Well-trained bodies - turn of the year, goals, January, etc

[Laura Corin]

@Sororhad the good idea of starting the January thread early. Feel free to post achievements, plans, snags and questions for late December and the whole of January. All welcome, whatever your fitness level or aspirations. 

[Laura Corin]

Thoughts for the turn of the year -

I'm going to start trying to alternate yoga and weights more formally, and drop in some more serious cardio - hiking or rowing machine - at weekends. Daily walks as usual and quick sun salutations in the mornings.

I'm trying to return to my more normal eating pattern  - abundant whole foods. I did have leftover coq au vin for lunch and I also baked cookies,  so that might take a while to bed in.

I'm doing Zoe gut microbe, blood sugar monitoring and blood testing in January,   for fun, so it would be good to have a more normal diet for a bit in advance of that. 

[Ali in OR]

Did a longer yoga and no bodyweight circuit today. Probably only got 3.5-4 fruits/veggies yesterday but at least total food volume was also down and not too much bad stuff. Probably too many cashews. We have lots of wind and rain. Dh is reporting trees down, a fence down, and lots of branches down from his morning run.

I need to put more thought into formalized goals. I purchased a used copy of Eat to Live and will read that when it arrives. Remember I bought that blood pressure monitor? I stopped monitoring me after 2 months of normal range measures, but dh's has been running high. He's done some dietary changes (and his diet wasn't too bad to begin with), but we'll look at more of that in the new year. I think we lean more toward DASH diet than trying to go vegetarian or vegan, but we definitely want to eat more plants, have more meatless nights, and find more super-healthy dinners that we love. Found out when I was in CA that my petite sister who exercises a lot tested pre-diabetic. She's dropping her nightly ice cream and glass of wine habits. I don't have those habits, but it does motivate me to cut out added sugars again (once we are past the holidays). I think I'll do Adriene's 30 days of yoga again (and it will take me Jan and Feb to get to them all). Would love to make a habit of a second exercise time late in the day--a walk or yoga or something.

[Ali in OR]

Our favorite super-healthy dinner is what we call a Southwestern Salad or Southwestern bowl. Pretty similar but salad has romaine and the bowl has brown rice. The key is the sweet potatoes--so good with the pico de gallo.

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Sweet Potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes cut into 1/2" pieces
3 T olive oil
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp each salt, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, cayenne and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
I add the spices and brown sugar to the oil then stir into the sweet potatoes. Place sweet potatoes on parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 425° for 15 min, stir the pieces up, then 15 min more.

Then, make a salad or bowl with some or all of black beans, sweet potatoes, pico de gallo (add some avocado pieces if we have it), romaine or brown rice, a few tortilla chips, and our homemade salsa that's pretty low in sodium. So good! But it probably takes 45-60 min of prep with the sweet potatoes.

[Laura Corin]

December 27 - 3-mile walk up the den, then 25 minutes of weight lifting. My form was pretty good except in the split squats, I  think. I'll do those without weights for a bit.

[wintermom]

@Laura Corin Thanks for starting this thread.

My goals this winter are to keep up my tennis by playing 2 - 3 times a week during the indoor season, then increase to 4x/week in the spring and summer. I'll also add in regular dog walks in the woods. Other regular outdoor activities will be seasonal, including cycling, kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, skating and hiking. 

I'm also going to do my best to incorporate stretches and strength exercises on a daily basis. Nothing too intense, most preventative for injuries. 

[Carrie12345]

One goal on my in-progress 23 Things is to deadlift.  I had intended to begin by now, but Amazon is giving me a very hard time with fulfilling my order.

I feel like I’m on the right track to making this body feel functional again, lol. I’m trying to memorize some short yoga flows so I can just do them instead of messing with a screen. I’m already seeing some improvements, so I have high hopes for future full sessions.

 

[Soror]

16 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

December 27 - 3-mile walk up the den, then 25 minutes of weight lifting. My form was pretty good except in the split squats, I  think. I'll do those without weights for a bit.

Split squats are tough! I remember when I first started doing them, holy hell. I've added on weights at time but have found it difficult to progress with them. I kept on having trouble with my right side. So I'm back to doing them body weight.

18 hours ago, Ali in OR said:

Did a longer yoga and no bodyweight circuit today. Probably only got 3.5-4 fruits/veggies yesterday but at least total food volume was also down and not too much bad stuff. Probably too many cashews. We have lots of wind and rain. Dh is reporting trees down, a fence down, and lots of branches down from his morning run.

I need to put more thought into formalized goals. I purchased a used copy of Eat to Live and will read that when it arrives. Remember I bought that blood pressure monitor? I stopped monitoring me after 2 months of normal range measures, but dh's has been running high. He's done some dietary changes (and his diet wasn't too bad to begin with), but we'll look at more of that in the new year. I think we lean more toward DASH diet than trying to go vegetarian or vegan, but we definitely want to eat more plants, have more meatless nights, and find more super-healthy dinners that we love. Found out when I was in CA that my petite sister who exercises a lot tested pre-diabetic. She's dropping her nightly ice cream and glass of wine habits. I don't have those habits, but it does motivate me to cut out added sugars again (once we are past the holidays). I think I'll do Adriene's 30 days of yoga again (and it will take me Jan and Feb to get to them all). Would love to make a habit of a second exercise time late in the day--a walk or yoga or something.

I have similar goals I'll be listening along.

20 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Thoughts for the turn of the year -

I'm going to start trying to alternate yoga and weights more formally, and drop in some more serious cardio - hiking or rowing machine - at weekends. Daily walks as usual and quick sun salutations in the mornings.

I'm trying to return to my more normal eating pattern  - abundant whole foods. I did have leftover coq au vin for lunch and I also baked cookies,  so that might take a while to bed in.

I'm doing Zoe gut microbe, blood sugar monitoring and blood testing in January,   for fun, so it would be good to have a more normal diet for a bit in advance of that. 

That is very interesting. I think I'd like to do something similar.

14 hours ago, wintermom said:

@Laura Corin Thanks for starting this thread.

My goals this winter are to keep up my tennis by playing 2 - 3 times a week during the indoor season, then increase to 4x/week in the spring and summer. I'll also add in regular dog walks in the woods. Other regular outdoor activities will be seasonal, including cycling, kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, skating and hiking. 

I'm also going to do my best to incorporate stretches and strength exercises on a daily basis. Nothing too intense, most preventative for injuries. 

I bet you are so excited to get to continue your tennis during the winter. I don't remember you skating before-- is it ice skating or roller skating?

10 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

One goal on my in-progress 23 Things is to deadlift.  I had intended to begin by now, but Amazon is giving me a very hard time with fulfilling my order.

I feel like I’m on the right track to making this body feel functional again, lol. I’m trying to memorize some short yoga flows so I can just do them instead of messing with a screen. I’m already seeing some improvements, so I have high hopes for future full sessions.

