, optional bike
FRI. Run
SAT. Yoga, optional swim
SUN. Run
2
MON. optional bike
TUES. CrossFit, Run
WED. CrossFit, optional swim
THURS. CrossFit, Run
FRI. optional bike
SAT. Long Run
SUN. Yoga

Of course, I'll have to make adjustments as I go, for example I'll be starting week 2 tomorrow, but have to work 8-8 on Tuesday. If I abide by the 3 hours recovery between workouts rule (which I like to do so that I can make each workout count), I'd be running at 8:30pm, and up at 4 the next morning for CrossFit. There's nothing smart about sacrificing that much sleep for a workout. I'll be running W, F, Sunday instead. (I also NEVER run on back-to-back days, not with my injury history). We'll see how it goes!

You are one dedicated woman. Two workouts in a day! You're my hero!

Looks like you've got a great, well thought out plan set for yourself. Keep doing the strength training. Good for strong bones. Love CrossFit!

I'll send you a recipe for building strong bones. It's called Super-Calc Tea from Kal Sellers. I've made it lots of times for myself. Maybe you'll find it helpful.

Thanks Julia! I appreciate the recommendation and will be sure to give it a try!

Monday:
30 min cycling on indoor trainer, CFE warmup protocol only
PT exercises in my call room (it's a quiet day)

Today's food - all vegan, mostly raw

TUESDAY AM
CrossFit

Strength:
Shoulder Press
3,3,3,3,3
Results: 45, 55, 65(fail), 55, 60lbs

L-sit max hold
16 sec on parallels

WOD:
6 min AMRAP:
6 wall balls (14),
6 burpees
Results: 7 RNDS, 6 WBs, 2 burpees

I HATE BURPEES! I spent a few minutes on the ground gasping for breath after this one, and the next hour coughing like crazy. It's been awhile since I pushed myself like that. Need to work on that L-sit though...

CrossFit ROCKS! Keep it up! .... I know that feeling of gasping for breath after burpees. But then I feel like a million bucks when it's all done

WEDNESDAY AM
CrossFit

WOD:
Tabata intervals x2 (8 min total)
Med ball cleans (14 lbs)
Box jumps (20")

Bonus WOD:
10 rounds:
25 yd sprint
5 kb swings (12 kg)
30 sec rest

I went easy on the sprints, but still had pain in my left hip. Of course I went ahead with my afternoon workout as planned (it's that type A thing...)

WEDNESDAY PM
Run
30 min HR zone 2

Started with pain, got better, and then got worse and peaked after allowing my hip flexors to tighten up driving home from my run. After refueling and a little PT, I got after those tight muscles with a lacrosse ball. Looking forward to my next massage and really working the kinks out!