Fitness Fellowship 2026: Check-in Three
Jan. 19th, 2026 05:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sylvanwitchGreetings from the snowy north! We're in the middle of a winter storm that keeps oscillating north and south of the city. We're north, and sometimes we get snow from north of us and south of us, since we're located between two lakes. We had whiteout conditions at times this morning, got a big dumping of snow overnight last night, and the wind chills are down in the negative numbers. Yesterday and today were definitely indoor workout days, and I don't see that changing over the next couple of days more, but we'll see.
Some of us were discussing in the comments of last week's post where we go to walk when the weather is inclement. Do you have a favorite indoor space? Mine is the closest mall, which is about .8 miles per loop. It can be boring--we're quite familiar with it by now--but at least we can people-watch.
Feel free to ignore the question, but please do update us about how the past week has been for you in terms of fitness (or any other area of your life you'd like to share with us).
Weight: 194, down 1.6 from last week and officially the lowest weight I've registered since I began trying to lose weight on 1 September 2025. I have lost 18.6 pounds as of today. Onward!
Exercise: I did yoga four times out of four pledged, strength-training three times out of three pledged, and got steps and/or elliptical work in every day.
Eating plan: I'm finding that I don't feel like I'm "on a diet," for whatever value of that phrase you give it. I don't feel deprived or resentful, I do eat things I like, and I don't feel hungry very often. I know a lot of that has to do with my focus on plants-based, whole-foods eating, but some of it feels like an age-related sea change? I don't know how to explain it, but this time, out of all the dozens of times I've dieted in my 55 years of life, just feels different--sustainable, maybe? Anyway, I don't feel like I'm forcing anything. It just feels *good* most of the time. And the fact that I *am* seeing success when my default in difficult times is emotional eating...well, that's huge!
Hydration: Yes!
Meditation: Yes! (Two times of two times pledged)
Sleep: Mostly good? I've had a three-day weekend, and I had a snow day last week, and I'm expecting one for tomorrow, as well, and that all means my sleep pattern is somewhat disrupted. I did have one night when I couldn't shut my brain down for the longest time, but it didn't quite trip me over into anxiety loops, for which I am immensely grateful. I've been purposefully avoiding using melatonin because I don't want to develop a habit, but assuming we go back to school at all this week, I'll probably need it for the night before that return.
The week ahead: More of the same.
Here's hoping the week ahead is a good one for all of us, weather notwithstanding.
Some of us were discussing in the comments of last week's post where we go to walk when the weather is inclement. Do you have a favorite indoor space? Mine is the closest mall, which is about .8 miles per loop. It can be boring--we're quite familiar with it by now--but at least we can people-watch.
Feel free to ignore the question, but please do update us about how the past week has been for you in terms of fitness (or any other area of your life you'd like to share with us).
Weight: 194, down 1.6 from last week and officially the lowest weight I've registered since I began trying to lose weight on 1 September 2025. I have lost 18.6 pounds as of today. Onward!
Exercise: I did yoga four times out of four pledged, strength-training three times out of three pledged, and got steps and/or elliptical work in every day.
Eating plan: I'm finding that I don't feel like I'm "on a diet," for whatever value of that phrase you give it. I don't feel deprived or resentful, I do eat things I like, and I don't feel hungry very often. I know a lot of that has to do with my focus on plants-based, whole-foods eating, but some of it feels like an age-related sea change? I don't know how to explain it, but this time, out of all the dozens of times I've dieted in my 55 years of life, just feels different--sustainable, maybe? Anyway, I don't feel like I'm forcing anything. It just feels *good* most of the time. And the fact that I *am* seeing success when my default in difficult times is emotional eating...well, that's huge!
Hydration: Yes!
Meditation: Yes! (Two times of two times pledged)
Sleep: Mostly good? I've had a three-day weekend, and I had a snow day last week, and I'm expecting one for tomorrow, as well, and that all means my sleep pattern is somewhat disrupted. I did have one night when I couldn't shut my brain down for the longest time, but it didn't quite trip me over into anxiety loops, for which I am immensely grateful. I've been purposefully avoiding using melatonin because I don't want to develop a habit, but assuming we go back to school at all this week, I'll probably need it for the night before that return.
The week ahead: More of the same.
Here's hoping the week ahead is a good one for all of us, weather notwithstanding.
Re: Thoughts
Date: Tuesday, 20 January 2026 06:23 pm (UTC)This year, we invested in a zoo membership, so we can walk there for "free" (we've already visited enough that it's paid for our membership, if you know what I mean) whenever the weather and time permits, and at least some animals are out in the snowy weather. Plus, the zoo clears its sidewalks and keeps them free of ice, as well, so that makes for an especially attractive outdoor option when we're not under a windchill and travel advisory, like we are at the moment.
Your recipe sounds fantastic (sans the chicken for me)! I've never heard of xawaash seasoning, but I'll look it up.
Re: Thoughts
Date: Tuesday, 20 January 2026 08:34 pm (UTC)I'm happy I could help.
>>It also helps that I have an elliptical and a recumbent bike indoors. I'd rather be outside, but if the weather's like it is today, indoors it is!<<
Some folks put on nature videos for indoor exercise. It's better than staring at a wall.
>>This year, we invested in a zoo membership, so we can walk there for "free" <<
Awesome. :D
One of our best zoo days was in Chicago with a light snow. Most of the animals were hiding inside. The wolves were curled up asleep under a layer of snow. The Bengal tigers were playing in the snow. They loved it. The other cold-habitat critters were out too. \o/
>>Your recipe sounds fantastic (sans the chicken for me)! <<
As a general rule, almost all African recipes with meat have at least one meatless version, just because so many people there cannot afford meat. Often it's replaced with beans, pumpkin chunks, or African yam chunks, but you could try other options. This is a perfect recipe if you like hooking people into vegetarian or vegan food, because it is intensely aromatic and flavorful, but not spicy-hot. If you want it spicy, though, just drop in a Scotch bonnet pepper, a leading choice in African cuisine.
>>I've never heard of xawaash seasoning, but I'll look it up.<<
Here is the recipe for the spice mix. It's from In Bibi's Kitchen, an excellent African cookbook. It makes a mass quantity of the spice mix, but my recipe uses 3 tablespoons at a time to make ... maybe 5-6 servings.