Well Trained Bodies (Diet & Exercise) - Happy New Year

[PinkTulip]

I rowed for just over an hour and hit 10,000 meters. I am less than 2 pounds away from a major milestone weight that I haven't seen for years so my goal this week is to keep pushing and not self-sabotage. Typically, when I start creeping up (down) to this weight, I reward myself with bad food and then never quite hit it. I'm so dumb about that!

[Sarah CB]

I rowed for just over an hour and hit 10,000 meters. I am less than 2 pounds away from a major milestone weight that I haven't seen for years so my goal this week is to keep pushing and not self-sabotage. Typically, when I start creeping up (down) to this weight, I reward myself with bad food and then never quite hit it. I'm so dumb about that!

 

That's awesome! I can't imagine rowing for an hour - well done! And that's great about the weight milestone, too. 

[OlgaLA]

I was going to suggest you try the "jump" method of doing a pull-up to get motivated.  :laugh:  Then I went to try a pull-up on our bar at home and actually did 2!  I didn't think I could even do 1, so this was a shock. I know I've tried doing them before and really hated them. ;)  You can definitely do it, Olga!! The progressions in your program sound great. 

 Thanks for the encouragement! And 2 pull ups is great, especially since you were not training for them! I know it is a long way for me, but as long as I am moving there, I am happy. I did "jump method" when I was a kid, as it was the only way I ever could get my chin up there :) This bar is attached entirely by tension/gravity forces, so no jumps on it for me. DS tried though and had a blast. The gym has an attachment with a bar at  4-5 feet level, which is almost perfect for him, as he is short, and good for me for horizontal pullups. The idea is kind of like stairs push ups, so that is what I am going to be doing for now. I can barely manage 5 in that position.

 

No walk the last 2 days! Sunday I was out and the place we were out had mold (sometimes it isn't so bad but it was horrible this time) by the time I made it home I felt horrible, plus it was raining and near freezing. Yesterday, when I finally did a moment I just rested, I slept horrifically Sun night, restless until 4 am or so. But I got up and got done what needed done and even managed supper before Scouts. Today the kids have TKD so I should be getting in a workout while they have that, oh and there is dance class tonight if dh is up for it. The weather is icky again so I don't know about a walk, I will try to squeeze it in on the treadmill if I have to.

What is the program called. I was working on handstands for a good while but needed something different.

The program is called Convict Conditioning, In line with all the other names :) I wouldn't recommend it for handstands though. It goes from headstands for 30 sec to crow pose 3x1 min, to handstands. Not a lot of tips or explanations. It's end goal in that exercise is handstand pushups, so they quickly move there. I didn't look too closely, but I think Recommended routine from reddit's bodyweightfitness is better for that, and it has lots of tips, videos, and progressions.

 

The plan for today is do the program, hopefully with DS, and then fencing in the evening. 

[wintermom]

I went skate skiing with ds 15 and ds 13 this morning. It was wonderful! We drove up to the biathlon course where ds 13 will have his competition this Sat. Before going to the trail, we stopped at our local Play it again Sports store and got 2 sets of used skate skis, poles and boots for a great price! Sweet!! Now we have 4 full sets that should fit the gang for a couple years, I hope. The boys can't have a huge growth spurt, though.  :p

[Soror]

We're back to school this week and the schedule has me hopping, I'm stealing 5 min away when I should be getting ready. We've got appointments today and tomorrow at 2 and I can't squeeze everything in, at least I'll get evening workouts when the kids do TKD. We'll have to make up some schooling on Fri to get it all in.

 

Keep on, keeping on everyone. 

 Thanks for the encouragement! And 2 pull ups is great, especially since you were not training for them! I know it is a long way for me, but as long as I am moving there, I am happy. I did "jump method" when I was a kid, as it was the only way I ever could get my chin up there :) This bar is attached entirely by tension/gravity forces, so no jumps on it for me. DS tried though and had a blast. The gym has an attachment with a bar at  4-5 feet level, which is almost perfect for him, as he is short, and good for me for horizontal pullups. The idea is kind of like stairs push ups, so that is what I am going to be doing for now. I can barely manage 5 in that position.

 

The program is called Convict Conditioning, In line with all the other names :) I wouldn't recommend it for handstands though. It goes from headstands for 30 sec to crow pose 3x1 min, to handstands. Not a lot of tips or explanations. It's end goal in that exercise is handstand pushups, so they quickly move there. I didn't look too closely, but I think Recommended routine from reddit's bodyweightfitness is better for that, and it has lots of tips, videos, and progressions.

 

The plan for today is do the program, hopefully with DS, and then fencing in the evening. 

Yes, I've heard of it. I've done progressions for headstands, handstands, and can easily do crow (basic yoga there). I just got tired of working on all of it and too much time on arm balancing was hurting me. I've worked on pull-ups for ages, but again I keep getting stuck with it so I'm working on other things. I can do a pull-up flat footed or jumping but to go from a full hang I can seem to progress past.

