Well Trained Bodies (Diet & exercise) - Oct. 2017

[Granny_Weatherwax]

It's a new month and it's beautiful. I hope your Autumn is starting off as well as mine.

 

This month will see the end of women's tennis season and my schedule will be changed once again. My goals are to find time to begin my workouts again. I have access to the school's fitness center and I am hoping I can convince myself to go on over (really it shouldn't be that hard, it's on the same floor as my office. Literally a one minute walk.) and use the equipment.

 

I put on my hiking pants this morning - a pair I haven't worn in about 7 months - and they fit much better than they had been. I am pretty stoked.

 

I'm going to try to keep on with my reduced sugar. With this being Halloween season, it will be a struggle. Candy corn - enough said.

 

ETA: After women's season concludes, I am taking a much needed solo camping trip. I need some tent-tree-trail time.

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by Scoutermom

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm happy to report that I am running again, after a 10 year hiatus.  I started in mid-August, and today and yesterday ran for an hour straight, very comfortably.  Not bad for 6 weeks!  I've become obsessed with "aerobic base building".  I didn't read much about running back when I was a teen/young adult.  Now I'm reading a lot and hope to train smarter than I did.  

[Greta]

 

I put on my hiking pants this morning - a pair I haven't worn in about 7 months - and they fit much better than they had been. I am pretty stoked.

 

 

Nice!  Those little victories mean a lot, don't they?

 

 

ETA: After women's season concludes, I am taking a much needed solo camping trip. I need some tent-tree-trail time.

 

Oh, wow, I've never done solo camping in my life!  That is such a great idea.  Why haven't I done this??  

 

Where do you like to go?  I wouldn't feel safe doing it anywhere near where I live, because the crime is so bad.  But give me something to daydream about: what are your favorite spots?

 

 

I'm happy to report that I am running again, after a 10 year hiatus.  I started in mid-August, and today and yesterday ran for an hour straight, very comfortably.  Not bad for 6 weeks!  I've become obsessed with "aerobic base building".  I didn't read much about running back when I was a teen/young adult.  Now I'm reading a lot and hope to train smarter than I did.  

 

 

:hurray:  Not just "not bad", I'd say that's fantastic!

 

By "aerobic base building" do you mean making sure that you are training in the true aerobic zone (as opposed to higher intensity, which tends to go toward anaerobic)?

[Greta]

September recap:  The good news is, I met my goal of rehabilitating my ankle to the point where I could run a mile.  The other good news is I stuck with my dietary plan without any trouble and lost another pound.  That puts me right at what I consider my ideal/normal weight to be, a weight which I haven't seen for the last three years until now.  So my "old" clothes fit again, and the clothes that I bought when my weight was at its peak are now too loose and baggy.  So I'm happy about that, because my old clothes were cuter!  :D

 

The not-so-good news is that I haven't made any progress toward my weight-lifting goals.  Well, that's not entirely true.  Thanks to your help (all of you, but particularly solascriptura) I realized that twice a week wasn't going to cut it, so I did lift weights three times per week for the last couple of weeks.  So hopefully NOW I will start to make some progress!  I was finding it hard to go without hubby on the weekend.  It's not a problem to go without him during the week because I'm used to it.  But for some reason, on Saturdays when he would say "nah, I don't think I'll go after all" then I wouldn't go either.  But yesterday, I did!  

 

Plans for October:  continue with the diet as-is, keep gradually increasing the running, start gradually increasing the amount of weight I'm lifting.  And I think I'm going to treat myself to a session with a personal trainer.

[Selkie]

Hello! Checking in for the month of October.

 

At the end of July, I decided to change my diet and only eat foods that make me feel good. My meals consist primarily of plants now, with seafood or eggs 1-2x/week and occasionally a bit of cheese. I don't eat anything sugary anymore and no artificial sweeteners. Considering that I was addicted to desserts and diet pop for most of my life, this has been a pretty drastic change. It's amazing to me that once I was off sugar for a few weeks, I lost any desire for it. My love of ice cream has completely disappeared! Now I'd much rather have a bowl of frozen blueberries.

 

I've dropped 17 pounds in 10 weeks and am continuing to steadily lose weight. This is the best I've felt in many years, and it feels like this is the way I was meant to eat. Dh has been slimming down along with me and is at his lowest weight in years.  :)

 

As far as exercise, I never have to go out of my way to get it because I do so many horse chores each day and that is a pretty strenuous workout. I have also been getting in as much riding as I possibly can before the snow flies.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by Selkie

[Laurie4b]

We had to memorize a poem a month in 6th grade and October's was called; "October's Bright Blue Weather." That is all I recall of the poem, but it's a good description for the month to come. 