 

Yes, I'm on day 14 of daily yoga after a very sporadic practice for far too long my body feels so much better. Rest poses were painful to start. Stretching and mobility work is so important. Deadlifts are fun and a great way to feel powerful.

[Laura Corin]

@Soror I've been following Tim Spector and the Zoe folks for a long time. Spector is a very well-respected scientist. Full disclosure  - we recently made a small investment in the company.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who finds split squats difficult - I somehow thought that my Warrior practice would help, but it doesn't. 

Today - 4.5 mile walk with Husband completed. Yoga later. I might post food for a bit if thats okay - I need to get back into a better habit.

Lunch - veggie black bean soup with eggs

Snacks - prunes, nuts, yoghurt plus berries,  square of dark chocolate, a cookie, tea.

Supper - eta lamb chop and cauliflower 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Laura Corin

[Soror]

I got in all my planned exercise yesterday and a bit longer walk than I had planned. I was starving-- probably due to the 3+ hrs of exercise. I snacked on too many nuts (candied at that).

There is pickleball today but again it is really bad for my schedule so I don't think I'll go. Yesterday we ended up making 4 trips to town. Dd1 has swim this morning and I've already promised dd2 to take her shopping (christmas money). I have several errands to run too.

Today's exercise plan:

Day 14- 30 min - Yin Yoga + outdoor walk (hoping for 45 min - 1 hr)

I wanted to talk about goals but am out of time this morning. Maybe I'll get a chance later.

 

[Guest]

I would like to be involved in this thread through the year, for more accountability. I do yoga and weight lifting ordinarily but I falter when insomnia messes me up. 
 

One of my goals for the coming year is to spend 15 minutes doing some specific flexibility stretching, followed by 15 minutes of yoga on my Down Dog app. I would like to also commit to an additional 15 minutes stretching before bed. Weights four days a week. 
 

I hike with my friend most Sundays. I would like to have some sort of outside time goal but I’m not completely certain what is feasible when I start my new job. I will also have access to a gym with my new job so I’m excited about that possibility. (I usually work out at home.) I would like to use a rowing machine an elliptical on a regular basis, but I don’t yet know any of the logistics of using the facilities there and have not seen them yet. 
 

I want to improve my diet for nutrient density and a higher proportion of veggies. I personally could go without meat entirely and have done so before but dh does not go for that so it creates a bit of a dilemma. I also take dinner leftovers for my lunch the majority of the time. Ideally, I would make veg lunches for the week on Sunday and then my meat consumption would go down to dinner only at most. We’ll see…I know from past attempts that it’s hard to make myself plan that well because weekends are busy already. 

[Hilltopmom]

Really just get my butt moving again regularly.  
This school year has really been tough so far for me & I stopped a lot of my regular exercise activity which has led to me being sore and out of shape.

I just signed up for weekly Zumba (new for me) and plan to get back to the indoor walking track for winter. Pausing on aqua fit for now- I hate going out in the cold and snow at night to the pool.

Really hoping I’ll stick to stretching videos a few days a week too. I feel so much better when I do them!

ETA- my dance studio just messaged and my fav class that I was wait listed for now has an opening for me so I can take that one too! (90s Hip- hop/techno exercise dance in the dark with a black light and mostly moms in our 40s- so much fun!)

Edited December 28, 2022 by Hilltopmom

[Laura Corin]

Welcome @Quill and @Hilltopmom. It looks like you are working out good plans.

I will be changing jobs this year too @Quill. It's hard to plan around that - I could end up with either more or less timetable flexibility. 

[heartlikealion]

So far I’ve got 9570 steps for the day, mostly from a morning walk. I ate terrible last night but that’s because the kids and I dined out. 

I really want to get down a few more pounds soon. Just been kinda stuck. But part of that is from eating baked goods. 

I plan to bike or do HIIT before we go out, if possible. 

[heartlikealion]

Oh regarding goals - based on my frame and height I’m aiming for 125 lbs in 2023. I have 15 lbs to go. And want to do more weight training. 

[Ali in OR]

30 min on the treadmill this morning.

[Soror]

2 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

Oh regarding goals - based on my frame and height I’m aiming for 125 lbs in 2023. I have 15 lbs to go. And want to do more weight training. 

From your last pics I can't imagine you have another 15 to lose. You are looking great.

5 hours ago, Hilltopmom said:

Really just get my butt moving again regularly.  
This school year has really been tough so far for me & I stopped a lot of my regular exercise activity which has led to me being sore and out of shape.

I just signed up for weekly Zumba (new for me) and plan to get back to the indoor walking track for winter. Pausing on aqua fit for now- I hate going out in the cold and snow at night to the pool.

Really hoping I’ll stick to stretching videos a few days a week too. I feel so much better when I do them!

ETA- my dance studio just messaged and my fav class that I was wait listed for now has an opening for me so I can take that one too! (90s Hip- hop/techno exercise dance in the dark with a black light and mostly moms in our 40s- so much fun!)

Welcome!!! The classes sound like so much fun. 

5 hours ago, Quill said:

I would like to be involved in this thread through the year, for more accountability. I do yoga and weight lifting ordinarily but I falter when insomnia messes me up. 
 

One of my goals for the coming year is to spend 15 minutes doing some specific flexibility stretching, followed by 15 minutes of yoga on my Down Dog app. I would like to also commit to an additional 15 minutes stretching before bed. Weights four days a week. 
 

I hike with my friend most Sundays. I would like to have some sort of outside time goal but I’m not completely certain what is feasible when I start my new job. I will also have access to a gym with my new job so I’m excited about that possibility. (I usually work out at home.) I would like to use a rowing machine an elliptical on a regular basis, but I don’t yet know any of the logistics of using the facilities there and have not seen them yet. 
 

I want to improve my diet for nutrient density and a higher proportion of veggies. I personally could go without meat entirely and have done so before but dh does not go for that so it creates a bit of a dilemma. I also take dinner leftovers for my lunch the majority of the time. Ideally, I would make veg lunches for the week on Sunday and then my meat consumption would go down to dinner only at most. We’ll see…I know from past attempts that it’s hard to make myself plan that well because weekends are busy already. 

I hear you on the insomnia, it stinks. My usual practice is to go ahead and do the workout but give myself permission to half-ass it. But on the days it is really bad days I don't get it in the morning. When I don't get a morning practice it is so much harder to get it later. 

I have similar food goals but have to sort them out and articulate it. 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Soror

[wintermom]

14 hours ago, Soror said:

I bet you are so excited to get to continue your tennis during the winter. I don't remember you skating before-- is it ice skating or roller skating?

I'm really excited about all the winter tennis this year! I do ice skating in the winter - sometimes outdoors and sometimes indoors at a local arena. It was a fantastic winter activity during covid when the indoor rinks were closed, but we had perfect conditions for ourdoor ice. 

[wintermom]

Myself and most of my immediate family have had head colds and coughs before and during Christmas. I'm almost over my cold, and have been able to play tennis yesterday and today. I feels so good to run around after a couple days in bed doing nothing. 

