Health and Fitness, April 2013

[Harriet]

Welcome! This is a thread about gaining and maintaining strength for our wonderful calling, Homemaking. As we care for our own health, we grow more capable and competent to care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. As we become more effective, our hopes for ourselves and those we care about get the best chance!

We are at the quarter-mark of 2013. (No, really, I double-checked. Amazing, isn't it?)

Were there year or month goals you set and would like to revisit?

What are the plans you have for the rest of 2013?

[Nancy]

I've done 10 mi. on the ex. bike this morning getting the miles done that I missed yesterday to complete that goal. Considering what my ex. goals will be for this month while I did that. Mowing gardening walking are also some of the things I'll be doing.

[Ivy]

I walked 1/2 hour this morning. I did some dusting/dust mopping this later afternoon. My eating has been on track, too.

[Nancy]

I did 10 more mi. on the ex. bike last night too.

[Ivy]

I walked 1/2 hour yesterday, ate healthy, and had no desserts nor snacks after dinner. But I had a gain of 1.4 Lbs. I guess Easter ham for lunch might have done it. I was disappointed, but it is mainly because I'm tired today. My clothes fit fine and I look good in my clothes, too. I refuse to "obsess" about it or binge over it either.

I got to sleep very late, might not walk today, but am decluttering and am doing household chores for activity instead. DH kept scraping his sharp big toenails on the cotton sheets, in his sleep. I decided to lay there and get angry was futile. I got up to crochet facecloths and pray instead. I crawled into bed at 2:40 a.m. I'm sleepy, will nap today, and since DH got bad sleep, too, he's decided to go to town tomorrow for his haircut, tabs, and groceries.

I feel badly when I disturb DH's sleep, because he's diabetic, needs his sleep, and I was just bushy-tailed and bright-eyed, as my Dad used to say! I had a nap from 4 - 5 p.m. yesterday, which I've "discovered" is way too late for me now! After this, I'll make a 1-hour nap earlier.

[Harriet]

My April goal is as always. To be at a an exercise goal of 2.5 hours per week, and at the same time to be either at weight goal (chuckle) or to be in a downward trend toward it. Also to be keeping up healthy habits.

March report 13 hours formal exercise, mostly T-Tapp, and downward trend. Measuring tape says quarter-inches down at all the likely torso spots.*

Hit a recent* low by one-half pound yesterday morning, but with a stressful day that kept me at hospital by surprise, things went downhill a bit and I certainly had bounced up this morning. Hoping I can continue downward a little more soon.

Btw, the day before yesterday, which I would credit with help in reaching the low weight, was veggie, and a low-cal day. Felt very well. The next day's problems were more anxiety than hunger.

Smoothie this a.m., then to hospital, and at home tuna sandwich on whole grain/nut bread plus cucumber for lunch. Snack of half a protein bar while at hospital. Then beside hospital, had to just go through the McD's drive and get one of their grilled chicken wraps - could be a worse day, I guess.

* you guys have seen me see this weight/size before, of course, lol! This is not new territory, just recently low.

[Harriet]

Quite right, don't obsess over it, Ivy. You've done so much, no reason to worry about a pound.

I've earned the right to sit here and pant and chat a little.

Today, although interrupted, I did T-Tapp Total 45 minutes in two parts. (no runner's stretch - gotta be honest) The other name for this one is beginner-rehabilitative, btw. That's what it always used to be called, but "Total" is probably more accurate, since it's pretty difficult. You're only supposed to do full T-Tapp workouts every other day (unless you are having a "bootcamp" new start, which I've done several times of course. All T-Tappers fall off the wagon and get back on without guilt.)

But there are several full workouts out by now, and some are 35 minutes, some over an hour. Since I used to put them on my short lists of gift ideas, I have a nice assortment. It's best to do at least one total full workout per week, total meaning those that have the complete sequence of moves in some configuration, but you can mix and match otherwise. That way you're not doing all floor work and neglecting the spine, etc. I haven't even gotten back to floor work this year. I won't do it until I am super well-versed in Total, and if I'm not even doing the whole stretch yet, well, obviously I'm not quite as strong as it can make me yet.

Okay, I couldn't stand it. Just typing that in explanation concerned me. I went back and did the complete runner's stretch. It wasn't pretty, but it was done. It'll be prettier next time.

[Ivy]

I walked 55 min. while on the phone with a dear elderly 97.5 year old friend. After that, I cleaned the eating bar, worked on laundry more, got more items for the ARC donation. I'm sweating, will shower after the laundry's done washing, perhaps before dinner or right after.

My April goals are the usual ones. To follow my eye specialist's diet for my eyes, which is:
3 fruits daily
5 servings per week of leafy dark green veggies
Fish and/or Fish Oil Capsules
Limit sweets
Try to lose weight, because the circulation of blood in the eyes is better than if you're too overweight and there's more fat in the eyes.

Also, I'm trying to lose slowly because I want my skin to shrink slowly. I have 15 - 25 Lbs. to lose, but it doesn't "need" to be the full -25 Lbs. because I've already lost 110 Lbs. So I'm just doing the over-the-mountain-and-down-the-other-side part of the weight loss now. It's nice to be able to indulge occasionally, but I know when we indulge too much we begin to bulge too much.

I also am supposed to start riding my bike 5 min. daily for a week, adding 5 min. a week, for up to riding 30 min. daily. I might start that for April.

[Nancy]

Did not do the exercise bike today it was nice enough to get it in doing yard work here and next door. Feels great and I enjoyed dinner on the patio admiring the yard and all the work we did.

[Ivy]

I walked 30 min. this morning, but I ate a medium chocolate chip muffin. So now I feel like I need to be very careful about my eating the rest of the day and move around more. I was planning to read and write letters, so I'll putter around and walk in baby steps between reading and writing letters.