sylvanwitch | Fitness Fellowship 2026: Check-in 20

Here we are with another week behind us, friends! I hope everyone is doing well and being gentle with themselves. These days, I think it's more important than ever to remember to be kind to others, of course, but to also be kind to ourselves.

As is the way of things here, please do share your week's ups and downs and any changes in goals you may have in mind. There's never any judgement, just support and encouragement, so never fear to share.

Weight: 194.2 as of this morning. I'm not that worried about it, but there are Reasons for it, which I'll explain below.

Exercise: Yoga 4/4, strength-training 3/3, walking every day except yesterday, when I jogged instead!

Eating plan: I was mostly on-track this week, with the exception of make-your-own-mini-pizzas, which we did mid-week because I was too tired to cook anything more complicated. It's a kit, so it's super easy, and it's not even all that unhealthy, except I ate *way* too much and then "washed it down," as it were, with non-dairy ice cream. NOT my finest moment, calories-wise. So, I'm recovering from the significant jump in weight that caused, but it's coming back down again, and I'm feeling confident that I CAN have occasional misguided binges and still not go entirely off the rails.

Hydration: Yes! I started brewing homemade ginger root tisane yesterday and put a big batch in the fridge for this week. I happened into two big bags of fresh lemons (free!), so I'm freezing those in slices for water all summer long, but I also used a bunch in the tisane. I'm looking forward to having some tonight.

Meditation: I did one guided meditation, and then I used boxed breathing on two other occasions to help get myself into a better state of mind and/or help me fall asleep, so I'm counting those breathing sessions too.

Sleep: I went to bed early three nights during the work week last week, but I stayed up WAY too late on Friday and Saturday nights because I was reading late into the night. I am SO looking forward to summer break that I think I started sliding into my night-owl ways. Alas, I still have two weeks of classes and one of exams, so I was back in bed early last night.

The week ahead: More of the same, minus the pizza-and-ice-cream binge.

May we all have an excellent week ahead, friends!

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>> I was mostly on-track this week, with the exception of make-your-own-mini-pizzas <<

I have seen cauliflower-crust pizzas. It seems an interesting concept. I haven't tried them, though; I like cauliflower but my partner does not.

>>I'm feeling confident that I CAN have occasional misguided binges and still not go entirely off the rails.<<

There's a big split between string-based success and mass-based success in accounting. String-based success resets to zero after a lapse. This is strongly associated with binges because "as well hang for a sheep as a lamb." Mass-based success counts every day on track as a win. A lapse just means you didn't score that day. You can try again tomorrow to add more to your mass of successes.

>>I started brewing homemade ginger root tisane yesterday <<

Ginger is awesome.

Today it rained, ranging from drizzle to downpour to "the air is water." So I stayed inside writing. My main project was posting the half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics, so I'm pleased to have that done.

Sunday -- Assbusting amounts of effort on yardwork, trying to do things ahead of the rain. But I saw a bobwhite quail in the yard! :D

Saturday -- Assorted yardwork.

Friday -- Lots of work sowing sunflower seeds.

Thursday -- Assorted planting and sowing yardwork. I saw a ruby-throated hummingbird. \o/

Wednesday -- We went out plant shopping, then I potted up most of the plants. :D

Tuesday -- Assbusting amounts of effort raking mowed parts of the prairie garden, plus planting other things.

I doubt I'll get in much activity tomorrow, since it's supposed to rain more. Wednesday may fare better.

Yes, over the years, I've definitely learned to look at the macro rather than the micro where "slip-ups" are concerned. In fact, I don't consider them slips or mistakes anymore, just the normal consumption upticks that occur with a person who enjoys food (a lot). It's helped me to not go off the rails entirely and to just resume my usual healthier eating habits without guilt or shame.

You did a TON of work! That's awesome! The raking is especially necessary and at the same time a pain in the butt, at least for me. I don't enjoy it, but it has to be done. *sighs* Yay for your hummingbird sighting too! It's lovely that the birds are back and keeping us company. Of course, you've planted stuff that attracts and welcomes them.

Good luck with the weather tomorrow--I hope it's hospitable. I'm counting on my four-day weekend to be decent, so I can really get some work done. (Sunday was lovely, but I wasn't feeling well.)

>>In fact, I don't consider them slips or mistakes anymore, just the normal consumption upticks that occur with a person who enjoys food (a lot). It's helped me to not go off the rails entirely and to just resume my usual healthier eating habits without guilt or shame.<<

Very sensible.