[mamaraby]

My dh is sick now too (probably a couple of day behind me illness-wise) so today’s long run was a solo one. I was debating anywhere from 8mi -12mi, leaning towards 12, but questioning a run that long this close to the race. I ended up heading out with the plan that I would see how it went aiming for 8 and leaving the door open for 12. How’s that for indecisive.

 

Ended up at 10 miles total and went on an adventure route wise which was fun. I was reading through the first pre-race email before I left to see what they have for pace groups. All of the pace groups around my target pace tiers use a 5/1 run/walk so I used that on my long run today to good success.

 

11 days to the race.

[Greta]

I would like to ask for everyone's advice/recommendations about a full-body weight workout that I could get done in just half an hour.

 

My time to go to the gym is while my daughter is in class at the community college.  I drop her off and head straight to the gym, no excuses and no procrastinating!  On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I do cardio, and I'll have plenty of time.  But this semester, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she's only there for 45 minutes, which means with driving time, I will have at most 30 minutes actually in the gym.  

 

So I need to put together a very efficient routine that I can get done pretty quickly.  I'm thinking lots of compound exercises rather than working individual, isolated muscles.  Any recommendations for particular exercises or even a whole routine would be greatly appreciated!

 

ETA:  I will also do weights on Saturdays, when I will have plenty of time to do a longer routine.  I will most likely do that at home with our free weights and bench, because the gym is crazy busy on Saturdays.  So if you have any particular thoughts or ideas about a Saturday routine, feel free to post that too!

 

Thanks!

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Greta

[wintermom]

 

The program is called Convict Conditioning, In line with all the other names :)

 

I thought you just made that name up!  :lol:  I was so impressed because it fit perfectly with Prison Break 1!!

Edited January 9, 2018 by wintermom

[wintermom]

Ended up at 10 miles total and went on an adventure route wise which was fun. I was reading through the first pre-race email before I left to see what they have for pace groups. All of the pace groups around my target pace tiers use a 5/1 run/walk so I used that on my long run today to good success.

 

11 days to the race.

 

Great job on your last long run! I used to do the 10/1 run/walk, and really liked them. Do you know if there will be pace bunnies for you on the 5/1? Do you plan on staying with a pace bunny or run it alone (or with your dh)? 

[wintermom]

I would like to ask for everyone's advice/recommendations about a full-body weight workout that I could get done in just half an hour.

 

My time to go to the gym is while my daughter is in class at the community college.  I drop her off and head straight to the gym, no excuses and no procrastinating!  On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I do cardio, and I'll have plenty of time.  But this semester, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she's only there for 45 minutes, which means with driving time, I will have at most 30 minutes actually in the gym.  

 

So I need to put together a very efficient routine that I can get done pretty quickly.  I'm thinking lots of compound exercises rather than working individual, isolated muscles.  Any recommendations for particular exercises or even a whole routine would be greatly appreciated!

 

ETA:  I will also do weights on Saturdays, when I will have plenty of time to do a longer routine.  I will most likely do that at home with our free weights and bench, because the gym is crazy busy on Saturdays.  So if you have any particular thoughts or ideas about a Saturday routine, feel free to post that too!

 

Thanks!

 

Does the 30 min work-out include a warm-up? If so, how long?  If this was me, I'd probably do 30 min cardio one day, and high-intensity intervals the other day. It's such a short time that I wouldn't want the mental fatigue of remembering an entire work-out. I'm lazy that way, though. ;)  

[Laurie4b]

I would like to ask for everyone's advice/recommendations about a full-body weight workout that I could get done in just half an hour.

 

My time to go to the gym is while my daughter is in class at the community college.  I drop her off and head straight to the gym, no excuses and no procrastinating!  On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I do cardio, and I'll have plenty of time.  But this semester, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she's only there for 45 minutes, which means with driving time, I will have at most 30 minutes actually in the gym.  

 

So I need to put together a very efficient routine that I can get done pretty quickly.  I'm thinking lots of compound exercises rather than working individual, isolated muscles.  Any recommendations for particular exercises or even a whole routine would be greatly appreciated!

 

ETA:  I will also do weights on Saturdays, when I will have plenty of time to do a longer routine.  I will most likely do that at home with our free weights and bench, because the gym is crazy busy on Saturdays.  So if you have any particular thoughts or ideas about a Saturday routine, feel free to post that too!

 

Thanks!

 

I would allow a 5-7 min overall warm up. You could include a brisk walk from the car as part of the warm up time. Then maybe do some clamshells, glute bridges, and arm circles. 

 

In addition to the overall warm up would aim for 3 sets of each exercise: the first set will be a light set for warm-up. Then two sets with higher resistance, but lower repetitions to save time so something you can lift about 5-6 times. 

 

What about  3 exercises? Alternate weighted squats  (Tues) with deadlifts (Thur)  and  also do push-ups and some kind of row or pull on both days? If you can't do all 3, then do a push on Tues and a pull on Thur.  Then the next week, start with deadlifts. 

