Well-Trained Bodies- September

[Laura Corin]

5 hours ago, wintermom said:

The bike ride was good and the fall colours beautiful. There must be some weird allergens in the air now, because I could feel my allergy-induced asthma kicking while biking fast. I'll have to take my puffer before I play tennis tomorrow. I've been so good with my allergies thus far, which is really nice. 

Here's a photo of the fall colours at the bay. 

 

Lovely picture!

[Soror]

11 hours ago, wintermom said:

The bike ride was good and the fall colours beautiful. There must be some weird allergens in the air now, because I could feel my allergy-induced asthma kicking while biking fast. I'll have to take my puffer before I play tennis tomorrow. I've been so good with my allergies thus far, which is really nice. 

Here's a photo of the fall colours at the bay. 

 

Beautiful! We don't have those colors here yet.

20 hours ago, Ali in OR said:

Found a great Saturday morning yoga (with Adriene) that I saved to my yoga playlist--Morning Fresh. Sipping my mocha and catching up here before I get dd up (she's already humming).

Our air purifier arrived. We talked about getting one this summer, wondering if it would help with Covid. I thought that if I was working in the school building with kids sometimes, I would want one there. Dh had thought about getting one before to see if it would help with his allergies--we do have a filter on the AC system for the whole house, but it's not a hepa filter. But then what finally tipped the decision to get one was the smell of smoke in the house during our hazardous air days with the wildfires. That's when we ordered it and it just arrived. I think it will take awhile before we notice if it helps with anything (outdoor air quality is fine at the moment). March is usually a bad month for dh allergy-wise; we'll see if it's any better this year. We put it in our bedroom, and I think the white noise does help me sleep, but it's pretty quiet.

Still waiting. There is extreme budget pressure--300 fewer students in the district this year (money from state is allocated by number of students). Next year's budget could be worse--this year the state legislature is keeping funding levels the same as last year. My principal fights for us at the district level; he says they seem to be trying to balance the budget by scrutinizing EA's which is stupid because our pay is the lowest. We seem to be top heavy to me--we added a 4th administrative position at each high school just last year, and I'm sure one vice principal is worth 5 EA's salary-wise. And we're not in building, not doing sports--I'm not sure what they're all doing to fill their time. But I'm plenty busy.

Lots of chores and projects to try to get done this weekend. And enjoy some time off. And finish the month strong eating-wise. Have a great weekend everyone.

Sadly, typical, and so frustrating. 

22 hours ago, wintermom said:

So sorry your feeling this bad. The hopeful thing is that the allergist will be able to offer some good suggestions to help improve your quality of life. The weird thing with allergies is that some years/seasons are much worse than others. There are so many factors involved, between environment and our own body.

Just be thankful you don't live in my city. One health advisor wants to fine people $5000 if you leave your home and you show any of the covid symptoms. That includes runny nose, sneezing, and fatigue. I'd be sunk, as would most people in cold climates. You just have to stand outside and your nose starts running. 🥶

I know, it is another reason to address it, now it is not a good time to have allergy symptoms. Last fall  was camping most weekends and it was absolutely horrible on my allergies. Being outside for a whole weekend in the middle of the forest, since we have less going on I've been able to limit my time and that is helping, I'd like to be able to be out more though.

[Soror]

We ended up having a quiet day. We have been reading a book series and spent a good chunk of the day with my reading aloud the final book (I read over 300 pages!). 

I finished my last workout of "The Prep", 24 workouts over 4 weeks. 4 of those were stretching. 2 were straight cardio, the other 18 were strength work, some with cardio mixed in. In addition I did a couple of kickboxing workouts and a couple of yoga workouts. 

I'm taking an easy week this week before I start in on "The Work", I've got some elbow soreness I want to ease up and want some recover time before I hit it hard core (and hopefully when I start back I'll have a better plan for allergies and be feeling better). 

This week's plan:

Mon-Fr am workout- yoga M/W/F - T/Th kickboxing; walking and bike rides

No clue what I'm doing today. Washing my bed clothes. I did all the other laundry Friday, there might be enough for 1 small load. 

b: I think baked apples& pecans w/ some oatmeal; 

l: red beans w/ chicken andoille and a big pile of cooked spinach; chickpea blondie

d: maybe curry? dh is craving some although 2/4 children don't care for it

 

[wintermom]

25 minutes ago, soror said:

We ended up having a quiet day. We have been reading a book series and spent a good chunk of the day with my reading aloud the final book (I read over 300 pages!). 