 

Weight: It appears I am down to my baseline weight (scale goes up and down a bit so it's an educated guess.) I'd like to lose 2 more pounds this month in a quest to get my measurement at belly button to half my height, which is a more long term goal.) 

 

Cardio : This week, I should hit my goal of jogging 30 min total in 1 1/2 min intervals in a total of 60 min the rest of which is walking including warm up and cool down. The plan is to do that 3x/wk.  Then I'll just "hang out" at that level and tinker with heart rate for the interval part.  In addition, I'll hike or do Zumba at a moderate level. 

 

I am looking forward to getting back to more hiking now that the weather has cooled down. I will have to figure out to hike with ds away at school. (He was always good for a hike!)  I will probably have to plan it out with friends so that I get out as much as I'd like to. Dh doesn't like to hike for exercise. He likes to hike but stop frequently to take photos. 

 

Strength:  By the end of October, I'd like to be able to deadlift 85% of my bodyweight, squat 3x10x 50 lbs of dumbbells, reliably do 6 push-ups from floor, and do 3x10x 25 lbs each arm incline rows. (I need to buy new 25 lb dumbbells. Ds has taken them with him!) 

 

Flexibility: Continue doing exercises I'm doing and hope that I can get a bar across my back so that I can do back squats soon. 

 

Sleep: In bed by 11:30. I am missing this by 30-60 min each night. 

 

Eating: the teachers at my school (including me) are being gifted with end-of-the-day bread from a wonderful bakery. It has wonderful, chewy crust. I would not normally eat bread very frequently, but find this irresistable. I generally freeze most of it for when the kids are here, but then I partake of that, too!  This will start to impact bottom line of weight soon and also, I suspect that none of it is whole grain. So I have got to find a way around this!

 

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by Laurie4b

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Nice!  Those little victories mean a lot, don't they?

 

 

 

 

Oh, wow, I've never done solo camping in my life!  That is such a great idea.  Why haven't I done this??  

 

Where do you like to go?  I wouldn't feel safe doing it anywhere near where I live, because the crime is so bad.  But give me something to daydream about: what are your favorite spots?

 

 

 

 

:hurray:  Not just "not bad", I'd say that's fantastic!

 

By "aerobic base building" do you mean making sure that you are training in the true aerobic zone (as opposed to higher intensity, which tends to go toward anaerobic)?

 

 

Yes, exactly.  I've got a HRM and did some hard hill repeats to try to figure out my MHR, now I've got a vague idea of what zone I need to be in to keep things easy.  I'm going to aim for volume over effort this time around and see what happens.  Thinking about a summer or fall marathon for next year... we'll see how things progress!

[historically accurate]

Can I join in?

 

I've been working since June to take back control of my health. I've lost 10 pounds (0 in June & July, 3 in August & 7! in Sept), and I am within 2 pounds of being obese and not morbidly obese. I think I've finally hit on the diet combo that works for me - I was getting very, very discouraged there for a while. I will continue with same diet (calorie counting and moderate carbs) in Oct.

 

I plan to start a lifting weight routine this month, but I have had a double mastectomy, so I have to start doing the exercises with no weight. Once those are "ridiculously easy" (quote from my doc), I can add a weight, no more than 1-2 pounds at a time. Repeat until that weight is "ridiculously easy" and so on. Shooting for M,W,F. 

[Laurie4b]

Can I join in?

 

I've been working since June to take back control of my health. I've lost 10 pounds (0 in June & July, 3 in August & 7! in Sept), and I am within 2 pounds of being obese and not morbidly obese. I think I've finally hit on the diet combo that works for me - I was getting very, very discouraged there for a while. I will continue with same diet (calorie counting and moderate carbs) in Oct.

 

I plan to start a lifting weight routine this month, but I have had a double mastectomy, so I have to start doing the exercises with no weight. Once those are "ridiculously easy" (quote from my doc), I can add a weight, no more than 1-2 pounds at a time. Repeat until that weight is "ridiculously easy" and so on. Shooting for M,W,F. 

 

Glad you can join us! Congrats on finding a winning combination for your nutrition plan. 

 

Sorry to hear about the mastectomy. 

[wintermom]

I've managed to keep really active in Sept., and will work to stay active in Oct. as well. The extra warm temps in Sept made it a pleasure to be outside walking, biking and playing tennis, even with the busy school schedule. I may be heading indoors to the gym more often as the temps fall.  The indoor tennis season starts this month, but I'll only have a match once every 2 weeks. I've also added in a little more weight training when I'm in the gym, along with the cardio and high-intensity intervals. 

 

Our family Sept Low-Sugar challenge was a great success. I'm going to continue with low sugar diet, and hopefully the rest of the family will, too. Our primary goal wasn't to lose weight, though dh did say he's down 10 pounds. We were all working toward healthier eating habits.

