Fitness Fellowship 2023: Week Two Check-in

[sylvanwitch]

We're two weeks into our latest fitness adventure. How are you feeling? Confident? Tired? Happy? Frustrated?

If you're so inclined, please share how the past week has gone for you and any plans you may have for the week to come. Your questions, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.




This week, I lost 1.6 pounds, largely, I suspect, because of a combination of clean eating and exercise. T. set up the new NordicTrack recumbent for me, and I used it this past Sunday for the first time. I've since had a session on it almost every day and am enjoying it. I'm only on the lowest resistance setting so far, but I'm already feeling the difference a week can make.

Sleep has been good; I've been keeping to a reasonable bedtime and feeling rested when I wake.
I've also mostly been conscientious about hydrating. To that end, I've bought a water filter pitcher for the fridge and a water bottle with a built-in filter to take back and forth to work, so I can free myself of single-use plastics, which are bad for so many reasons. I'm looking forward to having cold water readily available (rather than in a lunch cooler where I have to dig around for it during classes) and filtered for whatever nasties might be hiding in the pipes.

I have not yet meditated, but I have *thought* about it, which I don't suppose really counts, but I'm feeling like I'm actually going to do it this week. (Seriously.)

All in all, I'm feeling more confident that I can be healthier again. Also, my wrist seems to be getting better, probably because I have been much more strict with myself about not using it. It's still sore, but not nearly as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago, and I'm hoping that if I keep treating it, wearing the brace (which mostly reminds me not to use that hand to lift things), and resting it, I'll heal fully.

The ankle has been better this week, mostly because I've been using the bike. We took a walk today at a mall to get some steps in, and by the end of the second lap, it was starting to twinge rather sharply. I miss walking, but I'd like to be able to do it pain-free, so I'm going to keep babying it and also work on losing weight, which should help.

May the week ahead bring you the motivation you need to succeed in whatever way you'd find most useful. :-)

Comments

[cornerofmadness]

my entire effort was today (but again I've been ill) was to see if the ingredients in GoLo's release interferred with blood thinners because every frakking thing does.

Long story short, maybe? It wasn't clear so I think I'll try it

[sylvanwitch]

Oh, I hope it works out for you! Let us know if there's anything we can do to help, though I know you're more than experienced and competent when it comes to eating for your conditions.

[cornerofmadness]

thanks

[impala_chick]

Nice! I went to a pilates class for the first time and I'm trying to go twice this coming week. It was a lot of on the floor stuff with resistance springs/bands and everyone in the class was stronger than me, but I have to start somewhere.

[sylvanwitch]

YAY for starting pilates! That's so exciting! I always admire folks who go to classes and gyms and things because that is so far outside my comfort zone that it honestly makes me a little anxious just imagining it. I hope you continue to find things to love with pilates! I have no doubt you'll feel stronger as you go!

[luzula]

These posts are really helping with my exercise goals! I definitely would exercise less without them. : )

Goals for this week:
- Do my best to transition to going to bed at 11.00 (to prepare for the start of my teaching next week).
Er. As before, this is not my strongest point. The one day I was actually in bed by 11, I was reading an exciting book and ended up finishing it at 12. *facepalm* Yesterday was good though, I was in bed AND turned out the light at 11.10. I really should not complain about my sleep though, I'm sure I get much more than many other people. I've been in a pattern for a while of going to bed at 12 (where I might not immediately fall asleep) and getting up at 9. It's just that this does not work with my teaching, where I now have to get up at 8. I'm just not a morning person...

- Keep to my food goals.
Eating was fine.

- Go out in the woods every day except Tuesday (had too many errands and chores after work today...).
Yes, I did!

- Go running three times.
Yes, I did!

- Do my workout every day except Tuesday.
Yes, except for Saturday. I had cut my index finger with a kitchen knife, and while it was not serious, it was definitely more than a paper cut. So I figured that working out might start the finger bleeding again. Anyway, I am happy with the working out! I can already feel a difference from these two weeks.

Goals for this week:
- Go to bed AND TURN OUT THE LIGHT at 11 pm.
- Keep to my food goals.
- Go out in the woods every day except Monday and possibly Tuesday (depending on a possible activity).
- Go running three times.
- Do a workout every day except Monday.
- Try out a new workout once.