I did manage to get the dogs out for walks in the woods yesterday and today. We've got a bunch of new snow today, but the temps are mild. 

[heartlikealion]

Did 32 min on the bike this evening. 

@Soror well I hide it better now but I still have a small gut/love handles that bother me. 

[Laura Corin]

Hmmm.  My muscles are aching this morning - maybe I'm pushing it a bit, after barely exercising for a while.  I have a fair amount of shopping to do, so maybe I'll count that as my walk - it is mostly on-foot errands - and just do my weight training but with lighter hand weights.  I don't want to set myself back.

[Soror]

7 hours ago, wintermom said:

I'm really excited about all the winter tennis this year! I do ice skating in the winter - sometimes outdoors and sometimes indoors at a local arena. It was a fantastic winter activity during covid when the indoor rinks were closed, but we had perfect conditions for ourdoor ice. 

I've never been real ice skating. Last year we went to a place but they put down these plastic sheets of sorts and you skate on those. That's the closest I've been. I found it difficult but I'm not real experienced with any kind of skating.

4 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

Did 32 min on the bike this evening. 

@Soror well I hide it better now but I still have a small gut/love handles that bother me. 

I would say too as you work on building muscle you might find you have less gut and love handles at a higher weight.

17 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Hmmm.  My muscles are aching this morning - maybe I'm pushing it a bit, after barely exercising for a while.  I have a fair amount of shopping to do, so maybe I'll count that as my walk - it is mostly on-foot errands - and just do my weight training but with lighter hand weights.  I don't want to set myself back.

I'm sorry you are achy but not surprised. I'm usually all for rest but it will help to do a workout and move those muscles, even if using a lighter weight. Anytime I have a big change in my routine or intensity I get a good amount of soreness.

[easypeasy]

joining in with a goal of 5 miles/10,000 steps every day in January, increasing working my way up to 10 miles/day (5 days/week) by summertime. And a goal of running a 5k this summer and a half marathon in the fall sometime, maybe?

I get in plenty of "steps" but want to run more of those steps each day, 😅.

Will start some light weight training with dh too, to beef up my spaghetti noodle arms. DH is overly enthused about helping me and I'm a little scared at his enthusiasm. 😂

We have a lot of traveling planned for the year ahead (and, into 2023) and I want to be fit as a fiddle before we set out.

[Carrie12345]

23 hours ago, Soror said:

Yes, I'm on day 14 of daily yoga after a very sporadic practice for far too long my body feels so much better. Rest poses were painful to start. Stretching and mobility work is so important. Deadlifts are fun and a great way to feel powerful.

It’s pretty crazy to me how much improvement there is in a short time. I only feel stiff as a board now, instead of concrete 😂. But it’s a very noticeable difference!

Plus, I’m pretty convinced that my before bed and wake up sessions are resetting things inside of me. I only got around 6.5 hours of sleep last night, but it was GOOD sleep, and I’m  wide awake. I got up 15 minutes before my alarm!

Edited December 29, 2022 by Carrie12345

[Soror]

I'm up in the night so I have time to talk about goals and plans (making lemonade 🙂 ). 

Today's plans: Day 15 Power Yoga (YouTube- Travis Eliot Empower Series) + outdoor walk+ Body By You- Week 1- Day 2- (bodyweight strength training)

Dh and I are also going to be working on the shop today-- I think putting up siding. He's off the next 4 days so we hope to get as much as we can done. I'll get walks done when I can but if we're very busy they will probably just be short ones.

For strength training I'm currently working through Body By You. There are 20+ levels of each exercise. You pick what level you are at and work on progressing through towards the most advanced level (ie- pistol squats, pull-ups, 1 arm push-ups, dive bomber push-ups, 1 legged warriors with object overhead (essentially a warrior 3). 

Today's food:

breakfast: gf steel cut oats/ plain soy milk/hemp seeds/ground flax seeds/ baked apples w/ cinnamon 

snack: cuties and mixed nuts (if I'm hungry and not busy)

lunch: leftover beef pad thai and sesame cucumbers- new recipe that no one liked but me and I dont' love it either-- adding in lots of broccoli and carrots

afternoon snack: popcorn w/ nut. yeast and honestly some candied nuts (almost gone) and christmas chocolate

dinner: tbd currently making the next month's menu (just did 4 weeks last time so yesterday was the last day planned- I'm grocery shopping tonight)

------------------------------------------------------

Goals and plans--

I've been spending quite a bit of time thinking on this.  I've decided I'm pleased with where things have been. For the last several years I've been a regular exerciser. I have some seasons where formal exercise is pretty minimal (like in spring and summer when I do lots of work outside) and seasons where I do a lot, seasons it is pretty intense and seasons of laid back. I take breaks on purpose and only walk on vacation.  I change programs, plans, exercises and goals but I keep moving. I'm happy with that.

Now, last year I had a bit of trouble with injuries. I did my best with resting and changing things up but did not do enough to get them to go away. So, I've currently got my schedule flipped from where it was. Before I was primarily weight lifting with just a bit of stretching. Now walking and yoga are my primary exercise with just a dash of strength training. This is another reason for relaxed goals-- when I hold too tightly to the outcome I end up not listening to my body well enough. This fall I should have changed things up about a month before I did. But it is what it is-- I learned some lessons that I needed to learn and more patience with my body.

15 days into the daily yoga and my body is moving and feeling much better. My back was hurting nearly all the time but it's now been a couple of days since it hurt. My right hip is not nagging me either. I have to be careful with my shoulders with power yoga but my current practice is a gentle one as far as power yoga goes and I modify as needed. Just this week I started trying some full chatarangas. I still primarily do them on my knees or skip them entirely if my shoulder says not today (in that case I go from plank, cobra, to down dog). The chataranga is particularly bothersome to my shoulder for whatever reason so I'm very careful with them. Push-ups don't strain it near as much but I'm still mindful of the total effort between the push-ups in strength training and chataranga work in power yoga.

2023 exercise intentions

--- do yoga/stretching most days (min goal 4 days a week 10 min)

----regularly strength train in some way weights or bodyweight (min goal 2x a week full body)

---maintain min. steps on average through the week (min goal avg 8k per day)

--- continue playing pickleball (min goal once per week)

---get in some (easy) biking and kayaking during better weather and some actual hikes (no goals)

--- slow weeks and lazy days in there as needed 🙂

Current plans--

30 min daily yoga- Travis Eliot's Empower Yoga Series on YouTube

Body by You- Bodyweight Strength training - 3x a week (less than 30 minutes per session)

Outdoor walks (every day or close to it)

Pickleball when I can (hoping for at least weekly- there are usually 1-2 sessions but they don't always fit my schedule)

---------------------------

Now onto diet--- my biggest goal is to stop the stomach pain. I have some particularly bad sessions that are really miserable (thankfully not often) and lots of time with low level pain. I'm really tired of it. I won't bore you all with the details as I'm already so long winded but I have a few things in mind as the culprit so I'm making changes with those in mind (at least to the degree I can control). Secondly, I want to feel about food like I do about exercise. Like I know I'm not perfect but I'm pretty pleased with it most of the time. Then I started to examine what that would look like for me? What changes do I need to make so I can get there? 