 

I would do it as a circuit so that you don't need rest time for the same set of muscles. That saves a lot of time. 

 

If you have time, do some side-stepping with a band around your legs for your outer thighs and hips or you could do that when you get home. 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Laurie4b

[Laurie4b]

Today was the first day of spring-like weather!  Such a nice change! My goal was moderate cardio and I got out for an hour of walking and just added in 10 min of shorter, easier jogging intervals than I usually do. 

 

I also am experimenting at work with exercises between reading groups. Yesterday, I did some rotator cuff exercises with light weights while looking over their shoulders and did some squats. Today, I did two sets of squats. I think I'm going to take a resistance band with me and do some side steps. I also want to take a  couple dumbbells that I can do bicep curls with. 

 

I am writing this out as my commitment to do at least 4 flexibility exercises tonight since I've been skipping them for about 4-6 weeks except in Zumba. I hope I do more, but  four should be easy to talk myself into if I am making excuses.  :tongue_smilie:

Edited January 9, 2018 by Laurie4b

[Greta]

Does the 30 min work-out include a warm-up? If so, how long?  If this was me, I'd probably do 30 min cardio one day, and high-intensity intervals the other day. It's such a short time that I wouldn't want the mental fatigue of remembering an entire work-out. I'm lazy that way, though. ;)  

 

 

I would allow a 5-7 min overall warm up. You could include a brisk walk from the car as part of the warm up time. Then maybe do some clamshells, glute bridges, and arm circles. 

 

In addition to the overall warm up would aim for 3 sets of each exercise: the first set will be a light set for warm-up. Then two sets with higher resistance, but lower repetitions to save time so something you can lift about 5-6 times. 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I normally don't put much effort into warming up for a weight workout.  I simply warm up by doing a very light/easy set of each exercise before I do the "real" one.  Like on leg press, I would warm up with 70 pounds, before doing my real sets of 140-180 pounds.  Then do the same for the next exercise, so that each muscle group is getting warmed up before each exercise.  Do I need more of a warm-up than that?  If so, then would it be okay for me to warm up at home before we head out?  That would make it nicer - to have the full 30 minutes at the gym available for the real workout.  The drive and dropping off should only take 15 minutes, so is a 15 minute delay between the warm-up and the start of the workout too much?

 

 

 

What about  3 exercises? Alternate weighted squats  (Tues) with deadlifts (Thur)  and  also do push-ups and some kind of row or pull on both days? If you can't do all 3, then do a push on Tues and a pull on Thur.  Then the next week, start with deadlifts.

 

Yes, that sounds great!

 

 

I would do it as a circuit so that you don't need rest time for the same set of muscles. That saves a lot of time.

 

I would love to do that, and had thought of that myself, but it will be tricky at my gym.  People tend to "camp out" on a machine and claim it for a long time.  So if I walk away from the squat rack to do a pull-up, I am very likely to find that the squat rack is no longer available when I return to it.  I'm certainly willing to give it a shot, but logistically it may prove frustrating, or even impossible.

 

Another option, though, is that my gym does have one area that is specifically set apart for circuit training.  They have a system of colored lights to tell you when to exercise, and when to move on to the next machine.  I'm not sure how many times I'd be able to make my way through it in half an hour, but I could try it and find out.  It's all isolation exercises, though, so I wouldn't be able to get the time-saving benefits of compound exercises.  But it is something to consider.

 

 

If you have time, do some side-stepping with a band around your legs for your outer thighs and hips or you could do that when you get home.

 

Good suggestion. 

 

 

Thank you both!

[wintermom]

Well, I normally don't put much effort into warming up for a weight workout.  I simply warm up by doing a very light/easy set of each exercise before I do the "real" one.  Like on leg press, I would warm up with 70 pounds, before doing my real sets of 140-180 pounds.  Then do the same for the next exercise, so that each muscle group is getting warmed up before each exercise.  Do I need more of a warm-up than that?  If so, then would it be okay for me to warm up at home before we head out?  That would make it nicer - to have the full 30 minutes at the gym available for the real workout.  The drive and dropping off should only take 15 minutes, so is a 15 minute delay between the warm-up and the start of the workout too much?

 

 

My mind and body are so conditioned over the decades to warm-up with aerobic movement, that I would never jump into a weight work-out without it. It's a major component to injury prevention, but it also increases blood flow, flexibility and mental readiness. The older I get, the more important it is for me to warm-up properly. 

[Greta]

My mind and body are so conditioned over the decades to warm-up with aerobic movement, that I would never jump into a weight work-out without it. It's a major component to injury prevention, but it also increases blood flow, flexibility and mental readiness. The older I get, the more important it is for me to warm-up properly. 