I finished my last workout of "The Prep", 24 workouts over 4 weeks. 4 of those were stretching. 2 were straight cardio, the other 18 were strength work, some with cardio mixed in. In addition I did a couple of kickboxing workouts and a couple of yoga workouts. 

I'm taking an easy week this week before I start in on "The Work", I've got some elbow soreness I want to ease up and want some recover time before I hit it hard core (and hopefully when I start back I'll have a better plan for allergies and be feeling better). 

This week's plan:

Mon-Fr am workout- yoga M/W/F - T/Th kickboxing; walking and bike rides

No clue what I'm doing today. Washing my bed clothes. I did all the other laundry Friday, there might be enough for 1 small load. 

b: I think baked apples& pecans w/ some oatmeal; 

l: red beans w/ chicken andoille and a big pile of cooked spinach; chickpea blondie

d: maybe curry? dh is craving some although 2/4 children don't care for it

 

I miss read-alouds! I think I'll start doing them with ds again. Or maybe some audio books. 

Re allergies: How is your indoor environment, where you have more control of reducing allergens? Is there more you can do to improve things. This may give your body the ability to handle the outdoor allergens better. In the bedroom, especially.  Once the cats and shedding dog were out of the house, I moved the book shelves out of our bedroom, and we went to all carpet, my dh and my allergies improved a lot.

Your work-outs sound like a great mix of stretching, strength and cardio! Great job. Excellent to listen to your body and let sore part rest and recover. 

 

 

[wintermom]

I'm going for my bike ride to the bay this morning. There's tennis scheduled for this afternoon. Should be a great day!

I'm applying for 2 different jobs and I've been super busy writing cover letters and resumes. I have to remember to get up and stretch/move around more often. One job is in the field of research and program evaluation, which is what I'm taking in grad school and what I've been working at recently. 

The other job is a complete spur of the moment thing. Our local catholic school board is crying out for occasional teachers to step in with the teacher shortage. I'm a certified teacher, but have been homeschooling for 16 years rather than teaching in a school classroom. I just feel this pull to offer my services in their time of need. 

We'll see what happens, and whether I get an offer on either of them. 

[wintermom]

I had a really nice bike ride, then came home and did some French reading with my 7 year old neighbour girl. She reads to me every week to practice her French. So today we did about 20 minutes and after she left I was EXHAUSTED. I think I'm going to have to re-think applying to be a teacher. I'm far too much of an introvert now, and I'm much older than when I taught school before kids. I'd never survive. 😄

[Laura Corin]

Slept badly for the second night in a row.  This time I  woke up with a nightmare. 

It was a glorious chilly morning  so we headed for the reservoir. Really disappointed to see blue green algae. It's been cold but sunny,  so the water margins must have warmed up. So just came home and drank tea in the garden. We went out to a good restaurant to celebrate Husband's birthday. It's not my favourite food - really rich - but it's  what he wanted.  Managed a dog walk before supper. Can't wait for bedtime. 

[FarmingMomma]

Day 48 of 80 day obsession: leg day.  It really burns out my leg muscles but is one of my favorite workouts

[Matryoshka]

I went kayaking today for the first time!  With my brother, who owns the kayaks; he finally got two.  😄   It was a lovely day, lots of people on the river!  As I suspected, I have a hard time thinking of that as 'exercise', it's more like a floating lawn chair, lol.  But lovely and relaxing!   Db took some pics!

The bridge in front of me is where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought.   And thought I'd throw in some Canada Geese...  A lot of the leaves are starting to turn here, but I notice not where these pics were taken...

 

[Laura Corin]

39 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

I went kayaking today for the first time!  With my brother, who owns the kayaks; he finally got two.  😄   It was a lovely day, lots of people on the river!  As I suspected, I have a hard time thinking of that as 'exercise', it's more like a floating lawn chair, lol.  But lovely and relaxing!   Db took some pics!

The bridge in front of me is where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought.   And thought I'd throw in some Canada Geese...  A lot of the leaves are starting to turn here, but I notice not where these pics were taken...

 

Great pictures. I want your biceps.

[wintermom]

Dh and I played mixed doubles tennis with friends this evening. I didn't play well and was quite frustrated during the game. Our friends invited us over from drinks in the backyard afterwards and that was very fun. 

I'm playing tennis again early tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll play better then. 

@Laura Corin Happy birthday to your dh! Hope the algae disappears and you can swim again soon. 

[Matryoshka]

3 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Great pictures. I want your biceps.

