Health and Fitness December, 2023

[Harriet]

Welcome!
We're approaching the end of 2023. Here we are, in the month in which we assess the year and also prepare any record-keeping or goals that we want to be in place by 2024.

What healthy 2023 habits or methods are "keepers" for you going forward?
Which ones do you need to reset?

Join us in this 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 grow more effective, our hopes for ourselves and those we care about get the best chance!

[Nancy]

It snowed winter routines need a reset.
Inside exercise & snow sweeping.
Got 11,000 = steps maybe 12,000.

[Harriet]

I'm going to use my circular habit tracker again and keep up with Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen. Finding myself sort of hungry for that colorful, at-a-glance record again. So, I've got that filled out for the month of December.

While I was about it, I made a master copy with date numbers and all the healthy habits already filled in and made a few copies of that already. So, when January rolls around, if I still want to keep up with the colorful circle, it's ready to go.

And, sort of inspired maybe, I had a perfect day yesterday and met all 24 small healthy habits in the Daily Dozen. Well, most are small - his idea of exercise is never a small thing. I got to the end of my eating window and just needed another bean/pea and an "other vegetable", so I nuked a little sweet potato and had it with 1/2 cup Crowders, and finished those check marks.

This (last minute attempts to get more checks) is why you don't lose weight this way unless you are very, very organized and your days always go as you plan. BUT it does remind you to stick to healthy habits, which is valuable in other ways.

I did check out exercises for bone density, even though I was overreacting last month to scan results that I mis-read. I've done some of those videos, which seem to be mostly about leg exercise, activating glutes and thighs, springing up vigorously, even jumping. But mostly still doing t-tapp. My shoulder appreciates that careful physical therapy type. Dd25 was worried that I've done T's "hitchhikers" move, which is pretty exhausting for the arms, but it doesn't hurt, and I think my arm/shoulder actually feels better afterward.

Eating prunes, but still just one a day, lol. Thinking about the 5 to 6 per day just seems like something you definitely need to work up to, digestively speaking! And I'm getting a variety of produce anyway that might overlap with good nutrients that prunes have. Yesterday I cut one up (yes, I cut an already-little thing into 6 pieces!) and had it in my big salad.

[Nancy]

I walked today after church / they did not have cookies to tempt me yea!

[Harriet]

Two days in a row of all checkmarks. But today I let that go a little. Lots going on and I only ate 2 meals. Don't think it's a good idea to eat late.

I'll get a running start tomorrow, lol.

[Nancy]

Mon. Got over 10,000 steps today. Did leaves and at the small market fueled one rig & walked all the isles.
Tues. Shopping & walked. Steps done.
Wed. Walked & got my steps in.
Thurs. Walked & raked leaves.
Fri. I Walked closing in on another steps goal this weekend yea!

[Harriet]

3rd perfect day of the month yesterday.

A youtube of a DVD I have here seemed like an instant exercise help. Was into it by about 10 minutes when it dawned on me, she was moving very fast, giving no breaks, asking a lot. Realized it was the advanced "Tempo" version that I have done, actually many times in the past, but just wasn't ready for after a long day. I kept on and decided it was good for me to be challenged, but from now on I will really read those titles and explanations of yt flicks!

My annual physical is Monday. I've gotten "checked in" online, which is an interesting new chore we never had to do before.

I think it's weird that you see the dr, then go have your bloodwork. I would rather have my bloodwork in hand so that the dr and I could talk about it.

Dr. Greger's new book, How Not to Age, arrived yesterday, a day after release. I was a little surprised because it was supposed to arrive on day of release and I had pre-ordered, but it didn't really bother me. I got a partial refund because in the meantime the bookseller's price had come down, so that was nice. I really want to get into reading it, but December (although great for buying books as gifts) is really a too-busy month to expect people to be taking time to read a lot about their healthy habits.

[Twins' Mom]

Harriet, I think January is the traditional time to examine habits and improve one's health!

Today is just an off day for sure. I've made my step goal. Workout was good as always but I felt like I was just struggling today.

I also updated my weight chart for November and I was up just a little, unfortunately.

I'm walking consistently getting in 60K steps a week and working out twice a week.

[Nancy]

I looked at a sheet from 2021 and back then I was excited about step goal less than half of some I get pretty regularly now.
4,000 vs 10,000 some days now. So it is a great thing to go back and see that!

[Twins' Mom]

I will make my step goal for the week - I've only had one day (Monday, travel day) that I didn't make 8500 steps for the day goal. I won't make it today, will be sure I get to 60K but not worried otherwise.

I am trying to take stock. My fitness has improved this year. Once I submitted the portfolio in Nov 2022, a goal was an exercise and walking program. My scale records body fat and muscle mass and a bunch more of readings daily. I don't pay any attention to anything except weight, but I can see improvement in those records. No idea how accurate they really are. Body fat has come down 3.1%. Skeletal muscle has increased 1.8% but muscle mass down a bit. Is that because I weigh twelve pounds less? (Change is not the smoothed 10 day average I usually look at but change from 2 January to yesterday.) BMI is overweight instead of obese. Subcutaneous fat decreased 2.4%.

Dtrainer has noted that I'm not out of breath doing warm ups now. Balance has improved, and should continue to improve.

So I haven't set the world on fire but I know I've improved my fitness and health. I need to keep up the workouts and walking and improve my diet. I've gotten back on sugar and know I need to let it go. I don't want to be diabetic, I want to be healthy and eat well.

So there's an assessment for a little more than eleven months.