Healthy renewal - new fitness goal

I was able to get the shoes with the insert the podiatrist recommended, which will be so much better for work and walking/standing, but got thrown a loop that spent a longtime at the vet last night. The new adoptee is sick and did not get to walking in the evening again. Had to come home to disinfect toys, yard, wash all the bedding in the house, and vacuum. I did not have enough energy left. This is going to be our new routine for the next several weeks. So not looking forward to it. Going to have to find a way to summon up more energy. I have to go back to the vet to get the other 2 checked tonight and started on meds meanwhile.

Goal tonight: find a faster routine to do all this cleaning and get in exercise. How many calories can you burn cleaning?! Hmmmm?

Goals today: bike this morning, look at rescue, get them settled in if a match, and then take them walking later.[/QUOTE]

Fresia,

Firstly I admire your will to organise your day in subtle sense, I find this helps me too not panic so much.

Sorry to hear about your body pains, if you could get that swimming pool membership that would be so good for those joints and aches! I have started swimming for about a month now twice a week and cycling, and it feels nice to be in the open air and stretch the limbs and muscles in the pool.

I really hope your fitness goal has worked out, and that you enjoy the journey through healthy renewal!

tc

Thanks for the encouraging words. I hope the rescue works out for the best and that all goes wll with getting everyone settled in together. Have just gone through this myself and know what a challenge this can be not just finding them but once they are home too. Good luck and best wishes with your fitness goals as well!

One more day of work this week and so looking forward to the weekend. The weather is even supposed to be nice, starting this evening, yes!

Goals for today: walking this morning, and biking this evening.

Got so much done yesterday including biking and walking. It was glorious. What to do today with such nice weather? Going to take the dogs to trails by the beach.

Goal: hiking

I am so proud of myself this week. I have made really good food choices and have not been slipping up: planning meals, taking healthy lunches and snacks for work (which has made a huge difference in my energy level during the day), and not snacking so much. I got on a soda kick there for a bit and have replaced it with waters, flavored with natural lemons, oranges, or lime that I squeeze a tiny bit of juice into. Then definitely drinking more just plain water as well, a glass before every meal. I find I am not eating as much, feeling fuller sooner with each meal, and sometimes not even finishing the plate. If I can keep this up, I think I will be on a better path.

Now, not so proud, exercise this week....chaotic week from hell. If it could go wrong it has. I walk in the mornings but nothing in the evenings. I wish cleaning burned more calories than it actually does. It is kicking my butt. 24 more days to go of this cleaning routine to make sure the girardia doesn't spread. I have the routine down to 2 hours now; I am so tired by the end though. I am going to try to do something as soon as I come home from work, fix dinner, then clean for a change. See how that goes.

Goals: walked this morning already, walk/bike tonight, then clean

So excited, 3 day weekend of freedom! Walked with the dogs this morning and going to bike this evening. Spent the afternoon so far chopping and stacking wood to get ready for winter; I know this burns calories. The rest of this weekend is supposed to be not so nice, so it is great to be able to get this done today and it spend some time outside for a change. Off to clean now, bane of my existence.

Goal this evening: biking

Is it okay to join your thread? It may help me if I post stuff instead of just writing in a journal. First the background: ballooned up from meds that now I don't take, but depression and fatigue (plus aging) have contributed to my not losing it. Recently I was able to find some medications to help with depression and fatigue. Plus I found out I was eating too few calories and had shut down my metabolism. I started eating more and lost weight without effort. Now it has plateaued after about 20 pounds. I still would like to lose another 20 at the least, maybe 30. So next week I'm going to start a more intensive exercise plan. It consists of workouts with weights as well as cardio. The theory is that weights build muscle mass and boost metabolism. I'll also continue to walk. I can't really do much more with my diet. I'm often below my daily requirement, but I don't have an appetite and eat vegetables or salads if I am hungry which doesn't add much calorie wise. I'm aiming at a 1-2 pound loss per week until about the New Year where I'll be close enough to my goal weight.

Archipelago wrote:
Absolutely! That is exactly what this thread is here for. No matter what each of our fitness goals are, it is not an easy process and wanted to have a place to support each other as well as just to vent some days, or keep track of progress. Use the thread as you need to for that purpose as you work towards your goals.