My current personal goals-- diet primarily whole foods- home cooked, lots of veggies and some fruit, reduced meat consumption (limited to dinner), more meatless and fish meals for the family

I pondered some more strident goals but settled here as goals that were attainable for the present and improvement from where I'm at currently.

How am I doing on those goals?

-- food is primarily homecooked- we rarely eat out as we can't afford it and I'm often displeased with it

--I usually have at least 1-2 servings of fruit a day-- I'm ok with that but if I increased it to 3 I'd snack less on less desirable foods

-- Veggies-- falling short here

-- meat consumption- I've reduced servings sizes am eating it too often with lunch

-- meatless and fish meals-- I've been trying out some new ones every month- some are liked and some are not-- it is very slow going but I'm increasing the repertoire. Now on that sometimes we end up with leftovers and meals are cut from the menu I need to be more diligent that the more healthy meals aren't the ones that are cut.

-- breakfast is good--I feel very icky if I don't eat well in the morning so I rarely deviate-- even on Christmas and Thanksgiving and holiday--- I ate berries/greek yogurt/homemade muesli for most of the year and gf oats with fruit prior to that. I've switched back to oats as I'm eliminating dairy again. Dinners are homemade and I'm working towards some healthier options but am pleased with progress here. Lunches lately are too often whatever I can scrounge up and bits of leftovers. Because the family doesn't like as much vegetables dinners don't have as many vegetables as I need/want for lunch. I'm snacking too much. Partially because lunches are too small/ not filling enough and partially due to my taste buds. I've been eating too much salt and sugar. 

Laying that all out the biggest changes I want to make are lunch. It works well for me to prep lunches  on the weekend. We usually take it pretty easy on the weekends so I have the time. I got out of the habit and haven't got back in. I'm brainstorming favorites from the past and will pick one to make this Sunday for next week.

Second change I need to make is better snacks. I'll be buying more fruit. I am also looking at my cookbooks for healthy snack inspiration and getting back in the habit of old favorites (popcorn w/ nut yeast, black bean brownies, roasted kale)

 

 

[EmilyGF]

Hi everyone! 

I've been doing Nourish Move Love's weekly workouts on and (mostly) off over the last year. I made a practice of walking daily, too, that has fallen by the wayside.

This year's goals:

1. Walk 2 mi per day, 5 days per week. (This is easy on days I work in-person, since I walk to work. It will take a bit of discipline on days I work from home. I want to walk at least one of these miles with my younger teen, dd14.)
2. Work through NML (Nourish Move Love) Beginner Plan 1 in January. Hope to move on to Beginner 2 in February, and then to normal workouts in March. Two things that normally disrupt exercising for me: 1) doing too much too quickly and getting uncomfortably sore and 2) not being flexible enough to substitute a weights-free workout when my exercise work is taken up by guests.
3. Add in stretching 3x/week. 
4. Food: track everything for the month of January and then reassess.
5. Food 2: Something along the lines of eating the rainbow because I want to up my veggies. Suggestions?

@Soror and @Laura Corin you two inspire me!

Emily

 

[Minerva]

I'm dipping my toe into this thread. I have about ten pounds I need to lose, legs that are always sore that need stretching, arms that used to be toned that wobble in the wind, and food habits that need upgrading. I am just listening in at this point because I have no concrete goals or actions yet but am getting a lot out of everyone's action plans.

Currently I take a two mile walk every morning on the very steep trail behind my house and then another afternoon walk that is inconsistent in length. That's about it for exercize.  I definitely like the idea of roll-out-of-bed yoga. Also, any suggestions for motivation. I seem to be bogged down these days with the complexity of life and need to reshape some habits. 

I'm going to research some of the ideas you all have mentioned upthread. Thanks! 

[Laura Corin]

Welcome @Minerva and @EmilyGF! Thank you for your kind words @EmilyGF - the only exercise success I can claim is to keep doing that daily walk any time I can physically crawl out of bed. It's as important for my head as for my body.

Today - lots of errands on foot and about to use my light weights. Food - 

Lunch - quinoa, mushroom and leek risotto with poached eggs 

Snack - yoghurt, cherries, nuts, orange, seeds, tea, a cookie. 

Supper - this recipe plus a celeriac chickpea salad and red rice https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/dec/24/vegan-aubergine-and-silken-tofu-with-tahini-and-crispy-chilli-spring-onions-recipe-meera-sodha

[mom2scouts]

I've been spending a few minutes on the rowing machine every day this week. It's not much, but I'm trying to build a habit before the New Year. I'm in such bad shape and I need to start slowly. I also need a complete overhaul of my food. I have a *very* picky teen eater and a dh who loves to grocery shop so I feel like food choices have often been out of my control. I need to figure out how to navigate that. I'd also like to add more fun movement into our lives this year like hiking, kayaking, swimming, or biking when the weather is better, but those things don't happen if they aren't planned.

I stepped on the scale today and it says I've lost about 5 pounds since the last time which can't be right. I've been eating so many Christmas treats!

[Ali in OR]

Did my dumbbell workout this morning and I did the whole thing, even the cool down exercises at the end. I guess another mini-goal should be to prioritize getting my full workout done in the mornings before school. Too many got cut short over the last month or two.

[Wheres Toto]

Hi, I'm going to try and participate in these threads for 2023.  I think I popped in once ages ago but didn't keep up with it.   

I'm basically starting from scratch.  Up until September of this year I was meeting my oldest dd at Planet Fitness 2 or 3 mornings a week to walk the treadmills and do weight machines, plus doing yoga daily, plus a couple evenings a week of PF with dh and the younger kids.    But in September I had to start driving ds to school every morning so couldn't meet with dd, didn't have time for yoga, and dh had heart issues so we stopped going to the gym in the evenings.  Ds's schedule is different for the Spring semester so I only have to drive him one day a week in the morning, and possibly a couple days after I'm done for the day.  

I am still on my feet all day long but that's about it.  I've gained weight, my legs hurt from tight muscles, and I really miss it all.   

My plan is to meet up with dd at least 3 days a week starting next week, for PF treadmill and strength exercises.  Then yoga/tai chi when I get to work after that - just an easy stretch because I won't have time to shower again before teaching classes.  Then after I finish for the day, 30 or so minutes of walking/dance videos/step at least a few days a week.  I bought a step because I'm having a hard time getting up and down stairs so want to work on those muscles.   I have very few opportunities to go up and down stairs in my daily life. 

[Toocrazy!!]