Lol, thanks. I gain my weight all over and had really fat arms before I lost the weight. I am unreasonably giddy about having some definition in my arms! 😂

Speaking of water sports and fat arms, found some old pics a friend sent of me rowing; these are a few years old, when I was almost 40 lbs heavier...

[Soror]

@MatryoshkaNice pic! I was going to say I want the triceps, nice definition there! I had you pictured with black hair for some reason

I woke up in the night and just as I was finally falling back asleep dd2 came in with a nightmare. She is impossible to sleep with. I nearly fell asleep and she elbowed the back of my head. Finally got another hour of sleep and she hit me again. I finally gave up it was 4:45 and I had to be up at 5 anyway. Long day. 5.5 hrs of broken sleep is not enough.

Yesterday I got in a short walk with dh and bike ride with the girls.

Today- yoga, a walk if I recover some energy and get a nap. 

b: oats w/ some fruit and ?

l: red beans w/ chx sausage and spinach

d: marinara w/ roasted vegs

[wintermom]

@Matryoshka Great photos! Kayaking can be 'exercise' is you aren't sight-seeing at the same time, and/or if there is wind and waves. 😉  I love the 'floating lawn chair' aspect of being on the water. Glad you had a good time.

@Laura Corin Sorry your sleep hasn't been great. Hope you get some good rest tonight. My sleep has also be pretty bad. Last night I had a couple glasses of wine and my sleep was amazing. I wasn't expecting that, as sleep is usually not good after alcohol.

@soror Sorry about your sleep being messed up. Glad you had a nice walk and bike ride.

@FarmingMomma Great job with the leg work-out! Muscle burn in the legs is somehow very satisfying (as long as there is no joint pain). How many days per week are you doing this program?

Tennis was really great this morning. I played better than yesterday, but the weather was also much better (no wind this morning). I'll try to get outdoors a lot today as the weather is supposed to turn wet and colder tomorrow and the rest of the week.

[Matryoshka]

5 hours ago, soror said:

@MatryoshkaNice pic! I was going to say I want the triceps, nice definition there! I had you pictured with black hair for some reason

LOL, in those pics I have on a black hat with my hair in a ponytail, so I don't think my hair is visible - but your powers of intuition are strong - I think of my hair as very dark brown, but most people tell me it's black...  It has some reddish highlights in bright sun, but there are some strands of white highlighting it now too...

[Ali in OR]

Right there with you on sleep, @soror. My watch is getting wonky and I don't think it's just the battery.  Some days it's fine and some days it loses a lot of time. So when I thought it was 9:40 last night it was already 10:08. We watched Master Chef way too late, so I had trouble falling asleep. Dh fell asleep before me and then started snoring. Anyway, not enough sleep here either.

Youtube was not up at 6:20 this morning. I'm on a tight schedule, so it doesn't help if they get it up and running 10 minutes later. So I did my Tuesday workout--bodyweight circuit, then youtube was back for Sunrise Yoga with Adriene.

We're supposed to have temps in the 80's all week. I put on my capri slim fit jeans that last May I decided were a size too small and they're fitting better today! Just 2-3 pounds makes a difference.

[Matryoshka]

19 minutes ago, wintermom said:

@Matryoshka Great photos! Kayaking can be 'exercise' is you aren't sight-seeing at the same time, and/or if there is wind and waves. 😉  I love the 'floating lawn chair' aspect of being on the water. Glad you had a good time.

Yeah, if I were shooting the rapids or ocean kayaking, it would be different!  Quiet river kayaking, otoh...  if I did the kayak version of a power walk, maybe, but my novice steering skills would likely put myself and other boaters in jeopardy if I tried to put on speed!  As it was, db and I almost bonked boats a few times.  As a rower, I find it perplexing that my lower body is just sitting there doing nothing, lol!  When I row, my legs are actually doing the bulk of the work...

ETA: Not that I didn't enjoy the floating lawn chair aspect of it!  It was quite a nice outing.  Just seems a bit dishonest to call that exercise.  Though I think I'm going to log it anyway, 'cause looks like my cycle is back and I think I want to take today off...

Edited September 28, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Matryoshka]

@soror and @Ali in OR, my sleeps been stinky too, though it's likely much my own fault.  I got into some bad habits this summer when I had no reason to be up in the morning.  Now I have to be up before 9 a couple of days (I know you're all laughing now...), and from W-Su dh had to be up at 6 and I had trouble getting back to sleep.  It would help if I started going to bed earlier, but that's the bad habit I have to break...