[historically accurate]

Glad you can join us! Congrats on finding a winning combination for your nutrition plan. 

 

Sorry to hear about the mastectomy. 

 

Thanks for being so welcoming.

 

The mastectomy was seven years ago, but they fussed with some lymph nodes so I will always have to be careful. 

[Laurie4b]

I believe this is the current position paper (2013 on weight lifting and lymphedema: https://www.lymphnet.org/pdfDocs/nlnexercise.pdf   ETA: Bad cut and paste job first time round!  It is more specific in where to start and how many reps and when you can increase. 

 

This is a good article by a professor at U Penn that is very specific about where to start with weight training as well as how to progress safely. : https://www.lymphnet.org/pdfDocs/Weight_LE_Misconception.pdf  If you can find a personal trainer with a cancer certification to help you initially, that would provide reassurance. Check with any fitness facilities near you associated with universities with medical schools. 

 

If you don't already have lymphedema, losing weight like you've already started to do is probably the best preventative!

Edited October 1, 2017 by Laurie4b

[solascriptura]

Can I join in?

 

I've been working since June to take back control of my health. I've lost 10 pounds (0 in June & July, 3 in August & 7! in Sept), and I am within 2 pounds of being obese and not morbidly obese. I think I've finally hit on the diet combo that works for me - I was getting very, very discouraged there for a while. I will continue with same diet (calorie counting and moderate carbs) in Oct.

 

I plan to start a lifting weight routine this month, but I have had a double mastectomy, so I have to start doing the exercises with no weight. Once those are "ridiculously easy" (quote from my doc), I can add a weight, no more than 1-2 pounds at a time. Repeat until that weight is "ridiculously easy" and so on. Shooting for M,W,F.

Welcome! It’s so inspiring to hear how you’ve decided to take charge of your health! You’ve had some serious hurdles to overcome. Keep posting your progress (and setbacks) so we can cheer you on.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Can I join in?

 

I've been working since June to take back control of my health. I've lost 10 pounds (0 in June & July, 3 in August & 7! in Sept), and I am within 2 pounds of being obese and not morbidly obese. I think I've finally hit on the diet combo that works for me - I was getting very, very discouraged there for a while. I will continue with same diet (calorie counting and moderate carbs) in Oct.

 

I plan to start a lifting weight routine this month, but I have had a double mastectomy, so I have to start doing the exercises with no weight. Once those are "ridiculously easy" (quote from my doc), I can add a weight, no more than 1-2 pounds at a time. Repeat until that weight is "ridiculously easy" and so on. Shooting for M,W,F. 

Welcome!!

 

Congrats on losing the weight and becoming a healthier you!

 

Please post regularly so we can celebrate and commiserate with you.

[Soror]

Well, I will optimistically post here. In Oct. I hope to figure out what is going on with my body and feeling better. I hope to move as much as I'm able.

 

On the diet front, I'm working on upping veggie intake, lowering carbs and sugar. I am trying to focus on eating in ways that nourish my body and makes me feel good. I'm trying to keep stress low (not always successfully) because that is playing a huge role in how I feel, some things I can't change so I must take eliminate what I can, say no when possible. Sleep has been decent, not great, but decent, I hope to improve it or at least keep it from getting worse. 

[solascriptura]

I’ve been able to workout at least 4 times a week so that’s good. However, I’ve see that my weight has crept up a few pounds too. Since I’m only 5’3â€, it shows. Stinks being short sometimes. I know it’s not muscle since my waist measurement has gone up an inch or so. I gain everything right in the belly. I’ll be working on cleaning up my food intake. I think I’ve been relying a little too much on quick foods like sandwiches. I’m taking a challenging anatomy class and with my kids busy schedule as well, you all know how that goes. Mom’s food concerns come last. I’m hoping to let go of the few pounds soon, but I don’t lose weight easily. I need to be very strict about food intake and workout heavily for at least 6 hours a week to do this. I can’t really give that kind of time to my efforts so I’ll just have to see how it goes.

[Soror]

And my ultrasound came back clear, no nodules at all, which is curious since I had 2 the last scan, I guess that is very good news! 

 

eta- reading my results it says the tissue is consistent with thyroid disease which I'm not certain doesn't mean there are no nodules but nothing out of the ordinary of what they expected. 

