Health and Fitness June, 2022

[Harriet]

Welcome!

In this thread we chat about keeping ourselves strong and capable as we pursue our calling as homemakers. Our family members may need to lean on us, and we may need to lean on them. Proactive medical answers, sensible consumption of healthy food and water, getting enough rest, and getting enough activity, too - these are all part of our plans! Helping each member of our households work in all their healthy habits is priceless!

[Twins' Mom]

We are leaving tomorrow a.m. for a wedding weekend for ds's best friend and our "other" son.

Things need to be different when I get back. I need to get back walking and eating more reasonably.

Thank you Harriet, for your faithfulness in getting these threads up for us month in and month out! We appreciate you!

[LadyMaverick]

Yes! Thank you, Harriet, for doing the monthly H&F threads so we have a place to talk about, learn, and share health related subjects.

I am diving into the deep end of nutritional studies. The more I learn the more I am fascinated and motivated to keep going. I have signed up for a 6 week class that teaches me to monitor & track my body response to different food as feedback. There are so many factors in this that it felt overwhelming at first, but I am slowly working my way through them. They provide recipes for the most nutritionally dense foods that also meet the macros I need. They say eventually I will learn the top 30 or so foods that meet my nutritional goals. My love of spreadsheets is a crucial factor in tracking all this information.

The teachers for this program are based in Europe and Australia which I find a bit interesting in learning the separate ways we spell words and names for the same food. I didn't know what Lady Finger was, but I learned it is what I call Okra. They call use the word Rocket to describe the food that I know as Arugula

My goal is to get morning Blood Glucose below 100, and to get waist: height ration to .5. To achieve that means I must lose some fat. I am currently losing between 1% to 2% of my body weight each week.

I am still doing my 40 day challenges because they compliment the nutritional studies perfectly.
** 8k steps (4 mile) daily
** 0123 strategy challenge
** Intermittent fasting

[Nancy]

My focus this month stretching for 30 + days.
So far pleased with the results.
Up at 5 for the PBS show "Classical Stretch."
Is on on two times. I do one with her and watch one for the methods, moves and to
Learn the science / biology /physiology and be more nimble and strong.

Did that walked and mowed for activity Thursday.
Doing okay today yea for that!

Fri. did only walk around the block with ddog bc of thunder.
Parked at the edge of bank parking lot not a real big one but got some steps, some one was blocking the place I usually park. No worries.
Did some weeding great for stretching out muscles feeling a fit more toned after a month of focus on this. Back & hip are improved for the most part.

[Harriet]

Nancy, that's what t-tapp instructors call "reading" an instructional video of a workout, so that when you later do the same one you don't have to awkwardly turn yourself to the screen to see what's expected! I think it's very smart of you.

Arugula/Rocket I knew about, but did not know "lady finger" for okra!

Enjoy the studies, LadyM. Here, spreadsheets are a constant for HRH for so many uses, and yet I seem to gravitate to other methods.

I have finally fallen behind in keeping up with the printed circling monthly page for my healthy habits. Wondering why, after almost a half year. Well, on the one hand, I guess even something pretty or colorful can eventually seem less inviting. But on the other hand, I wonder if it is simply because I can't keep up with the colored pens. If I start this again, do I need to choose colored pencils that are triangularly shaped so they don't roll away??? Or just buy so many I can't possibly lose them all (or run out of ink, which also happened)? Thinking. It's also an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet, so maybe just cumbersome?

I spent years with my records on screen, and years before that with my records on 4x6 cards. It's possible I'm just flighty these days.

Speaking of years, I hit my 6-year mark without meat or fish.

I hope the wedding weekend is great fun, Twins'. I'm sure you'll come back with a smart plan.

[Nancy]

I wanted to note that she explains the clock rotation and helps me to understand the moves and reason why.
That is so helpful! I feel better after that too.
Great for too hot or cold weather days as well.

Today's rain could be good one for exercising in the carport.
Or cleaning out the shed or shop or plant cage.

[LadyMaverick]

Today is Day #40 of my 6-week experiment with Intermittent Fasting. Overall, it was successful in that it got me started in learning how my body responds to different eating patterns. When I started this IF challenge, I was intrigued by OMAD (One Meal a Day) and I tried that for a couple of weeks. I was eating anything and everything I wanted during that one meal. I had to make that one meal in the evening so I wouldn't be hungry at night. After 3 weeks of doing this, I was growing disillusioned. However, I had committed to doing IF for 40 days, so I didn't want to quit.

Instead of quitting the Intermittent Fasting experiment, I added DDF (Data Driven Fasting). Using my blood glucose (BG) to learn when my body needed food made sense to me. I did multiple BG tests before and after eating for 3 days to establish a baseline BG. I learned what my target BG # was and would wait until I reached it before eating. This usually happened around midafternoon but has gradually changed to be closer to noon.

Because I am testing BG before & after eating, I am learning how my BG responds to different foods. I quickly learned what foods spiked my blood glucose into scary BG #'s and the joy of eating them disappeared. Eating a half cup of rice will send my BG soaring 100 points! However, eating a big skillet of stir fry vegetables & protein will only bump it up 20 points. Eating food that makes my BG stable makes me happy. It has been a trial-and-error time of learning for me. As my BG levels out, I started feeling much better and my hunger disappeared. I am not diabetic, but my BG levels make a dramatic difference in my energy level and my mood.

That experiment prompted me to learn more about macros, so I signed up for a nutritional course that focuses on optimal macros. I am enjoying this class and am doing daily homework assignments on myself. Book Learning ---->> test on myself ----->> implement what works for my body.

I have lost 8.1 pounds, reduced body fat by 1% and my waist circumference is 1" less over the past 40 days. I can't contribute that to only IF but a combination of several learning experiments. My IF 40-day challenge ends today but I will continue with other on-going 40-day challenges.

[Nancy]

CI ~ Done. I did an a m walk not as early and digging several rounds in the garden & picking up stuff I pruned on sat.
Worm walk & Ladder work done for today's exercise.

My left calf has stopped bothering me after doing the stretching.
My back is better but right hip is troublesome.

I feel a bit more toned and might be regaining a bit of a waistline curve tiny progress.

[Ramblinrose]

I am back in the gym taking classes at least three times a week. I need to do that to regain the muscle mass I’ve lost over the past year.

I am also doing IF and watching my carb intake. I am doing protein shakes, which I love, for my first meal and protein, veggies and a salad for my second. My body seems to like this. I also add an occasional square of chocolate at night if needed.

Need to add more walking although I am contemplating buying a bike. This is a great area to ride and I’ve always loved doing that, so we shall see.

[Nancy]

Slept in a bit.
Decluttering plant cage counts for a m stretch today!
Walk in a bit. * = done.
Earlier is better 99* hi today expected.