Fitness Fellowship 2025: Check-in 52

[sylvanwitch]

Here we are at the final check-in for 2025. The next time I post, we'll be looking at a whole new year of personal fitness goals and challenges.

For this post, please do share how your week has been, as usual, and if you're so inclined, feel free to summarize your overall progress since you joined the group, whenever in the year that might have been. Of course, you're welcome to skip commenting altogether or only do the bit you like. No pressure, no judgement, only cheerleading.

I will make a Fitness Fellowship 2026 GOALS post on 1 January 2026. I will post the first check-in for 2026 on Monday, 5 January 2026, to keep with our Monday routine.



Weight: 196.0, up 1.4 from last week's weigh-in, which is fine.

Exercise: I did yoga four times out of four pledged, strength-training three times out of three pledged, and got some other kind of exercise (walking, in some cases, or using the elliptical and/or recumbent bike) each day as well.

Eating: I've been good about limiting my intake of sweets, despite having made vegan gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies and also having the remainder of a Christmas pie in the house, but we had pasta on Xmas, baked oven pizzas one night, and had Chinese takeout last night (with leftovers of pizza and Chinese for dinner tonight). Probably, it's the combination of meals one after the other and less exercise than usual. (I get a lot of steps in at work, and I'm on break. The weather has been sucky for walking outdoors, and there is only so much time I can spend on exercise equipment before I lose my will to live. ;-) But, I haven't overstuffed myself, haven't overindulged in sweets, and haven't been late-night snacking, so I call that all to the good.

Hydration: Yes.

Meditation: Yes, but only once. *sighs*

Sleep: Hahahahaha! That is to say, sure, I'm sleeping. But I'm getting to bed later than I should be, and I'm definitely going to pay for that come next week's return to work. I have to be better about getting to bed at a reasonable-by-work-standards hour. We'll see how that goes.

The week ahead: I hope to lose that 1.4 pounds. Once the leftovers are eaten, I'll go back to healthier meal choices. I'd love to get out for a few walks, but I've only managed one outdoor walk this past week because the weather has been crap and the sidewalks/paths are icy. We'll have to see what the weather holds in store. Right now, we're under a high wind warning and are having intermittent white-outs from blowing snow.



May the New Year bring us the energy we need to be better than we've been in all the ways that most matter to us. *hugs*

Comments

Go you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

This has been a lot of fun. Thanks for hosting it. I'm glad you're doing it again next year!

We got the brush pile in the parking lot cleaned up, and I started trying to rake the parking lot, with some success. The new plastic rake isn't ideal for that though, and I suspect the garden rake would be too stiff. :/

We walked through Lights on the Prairie and I took pictures.

Today we went out shopping, which was a lot of walking around places. We got some great stuff though -- I finally found a fall/spring coat like I've been wanting. I am sooo tired.

Re: Go you!

[sylvanwitch]

You're so welcome! I started it year ago (I think the first incarnation was in 2008 or so) after an online friend commented about needing such accountability. That accountability helps me a great deal, so I see it as an absolute bonus that this also helps other people. :-)

Lights on the Prairie looks amazing! I'm so glad you had that opportunity. YAY for more cleaning and raking and all that good winter garden work that needs doing. We had a big wind storm yesterday, and I was staggered by the tree damage at the nearby state park where I walked. I'll have to walk the path on our land tomorrow; I'm sure we have some down as well. I suspect this will be the year I finally learn how to use the brand new gas-powered chainsaw I bought when we moved in here but never used because I was intimidated.

Anyway, YAY for getting walks in where you can. Shopping is a great occasion to get in steps, I find! Also, YAY for finding a good coat! It happens that we went mall-walking earlier in the week, and I found a lovely, long raincoat on the clearance rack, so I can definitely relate to your joy in finding a good coat!

[cornerofmadness]

my week has been cookies and cheese and booze. I do not think that will fair me well in the end

[sylvanwitch]

Cookies and cheese and booze sounds like a good week, though! :-)

[cornerofmadness]

can't complain

[luzula]

I haven't been great at commenting lately, but I've been doing well on the fitness front! See my latest post as to why. : ) I've recovered from the small injuries I've had and am working out regularly again, trying to learn to do things with the proper posture. After New Year's, I've got some sessions with a personal trainer booked, so I can get some feedback on if I'm doing it right.

Thanks for doing these posts throughout the year, and I hope you can get some walking in soon!

[sylvanwitch]

Congratulations on finding methods that work for you--and work so well, too! I'm going to look into the book you suggested because T. has some serious stiffness in his knees, and I suspect this can help. I suffer from hip pain that even the yoga doesn't seem to entirely alleviate, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I might be able to do for myself where that's concerned. Like you, I'd just resigned myself to this soreness and lack of flexibility being the product of, in my case, age, so it's especially heartening to learn that that may not be the case! So, THANK you for pointing me in the direction of your post.

I got out for a 3.25 mile walk today despite the cold and biting wind, and it was lovely! The sun was out intermittently, which was beautiful with the fresh snow we got yesterday, and there was virtually no one out on the trails, a state I much prefer to the busier walking seasons. Tomorrow, we're expecting nasty weather, so I'm glad I got out for a long ramble today.

And you are more than welcome, my friend, for these posts. I need the accountability myself, but I also really enjoy learning about how other people approach achieving their fitness goals.

[luzula]

I mean, I don't imagine that I can wave my hands and entirely do away with the effects of age, but it was very liberating and encouraging to see that there were effective tools I didn't know about! I wish you all the best in exploring them.

That sounds like a lovely walk! : )

[oschun]

I hope the weather clears up enough for you to get some walking in before going back to work.

Thanks for doing this again. It's good to have the weekly reminder to be thoughtful about health and fitness goals. Personally, I've made a lot of progress this year towards embedding good eating habits and eliminating ultra-processed foods from my diet. That's been my major goal. I feel as if I've rediscovered a love of cooking too. Not that I ever really lost it because I've enjoyed cooking since I was a kid. But I guess I've been reinspired by plant-centred, wholefood cooking. That's been a real highlight for me this year.

[sylvanwitch]

You are most welcome, my friend. I like that we get to connect this way, and I love that we share a devotion to healthy eating. I'm so pleased for you that you've found so much pleasure in cooking new foods and food combinations and that you've incorporated so many good habits into your life. May 2026 give us both more time, energy, and focus to enjoy our respective ongoing explorations! *hugs*