Fitness Fellowship 2024: Week Four Check-in

[sylvanwitch]

Welcome back to another weekly check-in, friends. I hope the week that was went quickly for you and that you experienced no challenges in meeting your fitness goals for the week.

If you're so inclined, please share with us how the past week has been and what you're hoping to accomplish in the week ahead.



I have neither gained nor lost weight this week, which is fine. I kept to my intermittent fasting window every day, but I ate more calories over the weekend within my windows than I usually do.

I got plenty of exercise every day.

I had pretty good sleep habits, too, though I had an end-of-the-world nightmare over the weekend that has hung with me when I think about going to sleep at night, so I didn't get to bed quite as promptly last night as I should have.

My hydration has been okay. Yesterday, I brewed ginger root tea from scratch for the first time (I usually use looseleaf tea or teabags) and put it in the fridge. I think having that will help me stay on track, fluids-wise. (Ginger root tea is supposed to help reduce inflammation and there is some evidence that it might help with ovarian cysts. I am trying not to have to have surgery, and I like ginger tea, so I figure this can't hurt.)

I did say some prayers while walking outdoors and spent some time meditating too.

All in all, it was a pretty solid week in terms of achieving my fitness goals.


I'm sending you all the good vibes I can spare!

Comments

[delphi]

Congrats on the solid week! I hope the ginger root tea proves to be good medicine (and tasty).

Food and sleep were admittedly both struggles for me this week. I hit my goal on the former, but it was a fight three times a day to muster any appetite—at least for anything I had in the house. I think I got a little overambitious the last two weeks of trying to force meals-that-look-like-meals. Next weekend on grocery day, I might slide back into just stocking the fridge and pantry with things I like and having lunches and dinners that are just A Plate of Some Nutritious Things to Nibble On. I remind myself that a meal doesn't have to be something you can order in a restaurant to count.

Goal #1: Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
Result: 7/7, but as mentioned above, it was tough going.

Goal #2: Take at least a 30-minute walk every day (weather and health permitting).
Result: 7/7. A lot easier now that it's getting lighter earlier and the weather's warming up.

Goal #3: Turn off electronics and start getting ready for bed by 10:30 every night.
Result: 4/7. I have to really stay on top of that. To that end, I am going to bed as soon as I hit 'Post Comment' on this. :)

Goal #4: Cut out caffeinated drinks.
Result: 7/7. This one remains easy to stick to, even if I did have an intense craving for an Iced Capp when this warm spell started.

[sylvanwitch]

I am envious of your warm spell (and can also relate to having temperature-related cravings--go, you, for not getting an Iced Capp). I also really appreciate what you say here about a meal not having to look like (or be) something you'd get in a restaurant. I struggle with that sometimes, too, and end up feeling guilty for eating what I actually have the appetite (and energy) for, as opposed to, I don't know, a stir-fry from scratch or something. I'm glad you're going easy on yourself and also recognizing that healthy doesn't have to be multi-course or fancy or whatever. I definitely needed that reminder myself.

Good luck on your goals for the week! :-)

[delphi]

Commiseration and good luck wishes very much appreciated. I hope you have a great week!

I'm trying to remind myself that when it comes to a difficult area like food, "Is this something that would make it on a menu?" is really far down in the list of considerations compared to things like "Is this going to nourish me?" "Am I going to enjoy eating this?" and "Do I have the time, money, and energy to make this happen?"

The things I'm craving are mostly things I'd feel good about eating (the Iced Capp aside :P). I just want largely raw or plain things that aren't touching each other right now, and that's really not the worst thing to want even if "fish + an apple" or "baguette and butter + raw cauliflower + some walnuts" aren't things I'd serve a guest.

[oschun]

It's weird how nightmares can hang around like that. I tend to narrate a story in my mind to get myself to sleep, normally a short scenario from a gay romance that I've constructed in my mind, always the same scene following the same narrative pattern. It's like counting sheep, but with hot, flirtatious boys :D :D It works better for me than sedative antihistamines, which I'm no longer taking.

I had another holding-pattern week. I'm doing pilates, fasting and eating well but still haven't tackled some of the other issues. I'm okay with it though because I'm in a better place than I was six months ago.

[sylvanwitch]

Ugh, so this morning, I had the *same* setting in my nightmare (end-of-the-world by cataclysmic flood), but this time, I was also being hunted by a serial killer. My brain...

I ALSO do gay romance scenarios in my head when I'm trying to fall asleep, and it is almost always the same pairing/characters! I thought I was alone in this. (I've done some variation on this since I was a little kid and afraid to fall asleep because of nightmares--admittedly, when I was little, the stories featured way more talking dolphins and absolutely no gay guys, alas.)

Your attitude here, re: better than six months ago, is so important and so healthy, in my opinion, and I'm thrilled for you that you're eating well and exercising and doing what you can without making yourself miserable or asking too much of yourself when there are other things that have to/need to take priority.

Big *hugs* to you, my friend!

[luzula]

Sounds like a pretty good week for you, congratulations! : )

Goals for last week:
- do PT on four days,
I did it on three (because of one very busy day).
- continue to find ways of working out that don't strain the knee or shoulder too much, and do that kind of workout on the three days I'm not doing PT,
Yes!
- go hiking on one day, perhaps 7-8 km, and see how my knee takes that,
Yes! My knee was tired/a little sore when I got back, but not worse the next day.
- be outside in some way every day (this can be a very short walk),
Yes.
- keep to my sleep schedule,
Okay, except for some backsliding a few days when reading late.
- be mindful of what I eat (I would like to lose a little weight).
I've started weighing myself every morning to get some feedback on this (no change so far, just fluctuation). I did have a cake already baked that I have eaten (a small piece every day) but I refrained from buying a bag of chips when I otherwise would have. I generally eat healthy otherwise, though.

Goals for last week:
- do PT on four days (on these days I may or may not also do some other workouts),
- work out on two other days as well,
- be outside in some way every day (this can be a very short walk),
- keep to my sleep schedule,
- be mindful of what I eat (not have sweet things other than an occasional glass of my homemade rhubarb cordial, and a little homemade jam at breakfast; when I'm full I shouldn't have more just because it's good; weigh myself every morning)

[sylvanwitch]

Thank you! And congratulations right back at you for all of your accomplishments this past week! Wooo-hoooo! You're doing SO well!

I'm glad the knee held up for your hike and that you were able to get outside so often too. I'm also pleased to hear that you're having some success in figuring out your food choices to achieve your weight loss goal. I like that you allow yourself a little something; I think that's so important. I know if I do not (for example, if I won't allow myself jam on toast), I get very resentful and am less likely to maintain the habit of moderating my sweets intake. It's probably a foolish human tendency to be contrary, but I can't seem to help it. So, anyway, I do like that you allow yourself this or that, in moderation and because you enjoy it. YAY! :-)