I, too, have been been trying to change my metabolism by incorporating more weights into my routine. The doc and trainer once confirmed as you mentioned that by building more muscle that will be burning more calories, even at rest. However, for me the last couple weeks I had to stop with family and friends coming to visit. The weights I have take up my whole guest room (tiny room), so I put them away, and have not gotten them back out; out of sight out of mind unfortunately. You have reminded me I need to get them back out. Today will be perfect day to start them again, thunderstorms all day, and need to stay inside; perfect for a weight training day.

I wish you well as you move forward with your fitness goals. Use the thread as to help you work towards them; it is here when you want it.

Good luck everyone with your goals!

Goal today: weights and walking (hopefully will avoid the lightning)]

I've been warming up for exercising more. Today is my intended start date. I have a plan I got from a person online who is a trainer and is credentialed in functional fitness, kinesiology, and nutrition. He has a 4 stage plan that I can stretch out to 4 months that alternates intensive weight work outs with cardio. Not high weights and not isolated muscle groups, but full body exercises with dumb bells or a barbell. The warm up is almost a routine in itself but without weights. I have tried it and found it gets my heart rate up, breathing too, and is challenging enough that I'm slightly sore. You can control the intensity by the amount of weight, the number of rounds, and the pace. That makes it a very flexible program. While I used to be fit and muscular and responded quickly to develop muscle tone, I'm older now and more out of shape so I have to be more patient. I have lost 20 pounds just by adjusting my diet. I was undeatating and lowered my metabolism. Eating more frequently and increasing my calories to a certain level actually made me lose weight without effort. Now that has plateaued so exercise is what I need to continue to lose the weight. I also want to be more fit and change the my body shape. It will take a while to get this built in as a routine, which is my main concern. I'm busy and worried that it will be easy to get home and just want to unwind rather than work out.

I have been really sick the past week and a half, throwing up meds as well, so MH stuff has been an issue too not being able to keep anything down. I am hoping this finds doing everyone much better than I and am wondering Archipelago how your program is going, especially when you get off of work. It has taken all my energy this week just to get through work and even some days did not make it even there, let alone out of bed.

Good luck everyone with your programs, health, and fitness goals.

My goals this weekend is just to start back with walking and to try more solid foods.

I have been walking but not near as long as normally would; am not fully recovered yet. I don't think I can do the bike yet as my equilibrium is still off and will have to stick to keeping my feet on the ground.

Goal this afternoon: walk again

We saw a red tailed fox last night on our walk. It was stunning in the setting sun running across the field. Amazingly enough, all of the dogs and including the puppy listened when I asked them to stay and not chase it. I am sure it was as shocked as I was.

It is sad to me that it is starting to stay dark at this hour now; am already missing the sun.


Goal today: hiking along the river

So I have been walking the last couple of days and it is getting better. Still not back to where I was, but better. I am going to try biking this evening and over the weekend. I also need to weigh-in as have not done this in awhile; it's been three weeks now. It is time to get back on track. I am dreading it as I think I have gained but necessary to check for sure. So Saturday will be the day now, during the week is hard enough to face and get through as work is killing me, so will check it on the weekends now.

The resident owl is back. I only hear him/her in the fall. I don't know why that is but he/she is back; heard him last night and saw him in the trees on our way home. I should get a bird book to find out what kind it is. The dogs all just stood, and one sat listening to him/her, mesmerized all lined up in a row, ears up, heads turning left and right listening intently. Surprising on one hand that they didn't bark or try to go after it. Of course, where was a camera when you need it.

Goal this evening: check out balance on the bike again

So I registered my dad and I for a beginner Tai Chi class. It starts week after next. I am not sure what to expect. I hope it goes well, but should be interesting anyhow and to see how uncoordinated I really am. Anyone taken or done tai chi before?

Goal today: hiking as the weather is supposed to be nice.

Hi Fresia,

Sorry to hear you've been sick, but I'm glad you're starting to get better.

I've never taken tai chi. Thought about it, but never actually did it...