Edited October 2, 2017 by soror

[wintermom]

I went ice skating this morning with ds for 45 min. It was a good work-out for the legs.  Last night dh and I played mixed doubles tennis with friends. It's sad that the summer season is winding down. It least there are some new, fall/winter activities starting up to ease the blow. ;)

[Laurie4b]

I’ve been able to workout at least 4 times a week so that’s good. However, I’ve see that my weight has crept up a few pounds too. Since I’m only 5’3â€, it shows. Stinks being short sometimes. I know it’s not muscle since my waist measurement has gone up an inch or so. I gain everything right in the belly. I’ll be working on cleaning up my food intake. I think I’ve been relying a little too much on quick foods like sandwiches. I’m taking a challenging anatomy class and with my kids busy schedule as well, you all know how that goes. Mom’s food concerns come last. I’m hoping to let go of the few pounds soon, but I don’t lose weight easily. I need to be very strict about food intake and workout heavily for at least 6 hours a week to do this. I can’t really give that kind of time to my efforts so I’ll just have to see how it goes.

 

Me, too. Stinks. 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

My goal for this month is to find some new quick meals and snacks so we aren't always reverting to the same convenience foods over and over. Although they aren't terrible, they also aren't the best choice, and the lack of nutritional variety isn't ideal.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy

[solascriptura]

My goal for this month is to find some new quick meals and snacks so we aren't always reverting to the same convenience foods over and over. Although they aren't terrible, they also aren't the best choice, and the lack of nutritional variety isn't ideal.

While I know a lot of us have different ideas as to what is healthy, I would love to get some new meal ideas from all of you.

 

I’ve made egg roll in a bowl pretty successfully a few times. It’s inexpensive and low carb. I usually use ground chicken instead of pork out of a personal preference. I consider this quick because it can be made in advance and heated up easily. I eat a lot of salads and Korean style Buddha bowls. Gosh, I guess I need some new ideas too!

[Laurie4b]

Quick snacks: 

Nuts. I keep a supply of a different variety of nuts. It's the only food I actually measure out in a portion size though cause it's too easy to keep grabbing some.

Hummus and veges. I like TJ's hummus. In the summer, I use veges from the garden. Now that it's fall, it will be more like baby carrots and cherry tomatoes, maybe some occasional  raw broccoli. 

oatmeal: I often have oatmeal when I come home from work and realize I'm starving. I always add at least fruit to it. Some favorite combos are: add cocoa powder (not mix--the powder. There is no sugar in it), and a fruit like bananas or frozen blueberries or frozen raspberries. Another is add a serving of canned pumpkin, and some cinnamon (about 1/2-1 tsp), a bit of ginger, and a tiny bit of cloves (pumpkin pie spices). Add either banana or chopped apple or a bit of dried fruit like prunes, raisins, or cranberries. You have to watch the dried fruit though. I eat these combinations with no added sweetener but others may want to add some. 

Seaweed: I love Trader Joe's seaweed. It's good when I want something crunchy and salty. YMMV!

Popcorn: I pop corn on the stove and add herbs and spices: tumeric, cumin, black pepper, curry, a bit of cinnamon, garlic, & onion for a curry flavor or chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne for mexican seasoning. The seasoning adds nutritional value and I like it. 

Fresh fruit: whatever is seasonal

Yogurt with frozen fruit: Plain yogurt, no sweetener but then add frozen berries of some kind. Sometimes, I will top with Grape Nuts or Grape Nuts Flakes. It satisfies my ice cream urge!

 

I need high volume in my food intake and I like FLAVOR! 

 

Breakfast: Same thing every morning: Once or twice a week, I make a frittata:heat frozen spinach in a saute pan and add sauteed onions (I do those in the microwave while the spinach is cooking, garlic, and tomato and sauteed mushrooms if I have some. When the veges are hot, I add eggs, already beaten well. I add two for each day I'm going to eat it. I put a lid on it and cook it on the low side of medium till it is puffy and cooked through. Putting the veges on the bottom makes clean-up much easier. Then I cut it in pieces (I usually make enough for 4 days) and put the extra in the fridge. It keeps well for 4-5 days.  I eat it with mashed avocado on top.  If I'm still hungry, I will make oatmeal or the yogurt with frozen berries. 

 

I have some dinners, but no more time to type right now. Looking forward to getting some new ideas! 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2017 by Laurie4b

[Laurie4b]

While I know a lot of us have different ideas as to what is healthy, I would love to get some new meal ideas from all of you.

 

I’ve made egg roll in a bowl pretty successfully a few times. It’s inexpensive and low carb. I usually use ground chicken instead of pork out of a personal preference. I consider this quick because it can be made in advance and heated up easily. I eat a lot of salads and Korean style Buddha bowls. Gosh, I guess I need some new ideas too!

 

How do you make this? 

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

September was kinda....meh....I worked out some (karate classes and walking), and ate healthy meals some of the time but neither were consistent enough. The month just flew by and was so busy. Trying to get started back into a fall/school routine while still squeezing out the last bit of summer fun got in the way of diet and exercise plans. I can see it on my body too. I haven't weighed myself (I'm scared to) but my pants are tighter than they were. :-(

 

This week DH and I are away on a kid-free beach vacation. It'll mostly involve lying around the beach and pool and eating whatever we feel like at the moment. Today we did walk about 3 miles though.