 

 

I've been on my dh's case (with zero results) to warm up before his cardio workouts.  He just starts running, for example, at his full running pace with no walk, no lighter jog, nothing.  He just starts at his standard speed, whether he's biking, rowing, whatever.  And this is a man with a heart arrhythmia!  That cannot be good!  Anyway, my point is that I do agree with the need to warm up.  I was only thinking that you warm up by doing a lighter version of whatever it is you're going to do for your workout.  But if that's insufficient, I am open to the correction!  Thanks, Wintermom.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I played tennis Sat. and then it's been pretty much riding in a car or entertaining aging parents (read - no exercise).

 

I'll try to read through the thread later but I'm off to meditation, a hot soak, a steam room, and a warm blanket wrap. I love detoxing.

 

[wintermom]

I've been on my dh's case (with zero results) to warm up before his cardio workouts.  He just starts running, for example, at his full running pace with no walk, no lighter jog, nothing.  He just starts at his standard speed, whether he's biking, rowing, whatever.  And this is a man with a heart arrhythmia!  That cannot be good!  Anyway, my point is that I do agree with the need to warm up.  I was only thinking that you warm up by doing a lighter version of whatever it is you're going to do for your workout.  But if that's insufficient, I am open to the correction!  Thanks, Wintermom.

 

What is your dh's "full running pace" and how long does he run on average. If I'm running 6 miles and longer, I'm going to be going a relatively easy pace and I don't warm-up with a much slower pace intentionally. After 30 min my pace might increase if I'm feeling good and the conditions are nice.   If I'm doing shorter runs, sprints or intervals I warm-up as I'm going to running/exercising at a high intensity and speed. 

[mamaraby]

Great job on your last long run! I used to do the 10/1 run/walk, and really liked them. Do you know if there will be pace bunnies for you on the 5/1? Do you plan on staying with a pace bunny or run it alone (or with your dh)?

I’m actually super impressed because thay have pace groups all the way out to the very back of the pack. The last pace group is the sweeper and they’ll finish at the course time limit. I love races like that. I think I’ve only run one race where they’ve had a pacer for my pace. This will be the second one that not only has a pacer for my pace, but also for people slower than me. And, a course sweeper means they have a definite last place finisher which means there’s less anxiety for slower runners about being last. :D

 

I picked 5/1 because that’s what the 2:30 and 2:45 pace groups will run. My PR is 2:44 and while I had hoped to run a bit faster than that, with this stupid cold/upper respiratory stuff this late in the training cycle, I think I’ll head out with the 2:45 pace group and see how it feels. If things are going well, I’ll probably shoot for a negative split in the last 4 or 5 miles. Dh is just going to run with me. If all else fails, we’ll do our thing.

[Soror]

weights done

dancing done- it was horrible

 

I thought I was past the worst of the hormones but they are kicking in a little later and it is sucking so unbelievably hard. Hormones and stress, I doubt I sleep at all tonight. Sometimes it sounds really good to just remove everything, except for I know they don't do any better figuring out replacement of hormones then they do thyroid stuff. I was hoping staying busy and making plans would help but I don't know if it is, I'm more active than I was in this part of my last several cycles but emotionally I'm not better, I wasn't in bed all day because I couldn't be but I'm not certain that being out and feeling like this is the preferable option.

[wintermom]

I’m actually super impressed because thay have pace groups all the way out to the very back of the pack. The last pace group is the sweeper and they’ll finish at the course time limit. I love races like that. I think I’ve only run one race where they’ve had a pacer for my pace. This will be the second one that not only has a pacer for my pace, but also for people slower than me. And, a course sweeper means they have a definite last place finisher which means there’s less anxiety for slower runners about being last. :D

 

I picked 5/1 because that’s what the 2:30 and 2:45 pace groups will run. My PR is 2:44 and while I had hoped to run a bit faster than that, with this stupid cold/upper respiratory stuff this late in the training cycle, I think I’ll head out with the 2:45 pace group and see how it feels. If things are going well, I’ll probably shoot for a negative split in the last 4 or 5 miles. Dh is just going to run with me. If all else fails, we’ll do our thing.

 

So, you call them pacers or pace groups. Don't you have people with rabbit ears on called "pace bunnies" in your race? Are we on a completely different racing planet in Canada or something. We actually have guys with ears holding up pace times running half and full marathons. Don't you?  Try not to laugh too hard, ok. This marathon running is serious stuff. Look how long this bunny will be running holding this bloody sign for. 3 hours and 25 minutes. He looks so happy, but how many people has he left in the dust trying to keep up with super bunny?  :lol:  

 

Edited January 10, 2018 by wintermom

[mamaraby]

So, you call them pacers or pace groups. Don't you have people with rabbit ears on called "pace bunnies" in your race? Are we on a completely different racing planet in Canada or something. We actually have guys with ears holding up pace times running half and full marathons. Don't you?

Sadly, we do not! Nary a bunny ear in sight! That would be super awesome and way more fun. I’ve seen a few tutus and costumes in themed races, but in your standard race it’s just a guy or a gal holding a sign. Dh’s pacer in the marathon this past fall wore her sign on a backpack and managed to bring the pace group in five or minutes after their stated time. Maybe the bunny ears would have helped, lol.