My Fitbit is still being wonky.  Some days it's good and some days it's nuts, and it only manages to track my sleep properly maybe once a week.  I don't think it's actually my hr because I don't feel like my hr is racing, and besides I have another hr monitor that says all is fine.  And it also doesn't explain why it turned itself off and even after I turned it back on skipped a whole day of monitoring anything, and mostly can't figure out sleep anymore. I think I need a new one.  Which is stupid because although it's an old model, it's not that old... less than 2 yrs...

[Soror]

51 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

LOL, in those pics I have on a black hat with my hair in a ponytail, so I don't think my hair is visible - but your powers of intuition are strong - I think of my hair as very dark brown, but most people tell me it's black...  It has some reddish highlights in bright sun, but there are some strands of white highlighting it now too...

Lol. I'm seeing things I guess. I thought I saw blonde hair!

[Matryoshka]

22 minutes ago, soror said:

Lol. I'm seeing things I guess. I thought I saw blonde hair!

LOL.  Verymuch not blonde.  Were you looking at the lady behind me?  For some reason in both pics I'm in hot pink... More like a Snow White coloring going on over here.  I've got my dad's coloring - he's still got about 80% almost-black hair at over 80, so I sure hope my graying (or more like whitening - my hair apparently doesn't do things half-way) goes at that rate too, 'cause I'm too lazy to color my hair...

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, Matryoshka said:

LOL.  Verymuch not blonde.  Were you looking at the lady behind me?  For some reason in both pics I'm in hot pink... More like a Snow White coloring going on over here.  I've got my dad's coloring - he's still got about 80% almost-black hair at over 80, so I sure hope my graying (or more like whitening - my hair apparently doesn't do things half-way) goes at that rate too, 'cause I'm too lazy to color my hair...

I have my dad's dark hair too. It goes a good steel grey, so I'm going with that.  I just buzzed my hair again so the grey is looking neat at least. 

So, your arm definition - is that just from rowing?

[Matryoshka]

11 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

I have my dad's dark hair too. It goes a good steel grey, so I'm going with that.  I just buzzed my hair again so the grey is looking neat at least. 

Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get that steel-gray look (which I think can look really good!).  I don't have any 'gray' hairs - just white ones and almost black ones.  Which makes the white ones really easy to find - they're sparkly!  I may pluck some of the more obvious ones, but that's obviously not a long-term solution, lol!  My dad seems to have mostly gone more white around the temples with some random white hairs mixed in in back - that looks to be the pattern I am emulating...

Quote

So, your arm definition - is that just from rowing?

Maybe partly, but probably much more from all the strength training that's part of the OT workouts - and I like to go heavy.  A lot of arm stuff I'm doing 15-20lbs (depending on #reps and the particular exercise), leg stuff 20-25 - I was going even heavier on leg stuff at the gym, but my at-home weights don't go any higher (it's a reason I'm thinking of getting a couple of heavier kettlebells.  I would have already but they are $$ 😒).

I was extra motivated to tone up my arms because I really do carry a lot of weight in my arms (like that's where things won't fit me first) and I was sooo tired of flappy arms (didn't you have a cute name for those, like bingo wings? 😂).  

Edited September 28, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Soror]

Walk at the park in town. 

[Soror]

2 hours ago, Dreamergal said:

Thanks for this !

I have envied two women's biceps in my entire life. First was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. I remember being mesmerized by it as a child, second Michelle Obama, now you.

I shall also say with certainty I see a Kayak in my future. 

I remember Semi Moore from GI Jane, that is still the ideal female badass in my head. 

4 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

LOL.  Verymuch not blonde.  Were you looking at the lady behind me?  For some reason in both pics I'm in hot pink... More like a Snow White coloring going on over here.  I've got my dad's coloring - he's still got about 80% almost-black hair at over 80, so I sure hope my graying (or more like whitening - my hair apparently doesn't do things half-way) goes at that rate too, 'cause I'm too lazy to color my hair...

I'm looking at the right person, just seeing things!

__----_--------

My goal has been back and shoulders definition. It is coming but takes a lot of time and dedication. I like to wear tanks to show off my work but would still like more size and definition. I need to be leaner though and that is really a lot of work, and evidently my desire doesn't quite match my dedication level. 

[Matryoshka]

1 minute ago, soror said:

I remember Semi Moore from GI Jane, that is still the ideal female badass in my head. 

I'm looking at the right person, just seeing things!

__----_--------

My goal has been back and shoulders definition. It is coming but takes a lot of time and dedication. I like to wear tanks to show off my work but would still like more size and definition. I need to be leaner though and that is really a lot of work, and evidently my desire doesn't quite match my dedication level. 