 

When we get home I want to get back into some weight training and cut out processed sugars and sweeteners from my diet.

[Laurie4b]

Upper body, 65 min walking with 30 min jogging embedded. Flexibility exercises. 

 

So I've reached my goal of incorporating 30 min of jogging even if broken into 1 1/2 min intervals. I did about 15 min of warm up and cool down --maybe 20, so it was about 15 min of walking for the 30 min of jogging. With upper body, I tied my all-time high on knee push-ups, for "excellent" for my age. haha. That was 2 months ago. I don't know if this or that were both flukes or what. I'm hoping to keep improving on those as well as my full length push-ups. 

 

Was able to not eat any of the yummy bread I was gifted with today. Put it in the freezer for French toast for the fam while on vacation. 

 

I think tomorrow, I'll do the walk/run again. Usually, I try not to do it two days in a row (to protect joints), but I want to solidify the 30 min thing. We will be in the mountains for vacation, so no flat running surfaces there. There is a recreation center there with weights but I need to find out how what kind so I can plan for my strength training. I hope I can keep up the deadlifts. 

 

 

 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Me, too. Stinks. 

Me three. And, yes, it does stink.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

My eating today was up and down. Breakfast: Chex cereal (partial bowl; not much in the box) and two tiny pieces of GF toast with pumpkin butter(last in the jar) and a small cup of 100 % grape juice; Lunch - handful of peanuts (whatever was left in the jar; not much; probably a 1/4 cup); Dinner - natural peanut butter on tiny GF bread (last two pieces), leftover tater tots (11 pieces) and chocolate milk that needed to be used since it expires today. I also had two cups of chai around lunchtime. It's the inexpensive powdered kind and nothing was added to it.

 

I'm thinking I need to go grocery shopping. It's such a source of anxiety, though.

 

-

I was on the courts for three hours but then at my desk for the rest of the day.

 

I drive up to the cities in the morning for my tennis practice. It's the only day of the week that I get to play real tennis. I have two eggs and a couple TBS of diced ham set aside for breakfast. Those and some grape juice should be enough to get me through the drive and the activity. I have a bag of frozen veggies I can eat for lunch

[Greta]

Selkie, congratulations on your progress and accomplishments!

 

Beckyjo, welcome aboard!

 

Soror, I’m so glad you got good news on the ultrasound!

 

Had a good weight workout today. I was able to increase the amount I was lifting a little bit, first time in a long time. So that was nice.

[Soror]

I took a little walk.

Food was good. I did add a bit of honey to a treat I made, maybe 1/2 tsp. I had this almond milk creamer that is sweetened with monk fruit extract(I already had it in the house) in my tea, otherwise, I just had carbs/sugar from fruits and veggies. 

 

I need to do strength work but I don't know what to do about my right arm/shoulder, I keep having pain, I think I need to have it checked out with PT again, I just really don't want to mess with it. Sigh.

[wintermom]

Ds 13 and I went to the gym this morning. He wanted to beat his record on the elliptical. I ran for almost a complete episode of This is Us - however long that is. Not sure I like the show, but it definitely helps to pass the time on the treadmill.  :laugh:  I also did some upper body and core strength work. 

Edited October 3, 2017 by wintermom

[Laurie4b]

I took a little walk.

Food was good. I did add a bit of honey to a treat I made, maybe 1/2 tsp. I had this almond milk creamer that is sweetened with monk fruit extract(I already had it in the house) in my tea, otherwise, I just had carbs/sugar from fruits and veggies. 

 

I need to do strength work but I don't know what to do about my right arm/shoulder, I keep having pain, I think I need to have it checked out with PT again, I just really don't want to mess with it. Sigh.

 

 

Having had two frozen shoulders, I am definitely an advocate of going to a medical professional sooner rather than later. 

[solascriptura]

I have a small victory to share. I’ve been trying to get through my kettlebell class using only a 20lb kettlebell. For months, I would have to lower the weight in the middle of the class. Well, I finally did it! Of course, I was so wiped out after the class that I took a nap!

[Laurie4b]

I have a small victory to share. I’ve been trying to get through my kettlebell class using only a 20lb kettlebell. For months, I would have to lower the weight in the middle of the class. Well, I finally did it! Of course, I was so wiped out after the class that I took a nap!

 

You go!  :hurray:

[lmrich]

I was able to swim laps today for the first time since I hurt my back in August!! So far it does not hurt! 

I have managed to keep the 20 pounds off that I lost this summer even without exercise - it really is about what we eat! I have even lost two more pounds in September. 

This month I want to get back to the swim routine and back to my arms and ab routine. I will alternate days and take rest days even when I feel great! I realized that I need exercise just as much for my mental health as my physical health so taking a month off was rough. 