[wintermom]

Sadly, we do not! Nary a bunny ear in sight! That would be super awesome and way more fun. I’ve seen a few tutus and costumes in themed races, but in your standard race it’s just a guy or a gal holding a sign. Dh’s pacer in the marathon this past fall wore her sign on a backpack and managed to bring the pace group in five or minutes after their stated time. Maybe the bunny ears would have helped, lol.

 

Maybe the bunny ears are meant to be a distraction from the reality of the pain and agony of running the actual race. ;) 

[PinkTulip]

I'm off to meditation, a hot soak, a steam room, and a warm blanket wrap. I love detoxing.

I've never done anything like this, but it sounds like heaven!

[wintermom]

I'm heading out skate skiing with my 2 ds's and friends this afternoon! 

 

Even more excitement, Costco had packs of 2 sports bras that are awesome and a great price! I only bought one pack, but I need to go back for another. I only wear sports bras these days. After nursing 4 babies, my bOOks are drained. 

[Greta]

What is your dh's "full running pace" and how long does he run on average. If I'm running 6 miles and longer, I'm going to be going a relatively easy pace and I don't warm-up with a much slower pace intentionally. After 30 min my pace might increase if I'm feeling good and the conditions are nice.   If I'm doing shorter runs, sprints or intervals I warm-up as I'm going to running/exercising at a high intensity and speed. 

 

 

 

Well, he's certainly not sprinting or anything.  He runs about 7 or 8 miles if I remember correctly, so not a super fast pace.  Still, he's read articles saying that people with atrial fibrillation need to be careful to warm up gradually before working out, and yet he still does not warm up at all.  So it kind of worries me.  The cardiologist told him that his atrial fibrillation was probably caused by all of the endurance sports that he does, because it's not uncommon for endurance athletes to develop it.  But that hasn't stopped him from focusing exclusively on endurance.  For a little while, he was giving up his cardio three days a week to lift weights with me.  But he stopped, and has gone back to cardio 7 days a week.  It's like he's addicted!  :lol:

[Carrie12345]

I put the rest of my (flexible) schedule for the day out of my head this morning and just gymed until I (almost) couldn't gym anymore! It was wonderful.  I think I'm going to work on letting go of the guilt I tend to feel if I spend "too much" time out of the house for myself.  I pulled out of the driveway at 7:10 and back in at 9:50.  But 50 minutes of that is just getting there and back.

We don't have activities scheduled during the day most Wednesdays or Fridays, and I could push myself to get going a little bit earlier.

 

I am going to be in a lot of pain tomorrow, lol.  Worth it.

[Dmmetler]

Goals-get my blood sugars stabilized and hopefully be able to take off the 35 or so lbs that crept on as my thyroid failed. Doing a low carb diabetic diet (and testing to see what makes my glucose swing widely) exercising at least 3 times a week (aiming for 5, but when DD’s DE classes start next week, that may be harder to manage), and getting at least 10,000 steps a day.

 

I started Jan 1 and am doing well so far. I found the Bollyfit workouts on Amazon Prime Video and have been doing them, and discovered that Chick Fil-a nuggets are low carb enough to fit on my diet :).

[wintermom]

Well, he's certainly not sprinting or anything.  He runs about 7 or 8 miles if I remember correctly, so not a super fast pace.  Still, he's read articles saying that people with atrial fibrillation need to be careful to warm up gradually before working out, and yet he still does not warm up at all.  So it kind of worries me.  The cardiologist told him that his atrial fibrillation was probably caused by all of the endurance sports that he does, because it's not uncommon for endurance athletes to develop it.  But that hasn't stopped him from focusing exclusively on endurance.  For a little while, he was giving up his cardio three days a week to lift weights with me.  But he stopped, and has gone back to cardio 7 days a week.  It's like he's addicted!   :lol:

 

My dh also has atrial fibrillation. He is not and never has been an endurance athlete. He was asymptomatic and it was discovered by accident when the dr was checking his painful gall bladder.  Dh plays vigorous tennis for hours at a time, sometimes daily in the summer, which in my mind would be pretty fatiguing for the heart muscle. He's good about his meds and is taking care of himself. His warm-ups in tennis are short and sweet.  I've got to leave it in his hands. 

 

Your dh is running at a medium pace over a long distance. The running likely is the warm-up for him. It sounds like a decent warm-up to me, an endurance athlete. For someone with atrial fibrillation who is not used to regular exercise, they may need a much more gentle warm-up. 

Edited January 10, 2018 by wintermom

[Raifta]

Sadly, we do not! Nary a bunny ear in sight! That would be super awesome and way more fun. I’ve seen a few tutus and costumes in themed races, but in your standard race it’s just a guy or a gal holding a sign. Dh’s pacer in the marathon this past fall wore her sign on a backpack and managed to bring the pace group in five or minutes after their stated time. Maybe the bunny ears would have helped, lol.