I’m going to join in on this thread as well, because I do find the similar interest/goals posting motivating. 
I did a pretty major health overhaul in 2022 and feel good about the direction I’m going, but there are several weak spots I’d like to improve. 

I felt best this year when I concentrated on a big variety of plant products. 35-40 different ones per week. I’m going to go back to tracking those to keep me in line. I need to up my vegetable intake. I eat a lot of seeds and nuts and beans, but need more veggies. I also need to drink way more water. I have a couple supplements I think help me that I need to me more consistent with. 

As far as exercise- I need to be consistent with getting at least 10000 steps a day. I have a tendency to be too sedentary, and walking is the best thing I can do to keep my blood sugar low and stable. I’m going to focus on doing some of these in the morning, and some after dinner, because I’ve found those help me set my body clock and digest everything and stabilize my blood sugar to sleep better. 
Im going to continue working on getting up and down off the floor. I’m working towards going from criss cross to standing without using my knees or hands. It looks so easy when people can do it! But I’m not even close. So, working on my core and quads toward this goal.
Also, working on better quality and quantity pushups. I can do some, but they’re not great.  
In addition, I ordered a jump rope. This seems like a good progressive goal for me too. I do better with these types of goals, working up in numbers or toward an accomplishment. 

I feel like I have a pretty good Why? That keeps me motivated - I want to age as healthfully and as strongly as possible. More Constant movement and getting up and down off the floor seem to be big components to aging well so those are my main goals right now. 
 

[Eos]

I would also like to check in here this year.  I've lurked in the past but do need some accountability.  I'm 57 and would like to lose 15 pounds this year and maintain that loss to be at my optimal BMI.  My plan is to:

Eat 1,300 calories/day.  I need to eliminate snacking to achieve this goal, but it's otherwise do-able.  Any thoughts on eliminating snacks appreciated!  

Start every day with some minimal stretching, leg lifts, and a walk down to the Barn and back which will be two miles round trip.

Do my usual random hiking and skating.  I hike throughout the week, and skate whenever there's ice.

This all seems possible. Thank you for any suggestions on tips to stop snacking.

[heartlikealion]

Today I slept in and postponed walking, but will probably do one soon. It rained part of the morning, anyway. I did 40 min on the bike and my 15 min HIIT. Ds went back to sleep so I had more privacy in the living room. One exercise routine wasn’t logged so I might have skipped one in my 12-week dvd course but I am not going back to do it. My current notes show I have 3 left to complete the series. After that I’m not sure what I’ll do to replace the HIIT exercises. I’m not sure I lose weight as effectively when I omit HIIT. I can try to offset it with more stationary bike and some swimming? 

Food-wise my main success comes from simply not buying junk. Right now with the kids here and the holidays I have not been eating as well, though. I almost exclusively drink water - if anyone is trying to come up with a way to scale back on calories. I like to reserve my calories for food. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Happy almost New Year, all. Nice to see all the new folks joining the party.

The last few days were pretty much a loss for me, exercise-wise. I flew to NYC the day after Christmas to bring my elder kiddo back to FL to spend some time here recuperating from a bad breakup and figuring out next steps. We started driving the afternoon of the 26th and made it home yesterday evening. I had grand plans of searching out hotels with fitness rooms the two nights we spent on the road so I could at least walk on treadmills and/or use some weight machines . . .  but that didn't work out. The traffic was appalling, and both of us were exhausted, and it was pretty much all I could do to keep driving and get us home. I did do some very brief, gentle yoga stretches before bed and in the mornings, but really not enough to count as "exercise." 

I am trying to get back on track now that we're home. I walked briefly with the dog last night and this morning, then hit the stationary bike for about 45 minutes to try and make up some of the mileage I've lagged on my seasonal challenge.  I should have done/do some additional exercise, but all I've managed today is unpacking, laundry and returning the rental vehicle. The plan is to walk again as usual tonight.

In terms of goals for the year, I really just want to keep up what I've been doing in 2022 with perhaps some slight nudging forward in terms of variety and intensity.

• I find my current step goal (15,000) mostly achievable but still challenging enough. I typically break that into one longer walk (4.25 - 5K) in the morning, then another walk in the evening to top off whatever steps I haven't finished as part of any incidental walking around. 
• Just this morning, I renewed my annual subscription for the Run Across America seasonal walking challenges. They give me a daily motivation to keep walking, I enjoy the mini-challenges and digital badges and I also just really like their tracker app. I will continue to try for at least 500K per season of intentional, tracked walking throughout the year.
• My current routine of additional exercise at home -- "strength and stretching" -- five days a week, plus yoga class twice a week is working for me. Again, it feels mostly achievable, but not yet too easy.
• I have a variety of "races" scheduled for the remaining months of the running season (before it gets too hot in Florida to do such things): three WDW 10Ks plus two community-based 5Ks. There is one 5K I've done for the past few years that hasn't announced/started registration yet, but usually happens in April. And I know there will be a few holiday-themed events that come up in the last couple of months of the year. I plan to continue trying to push myself a little harder in terms of pace for these races, hopefully incorporating a little more running if my knees will cooperate.
• Challenge goals: If I can find a way to work some additional variety into my routine, that would be lovely. I'd love to have enough mental energy to be planning walks/hikes outside my immediate neighborhood more often, maybe even section walk a full trail. I have done that in the past and enjoyed it, but it's been rough lately to make myself do the research and planning required to pick a new trail. I'd also like to find some different activities my wimpy little body could manage. 

 

Holiday Hustle 2022 Challenge: 516.9 of 550K
Walking Streak: 2

Edited December 29, 2022 by Jenny in Florida

[Laura Corin]

2 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

I’m going to join in on this thread as well, because I do find the similar interest/goals posting motivating. 
I did a pretty major health overhaul in 2022 and feel good about the direction I’m going, but there are several weak spots I’d like to improve. 

I felt best this year when I concentrated on a big variety of plant products. 35-40 different ones per week. I’m going to go back to tracking those to keep me in line. I need to up my vegetable intake. I eat a lot of seeds and nuts and beans, but need more veggies. I also need to drink way more water. I have a couple supplements I think help me that I need to me more consistent with. 

As far as exercise- I need to be consistent with getting at least 10000 steps a day. I have a tendency to be too sedentary, and walking is the best thing I can do to keep my blood sugar low and stable. I’m going to focus on doing some of these in the morning, and some after dinner, because I’ve found those help me set my body clock and digest everything and stabilize my blood sugar to sleep better. 
Im going to continue working on getting up and down off the floor. I’m working towards going from criss cross to standing without using my knees or hands. It looks so easy when people can do it! But I’m not even close. So, working on my core and quads toward this goal.
Also, working on better quality and quantity pushups. I can do some, but they’re not great.  
In addition, I ordered a jump rope. This seems like a good progressive goal for me too. I do better with these types of goals, working up in numbers or toward an accomplishment. 

I feel like I have a pretty good Why? That keeps me motivated - I want to age as healthfully and as strongly as possible. More Constant movement and getting up and down off the floor seem to be big components to aging well so those are my main goals right now. 
 