 

Happy it is finally fall here!

[OlgaLA]

I'll sign in for October, after a long absence in September. My arm is finally feeling better, so I started fencing again the last couple of weeks, although not full time yet, and the private lessons are a little less intense. But I can do them without my elbow hurting too much, and if it hurts a little, the pain goes away after a short rest. So, this is good. Of course, right before I hurt my arm, I signed up for a very high level competition, counting on regular training. Now it is in less than 2 weeks, and I am so not ready. Still, I'll go, just for the fun of it, plus I need to drive my daughter anyway.

 

Another thing that I accidentally discovered in September is that I am constantly fatigued. I lived with it all my life, and suddenly one morning I woke up full of energy. I did more by noon than I usually manage in full day. It was very eye-opening. If most people feel like that all the time, no wonder they can get more accomplished that I can hope for. It was a single day though, but now I am trying to figure out what it is I am missing. I just read the whole thread Soror posted about fatigue, and I'll start with vit D. I had it low a few years ago, but I never realized how it can actually affect me, so I did nothing to improve it. And honestly, until that day, it was my normal state. I blamed it on lack of sleep, but even when i sleep a lot, I don't feel exactly full of energy. And with not enough sleep, like today. I am barely functioning. I do manage fencing relatively well, but I think it is the excitement and adrenaline that carry me through. And there are still days when I can move, but I'm very slow, and my reaction is non-existent.  So the theme for October is getting my energy up.

[Laurie4b]

I'll sign in for October, after a long absence in September. My arm is finally feeling better, so I started fencing again the last couple of weeks, although not full time yet, and the private lessons are a little less intense. But I can do them without my elbow hurting too much, and if it hurts a little, the pain goes away after a short rest. So, this is good. Of course, right before I hurt my arm, I signed up for a very high level competition, counting on regular training. Now it is in less than 2 weeks, and I am so not ready. Still, I'll go, just for the fun of it, plus I need to drive my daughter anyway.

 

Another thing that I accidentally discovered in September is that I am constantly fatigued. I lived with it all my life, and suddenly one morning I woke up full of energy. I did more by noon than I usually manage in full day. It was very eye-opening. If most people feel like that all the time, no wonder they can get more accomplished that I can hope for. It was a single day though, but now I am trying to figure out what it is I am missing. I just read the whole thread Soror posted about fatigue, and I'll start with vit D. I had it low a few years ago, but I never realized how it can actually affect me, so I did nothing to improve it. And honestly, until that day, it was my normal state. I blamed it on lack of sleep, but even when i sleep a lot, I don't feel exactly full of energy. And with not enough sleep, like today. I am barely functioning. I do manage fencing relatively well, but I think it is the excitement and adrenaline that carry me through. And there are still days when I can move, but I'm very slow, and my reaction is non-existent.  So the theme for October is getting my energy up.

 

Wow. That sounds rough. You might want to look into your B12 levels, too. Low Vit D is implicated in many diseases so it's good that you're going to be on top of that. Has your thyroid been checked? 

[Laurie4b]

Tonight, I did another 65 min walk/with 30 min of jogging embedded. 

 

Came home, had an upsetting interaction and went out to lift and total fail. I could hardly make one deadlift and it's a weight I've been doing. I don't know if it's because of the hour of cardio, because I was upset, late, hungry or all of the above. I decided I wouldn't try again tonight. 

[OlgaLA]

Wow. That sounds rough. You might want to look into your B12 levels, too. Low Vit D is implicated in many diseases so it's good that you're going to be on top of that. Has your thyroid been checked? 

 

Thanks, Laurie. Until now I only heard that I must be lazy/spoiled/whatever for needing a nap to get through the day. And since I never really knew any better, I never even thought about looking into the reasons of it. After all, laziness is not something to go to the doctor with, and I never had any other health problems.

 

And thanks for mentioning the many diseases that Vit D affects. I did some research and I am definitely getting it up, no matter how it will affect my energy levels. I am really surprised that the doctor was like it wasn't a big deal at all. My DH's last test came with it low as well, and I don't think the Dr even said anything about getting it up. Oh well, I am glad I figured at least this part out.

[wintermom]

Dh and I played mixed doubles tennis with friends early this morning, then ds 15 and I went to work-out at the gym while the other dc were in band practice. I did a 25 min. run, then some more upper body weights and core work. I just didn't have the imagination to think of any new stuff to do. ;)

[historically accurate]

I've exercised 3 days in a row - go, me! I'm working on Leslie Sansone's Walk it Off in 30 days video. It has a "burn" routine (cardio) and a "firm" routine (weight). I did firm M, burn T, and firm this morning. I am shooting for only taking Sundays off, but 4-5 a week will make me happy. I like Sansone; she's a little perky, but it's not a crazy routine that makes me lost and it's not crazy hard. So, I'll keep plugging along on it. If I get bored, I'll shake it up a little - my workout time is super early in the morning, so it kind of needs to be done in the house, but I do have a collection of videos gathering dust and there's always youtube, the library, and Amazon if I need some new blood...