Aren't you in the low 120s already?  How much leaner do you have to get?  

I have decent back definition at this point, I've also now started liking wearing tanks - used to be I would never, ever, ever wear anything sleeveless!

I would love a bit more ab tightening.  I've got just a smidge of definition, but it's still covered by some squidgey fat, lol.  I just saw some Latin Dance based workouts advertised that caught my eye - both because I've always wanted to learn Latin Dance moves (the coach is a retired professional Latin Dancer, so it's real technique taught), it sounds fun, and because there are like a zillion testimonials from women who all now have fabulous abs!  Figure can't hurt, and would be fun to add into the mix.  And wiggling my tush around that much has got to help keep my spine flexible!  Those are moves I am definitely not currently doing...

[Laura Corin]

32 minutes ago, soror said:

I remember Semi Moore from GI Jane, that is still the ideal female badass in my head. 

I'm looking at the right person, just seeing things!

__----_--------

My goal has been back and shoulders definition. It is coming but takes a lot of time and dedication. I like to wear tanks to show off my work but would still like more size and definition. I need to be leaner though and that is really a lot of work, and evidently my desire doesn't quite match my dedication level. 

You're very slim already. 

I don't find that I stick with weights work.  I do it for a bit, then I  don't. I do lots of bodyweight exercises and feel pretty strong, but I'm clearly not working right to make for beautiful arms. Oh well.

----   

Slept better. Didn't have time to walk at lunchtime  so did an Adriene lower body conditioning session, then what turned out to be quite an intense short core practice.  I was a bit wobbly by the end of all that.

Baked apple egg oatmeal. Mushroom chickpea soup and half an avocado.  Aubergine with Italian sausage pasta sauce. Low fat cheese, nuts, apples.  Water. Tea.

[Matryoshka]

19 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

I don't find that I stick with weights work.  I do it for a bit, then I  don't. I do lots of bodyweight exercises and feel pretty strong, but I'm clearly not working right to make for beautiful arms. Oh well.

I bought this weight set something like a decade or more ago, when I got the Beachbody DVDs and had all kinds of good intentions - never used them once until the pandemic lockdown.  🙄

What got me started was the Orangetheory.  I always felt like I wanted to do weight work, but also couldn't seem to get started, no less stick with it.  What I've found is if I'm going to do it at all, I do like to go heavy.  Light weights and many reps is much more boring, lol.  There's something very satisfying to me about the heavier weights.  The OT workouts include both bodyweight stuff and with weights.  I admit I tend to pick ones from the website that have more weight work, esp. since I'm not doing them as often as when I went to the actual gym - but there's always some bodyweight, core, and cardio mixed in.  I have also always admired female arms that have some definition, and since mine were always sausages, that was definitely a goal!

I'd also love some good Bosu workouts, or ones that incorporate the Bosu, again just to mix things up.  I've loved using that thing at the gym (we also used one in Pilates classes), and I have one at home, but I've never even inflated it.

[FarmingMomma]

Was busy with cows today and didn't end up with enough time to do an hour-long workout, so I went for a run with the dogs while the soup for supper simmered on the stove.  Only 1.6 miles, but I ran 1.4 miles without stopping, so not too bad.  Plus I got plenty of walking in today with the cows 🙂 

[Soror]

13 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

Aren't you in the low 120s already?  How much leaner do you have to get?  

I have decent back definition at this point, I've also now started liking wearing tanks - used to be I would never, ever, ever wear anything sleeveless!

I would love a bit more ab tightening.  I've got just a smidge of definition, but it's still covered by some squidgey fat, lol.  I just saw some Latin Dance based workouts advertised that caught my eye - both because I've always wanted to learn Latin Dance moves (the coach is a retired professional Latin Dancer, so it's real technique taught), it sounds fun, and because there are like a zillion testimonials from women who all now have fabulous abs!  Figure can't hurt, and would be fun to add into the mix.  And wiggling my tush around that much has got to help keep my spine flexible!  Those are moves I am definitely not currently doing...

Ya, I am. I think maybe I should have double checked what I wrote. Aesthetically I wouldn't mind being leaner, I see some ladies with some more definition and wouldn't mind that at all. It is of course more work and dedication than I've been willing to do. I like to have treats and wiggle room in my diet. My abs are pretty strong now but my skin around is another story, I got huge with my first and it never has been the same.

I did a few dance classes and had fun with them but had a hard time working it into my schedule.

13 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

You're very slim already. 

I don't find that I stick with weights work.  I do it for a bit, then I  don't. I do lots of bodyweight exercises and feel pretty strong, but I'm clearly not working right to make for beautiful arms. Oh well.