[sylvanwitch]

I'm SO glad that you're finding these posts helpful, which I can see even if you hadn't said anything because your reports are so impressive! Go, you! YAY! YAY! YAY! :-) *\0/*

[synkkaenkeli]

I did’t lose weight but I didn’t gain any either so I consider that a win.

I did not ride my bike all week due to the soreness in my tailbone. But I did figure out that I had the cushion turned the wrong way in my desk chair. Also I looked up that it can take weeks to months for that to go away and that you should sit forward as much as possible (I do when I’m not typing in the keyboard however I can’t really lean forward and type well), sit on a cushion that has a gap to take pressure off tailbone, and ice it and take anti inflammatories. So I am going to try and incorporate the last two in. I keep forgetting though.

[sylvanwitch]

That is absolutely a win!

I hope that the steps you're taking soon help to ease your pain. It stinks that it's keeping you from exercising (or really doing a lot of things that involve sitting, I'd imagine), and as someone who is also working through an injury, I can definitely relate to the frustration! Good luck!

[synkkaenkeli]

Thanks!! It has felt better today so I am going to attempt the bike this evening when I’m done with work. We’ll see how that goes.

[kaiz]

Glad to hear you're enjoying the bike!

I had a relatively light week of workouts, 4 out of 7 days due to scheduling. However, I did hit another fitness milestone on Sunday. This time, 12,000m at a comparable pace to my milestone 10,000m, keeping my heart rate in Zone 2 for 99% of the time. I think that this bodes well for a sub 2 hr. half-marathon. We shall see!

This week, I'm planning to try some short, hard intervals and see how things go.

[sylvanwitch]

It is SO exciting to read your reports and hear of your progress! I'm genuinely chuffed on your behalf and am looking forward to hearing about your next milestone!

[oschun]

Well done on the weight loss. And I'm glad you're sleeping better.

I had a better working week, managed one wine-free day and two days of a single glass of red. I've started buying a little bottle of red that contains a single glass so I'm not tempted to have a 2nd or 3rd glass (or 4th). I'm a white wine drinker, but red wine has a robustness that helps me to be more moderate about it. The plan is to continue that this week.

I'm still trying out vegan recipes and made a pretty much perfect tofu 'butter chicken' recipe last week. Baking the tofu first makes the texture more interesting. I'm also having a small bowl of rice and stir-fried vegetables every day for lunch. It's weirdly comforting eating the same thing and I feel better not eating bread.

[sylvanwitch]

Thank you so much, hon. Me, too! Going to work tired is just setting myself up for frustration, so I'm glad I've been keeping to a better sleep schedule.

GO, YOU, on cutting back on the wine! That is awesome progress! Seriously, and smart thinking, too, for choosing red and a smaller bottle. Whatever it takes--I know you can do it!

Also, that tofu butter chicken recipe sounds amazing! And I totally get what you mean about taking the same thing for lunch everyday. I don't eat bread very often anymore either, and I do find myself craving brown rice in its stead. For lunches, I usually take carrots and hummus, lightly salted nuts, various fruits, unsweetened apple sauce, and sometimes, for a treat, Swedish crispbread with hummus or guacamole. I like things I can pick at during free periods when I'm grading or can eat quickly if my free periods get all sucked up as sometimes happens. Also, I don't like having to leave my room to find a free microwave (the ones the students use is usually gross, and if I use either of the faculty ones, it means I risk running into someone who wants to talk to me--lol!), so cold finger foods are my go-to for lunches.

I hope the week ahead is a good one for you, hon! *hugs*

[ljm]

I'm glad to hear you're making progress with exercise, eating, hydration, and healing!

Jan 8: Sink push ups
Jan 9: NF (Nerdfitness) bodyweight workout
Jan 10: Sink push ups
Jan 11: 2 rounds of the NF bodyweight workout, sink push ups, and a five tub push ups as well (push ups against the edge of the bathtub)

From January 12th-16th I was traveling out of state and visiting a historical site. I did a lot of walking on all days except the 12th, and also got in sink push ups every day.

[sylvanwitch]

Thank you for the support!

And right back at ya! You are doing SO well with the exercise! Go, you! Woooo-hoooo! *\o/*