[Laurie4b]

I've exercised 3 days in a row - go, me! I'm working on Leslie Sansone's Walk it Off in 30 days video. It has a "burn" routine (cardio) and a "firm" routine (weight). I did firm M, burn T, and firm this morning. I am shooting for only taking Sundays off, but 4-5 a week will make me happy. I like Sansone; she's a little perky, but it's not a crazy routine that makes me lost and it's not crazy hard. So, I'll keep plugging along on it. If I get bored, I'll shake it up a little - my workout time is super early in the morning, so it kind of needs to be done in the house, but I do have a collection of videos gathering dust and there's always youtube, the library, and Amazon if I need some new blood...

 

:hurray:  Three days in a row! Woo hoo!

[Laurie4b]

Yesterday, was a rest day. We spent it: packing for our trip to the mountains, finishing the emptying of our kitchen so that renovation can start while we're in the mountains, and then driving to the mountains. 

 

We arrived at our rental home and the view is just amazing. If someone knows how to post a photo, I'll share one. The house is an octagon on the west side of the mountain, and there is a porch around 2/3 of it. The leaves are about 1/3 turned color. Sky is blue with wisps of clouds here and there.  Definitely motivating to do my strength training this morning!  Did squats (I didn't push it since last time I ended up with significant DOMS for the next 3 days and I don't want to deal with that while hiking up and down hills), push-ups (new PR for knee push-ups), 3 point rows, and an exercise for rotator cuffs. Typing this, I realize I still need to do something for hips and a plank or two. 

 

Took a 30 min walk with the dog. Even though major parts were uphill, my HR stayed under 120, which is good news and bad. Good news because it speaks to good conditioningl  bad news cause I probably won't get out of that range no matter what we hike around here. So it's good I did my two HIIT routines before we left home. (I am not going to run up or down hills. Last time I ran up a gentle hill about 10 years ago, I pulled a tendon connected to my Achilles, had crutches, got a frozen shoulder from the crutches. Just ugh. The risks for that particular injury were: middle aged woman (check), running up hill (check) wearing old shoes (My shoes are now good, but since I've only aged since then, I keep my running to the flat lands!) 

 

All but one young adult kid and GFs have arrived, so I'll see what kind of hiking they want to do today. 

 

 

 

[OlgaLA]

Don't know how to post a photo, but the description sounds amazing, Laurie! Enjoy your trip :)

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I've been having trouble with my little toe for weeks. Since it has been broken in the past, I assumed it was just another break and have been treating it as such. It's been swollen, bruised, and painful. I buddy taped it for a few days but have mostly been sucking it up and doing what needs to be done. Until last night. I came home from practice in agony; my foot was in such pain I couldn't sleep. I made the decision to call the doctor and get x-rays today. As soon as the podiatrist saw my toe he knew something was wrong. It isn't a break, though. It's an infected corn. The infection was causing the toe to swell which was making the toes rub together even more which was aggravating the corn. After he worked his magic, I feel much better. He suggested I get even wider shoes than what I have to help alleviate the pressure on the little toe.

 

Ugh. I already wear size 9.5 wide. It's not like there is a big selection of shoes with square toe boxes in wide width for women. I wear men's hiking boots and tennis shoes.

 

--

Yesterday's eating was awful. I was in pain and tried to pacify myself with a small GF pizza. I was also given a box of GF coconut candies from Hawaii and I enjoyed half the box.  :(

 

Today hasn't been much better as I've eaten three Fruity Pebbles treats. I know my eating is a result of stress and sadness.

 

 

[wintermom]

I've been having trouble with my little toe for weeks. Since it has been broken in the past, I assumed it was just another break and have been treating it as such. It's been swollen, bruised, and painful. I buddy taped it for a few days but have mostly been sucking it up and doing what needs to be done. Until last night. I came home from practice in agony; my foot was in such pain I couldn't sleep. I made the decision to call the doctor and get x-rays today. As soon as the podiatrist saw my toe he knew something was wrong. It isn't a break, though. It's an infected corn. The infection was causing the toe to swell which was making the toes rub together even more which was aggravating the corn. After he worked his magic, I feel much better. He suggested I get even wider shoes than what I have to help alleviate the pressure on the little toe.

 

Ugh. I already wear size 9.5 wide. It's not like there is a big selection of shoes with square toe boxes in wide width for women. I wear men's hiking boots and tennis shoes.