Welcome! I've never mastered the criss-cross rise from the floor. I can, however, put my feet flat on the ground and just push up from a squat without using knees or hands. It took a while for my stomach muscles to be strong enough though.

1 hour ago, Eos said:

I would also like to check in here this year.  I've lurked in the past but do need some accountability.  I'm 57 and would like to lose 15 pounds this year and maintain that loss to be at my optimal BMI.  My plan is to:

Eat 1,300 calories/day.  I need to eliminate snacking to achieve this goal, but it's otherwise do-able.  Any thoughts on eliminating snacks appreciated!  

Start every day with some minimal stretching, leg lifts, and a walk down to the Barn and back which will be two miles round trip.

Do my usual random hiking and skating.  I hike throughout the week, and skate whenever there's ice.

This all seems possible. Thank you for any suggestions on tips to stop snacking.

Welcome! For me, eating really copious amounts of veg at each meal tends to reduce the desire to snack - the fibre keeps me full. I also usually have a limited eating window - around 11am to 8 or 9pm - that helps me avoid late night grazing. I schedule a protein and fibre snack at 4pm,  which reduces random  snacking. In theory.

[duckabell]

I’ll chime in. I’m trying to get back into more cardio and maybe train for a half marathon. I ran one a few years ago but need to build my base. That means starting to run again and cross train with cycling. I am also trying to do yoga or stretch 3 times/week and do some light lifting 2x/week. The tricky part will be when school starts again. We have a puppy and I’m afraid if I get up at 6 I’ll wake him up for the day and lose my workout time. He usually gets up around 6:30 or 6:45. I can keep and eye on him when I lift or do yoga, but not when I’m running or cycling.
 

I also want to play pickle ball. I got the equipment for Christmas and played it today with my husband at a local park. We had a great time and my heart rate was definitely up.

[Soror]

9 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

Hi everyone! 

I've been doing Nourish Move Love's weekly workouts on and (mostly) off over the last year. I made a practice of walking daily, too, that has fallen by the wayside.

This year's goals:

1. Walk 2 mi per day, 5 days per week. (This is easy on days I work in-person, since I walk to work. It will take a bit of discipline on days I work from home. I want to walk at least one of these miles with my younger teen, dd14.)
2. Work through NML (Nourish Move Love) Beginner Plan 1 in January. Hope to move on to Beginner 2 in February, and then to normal workouts in March. Two things that normally disrupt exercising for me: 1) doing too much too quickly and getting uncomfortably sore and 2) not being flexible enough to substitute a weights-free workout when my exercise work is taken up by guests.
3. Add in stretching 3x/week. 
4. Food: track everything for the month of January and then reassess.
5. Food 2: Something along the lines of eating the rainbow because I want to up my veggies. Suggestions?

@Soror and @Laura Corin you two inspire me!

Emily

 

Welcome Emily and everyone else! 

You'll find lots of inspiration here from so many people.

[Soror]

Re: cross cross- try sitting on a block or pillow as high as you need to get the knees below the hips and bringing the knees further out before ie try a diamond with the legs instead of a cross with the legs

[mommyoffive]

On 12/28/2022 at 8:00 AM, Hilltopmom said:

Really just get my butt moving again regularly.  
This school year has really been tough so far for me & I stopped a lot of my regular exercise activity which has led to me being sore and out of shape.

I just signed up for weekly Zumba (new for me) and plan to get back to the indoor walking track for winter. Pausing on aqua fit for now- I hate going out in the cold and snow at night to the pool.

Really hoping I’ll stick to stretching videos a few days a week too. I feel so much better when I do them!

ETA- my dance studio just messaged and my fav class that I was wait listed for now has an opening for me so I can take that one too! (90s Hip- hop/techno exercise dance in the dark with a black light and mostly moms in our 40s- so much fun!)

I want to come!! That sounds so fun.  I am glad you got into it.

[Elfknitter.#]

Peeking in. I started the year ok but ended very flat (and with increased weight. 😖)

January goals= walking every day and adding in morning walks before work. I already walk on my work breaks at the least.

I'd also like to get back to yoga, so I'll probably start with doing it 2-3 times/ week and work back up to 5-6 days/ week. I'd like add in morning jogs in February, but I want to see how January goes.

I need to carve out time on the weekends to get back to meal prepping for the work week. I have a couple of recipes already picked out for next week.

I also want to focus on going slow and steady. Often times I find I try to get back to a routine too quickly rather than easing into it. Then burnout sets in and it becomes a mess. I want to try to avoid that this time.

[regentrude]

I pop in here occasionally but can never commit to any tracking routines/calorie counting/challenges. I don't want to cater to my inner perfectionist who would feel compelled to fulfill whatever challenge I set her - it's not healthy for my psyche. 
Instead, I aim to spend as much time moving in nature as possible, as many days hiking, climbing, and kayaking as I can, and I aim to eat mostly plant based, almost completely from scratch, with lots of fresh produce.  

This past year, I did 30 day hikes and spent 15 days backpacking. I do not track hiking miles. 
I kayaked 400 miles on 12 different rivers on 24 day trips and 8 days of overnights.

For 2023, I will again aim at as many outdoor days as possible, as many hiking/kayaking days as possible, and hopefully get more chances for rock climbing than in the previous three years. I will judge my fitness level by how well I feel on our annual Grand Canyon backpack.

[math teacher]

I want to join in-I really need the accountability. What do you recommend for increasing balance? I am 60 and overweight, but have lost 45 pounds with Wegovy. 

[Laura Corin]

47 minutes ago, math teacher said:

I want to join in-I really need the accountability. What do you recommend for increasing balance? I am 60 and overweight, but have lost 45 pounds with Wegovy. 

Balance is reliant on muscle strength. I would look into something that works on full-body strengthening,  including your core trunk muscles.  

There are daily habits you can also add in too, like practising standing on one leg whilst brushing your teeth.

[Eos]

15 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

eating really copious amounts of veg at each meal tends to reduce the desire to snack

Thank you!

Edited December 30, 2022 by Eos
avoiding derailing the thread, will jump to the healthy eating thread

[Guest]

10 hours ago, regentrude said:

I aim to eat mostly plant based, almost completely from scratch, with lots of fresh produce.  

This is my food goal, too. I have chickens and so will continue to eat eggs once or twice per week, and I think a fish/shellfish meal every week is really helpful for meeting Omega-3s and DHA/EPA. 

[Laura Corin]

13 hours ago, duckabell said:

I’ll chime in. I’m trying to get back into more cardio and maybe train for a half marathon. I ran one a few years ago but need to build my base. That means starting to run again and cross train with cycling. I am also trying to do yoga or stretch 3 times/week and do some light lifting 2x/week. The tricky part will be when school starts again. We have a puppy and I’m afraid if I get up at 6 I’ll wake him up for the day and lose my workout time. He usually gets up around 6:30 or 6:45. I can keep and eye on him when I lift or do yoga, but not when I’m running or cycling.
 