 

I love our pace bunnies!  It almost makes me want to run in an event again just to get to hang out near one.  I'm still traumatized from the last running event I participated in though (6.5 mile run in early May - it was heavily snowing with thick wet snow, high winds and slippery - I got into a car accident on the way there which used up all my adrenaline and it was just a heavy wet messy miserable slog - I actually quit running for a few years after that).

 

I put the rest of my (flexible) schedule for the day out of my head this morning and just gymed until I (almost) couldn't gym anymore! It was wonderful.  I think I'm going to work on letting go of the guilt I tend to feel if I spend "too much" time out of the house for myself.  I pulled out of the driveway at 7:10 and back in at 9:50.  But 50 minutes of that is just getting there and back.

We don't have activities scheduled during the day most Wednesdays or Fridays, and I could push myself to get going a little bit earlier.

 

I am going to be in a lot of pain tomorrow, lol.  Worth it.

 

I give you complete permission to be out of the house for 3 hours to go to the gym.  I've just started doing this on Sundays myself and it's wonderful.  I'm going with some friends who also feel a bit guilty but we've realized that we need to make time for us (somehow our DH's have been making time to run/play hockey/go for coffee for years without feeling guilty).

 

Volleyball last night was good.  Today is a bit of a rest day but I'm hoping to get in my 10000 steps, do some stretching and make sure I get ready to go to the gym tomorrow morning.

[mamaraby]

Maybe the bunny ears are meant to be a distraction from the reality of the pain and agony of running the actual race. ;)

 

 

 

Lol, or something. :p

 

I love our pace bunnies!  It almost makes me want to run in an event again just to get to hang out near one.  I'm still traumatized from the last running event I participated in though (6.5 mile run in early May - it was heavily snowing with thick wet snow, high winds and slippery - I got into a car accident on the way there which used up all my adrenaline and it was just a heavy wet messy miserable slog - I actually quit running for a few years after that).

I wonder who decided pacers needed bunny ears and how that spread out to be such a universal practice. Do other countries have bunnies, too? Or are there other animals? Inquiring minds need to know.

 

That sounds like a very stressful experience. My half-marathon last December was snowy and my feet ended up soaked througj. Nothing like running in the snow and wind with wet feet. No car accidents involved. That had to just be the straw that broke the camels back. I keep signing up for winter races. It is miserable on the one hand and oddly satisfying on the other. The one this month is on a lakefront here in the midwest. It’s probably going go be cold.

 

I need to run 4 miles today. I had to get the kids and the dog places this morning soI haven’t gone yet. I’d really hate to treadmill it, but if it’s drizzly all day, I’ll go for the treadmill. There are huge puddles too from the melted snow. I hate puddles. I hate the treadmill too.

 

After I injured my hip this summer, I cut back to running 5 days a week, but didn’t have any cross training options, but it just dawned on me today that I do now so I’ll have to add the bike in tomorrow (or the elliptical, apparently that counts too) on one of my two rest days this week.

[Sarah CB]

I ran last night with my training group. It had snowed for most of the afternoon and then warmed up to the point where we were running through a lot of slush. Since it was slippery, we didn't do tempo drills (which is normally what we do on Tuesdays), instead we just went for a longer run - about 8km through the slush. My feet were soaked by the end of it. 

 

It's cold and windy today so I'm not going anywhere today.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I lost a pound last week. Exercise is much more on point the past week too. Now to make all that my go to habit.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[OlgaLA]

I didn't do my home workout yesterday, as the day was too fractured, but I did fence for an hour and a half. Not sure about the plans for today. My back hurts pretty badly and I only got 6.5 hours of sleep. Not even sure about fencing tonight.

[wintermom]

I went skiing again with ds 13 and 15, and we brought along a friend for them and a friend for me! It was a lot of fun and a great work-out. Ds 13 has his one and only biathlon competition this Saturday, so hopefully he is a little more prepared for it now. It was only his 3rd time out on skis this year. Between the extreme cold and his flu, he wasn't able to get out more. We'll see how things go for him at the comp. It's supposed to rain today and tomorrow, and then go down to -10 for Saturday. He may decide to use hockey skates instead of skis on the course.  :laugh: 

[wintermom]

I love our pace bunnies!  It almost makes me want to run in an event again just to get to hang out near one.  I'm still traumatized from the last running event I participated in though (6.5 mile run in early May - it was heavily snowing with thick wet snow, high winds and slippery - I got into a car accident on the way there which used up all my adrenaline and it was just a heavy wet messy miserable slog - I actually quit running for a few years after that).

 

 

That sounds rough. I can understand needing to take a break from the races for a while. Maybe you'll get back into it one day. I've never had the desire to participate in a winter running race. It seems like a good idea until you get out on a track with a bunch of other runners and try to navigate through a course in snowy and icy slop. Glad you didn't injure yourself as well as the car. ;)

[wintermom]

 

I wonder who decided pacers needed bunny ears and how that spread out to be such a universal practice. Do other countries have bunnies, too? Or are there other animals? Inquiring minds need to know.