 

--

Yesterday's eating was awful. I was in pain and tried to pacify myself with a small GF pizza. I was also given a box of GF coconut candies from Hawaii and I enjoyed half the box.  :(

 

Today hasn't been much better as I've eaten three Fruity Pebbles treats. I know my eating is a result of stress and sadness.

 

Hope your toe feels better soon. That must be really tough with you on your feet all day.

[wintermom]

It was a low-intensity but busy day for me. I took the dog out for a couple quick walks in the morning. Ds 13 really wanted to go ice skating, so we found an arena with public skating on in the afternoon, and ds 15 also joined us. Unfortunately, boys feet grow too fast, and ds's skates from last year don't fit well enough this year, so we cut the skate short as he was in pain.  I went for one last walk in the country after dropping off dd at her violin student for a lesson. Now my energy is shot and I just want to nap. 

[solascriptura]

I've been having trouble with my little toe for weeks. Since it has been broken in the past, I assumed it was just another break and have been treating it as such. It's been swollen, bruised, and painful. I buddy taped it for a few days but have mostly been sucking it up and doing what needs to be done. Until last night. I came home from practice in agony; my foot was in such pain I couldn't sleep. I made the decision to call the doctor and get x-rays today. As soon as the podiatrist saw my toe he knew something was wrong. It isn't a break, though. It's an infected corn. The infection was causing the toe to swell which was making the toes rub together even more which was aggravating the corn. After he worked his magic, I feel much better. He suggested I get even wider shoes than what I have to help alleviate the pressure on the little toe.

 

Ugh. I already wear size 9.5 wide. It's not like there is a big selection of shoes with square toe boxes in wide width for women. I wear men's hiking boots and tennis shoes.

 

--

Yesterday's eating was awful. I was in pain and tried to pacify myself with a small GF pizza. I was also given a box of GF coconut candies from Hawaii and I enjoyed half the box. :(

 

Today hasn't been much better as I've eaten three Fruity Pebbles treats. I know my eating is a result of stress and sadness.

What a rough time for you! I’m so sorry. Please go easy on yourself; life can be so overwhelming sometimes.

[Laurie4b]

I've been having trouble with my little toe for weeks. Since it has been broken in the past, I assumed it was just another break and have been treating it as such. It's been swollen, bruised, and painful. I buddy taped it for a few days but have mostly been sucking it up and doing what needs to be done. Until last night. I came home from practice in agony; my foot was in such pain I couldn't sleep. I made the decision to call the doctor and get x-rays today. As soon as the podiatrist saw my toe he knew something was wrong. It isn't a break, though. It's an infected corn. The infection was causing the toe to swell which was making the toes rub together even more which was aggravating the corn. After he worked his magic, I feel much better. He suggested I get even wider shoes than what I have to help alleviate the pressure on the little toe.

 

Ugh. I already wear size 9.5 wide. It's not like there is a big selection of shoes with square toe boxes in wide width for women. I wear men's hiking boots and tennis shoes.

 

--

Yesterday's eating was awful. I was in pain and tried to pacify myself with a small GF pizza. I was also given a box of GF coconut candies from Hawaii and I enjoyed half the box.  :(

 

Today hasn't been much better as I've eaten three Fruity Pebbles treats. I know my eating is a result of stress and sadness.

 

:grouphug:  Hang in there. 

[Laurie4b]

Thanks, Laurie. Until now I only heard that I must be lazy/spoiled/whatever for needing a nap to get through the day. And since I never really knew any better, I never even thought about looking into the reasons of it. After all, laziness is not something to go to the doctor with, and I never had any other health problems.

 

And thanks for mentioning the many diseases that Vit D affects. I did some research and I am definitely getting it up, no matter how it will affect my energy levels. I am really surprised that the doctor was like it wasn't a big deal at all. My DH's last test came with it low as well, and I don't think the Dr even said anything about getting it up. Oh well, I am glad I figured at least this part out.

 

This makes me sad---it's not just you. People explain so many things in terms of "laziness": Learning disabilities, inability to lose weight, etc. Once it's put in a moral category, only a moral solution will work: You must try harder, exert will power, etc. But when that doesn't work, because there is actually a problem to be solved, not a moral failing to be fixed, the person being labeled "lazy" tends to shut off or spiral downward into depression, accepting a negative labeling of self. 

 

I'm glad for you, Olga, that the curtain is lifting for you and hope you can identify the problem and find a solution. Same for all the other people out there struggling under both a problem that needs fixing and a negative moral label. 

[wintermom]

I went skating with all 3 ds's this afternoon. It was a great work-out and fun, too. It was my third time on skates this week, which is a record for me. My legs are getting used to it. There isn't much upper body work, though. Too bad I can't bring my ski poles out on the ice. I could practice double poling for skiing. ;)