Fitness Fellowship 2025: Check-in Seventeen

[sylvanwitch]

I am so grateful that May is almost here, not only because it means the weather is more conducive to outside activity--including gardening--but also because it means that my work year is coming to a close. It has been a stressful, very long academic year, and I am ready to see the backs of these darlings. ;-)

What are you looking at on the calendar with hope and/or heart-eyes? I hope there's something you're looking forward to to help you through the rough patches.

As usual, please share your fitness ups and downs here, but also know that you are welcome to talk about anything you'd like. We're here to listen and not to judge.



Weight: 211.0. That's a 4.8 pound gain from my lowest recorded weight for the year and a 1.8 pound gain from last week.

Exercise (days done/days pledged): Walking 7/7; Yoga 4/4; Weights 6/3. I also did some gardening, which definitely counted as cardio!

Eating: This is where the weight gain came from. I've been indulgent both with portion sizes and desserts. I just need to STOP eating so much. It's not even that I eat until I want to burst--I generally don't--or that I've been snacking--I have not. And the food I eat is usually pretty healthy. I just...eat too much at dinner and then also have dessert. Breakfast and lunch are easily regulated, but dinner is a different story, for whatever reason. I know all tips and tricks to avoid eating too much, but I am not using them, and I really must. I'm getting so mcuh exercise

Meditation: A wee bit.

Hydration: Okay, I think?

Sleep: Yes. I've been VERY regular about getting to bed on time; in fact, I've gone to be early a few nights this past week because all the exercise has tired me out.

The Week Ahead: I need to stop eating so much or, at least, swap out a second helping of [less good food] for a vegetable, for example. And I need to cut back on the portion sizes of my desserts. I won't cut out desserts altogether, though I probably should. Experience tells me it will make me unhappy. But I can absolutely cut back on how much dessert I consume in the same way that I can regulate how much I eat at dinner. So, I'm going to keep up the exercise regimen and work on more self-discipline where dinner and dessert are concerned.


Wishing you the best week ahead, my friends!

Comments

[batdina]

oddly, I got on the scale over the weekend and my weight is up about 4.5 pounds over a month's time. This is why I don't use a scale much?

Then again, sick, prednisone, no exercise, eating badly because prednisone.

Anyway, I'm glad you're taking good care of yourself. I've missed you and I hope to be back around again now.

[sylvanwitch]

Ugh, I'm so sorry you're sick and that the prednisone is causing discomfort. I do hope you're feeling better soon and that you're able to resume your normal level of activity.

I have missed you too and am glad to see you back, but please know that I never intend to apply pressure when I express these things. You're in my daily prayers regardless, but it is always so good to spend time with you here. :-)

[luzula]

I have not commented in some time, I think? Anyway. I'm glad spring is bringing you good things, and best of luck with the smaller portions!

I went running yesterday, after thinking for some time that I ought to. Physical work outside is all well and good, but it's not well-rounded exercise, and in particular it's not cardio. So my goal is to do that three times a week. I have also begun setting an alarm so that I don't spend too much time working in the same position (for example, on my knees weeding couchgrass roots). Also, I am already good at doing a stretching program most days when I work outside. It's one that my housemate got from a physiotherapist as particularly aimed at people who do gardening/farming work.

[sylvanwitch]

Thank you for the good luck--I'll need it! Lol!

YAY for running! That's awesome! I'm so glad you're doing that for yourself (assuming you enjoy it at all and that it's not a dreaded task). Your goals, as always, are practical and flexible and seasonal, and I admire how you always approach your ongoing fitness from the perspective that life changes. You're awesome!

Enjoy the stretching, too!

[oschun]

Life has thrown a bunch of things in my direction recently so I'm out of my routine. But I'm working on getting back into the swing of things. My RA flareup has improved after I increased my medication - not something I wanted to do but necessary anyway. I managed to go to pilates today. I can't lean on my wrists at all but at least there are adaptations. It's also taking me some time to get back into good eating habits after being in SA for two weeks and the stress of dealing with two ill parents. They are sort-of okay now. Things are fraught as usual with the exams looming, but that's just how it is this time of year. Onwards and upwards!

Good luck with portion control next week. Hope your good weather continues. It's very warm here.

[sylvanwitch]

I'm so glad you're able to do Pilates again because I know how you value that as part of your weekly routine. I also hope you find your rhythm in terms of eating and fasting again; getting back into the swing of things can be a challenge even when you've been away on a happy vacation, never mind coming back from a stressful time away. I'm relieved to hear that your folks are sort-of okay, and I do hope their health improves from here on out.

Big, big *hugs* to you for this last stressful push of exams, etc. Be gentle with yourself, my friend, and good luck!

[lenzes]

Congratulations on all the exercise you did! I'd say gardening not only counts as cardio but also as a strength workout :D Good luck with your plans for dinner/dessert and exercise regimen!

Goal 1 – walking: I walked twice. I'm glad I'm no longer backsliding, and I hope I'll manage to walk more often next week.

Goal 2 – push-ups: Two more incline push-ups! :D

[sylvanwitch]

Thank you so much! And I definitely agree with you about gardening. :-)

YAY for the walking and an especially BIG YAY for adding yet more push-ups! You are doing so well on both counts! Woooo-hooooo! *\o/*

[delphi]

You are my hero for getting to bed on time. That's what I've struggled the most with this last week, in part because of the election here (and family and work stress related to the election) and an additional work issue. I'm really working to get back on track, especially now that the sun's coming up earlier.

Otherwise, I did manage to meet my movement and eating goals. I am also noting here so that I have a better chance of remembering it: some goat's milk kefir in the morning is good for me and I need to stop falling out of the habit. My stomach's always iffy in the morning, in a way that often gets me off to a bad start in terms of eating regularly. Some kefir really helps to settle it and also seems to knock out my morning cravings.

I hope you're having a good week!

[sylvanwitch]

It has been a surprise to me that I've been so good about bedtimes, but it's because I am so frickin' *exhausted* even before I sit down to read in my comfy chair. My body has apparently decided that I'm going to bed at a reasonable hour, and for once, my brain is playing along, though I am still have disturbing/unsettling dreams that wake me in the night. Thankfully, they're most of the WTF? variety, so at least I usually fall back to sleep quickly. Anyway, I appreciate your encouragement and kindness, and I'm sending you ALL the good stress-releasing vibes I can spare, so you can hopefully get better sleep too.

YAY for meeting your movement and eating goals and for figuring out the goat milk kefir hack to help yourself feel better in the mornings--that is SO important! I hope that particular habit helps you feel better all day, too. Good luck with the week we're in! :-)