----   

Slept better. Didn't have time to walk at lunchtime  so did an Adriene lower body conditioning session, then what turned out to be quite an intense short core practice.  I was a bit wobbly by the end of all that.

Baked apple egg oatmeal. Mushroom chickpea soup and half an avocado.  Aubergine with Italian sausage pasta sauce. Low fat cheese, nuts, apples.  Water. Tea.

How did you make your oatmeal? I made a bit of one yesterday but it was pretty simple. I wanted to put some egg in for protein but had 1 on the side. Your dinner was similar to mine except I had zucchini. I got an eggplant but not enough time to make it.

12 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

I bought this weight set something like a decade or more ago, when I got the Beachbody DVDs and had all kinds of good intentions - never used them once until the pandemic lockdown.  🙄

What got me started was the Orangetheory.  I always felt like I wanted to do weight work, but also couldn't seem to get started, no less stick with it.  What I've found is if I'm going to do it at all, I do like to go heavy.  Light weights and many reps is much more boring, lol.  There's something very satisfying to me about the heavier weights.  The OT workouts include both bodyweight stuff and with weights.  I admit I tend to pick ones from the website that have more weight work, esp. since I'm not doing them as often as when I went to the actual gym - but there's always some bodyweight, core, and cardio mixed in.  I have also always admired female arms that have some definition, and since mine were always sausages, that was definitely a goal!

I'd also love some good Bosu workouts, or ones that incorporate the Bosu, again just to mix things up.  I've loved using that thing at the gym (we also used one in Pilates classes), and I have one at home, but I've never even inflated it.

I loved lifting heavy at the gym too. It makes me feel like a badass. I don't have a lot of weights at home(5, 10, 15 and 26# KB) and my current workout does higher reps for many things so I can't do as heavy anyway. It does have challenge though w/ pullup and pushup variation.

7 hours ago, FarmingMomma said:

Was busy with cows today and didn't end up with enough time to do an hour-long workout, so I went for a run with the dogs while the soup for supper simmered on the stove.  Only 1.6 miles, but I ran 1.4 miles without stopping, so not too bad.  Plus I got plenty of walking in today with the cows 🙂 

Great job with the run. I'm sure the cows were plenty of work!

[Soror]

Today is d-day--Allergist!!!!! Keep all your fingers crossed for some answers and help for me.

I got in a walk yesterday in addition to my short am yoga.

Today is kickboxing (done), probably not much else w/ schooling the girls and the 4 hr round trip to the allergist.

Weight was 122 today. Not sure if I'm losing weight or shifting down more due to the lack of soreness.

b: oats, banana, cocoa nibs; greek yogurt+ blueberries

l: red beans and chx saus spinach

d: chicken chili I think (need to cook before I go and will be tight on time)

[Laura Corin]

@soror I hope that allergist appointment goes well.

The oatmeal was based on this recipe but I reduced the oats and liquid to make it more eggy.  It made the texture a bit more custardy, but it was still good.  I also left out the raisins and nuts, and used stewed cooking apple (because I am drowning in cooking apples at present) :

https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/apple-cinnamon-baked-oatmeal/

Today is Husband's birthday, so no time to walk at lunchtime because I was out getting his cake.

Plain porridge, stewed apple, zero fat high protein yoghurt.  Bean soup with mushrooms and more yoghurt.  Roast chicken with green beans and roasted celeriac.

[Ali in OR]

Did my dumbbell workout today. Changed one more set of exercise from 3 lb to 5lb weights. There is just one set left that I'm using the 3 lbs for, but it's back-to-back with the one I just changed today and they both work left shoulder, so I'll stick to 3's a little longer for that one.

87° today! And I'll be sitting at a computer for most of it.

[wintermom]

It was a really nice rest day for exercise. Ds 14 and I took the dog for a long walk, and I'll go do my stretch and strength exercises now. It was cool and overcast today, and very pleasant to walk in compared to yesterday's super sunny and humid. It got up to 27C with humidity, which is crazy hot for the end of September in the Great White North! No complaints here, though. 😉

I finished up my 2 job applications and submitted them. Now I wait and see what happens, if anything. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by wintermom

[wintermom]

10 hours ago, soror said:

Today is d-day--Allergist!!!!! Keep all your fingers crossed for some answers and help for me.

I got in a walk yesterday in addition to my short am yoga.

Today is kickboxing (done), probably not much else w/ schooling the girls and the 4 hr round trip to the allergist.