 

 

I believe the pace bunnies are sponsored (and possibly organized) by the Canadian company, The Running Room. They provide the t-shirts and hats for sure. The Running Room links up with several major running races across Canada. Not every event has pace bunnies. My first marathon didn't. It was a fairly small event with only a couple hundred participants in the half and full marathon. The full marathon was 2 loops of the half. It was mentally really hard heading out for loop #2, that's for sure. I was ready to quit at the half, but my kids were there giving me granola bars and water and pushing me on. Somehow I just kept going, but it wasn't easy. ;)

[wintermom]

I didn't do my home workout yesterday, as the day was too fractured, but I did fence for an hour and a half. Not sure about the plans for today. My back hurts pretty badly and I only got 6.5 hours of sleep. Not even sure about fencing tonight.

 

Hope you're feeling better soon! Back pain is no fun at all. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Got my new tablet and went to the gym today.  Yay.

 

 

[Laurie4b]

I did do my flexibility exercises last night, late, but I did them. I wouldn't have if I hadn't written it here! 

 

Tonight Zumba was really, really intense. I'm totally beat. I have a strength training day planned tomorrow and I was going to do some cardio too, but I think my body will need some recovery, so I'll just do the strength training and skip cardio. 

 

My sleep. Ugh. I am consistently getting in bed at a time that allows for 7 hours sleep if I fall asleep immediately and don't wake up before the alarm goes off! I usually fall asleep pretty quickly, but it's not unusual to wake up early. It's obvious that I need to get in bed earlier but I love to catch up on the news at night which means being on the internet. Then, I keep reading one more article.... I have to be in bed by 11;00. It's harder than resisting sweets for me!  I consistently get about 6 1/2 hours sleep I think.

 

I really want a new tracker that tracks steps and sleep so I can see what my actual sleep looks like but the Fitbit is not for me. (I had one, loved it, but the constant recharging, breaking parts, etc. eventually wore me down.) I have a HR monitor already so I just need basic sleep and step tracking. Any recommendations? 

[mamaraby]

Laurie - we got the kids a Garmin Vivofit 3 this holiday season. It tracks steps and sleep. The battery lasts a year and then you can replace it (the device uses a CR1632).

[hornblower]

HI, I'm just joining this thread as fitness is the about the only concrete thing I can do about the cancer in between treatments.... 

I got a Fitbit Charge2 almost 2 weeks ago. I haven't had any problems with it yet but then it's hard to have problems in 10 days LOL

I love the sleep tracking option. It's been cool to see the graphs it generates for deep, light, rem sleep & how many times I wake up.  

 

I went to my new restorative yoga class for the first time today. (I've done it before but not here with this instructor). It was nice and I walked there & back & still have one more dog walk tonight before bed. 

[Amira]

I sprained my foot yesterday which is incredibly frustrating since I have a very limited time when I can get outside in this climate. I can still do some exercise at home, but I hope it doesn’t last too long. My foot is more swollen today though, so I don’t think it will heal as quickly as I want it to.

 

Suggestions for exercise that can be done with a sprained foot?

[Soror]

The good-

 

I'm past my hormonal yuckiness. It was just as horrible as last month but I've made it through. I didn't exercise as much as I'd hoped but I kept with my lifting schedule. The weather didn't really help with the walking either, cold is fine, light rain is fine but cold and raining, not so much. Food hasn't been as good the last few days but it hasn't certainly been much worse.

 

Our schedule is much better today as well, Monday we had Math class at 12, then Tues and Wed dentist/ortho appts at 2, that made it very hard to squeeze our all schooling in (in fact we didn't get it all done- we'll have to catch up on Science Fri). BUT we got the most of it done and kept up with the house and meals (it's always a transition to get back in the swing of things after a break, especially so with appts thrown in there too).

 

 

And I slept last night, exhaustion and melatonin FTW! 

 

Tonight is weightlifting and I will at least get a mile walk in today, maybe outside, the temp is nice but we've got a good chance of rain and I don't know how bad it is going to get.

 

The bad-

 

My weight has went up 3 lbs in the last week. My eating has not been that bad so it has to be hormonal stuff I guess. It was steadily going down and BAM up. My body is annoying me.

[PinkTulip]

I rowed hard yesterday - did my 10,000 meters about 5 minutes faster than my usual pace. It felt good so I just kept it up. My food was totally on point, too. But last night I threw up and still feel yucky this morning so I'm giving myself permission to lay on the couch and watch movies for the majority of the day.

[wintermom]

I sprained my foot yesterday which is incredibly frustrating since I have a very limited time when I can get outside in this climate. I can still do some exercise at home, but I hope it doesn’t last too long. My foot is more swollen today though, so I don’t think it will heal as quickly as I want it to.

 

Suggestions for exercise that can be done with a sprained foot?

 

Have your been doing RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen) with your foot? That usually helps with pain and swelling. You may need to visit the dr to ensure it's not a broken bone or ligament damage. 