I also want to play pickle ball. I got the equipment for Christmas and played it today with my husband at a local park. We had a great time and my heart rate was definitely up.

Welcome. Timing can be so difficult. 

11 hours ago, Elfknitter.# said:

Peeking in. I started the year ok but ended very flat (and with increased weight. 😖)

January goals= walking every day and adding in morning walks before work. I already walk on my work breaks at the least.

I'd also like to get back to yoga, so I'll probably start with doing it 2-3 times/ week and work back up to 5-6 days/ week. I'd like add in morning jogs in February, but I want to see how January goes.

I need to carve out time on the weekends to get back to meal prepping for the work week. I have a couple of recipes already picked out for next week.

I also want to focus on going slow and steady. Often times I find I try to get back to a routine too quickly rather than easing into it. Then burnout sets in and it becomes a mess. I want to try to avoid that this time.

Welcome!  I always mess up too when I try to change too much at once.

10 hours ago, regentrude said:

I pop in here occasionally but can never commit to any tracking routines/calorie counting/challenges. I don't want to cater to my inner perfectionist who would feel compelled to fulfill whatever challenge I set her - it's not healthy for my psyche. 
Instead, I aim to spend as much time moving in nature as possible, as many days hiking, climbing, and kayaking as I can, and I aim to eat mostly plant based, almost completely from scratch, with lots of fresh produce.  

This past year, I did 30 day hikes and spent 15 days backpacking. I do not track hiking miles. 
I kayaked 400 miles on 12 different rivers on 24 day trips and 8 days of overnights.

For 2023, I will again aim at as many outdoor days as possible, as many hiking/kayaking days as possible, and hopefully get more chances for rock climbing than in the previous three years. I will judge my fitness level by how well I feel on our annual Grand Canyon backpack.

Sounds like you had a great year! I hope this year works just as well. 

....

Rethinking my timetable  - I used to fit a little exercise and half an hour of housework in after work each day before supper. We are now eating earlier as we are also going to bed earlier, so I'm going to have to revert to doing my share of housework at weekends. Oh well.

Today - my muscle aches are more minor today, so I think I'll stick with the lighter weights for a bit until I get into my routine. Today - walk and yoga.

[heartlikealion]

Skipped the walk yesterday so I could badger ds to get up and shower so we could get out of the house. We did go out but I forgot my pedometer. Kids and I went to the movies. I didn’t order myself snacks but we had so much popcorn we all shared. This morning it’s pouring outside. I’ll plan on using the stationary bike. 

I’m thinking maybe I should just keep all my resistance bands as there may be pros and cons to both types. I hate they the loop bands want to roll but once you get it in place it’s probably ok. I just need to start using them and get overwhelmed by how many various stretches I’ve found to use. I need to just pick a few and start a habit then add exercises over time. 

[Ali in OR]

30 min on the treadmill this morning. I spent about 5 days doing not a lot but I'm starting to try to get some useful things done. I have little cleaning projects and some phone calls to get done today. Still focusing on home/real life stuff now and will transition to some school stuff next week.

[Soror]

12 hours ago, math teacher said:

I want to join in-I really need the accountability. What do you recommend for increasing balance? I am 60 and overweight, but have lost 45 pounds with Wegovy. 

As Laura mentioned strength is a big part of it and also just practicing. I work on strength a lot but find I still suck at balance poses when I don't practice them regularly. A short easy routine you can do regularly along with finding a way to work on increasing strength will be a big help. You can start with just standing on one leg next to a counter you can hold to start. My ankles are my weak links. I was going through a balance sequence in yoga today and had to take a break not because of my leg muscles but my standing ankle was killing me.

15 hours ago, Elfknitter.# said:

Peeking in. I started the year ok but ended very flat (and with increased weight. 😖)

January goals= walking every day and adding in morning walks before work. I already walk on my work breaks at the least.

I'd also like to get back to yoga, so I'll probably start with doing it 2-3 times/ week and work back up to 5-6 days/ week. I'd like add in morning jogs in February, but I want to see how January goes.

I need to carve out time on the weekends to get back to meal prepping for the work week. I have a couple of recipes already picked out for next week.

I also want to focus on going slow and steady. Often times I find I try to get back to a routine too quickly rather than easing into it. Then burnout sets in and it becomes a mess. I want to try to avoid that this time.

Yes, slow and steady-- big goals do no good if you crash and burn. Feel free to jump in whenever you can.

13 hours ago, regentrude said:

I pop in here occasionally but can never commit to any tracking routines/calorie counting/challenges. I don't want to cater to my inner perfectionist who would feel compelled to fulfill whatever challenge I set her - it's not healthy for my psyche. 
Instead, I aim to spend as much time moving in nature as possible, as many days hiking, climbing, and kayaking as I can, and I aim to eat mostly plant based, almost completely from scratch, with lots of fresh produce.  

This past year, I did 30 day hikes and spent 15 days backpacking. I do not track hiking miles. 
I kayaked 400 miles on 12 different rivers on 24 day trips and 8 days of overnights.

For 2023, I will again aim at as many outdoor days as possible, as many hiking/kayaking days as possible, and hopefully get more chances for rock climbing than in the previous three years. I will judge my fitness level by how well I feel on our annual Grand Canyon backpack.

Sounds like you had a productive year.

Fwiw most of us don't count everything either. It is a whatever works for you thing.

16 hours ago, duckabell said:

I’ll chime in. I’m trying to get back into more cardio and maybe train for a half marathon. I ran one a few years ago but need to build my base. That means starting to run again and cross train with cycling. I am also trying to do yoga or stretch 3 times/week and do some light lifting 2x/week. The tricky part will be when school starts again. We have a puppy and I’m afraid if I get up at 6 I’ll wake him up for the day and lose my workout time. He usually gets up around 6:30 or 6:45. I can keep and eye on him when I lift or do yoga, but not when I’m running or cycling.
 

I also want to play pickle ball. I got the equipment for Christmas and played it today with my husband at a local park. We had a great time and my heart rate was definitely up.

Welcome!

I took up pickleball this July. I'm still pretty terrible (I have no sports experience and not great hand eye coordination) BUT I have a lot of fun anyway.

20 hours ago, Eos said:

I would also like to check in here this year.  I've lurked in the past but do need some accountability.  I'm 57 and would like to lose 15 pounds this year and maintain that loss to be at my optimal BMI.  My plan is to:

Eat 1,300 calories/day.  I need to eliminate snacking to achieve this goal, but it's otherwise do-able.  Any thoughts on eliminating snacks appreciated!  

Start every day with some minimal stretching, leg lifts, and a walk down to the Barn and back which will be two miles round trip.

Do my usual random hiking and skating.  I hike throughout the week, and skate whenever there's ice.

This all seems possible. Thank you for any suggestions on tips to stop snacking.