Weight was 122 today. Not sure if I'm losing weight or shifting down more due to the lack of soreness.

b: oats, banana, cocoa nibs; greek yogurt+ blueberries

l: red beans and chx saus spinach

d: chicken chili I think (need to cook before I go and will be tight on time)

Hope you get a lot of good information at the allergist. 

[FarmingMomma]

Day 49 of 80 day obsession: AAA (arms, abs, and a##).  Also a one mile run with one of the dogs.  It's finally cool enough that the mosquitoes are gone, so that makes running a lot more pleasant! 

[Laura Corin]

@wintermom good luck with the job applications.

@Dreamergal batwings is fun.  I have heard bingo wings here. 

I actually decided I was being hard on myself.  When I actually look at my arms, I have decent definition and not much wobble.  I think I'm remembering how they looked two years ago, when I was 7 kilos heavier and a lot less strong.  I did decide anyway that I could use the five minutes several times a day when I'm waiting for tea to brew to work on my arms.  I thought I'd do the traditional exercises with tins/cans in the kitchen option, and it was much too easy.  So that was nice.  I'll shelve my lightest weights in the kitchen for next time and work up to a decent five-minute weight.

Today: yoga at lunchtime, walk in the rain after work.

Plain porridge, stewed apple and yoghurt; chicken and celeriac; mackerel and collard greens.  Cheese, nuts, apples, veg.  Tea, water.

[Soror]

Well, I'm allergic to lots of molds, some grasses, and trees. He told me to try OTC antihistamine and nasal spray(what I've been doing except the nasal spray didn't work well for me and he said there is no other option- they only do other sprays on top of that not instead of- which very much annoyed me) and if those don't work well enough they have stronger prescriptions. My breathing tested fine there but of course I don't have an issue all the time and I've been really limiting outdoor time for the last week. He said I could come back when I'm having an issue or take an inhaler to trial to see how it works, since it is 2 hrs away I took the inhaler and I'll bring it with me when exercising outside. He did say when I'm working outside a mask, googles, and bandana for my hair would be good and to wash right away. He said for inside the house the biggest issue is keeping the windows closed. We don't have any carpet. Then there is the option for allergy shots but those take years. I don't know what to think right now. he did not test food, said my symptoms didn't line up for that.

Slept much better last night. Yoga done. Bike ride planned.

b: oats, banana, pb; bacon + egg

l: leftover stew w/ extra veggies; chickpea blondie

s: apple; 

d: homemade pizza I think- dd2 is cooking- have to make a menu today I'm a day behind

[Laura Corin]

@soror I'm sorry you have a bunch of allergies to deal with, but I hope that having some answers is helpful.

What recipe do you use for your chickpea blondies?  I was thinking that that sounded like a fun alternative breakfast idea.

It turned out that Husband had pulled out my lightest weights, and I don't want to discourage him by moving them.  So I now have my second size, 4 pound weights on the kitchen shelf.  That's an easy five-minute add in, I think.  I'll probably just do it once a day.

My legs are finally loosened up after my lower-body conditioning two days ago.  I made the mistake of resting when I got sore instead of stretching.  After this lunchtime's yoga, I feel much better.

[wintermom]

@soror  Sounds like you got some really good news, good information, potentially helpful meds, and it was productive visit. I think part of the reason there is no 'quick fix' is that the allergies are not 'that bad' (relatively speaking), and also because there really is no 'quick fix' with allergies. You're in a similar position to me, though you're fortunate not to have oral allergies related to the tree allergies. You're also in an excellent situation where you don't have carpet throughout your home. And hey, if you didn't come home with a prescription for an epi-pen, then it was a fantastic day! 😉   Living with the potential for anaphylactic shock hanging over your head and having to remember an epi-pen is not great.

Edited September 30, 2020 by wintermom

[wintermom]

My early morning tennis got rained out, which was sad, but the extra sleep was fantastic! The rain has cleared up, too, so ds and I are going to go for a hike. 

I've added in some kickboxing into my quasi-yoga routine. That's an interesting mix of emotions! 😄 

[Soror]

And ds just tested positive for COVID. He was napping when I got home, when I woke him up he looked horrible 103.3 temp. Took him to health dept today, positive. He is my careful always masking kid too. We're all on quarantine now. Trying to get dd1 tested as it seems more likely she got it and passed it to him as she isn't careful. Fingers and toes crossed we stay healthy. He has a bedroom in the basement and there is a bathroom so we can isolate him.

