Health and Fitness February, 2012

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

New morning, felt fine making the bed and puttering but on the treadmill my left ankle feels like it is sprained and so I'm limping even only at 2.5 mph. At under 2 mph it is manageable so I have to decide if I want to try to walk it off or give up.

Yesterday, my walk was only .4 miles but it was slow because I was on my own without dh or a cane to lean on. At one point I got to an intersection and looked back to see a truck getting ready to turn onto the street I was crossing. He signaled for me to cross and I signaled for him to go. Normally, I would have just crossed but the possibility of a rest was too tempting.

My boots certainly made walking worse so that's what must have triggered it. Dh wears overshoes so walks in his regular runners. But I have two pairs of boots, one with heels (only 1") and one with no padding or arch support. So long walks in the winter aren't just worrying about ice, my footwear is hard on my back even when the roads are clear and dry. That's why I love the treadmill so much.

[Harriet]

Kathryn, that is probably one reason I like video workouts so much, in that hurrying (or NOT) is by my own choice with no one watching me or expecting anything particular of me! I hope you feel very well for your trip and enjoy sight-seeing, walks.

Took a day off yesterday while a lot was going through my mind. This evening did another same session of the BL workout.
Feb 1, 25 mins
Feb 2, 30 mins
Feb 3, 30 mins
Feb 4, 30 mins
Feb 5, 30 mins
Feb 6, 30 mins
Feb 8, 30 mins
= 3 hours, 25 minutes so far this month.

I only need 2 more sessions of the 30 minute BL workout to be finished with the first part (2 weeks).

This seems to really get one's heart rate up and burn calories. However, it doesn't seem as specific to slimming/trimming. I probably need to go back to T-Tapp for a while to keep working on toning my needy midsection, lol. My left hand always hurts after BL, too. I wonder if it's grasping the weights or if it's the push-ups, both of which I'm not used to. I have decided one thing I like about this BL video is the nice men - there are 3 on screen and 3 women, and everyone chats and they seem to be friends, very kind all 'round. That make-up of an exercise group is unusual for video workouts. I think I like being able to do the same workout fit men are doing.

Yesterday I ate fast-food twice. I felt awful because of the sodium content. This morning I had a banana for breakfast and felt so much better. (potassium, I'm sure) No more frantic days, please! LOL

[Nancy]

I'm liking the results I see in the mirror these days yea!
Got in a 5 mi. bike ride then walked a mile after granny duty & got my heart rate up for that.

[Nancy]

Back from a brisk walk did that for my exercise today sun came out this morning so that made it even better!

[Harriet]

Happy for you, Nancy. It's been too cold to walk here lately! My ddad has been disappointed to stay inside so much.

I've gotten a little spooked by this pain in my left hand every time I do the BL workout. HRH is questioning whether the cold metal weight, which of course I'm grasping tightly, might be causing some joint pain. I didn't have this pain until I did this workout, but I can't shake it. It comes back every time after the workout in the evenings and lasts long enough that I realize it is bothering me in bed. The right hand is fine. Anyway, I think I need to change, which is sort of a shame. I was liking this series, but weights are in your hands most of the workout - it's really dependent on them.

This evening I just put in 10 minutes, so after the first 10 days of the month, 3 hours and 45 mins toward 10 hour goal.

[Nancy]

I realize I forgot my wall push ups yesterday so I will try to get them in today maybe even twice as many but probably not at once. Walked however. Today it's raining so if I do any thing will do ex. bike or walk indoors.

[Harriet]

I didn't really say this is the quote I was happy for....!

I'm liking the results I see in the mirror these days yea! - Nancy

I hope I'll say something similar before warm weather!

Anybody remember the heyday of Step Aerobics?
Today I ordered a VHS tape of 1996's Time Crunch Workout, which dd32 and I enjoyed so much, about 1996-97, that we purchased The Firm's "step" to use with it as the exercisers in the video did. The appeal of their "step" was/is that it is wooden and works as a stool, too. I still have it tucked under a side chair near our front door and bring it out for various needs. I always wondered why that "step" didn't slip out from under you, since it didn't have a rubberized base, but it never did with us, as many times as we exercised with it. Somehow we lost the VHS tape so it will be nice to have it back and add that to my exercise options for variety.

[Nancy]

H. is not wanting me to walk, does not want to go to the RV show where I can walk indoors. He's being a grump ~ me no angel either! LOL! I do not want to do the ex. bike today. ~Sigh~ lunch is done.

[Lynlee]

I need get my eating and bedtimes back on track.

Harriet - I have resigned myself to just use body weight to work out. Well - have had much more of an upper body workout doing yoga than using weights.
cat cow, downward dog, plank or 1/2 plank, push ups yoga style elbows in. even holding arms outstretched in warrior poses is much more than what I used do.
The step can be really versatile and as vigorous as you make it. WTG on the new tape. remembering being totally worn out in a short time of using the ground to lowest pat of veranda stepup exercise.
Wondering if theres a tape for oldies that your father would appreciate when its too wet, snowy, or wild to go walking. No I've no idea what that might be. Maybe simple qi gong (shu gung)(basic exercises for tai chi)

[Harriet]

Lynlee, I've come here to read on break from T-Tapp Arms, so for this I am back to no weights, a living example right now of your point that it can be more of an upper body work-out. HRH asked me to break so he could watch something real quick on the LR tv. He feels badly and is trying to hurry, not realizing the great favor he has done my arms, halfway through the arms segment, which is so demanding in this one.

I'll post later how many minutes I get through... I mean get in!

The 30-minute workout is finished, so 4 hours 15 minutes this month so far. This is one of the Tempo ones, though, so faster movement. It's a "Full" workout, so one of the ones you're not supposed to do every day, even though it's shorter than other "Fulls". Arms are aching a bit, midsection too, from all the sing-song reminders : "knees OUT....keep that TUMmy in". That's how you trim with T-Tapp - excellent nagging... um, cueing.