 

Exercise you can do, depending on your pain level, is core work, upper body, non-effected leg and part of leg, swimming, perhaps wheelchair tennis. ;) Basically anything that doesn't hurt the foot.  

Edited January 11, 2018 by wintermom

[Greta]

 

 

I really want a new tracker that tracks steps and sleep so I can see what my actual sleep looks like but the Fitbit is not for me. (I had one, loved it, but the constant recharging, breaking parts, etc. eventually wore me down.) I have a HR monitor already so I just need basic sleep and step tracking. Any recommendations? 

 

 

 

I'd suggest checking out Misfit.  I've been very happy with my purchases from them, and my interactions with customer support.  The batteries are replaceable, so no recharging.  The Flash is the least expensive device that would do what you're looking for.  But it's plastic and not water-proof.  The Shine is metal and water proof, and it's on sale (clearance?) for a steal right now, so I'd go with it, personally.  I paid almost $100 for mine when they first came out, so for $20, I wouldn't hesitate!  It uses a common button battery that's available anywhere.

 

What I'm using right now is the Ray.  I bought it because I wanted the feature that allows you to set inactivity alerts - if you've been sitting still for half an hour, or whatever length of time you choose, it will buzz to remind you to get up and move about a bit.  I like it but it uses a less common battery size that is impossible for me to find locally, and has to be ordered online.  It requires three of them at a time, and they're a bit more expensive than the battery for the Shine, so that's my one and only caveat regarding it.

 

I would love to have one of their new smartwatches, but that's not in my budget right now.  So those are the only three devices that I have personal experience with, and I liked them all.  Unless you particularly want the inactivity alerts, I'd say you can't go wrong with a Shine for twenty bucks.   

[Lady Florida.]

Ugh. I have strep. It seems like every time I get on a good exercise schedule something stops me in my tracks. I've had a mild sore throat for about a week but no other symptoms, so I put it down to allergies. Last night it hit hard all of a sudden. I couldn't sleep because my throat was so sore and swollen. Went to the doctor this morning and I have antibiotics which should knock it out pretty quickly.

 

In the meantime there's an under the weather workout video I use for times like this. I did it this morning after I came back from seeing the doctor, and will continue it until I feel better. At least that way I'll 1. keep moving, and 2. not lose my momentum by dropping exercise altogether.

[mamaraby]

My 4mile run yesterday ended up on the treadmill because that’s where dh wanted to run and I wanted to go with him. Today is our first day back to school for the semester so I contemplated taking a rest day, but there was a break in the rain so I ran 4.3 miles outside today. When I got back, the kids and I took the dog on the walk to the post office to mail a card. It’s going to get much colder so I’m glad we all got outside today.

[Laurie4b]

I'd suggest checking out Misfit.  I've been very happy with my purchases from them, and my interactions with customer support.  The batteries are replaceable, so no recharging.  The Flash is the least expensive device that would do what you're looking for.  But it's plastic and not water-proof.  The Shine is metal and water proof, and it's on sale (clearance?) for a steal right now, so I'd go with it, personally.  I paid almost $100 for mine when they first came out, so for $20, I wouldn't hesitate!  It uses a common button battery that's available anywhere.

 

What I'm using right now is the Ray.  I bought it because I wanted the feature that allows you to set inactivity alerts - if you've been sitting still for half an hour, or whatever length of time you choose, it will buzz to remind you to get up and move about a bit.  I like it but it uses a less common battery size that is impossible for me to find locally, and has to be ordered online.  It requires three of them at a time, and they're a bit more expensive than the battery for the Shine, so that's my one and only caveat regarding it.

 

I would love to have one of their new smartwatches, but that's not in my budget right now.  So those are the only three devices that I have personal experience with, and I liked them all.  Unless you particularly want the inactivity alerts, I'd say you can't go wrong with a Shine for twenty bucks.   

 

Thanks, Greta. I looked on Amazon and the only shines that were under $25 had a blue face or a green face. Is there somewhere else I should look? I like blue and green but want the tracker to not call attention to itself, KWIM?  Is the alarm for not moving a vibration or a tone? If a tone, would other people hear it? Can you turn it off  for instance if going into a movie theater? Do you have to tell it that you're going to sleep or does it figure it out itself? 

 

Can you tell me what you can see by looking down at the Ray? I looked at that but couldn't tell whether there is any way you get a sense of your progress. Is the alarm for not moving a vibration or a tone? If a tone, would other people hear it? Can you turn it off  for instance if going into a movie theater? Is it waterproof?  Do you have to tell it that you're going to sleep or does it figure it out itself? 

 

 

[Laurie4b]

Laurie - we got the kids a Garmin Vivofit 3 this holiday season. It tracks steps and sleep. The battery lasts a year and then you can replace it (the device uses a CR1632).

 

How are they liking it? Is the alarm for not moving a vibration or a tone? If a tone, would other people hear it? Can you turn it off  for instance if going into a movie theater? Do you have to tell it that you're going to sleep or does it figure it out itself? Thanks very much for any info!