I haven't been running in months. I went to the doctor about my arches. My GP gave me some stretches to do. Told me to do them twice a day and in a week or so, I should be able to start running again (not as much, but some). Well, I was doing them religiously, then one day I had to walk, just walk, for a distance that took me, oh 10-15 minutes. And my arches started hurting like I hadn't done anything at all. So, I got discouraged, but I had an appointment with a PT set up. Went to that, and she gives me all these strengthening exercises because she says my arches hurt because the rest of my body is out of alignment (arches fall, knees cave in, hips go out). But honestly, some of the exercises she gave me just hurt my knees and some I can't do because I don't have stairs (my apartment building has stairs, but I'm not sure how I feel about doing my exercises in the hallway...). Anyways, I have a running evaluation at the end of the October and an appointment to get fit for custom orthotics. We'll see if this helps. I"m worried they're going to tell me I have to change the way I run. I don't even really like running, and if I have to change the way I run, I'll probably just stop all together, and that would be terrible. My mental health has actually been really struggling lately because I can't run.

Sorry for the really long vent. I'll try to keep you guys posted on whats going on, but I'm so ridiculously busy right now that I barely have time to eat, let alone goof off on the computer.

Take care everyone! Keep going with your goals!

RS- It is amazing the power problems with our feet have over our lives. I will be hoping that the custom orthotics will help for support and comfort so can resume your normal activities. When I started to have troubles with my arches when I went back to work from standing all day or even when I played tennis non-stop, the doc always recommended swimming to help strengthen and stretch them in a weightless environment. It really seemed to help. I don't know if this might be an option but perhaps something to run by your doc or therapist to see what they think. Hang in there meanwhile and will be hoping for the best.

Things have been strange lately, as a long time friend has passed that I talked to practically daily. I have been out of sorts ever since. I have had a hard time getting motivated to do anything letting it all settle in. I know what she would want me to do and I need to work on my goals again, if not for me, in her name as motivation as she will never get the chance to fulfill hers, life cut short like this. Just so very tragic and heartwrenching. I need to rethink some things and what I want/need to/should do.

Goal today: walk and gain perspective.

I have a Tai Chi class tonight and am looking forward to it. It was so nice today, took the dogs for a longer hike than normal. The next thing will be to start the new pup out with the bike now that healthwise things are getting back to normal.

Goal tonight: make it through class

Goal tomorrow: start biking again

Well this is a first.... most of the dogs are afraid of the bike, having a hard time getting them to stay close, oh no, not the new pup. She attacks and wants to play with it. SO much so is she not afraid of it that she tries to play with the spokes as they are turning. I had a heck of a time trying to keep her safe and ended up stopping. We looked like a comedy of errors going down the road, if I weren't so exasperated, I am laughing now though. Not what I was expecting however, let alone hoping. I will have to look into one of those braces that attaches to the bike that keeps them at a distance. Just great, so biking is out for the time being. Hopefully I can find one of those today and get it ordered.

Goal today then: weights and walking

I did not make it to do the weights or the walking the other day. I have not walked in a couple of days. Fortunately a family member walked the dogs for me, thankfully. I have been so depressed between what happen with losing my friend, my job, and the days getting shorter. I got a verilux light to help with it being so dark all the time, and this is just the beginning of it; hopefully it will help. I need to exercise, it will help and know it will, but motivation is lacking just to get going, so tired. I have to summon up some energy from somewhere as I am sliding backwards.

Goal for this afternoon: walking

Just wanted to say, I hope everyone's goals are going well.
Wishing you all the best. Go for it and good luck!

It has been strange week and I need to weigh in this weekend as I have been putting it off; we'll see how that goes.

Goal today: walking

Hi, Fresia. Glad to see you've been keeping this thread and your goals up on the go. Hope to see a continuation of promising posts from you.

Thanks Zwangsstörung. Have fallen off the wagon, so to speak. I recently have not been feeling well and found out I have high blood pressure. I started a med a week ago but it does not seem to be helping. I have to call the doc back Monday.

Meanwhile, weighed-in finally.... have not lost or gained, so good news and not so good news, but at least have not gained, maintained status quo and have plateaued.

Now that the company has gone is to get the weights back out. Weather is supposed to nice so will go back out too. Some wicked storms this last week; beautiful in their own way but miserable to go out in.

Goal today: weights and walking

Good luck with everyone's goals!

So my blood pressure has come down some; the meds seems to be helping. I took some time to rest this week after my visit to ER earlier this week. It was hard enough just getting through the days at work. I need to step up things up though, no more excuses. I need to get my BP down more.

So my new goal is to do a cardio activity daily and will do weights 2x a week for right now.

Today: walking