Welcome!

I snack the most when my meals aren't big enough and I'm tired --- ie insomnia gets to me. 

I don't track calories any more but from past experience I know I could not make it on 1300 calories. I'd be snacking on everything in sight in short order. But I'm pre-menopause with a fair amount of muscle mass and activity level. I know once women have went through menopause their calorie needs changed. I'd be mindful for hunger signals. With so few calories you are going to want to get lots of nutrient dense food to keep you fuller but if you still find you are starving to death it might not be enough.

21 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

I’m going to join in on this thread as well, because I do find the similar interest/goals posting motivating. 
I did a pretty major health overhaul in 2022 and feel good about the direction I’m going, but there are several weak spots I’d like to improve. 

I felt best this year when I concentrated on a big variety of plant products. 35-40 different ones per week. I’m going to go back to tracking those to keep me in line. I need to up my vegetable intake. I eat a lot of seeds and nuts and beans, but need more veggies. I also need to drink way more water. I have a couple supplements I think help me that I need to me more consistent with. 

As far as exercise- I need to be consistent with getting at least 10000 steps a day. I have a tendency to be too sedentary, and walking is the best thing I can do to keep my blood sugar low and stable. I’m going to focus on doing some of these in the morning, and some after dinner, because I’ve found those help me set my body clock and digest everything and stabilize my blood sugar to sleep better. 
Im going to continue working on getting up and down off the floor. I’m working towards going from criss cross to standing without using my knees or hands. It looks so easy when people can do it! But I’m not even close. So, working on my core and quads toward this goal.
Also, working on better quality and quantity pushups. I can do some, but they’re not great.  
In addition, I ordered a jump rope. This seems like a good progressive goal for me too. I do better with these types of goals, working up in numbers or toward an accomplishment. 

I feel like I have a pretty good Why? That keeps me motivated - I want to age as healthfully and as strongly as possible. More Constant movement and getting up and down off the floor seem to be big components to aging well so those are my main goals right now. 
 

Congratulations on your health changes. Great goals for the new year. There are some videos that give some tips and step by step on getting up from the floor. There is strength involved and a lot of balance too. I think it is also as adults we just stop getting up and down and we lose the ability. Jump roping is so hard for me! I don't do it often. I'm working on increasing my pushups too. I got to where I could do quite a few pretty well but then did programs where I didn't do them as often and lost some skill. Now I'm working exclusively on bodyweight again so I'm excited to work on them more. And then work on advancing to different varieties. How did you track the variety of plants you ate? I've tried this in different ways but not come across one that clicked with me. I'm working on gut so this is something I want to work on but I don't want anything too tedious or time consuming.

21 hours ago, Wheres Toto said:

Hi, I'm going to try and participate in these threads for 2023.  I think I popped in once ages ago but didn't keep up with it.   

I'm basically starting from scratch.  Up until September of this year I was meeting my oldest dd at Planet Fitness 2 or 3 mornings a week to walk the treadmills and do weight machines, plus doing yoga daily, plus a couple evenings a week of PF with dh and the younger kids.    But in September I had to start driving ds to school every morning so couldn't meet with dd, didn't have time for yoga, and dh had heart issues so we stopped going to the gym in the evenings.  Ds's schedule is different for the Spring semester so I only have to drive him one day a week in the morning, and possibly a couple days after I'm done for the day.  

I am still on my feet all day long but that's about it.  I've gained weight, my legs hurt from tight muscles, and I really miss it all.   

My plan is to meet up with dd at least 3 days a week starting next week, for PF treadmill and strength exercises.  Then yoga/tai chi when I get to work after that - just an easy stretch because I won't have time to shower again before teaching classes.  Then after I finish for the day, 30 or so minutes of walking/dance videos/step at least a few days a week.  I bought a step because I'm having a hard time getting up and down stairs so want to work on those muscles.   I have very few opportunities to go up and down stairs in my daily life. 

Welcome! It doesn't sound like you are entirely starting from scratch. September wasn't so long ago. Your body will get back in the groove. It is so nice you can meet your dd at PF. I met my Mom at PF for awhile and it was great fun. It just didn't work for our schedules anymore.

22 hours ago, mom2scouts said:

I've been spending a few minutes on the rowing machine every day this week. It's not much, but I'm trying to build a habit before the New Year. I'm in such bad shape and I need to start slowly. I also need a complete overhaul of my food. I have a *very* picky teen eater and a dh who loves to grocery shop so I feel like food choices have often been out of my control. I need to figure out how to navigate that. I'd also like to add more fun movement into our lives this year like hiking, kayaking, swimming, or biking when the weather is better, but those things don't happen if they aren't planned.

I stepped on the scale today and it says I've lost about 5 pounds since the last time which can't be right. I've been eating so many Christmas treats!

Welcome!

Starting slowly is a great idea.Best wishes for your plan for the new years. Fwiw I eat my own breakfast and usually my own lunch. I usually only eat the same food as the family for dinner.

22 hours ago, Ali in OR said:

Did my dumbbell workout this a morning and I did the whole thing, even the cool down exercises at the end. I guess another mini-goal should be to prioritize getting my full workout done in the mornings before school. Too many got cut short over the last month or two.

I think you did great considering all that you had going on. I hope things calm down and you are able to get some more time in the am.

On 12/29/2022 at 7:56 AM, Minerva said:

I'm dipping my toe into this thread. I have about ten pounds I need to lose, legs that are always sore that need stretching, arms that used to be toned that wobble in the wind, and food habits that need upgrading. I am just listening in at this point because I have no concrete goals or actions yet but am getting a lot out of everyone's action plans.

Currently I take a two mile walk every morning on the very steep trail behind my house and then another afternoon walk that is inconsistent in length. That's about it for exercize.  I definitely like the idea of roll-out-of-bed yoga. Also, any suggestions for motivation. I seem to be bogged down these days with the complexity of life and need to reshape some habits. 

I'm going to research some of the ideas you all have mentioned upthread. Thanks! 

Welcome!

I would say motivation is fleeting. Focus on the habits, making time in you schedule, and doing it anyway. Honest to goodness I'd say anybody that regularly exercises has lots of days they don't feel like it. I have plenty like that BUT I know I will almost always feel better once I get going. If the day is really bad I say I'm just going to get started and see how it goes.Usually getting started is the hardest part. Or and I say this a lot it's ok if I have a bad workout if I only did workouts when I felt awesome and performed the best I'd miss lots of times.  And rarely I get going and I realize that I really do feel crappy and just stop.

So what do you enjoy, hate the least, or are curious to try? When do you have the most energy and time? How much time do you realistically have? What is your current level? If you are a coming from couch potato going to intense workouts an hour a day every day is likely to end up with you injured and discouraged.

Here are a few different morning yoga routines to check out-- https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/morning-yoga-routine#intermediate-routine

@Hilltopmom also just made a thread about beginner yoga. There are so many free workouts on YouTube.