>>You did a TON of work! That's awesome! The raking is especially necessary and at the same time a pain in the butt, at least for me.<<

Raking leaves isn't too difficult, but raking the prairie is hard because of all the weed stems and trying to stir up the dirt. But! Today I saw the first seedlings sprouting!

>> Yay for your hummingbird sighting too! It's lovely that the birds are back and keeping us company. Of course, you've planted stuff that attracts and welcomes them.<<

Yeah, I offer supplemental seed, but the big draw here is the native plants. My pineapple sage has started blooming with its long scarlet flowers. :D

>>Good luck with the weather tomorrow--I hope it's hospitable. <<

Yesterday it poured, but today was dry enough to plant more things. I discovered that my peas have started producing little pods for me to pick off and eat.

>>I'm counting on my four-day weekend to be decent, so I can really get some work done.<<

I hope that works out.

The past couple of weeks have been super busy at school but at least I have a week off next week for half-term, except for the 4hr revision session I'm doing at school on Tuesday for my A level group. I haven't done any weight training because I've been too busy, not necessarily stressed, just really busy. I can only manage pilates classes at the moment. I think I mentioned I'm doing paid exam marking this year. That starts immediately after half-term so I'm concerned that weight training will continue to take a back seat. (Actually, I think I might have left that dude out on the highway somewhere and he's no longer in my rear view mirror.) Anyway, I'll do what I can. Strength training is something I really want to build into my life. I'll get there. I'm just slow about things like that.

Well done on jogging! That's amazing.

Freezing lemon slices is a good idea. I've got a huge bag full of apples to do something with so I can freeze them. A local supermarket donated crates of apples to the school. I forget sometimes what a simple and wonderful thing an apple is. I heard a medical expert on a podcast the other day describe fruit as nature's dessert. So true.

Oops, posted this in the wrong place :D

>>I think I mentioned I'm doing paid exam marking this year. That starts immediately after half-term so I'm concerned that weight training will continue to take a back seat.<<

How to exercise when work takes up so much time has become a big challenge for many people. Some folks have turned to treadmill desks, but that's expensive. Ball chairs look awfully precarious, especially if you're trying to write rather than use a phone. Much cheaper are under-desk items like resistance bands or rollers that you can use with your feet.

>>fruit as nature's dessert.<<

Agreed! We like to visit farmer's markets. Walking and healthy food for the win. \o/

Walking for the win, for sure! Moving is so important. I'm so glad I don't need any of those things. The idea of a treadmill desk makes me really sad.

YAY for a week off (except for the revision session) and for apples and for working strength training in when you are ready and able. You're speaking to someone who intended to "do yoga" for literal decades before they finally got around to creating a sustainable habit, so believe me when I say I completely understand about it. I know you'll get there in your own time, when that time is right.

I was *ridiculously* happy about the lemons, and if someone gave me a bag of apples--one of my most favorite foods--I don't know what I'd do with myself, seriously. I hope you find something delightful to do with them!

As for nature's dessert, I just had pineapple, red grapes, and strawberries for "breakfast dessert," and I am still riding the taste high. (I bought this combo pre-made by a local grocery store and have zero regrets about spending a little more money because someone else prepared it.)

I am sending you ALL the good vibes for the revision session, for a relaxing half-term, and for exam grading, which frankly, to me, sounds like a new circle of Hell but which I appreciate can be different for other people. :-)

Congrats on the jogging! And also, major congratulations on overdoing it a little and not having to have that be an off-the-rails situation. <3

Sleep was a rough one last week. I'm riding out the lengthening days and a bunch of work stress, but I'm making a concentrated effort this week to do better.

Meals - 7/7
Water - 7/7
Stretching - 7/7
Walking - 7/7
Fibre - 7/7
Sleep - 3/7

Thank you so much for the kind words.

I'm sorry you're struggling with sleep. I know how vital it is and how difficult it can be to get, and I hope this week is better for you. You're doing SO WELL on all your other goals, though--that's amazing! Go, you! :-)

Thank you. Checking in here has been helping so much in terms of staying on track. <3

I'm making more effort on the sleep front this week, and getting out for what turned out to be a 10km walk last night might have helped as a reset. Fell into bed by 9:45 and slept like a log.

Your walk sounds awesome, especially since it led to such a good sleep experience! I'm sending you all the good-sleep vibes for a successful week of rest. :-)

Fitness Fellowship 2026: Check-in 20

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