Edited September 30, 2020 by soror

[Laura Corin]

Just now, soror said:

And ds just tested positive for COVID. He was napping when I got home, when I woke him up he looked horrible 103.3 temp. Took him to health dept today, positive. He is my careful always masking kid too. Were all on quarantine now.

Oh no.  I'm sorry.  I hope you are able to keep him comfortable and keep all of you safe.

[wintermom]

48 minutes ago, soror said:

And ds just tested positive for COVID. He was napping when I got home, when I woke him up he looked horrible 103.3 temp. Took him to health dept today, positive. He is my careful always masking kid too. We're all on quarantine now. Trying to get dd1 tested as it seems more likely she got it and passed it to him as she isn't careful. Fingers and toes crossed we stay healthy. He has a bedroom in the basement and there is a bathroom so we can isolate him.

That's too bad. Really hope it does spread through your family. Big hugs to you all!

[Ali in OR]

8 hours ago, soror said:

And ds just tested positive for COVID. He was napping when I got home, when I woke him up he looked horrible 103.3 temp. Took him to health dept today, positive. He is my careful always masking kid too. We're all on quarantine now. Trying to get dd1 tested as it seems more likely she got it and passed it to him as she isn't careful. Fingers and toes crossed we stay healthy. He has a bedroom in the basement and there is a bathroom so we can isolate him.

Ugh--I'm sorry this has become real for you. Hope he has one of those short, mild illnesses and that no one else gets it. Do you think he got it at school?

[Ali in OR]

I don't have much energy for an end-of-month report. The main goal was to survive September, and I think I did but it has been a wearying month. I pretty much have my new routine down. Just need to get a little more sleep I think. Workouts are pretty well-defined with the exception of Wednesdays--still looking for a great cardio video, preferably 30 minutes. Though some of my workouts go as long as 35 min, there's a lot of schedule pressure in the mornings and 30 just fits a little better.

I think my weight is pretty much the same as August, but I'm too lazy to try to find my numbers. I'm still at the very top of the "normal" BMI range. I would still like a little more cushion and to drop a little lower, but I'm low on bandwidth right now and don't have the time or energy to really manage it strictly.

I don't think I really need a separate post for October goals. I'm just going to try to maintain the current workout schedule, maybe find a good Wednesday workout, and try not to gain weight. It's a hard month school-wise--no holidays, no days off.

[PinkTulip]

Popping in for an end-of-month accountability report. Overall a great month fitness-wise: I rowed just over 141,000 meters, which I am very proud of - rowing has definitely become my happy place and I really look forward to my time doing that. Because of all my rowing, I lost 4 pounds this month, for a total of 15 since June. I’m hoping to keep this pace up and be down close to 20 by November. 
 

The last week or so has been tough - I have had to quarantine due to exposure to someone who tested positive for Covid. Fortunately, I tested negative, but have been very careful as my DH has a compromised immune system and is very high-risk. He is understandably worried about my exposure and being a possible carrier, so I have been isolating in my bedroom. I admit it was pretty glorious for the first few days, being alone with people bringing me food, but not so fun after a few days of it. My quarantine/isolation will end Saturday, and I’m looking forward to resuming regular life again! 
 

@soror I’m sorry about your DS’s positive test, and your quarantine. Sending hugs for his quick recovery and commiseration for the quarantine. 

 

[wintermom]

@PinkTulip  So sorry to hear about the covid scare in your house. I hope all goes really well! Big hugs.

[wintermom]

My end of month summary: Did pretty well with striking a nice balance with tennis, walking and biking. My stretch and strength exercises reduced somewhat because I'd forget to do them, especially if I was tired out from other activities. They are so helpful, though, so I'm determined to keep them a priority.

Body weight: steady, trending down. As the weather gets cooler and I'm outside being active, I seem to burn more calories. I remember seeing some research on this phenomenon. 

Highlight: My hot flashes are very much reduced!!! I still have to do some careful 'blanket management' strategies at night so I don't get too hot or too cold. 

[Soror]

Thank you ladies for the well-wishes.

@PinkTulip I hear you on the isolation I worry about ds too. I did have him go outside yesterday that way we could see each other, we kept really far apart but it is nice to see him instead of just talking to him through the door and that was just day 1. I'm sure you are very ready to be done, I hope you all stay well.

 

[SKL]

I disappointed myself the last few days of September.  I couldn't spend much time away from some huge work projects that were due 9/30, and it also rained a lot during the times when I would have gone for a walk.  Hoped to walk in the late night, but fell asleep.  So, I didn't meet my minimum walking goals for the first time since March.  But I did walk some each day.  I hope October will be better!